(Apr) The Bowsman paper reported on a "well attended" baseball meeting held in the Legion Hall. A highlight of the gathering was the interest shown in the sale of season tickets. They were to be available for $5.00 for an individual, $10 for a family and $15 for a car pass.
(Apr) Bowsman reported the signing of Garry Blaine, rated as one of the most outstanding catchers in southern Manitoba. Blaine also handles mound work. The club also signed pitcher Al Seymour who has had previous experience with Grandview and the Winnipeg Maroons.
(May 21) Dauphin downed the Cyclones in Kamsack's home opener. The game was called after five innings because of darkness.
(May 21) The Yorkton Cardinals were scheduled to open their Manitoba-Saskatchewan season at Jubilee Park against Gilbert Plains.
"Tonight the Cardinals will use the American Negro Ralph Fennel in their lineup. He came in from Detroit on Sunday. Two years ago Ralph played at Willowbrook and was a tremendous favorite and probably the best ball player ever to show there. He will be the Yorkton's Jackie Robinson, as he is the first Negro ball player ever signed by a Yorkton team." (Yorkton Enterprise, May 21, 1953)
(May 21) The Kamsack Cyclones played their first Manitoba - Saskatchewan League game on home turf as the visitors from Dauphin outscored them 9 - 6. Dauphin plated 6 runs in their first turn at bat off loser Walter Haljeski. Don Gardiner of Dauphin picked up the mound win in the darkness-shortened 5-inning affair.
(May 21) Gilbert Plains defeated the home-town Yorkton Cardinals 8 - 4 in the 1953 opener for both clubs. The Cards held a 4 - 2 lead going into the final frame but loser Ed Dembroski hit one batter and walked two more before the floodgates opened.
(May 22) Bob Burchell fired a four-hitter as Bowsman Arrows won their opening game of the Manitoba-Saskatchewan league season, 4-1 over Dauphin.
(May 24) Ray Tall's steal of home in the bottom of the 9th inning gave Bowsman a 5-4 win over Gilbert Plains. A capacity crowd saw the visitors take a 4-0 lead in the first four innings against Al Seymour. Gary Blaine came on in relief and shut down Gilbert Plains over the last five innings. Bowsman scored a pair in the 5th inning and singletons in the 7th and 9th to tie. With two out, Tall broke from third and slid in safely with the winning run.
(May 27?) Al Seymour tossed a shutout as Bowsman topped Roblin 6-0.
(June 2) Bowsman gained a share of first place money in the Preeceville tournament. The Arrows were leading Preeceville 7-4 in the final when the game was called because of darkness. The clubs split first and second place money. Bowsman downed Stenen 16-6 in the opening round as Al Seymour picked up the pitching decision. Gary Blaine and Smitty Leonhard handled the mound chores as Bowsman beat Reserve 7-4 in the semi-final.
(June 5) U.S. Imports for the Kamsack Cyclones ball club are expected to arrive in Kamsack on June 13. Their names and positions are as follows : Roy Taylor--second base; Jim Peterson--short stop; Jack Ladra--outfield; Bob Bennett--catcher; Don Farris--first base; Art Shahzade--outfield; Ron Hager--third base; Dick Hayes--pitcher; John Zeeben--pitcher. (Kamsack Times, June 5, 1953)
(June 6) In a game at Grandview, the Yorkton Cardinals turned back the home team 8 - 3. Although out-hit, the Cards performed remarkably in the field and came up with a number of spectacular defensive plays to back up winner Ernie Koroluk. In the first three innings, Yorkton scored seven times off Grandview's Silvers, who was hit with the loss. Steve Wylie finished on the hill for the Manitobans. The bright spot for Grandview was provided by Wilson who hit a home run in the first inning.
Koroluk and xxxx
Silvers (L), Wylie (4) and xxxx
(June 6) At Roblin, the home team whipped Dauphin Red Birds 9-1.
(June 7) The Yorkton Cardinals travelled to Madge Lake and defeated the Kamsack Cyclones 8 - 1 behind the 7-hit hurling of big Ed Dembroski and took over first place in the Man - Sask League. The Cardinals had their big inning in the 2nd when they scored four runs. Bill Prystai, Metro Prystai, Stan Obodiac and Merv Kahoot all had doubles for the Cards against a stiff wind blowing off the lake.
(June 7?) More than 1-thousand fans, the largest crowd ever to attend a baseball game in Bowsman, saw Dauphin hand the Arrows their first loss, 11-5. Collins Jones belted a pair of homers to lead the Red Birds.
(June 8) Fans in Dauphin were treated to a brilliant pitching duel Monday as the Red Birds shaded Bowsman 2-1. Don Gardner tossed a five-hitter for the win while Al Seymour allowed just four hits in a losing cause. Collins Jones had the only extra base hit, a double.
(June 8) Grandview Maroons downed Robin 6-4.
(June 9) Roblin defeated Kamsack.
(June 10) The league-leading Yorkton Cardinals defeated Dauphin Red Birds 9-2 in a Manitoba-Saskatchewan match before 200 fans in Yorkton. It was the Cards fourth win in their first five games. Cardinals' first sacker Steve Yaholnitsky bashed a homer to tie the count 2-2 in the 2nd inning and Ralph Fennel followed with a grand-slam clout to raise the count to 6-2. Yorkton added another in the 4th and two more in the 7th for insurance. Ernie Koroluk went the distance with an eight-hitter for the win. Yorkton had 15 hits off Guss and Goran.
Guss, Goran and xxx
Koroluk (W) and xxx
(June 10) Al Jacques' bases-loaded triple in the bottom of the 9th inning drove in the winning run as Bowsman topped Roblin 4-3. Bob Burchell scattered six hits for the win.
(June 13) Don Gardner tossed a two-hitter to lead Dauphin Red Birds to a 4-1 win over Yorkton. (The story in the Yorkton Enterprise noted "a couple of Cardinals did not make the trip due to the Panser wedding".) Andy Bachewich started for Cards, giving way to Ernie Koroluk.
(June 14) Roblin took top money of $200 at the 23rd annual Stoney Creek picnic on Sunday, June 14, defeating Stornoway in the final game. (Kamsack Times, June 18, 1953)
(June 14) The Kamsack Cyclones went down to defeat at the hands of the Grandview squad in a contest at Madge Lake. The Kamsack Times did not report the actual score.
(June 15) Kamsack Cyclones overcame a 6-3 deficit to down Bowsman 8-6, taking advantage of sloppy play by the Arrows. Bob Burchell allowed just six hits but suffered the mound defeat. Ron Hager's 9th inning homer, with Jim Jenkins aboard, proved to be the winning margin.
(June 16) The Yorkton Cardinals bit the dust to the tune of 13 - 1 against the rejuvenated Kamsack Cyclones who now have manager Roy Taylor and other imports from California in the line-up. The Cyclones displayed an excellent defensive game and their base-running was tops.
(June 17) Pitcher Al Seymour crushed a grand slam homer in the 9th inning to give Bowsman a 7-4 win over Yorkton Cardinals. With Bowsman runners on second and third, Cards' Ralph Fennel intentionally walked Gene Fedorchuck to pitch to Seymour who parked one over the right field fence to clear the sacks. Metro Prystai's two run single in the 4th inning had give Yorkton the lead.
Seymour (W) and Blaine
Fennel (L) and W Prystai
(June 19) At Roblin, the Yorkton Cardinals stung the ball with authority, blasting three homers and a pair of doubles, but still dropped a 13 - 9 verdict to the homesters. Ernie Koroluk started on the hill for Yorkton and was pitching reasonably well until there was a defensive meltdown. Ed Dembroski and Bill Prystai followed him to the mound in an attempt to quell the flames of disaster. The Yorkton homers went to Rosetti, Ralph Fennel and Stan Obodiac.
(June 20?) Kamsack and Canora split first and second money of $100 and $50 at Mikado sports last week. The final game was called at the end of the second inning when the score was 2-0 in Kamsack's favor. (Kamsack Times, June 25, 1953)
(June 24) The Kamsack Cyclones continued their winning ways by defeating Gilbert Plains 5 - 3.
(June 27) Second baseman Stan Obodiac leads the Yorkton Cardinals in hitting with a .325 average, according to the Yorkton Enterprise. Obodiac has garnered 13 hits in 40 times at bat. Hefty catcher Ralph Fennel leads the team in home runs with 3.
(June 27) American Rip Kinney started his first game on the mound for the Yorkton Cardinals and held a 2 - 1 lead against the Kamsack Cyclones on a 7-hitter but two costly bobbles allowed the tying run to score and the game ended in a 2 - 2 saw-off. Dave Kostenuk was the starting hurler for the Cyclones. Outfielder Jack Ladra of Kamsack had a bases-empty home run. Don Farris of the Cyclones went 3 for 4 at the plate. The Cardinals' Steve Yaholnitsky had a pair of infield scratch singles.
(June 27) Reliever Steve Wylie pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the 8th inning to hold off Bowsman and give Grandview a 4-3 victory.
(June 28) Grandview at Bowsman, rained out.
(June 28) At Madge Lake, the Kamsack Cyclones completely overwhelmed the Dauphin nine 11 - 0.
(June 29 The Cyclones won their sixth straight, downing Bowsman 6-1 at Kamsack. Dave Kostenuk and Dick Hayes limited the Maroons to three hits.
(July 1) The league-leading Grandview Maroons took a severe drubbing at the hands of the fast-charging Kamsack Cyclones as they went down 10 - 0 on the Cyclones' home turf. John Zeeben fired a one-hitter for the Cyclones and Jack Ladra led the offensive at the plate with a triple and two singles. Stan Green slammed out a homer for the Cyclones, winners of seven straight.
xxx and xxx
Zeeben (W) and xxx
(July 3) Bowsman and Kamsack played to a 2-2 tie in a game called after five innings because of rain. Al Seymour handled the pitching for the Arrows and knocked in both Bowsman runs.
Bowsman announced that Bob Burchell and M Nunn had left for their homes in Nova Scotia for the summer holidays. Jim Hagermeister of Preeceville and Wimpy Stephenson of Rosetown were to join the team.
(July 4) Baseball history was made in Yorkton when the Regina Caps beat the Yorkton Cardinals 7 - 4 in an exhibition game at Jubilee Park under portable floodlights. Ernie Koroluk pitched the entire game for the Cards as 1,000 fans watched, Catcher Ralph Fennel hit a double and single for the Cards.
(July 4?) Roblin took advantage of an error to score three runs to top Bowsman 6-4. Lee Fisher was the winning pitcher. Jim Hagermeister went the distance for the Arrows. Gary Blaine belted a two-run homer for Bowsman.
(July 6) Kamsack scored twice in the 1st inning and held on to top the Red Birds 3-1 in Dauphin. Jim Jenkins tossed a three-hitter for the win. Don Gardner gave up eight in a losing cause. Jack Ladra led the Cyclones with a double and single and Ron Hager chipped in with a pair of hits. Jim Peterson turned in a sparkling game at shortstop for the Cyclones.
Jenkins (W) and Bennett
Gardner (L) and Ford
(July 6) Standings as of end of July 6
W L Pct.
Grandview 8 4 .667
Bowsman 6 5 .545
Kamsack 7 6 .538
Dauphin 8 8 .500
Roblin 7 8 .467
Gilbert Plains 4 6 .400
Yorkton 4 7 .364
(July 5?) Bowsman pushed across two runs in the top of the 9th inning and held on to beat Yorkton 5-3. Smitty Leonhard was the winner in relief of Al Seymour.
(July 6) Sturgis tournament.
(July 8) Dauphin Red Birds and Yorkton Cardinals played to a 4-4 draw in a sloppily played contest at Yorkton. The home team had three hits and made five errors while Dauphin had five hits and six errors. Goran handled the pitching for the Red Birds and Ernie Koroluk went eight for the Cards before giving way to import Rip Kinney from Detroit.
Goran and xxx
Koroluk, Kinney (9) and xxx
(July 8) Gilbert Plains shaded Bowsman 8-7.
(July 8) Dauphin and the Yorkton Cardinals battled to a 2 - 2 draw.
(July 10) More than 7-thousand fans watched the final of the Third Annual Kamsack tournament as the home town Cyclones beat Indian Head 11-2 to capture top prize in the $3,500 event. Al Bigelow tossed a four-hitter for the Cyclones while catcher Bob Bennett led the offense with three hits. Playing-manager Roy Taylor and shortstop Jim Peterson each had a pair. It was the third game of the day for the Cyclones.
Bigelow (W) and xxx
Hernandez, Yzquierdo and xxx
Rockets reached the final with a 4-3, 10-inning win over Saskatoon. Gems' Jim Morrow had tied the game with a homer in the 9th but pitcher Roberto Barbon singled in Juan Prats with the winner in the 10th. Chico O'Farrill had a homer and single for the Rockets.
Cyclones whipped Dauphin Red Birds 22-6 in semi-final action as Jack Ladra belted a three-run homer.
xxx and xxx
Kostenuk, Taylor and xxx
In quarter-final games, Kamsack downed Moose Jaw Maples 7-4 behind the pitching of Jim Jenkins and a two-run homer by Dick Hayes. while Indian Head dumped Stenen 21-1, Dauphin ousted Bowsman and Gems defeated Grandview 7-0 as Ted Wills hurled the shutout.
In opening round games, Dauphin Red Birds upset Regina Caps 7-4, Moose Jaw trounced Pelly 20-0, Saskatoon came from behind to top Yorkton 8-4, Kamsack scored a 5-1 win over Roblin as John Zeeben and Jim Jenkins shared the mound work, Indian Head down Rhein 9-4 sparked by Chico O'Farrill's homer, Stenen won a 17-14 slugfest over Donwell, and Grandview topped Holar 15-5. Bowsman won by forfeit when Gilbert Plains could not field a team because of transportation problems.
(July 11) Bowsman at Grandview
(July 11) The Yorkton Cardinals saw a 6 - 1 lead slip away as they dropped a 10 - 6 decision to Dauphin. Rip Kinney and Ernie Koroluk toiled on the hill for the Cards. Kinney also had a 3 for 4 performance at the dish. Metro Prystai, Steve Chorney and Stan Obodiac had a couple of hits apiece.
(July 12) Bowsman at Grandview
(July 12) Kamsack took a pair from Gilbert Plains.
(July 13) Exhibition double-header at Bowsman
(July 15) The Kamsack Cyclones were bounced 7 - 1 by the Moose Jaw Maples in their opener at the Indian Head tournament.
(July 15) Bowsman got new uniforms and a new name -- the Maroons.
"The uniforms had been slightly used before and are adorned with large numbers on the backs of the shirts and have the name Maroons across the front. The uniforms are made from the best of materials and are complete with caps and sweat shirts. It was thought advisable to change the name of the club from Arrows to Maroons which would be a great saving to the club financially and the name Maroons is more in keeping with the color trim of the uniforms. The piping trim on the uniforms is a maroon color as is also the socks and sweat shits." (Swan River Star Times, 1953)
(July 15) Bowsman vs XXX makeup game
(July 17) Bowsman vs Ligon All-Stars, double-header
(July 17) Big Ralph Fennel drilled a two-run homer in the 9th as the Yorkton Cardinals up-ended Grandview 7 - 5. Fennel also picked up the complete game pitching win. Metro Prystai and Fennell both had two hits in the contest. Grandview's Steve Wylie was the victim of Fennell's game-winning circuit clout.
Fennel (W) and xxx
Wylie (L) and xxx
(July 18) Kamsack vs Bowsman at Swan River in an exhibition match in aid of a new curling rink in Swan River.
(July 19?) The revamped Bowsman Maroons scored a 5-3 win over a team composed of players from Grandview, Dauphin and Gilbert Plains. The three teams are reported to be closing down for the season due to financial troubles. Maroons had Leonard Pigg, Tex Conley and Percy Howard in the lineup.
(July 20) Current league standings show that the Kamsack Cyclones have moved up into second place in the Man - Sask League.
(July 22) Kamsack and Bowsman played to a 2-2 tie. Al Seymour tossed a four-hitter for the Maroons.
(July 23) Rip Kinney pitched the Yorkton Cardinals to a 4 - 0 shut-out win over the league-leading Grandview Maroons.
(July 24) Roblin downed Bowsman 12-8.
(July 25) Bowsman whipped Yorkton 7-0.
(July 26) Yorkton 4 Bowsman 1
(July 27) Man - Sask League standings as of July 27
W L T Pct.
Grandview 12 6 .667
Kamsack 9 6 3 .588
Roblin 11 9 1 .548
Dauphin 10 10 2 .500
Yorkton 8 9 2 .474
Bowsman 7 10 2 .421
Gilbert Plains 5 9 1 .366
(July 29) Gilbert Plains at Bowsman
(Aug 2) In the first night game in Bowsman history, a record crowd of more than 26-hundred saw the Regina Caps thump the Maroons 13-4 under the portable flood lights.
(Aug 3) Bowsman downed Nipawin Cubs 9-3.
(August 3) The Kamsack Cyclones squeezed out a 2 - 0 victory over the Yorkton Cardinals as winning hurler Dave Kostenuk and the Cards' Ernie Koroluk hooked up in a great pitchers' duel. Kamsack outfielder Jack Ladra tagged one of Koroluk's offerings for a bases-empty homer.
(Aug 6) Kamsack Cyclones have established an outstanding record this playing season. From the time the complete team began playing on Sunday, June 14, up until Tuesday morning of this week, the team had lost only six games in a total of 41 games played. Three were tie games. Five league games had been lost prior to the arrival of all players. (Kamsack Times, Aug 6, 1953)
(Aug 8) Kamsack Cyclones won the Man.-Sask. league title when they defeated Yorkton Cardinals in two successive games. (Kamsack Times, Aug 13, 1953) Cyclones handed the Yorkton Cardinals a humiliating 11 - 4 drubbing to win their 2-out-of-3 playoff series in two straight games. Don Farris had a two-run round-tripper for the Cyclones. Yorkton's J. Rosetti and Bill Prystai both went 3 for 4 with the willow.
Jenkins (W), Taylor (6) and Bennett
Koroluk (L), Dembroski (3), M. Prystai (7) and Fennell
( ) League disbands.
"The Bowsman Maroons have disbanded for the 1953 season. This decision followed an executive meeting of the Bowsman Ball Club held early this week. All the import players have been struck off the payroll and although two or three of the boys were still seen about town at the time of writing, it is very doubtful if the Maroons will enter into any more competitive play this year.
Although the regular schedule of the Man-Sask Baseball League was completed except for one or two games, the league suddenly broke up making no provisions for a playoff between the three teams that were left active out of the original seven teams entered. Dauphin, Gilbert Plains, Grandview and Roblin announced their withdrawal from the league almost two weeks ago. In spite of the fact that three of these teams occupied the top positions in the league they were forced to withdraw due to financial obligations they were unable to meet. Kamsack protested a playoff with Bowsman, maintaining in their protest that Bowsman had players on their roster that were not covered by the residence section of the league rules. Nothing has been heard from Yorkton but it is understood they have decided to terminate their 1953 playing schedule. It is expected an official announcement will be forthcoming from League officials regarding the final standings of the teams. When this announcement is made, it is believed, Grandview will be classified as the League Champions as they compiled the most points during the regular schedule.
Regardless of how the fate of the Man-Sask League is settled, Bowsman can look back over the season's play with a great deal of satisfaction." (Swan River Star Times, 1953)
Yorkton & Bowsman schedules :
May 21 Gilbert Plains at Yorkton
May 22 Bowsman at Dauphin
May 24 Gilbert Plains at Bowsman
May 25 Bowsman at Gilbert Plains
May 27 Yorkton at Gilbert Plains
May 27 Bowsman at Roblin
May 30 Yorkton at Bowsman
May 31 Yorkton at Bowsman
June 4 Yorkton at Kamsack
June 5 Roblin at Yorkton
June 7 Yorkton at Kamsack
June 7 Dauphin at Bowsman
June 9 Yorkton at Gilbert Plains
June 9 Bowsman at Dauphin
June 10 Dauphin at Yorkton
June 10 Roblin at Bowsman
June 13 Yorkton at Dauphin
June 15 Kamsack at Bowsman
June 17 Bowsman at Yorkton (2)
June 19 Yorkton at Roblin
June 20 Grandview at Yorkton
June 21 Gilbert Plains at Bowsman
June 23 Yorkton at Grandview
June 24 Gilbert Plains at Yorkton
June 24 Roblin at Bowsman
June 25 Bowsman at Kamsack
June 27 Kamsack at Yorkton
June 27 Grandview at Bowsman
June 28 Grandview at Bowsman
June 29 Yorkton at Roblin
July 3 Grandview at Yorkton
July 4 Bowsman at Roblin
July 5 Bowsman at Ministik (2) with Kamsack
July 8 Dauphin at Yorkton
July 8 Bowsman at Gilbert Plains
July 11 Yorkton at Dauphin
July 11 Bowsman at Grandview
July 12 Bowsman at Grandview
July 17 Yorkton at Grandview
July 18 Roblin at Yorkton
July 19 Dauphin at Bowsman
July 21 Kamsack at Yorkton
July 22 Kamsack at Bowsman