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(May 29) Lethbridge Miners
geared up for the opening of the Foothills -Wheatbelt Baseball League
with a split of an exhibition double-header with Great Falls Jetliners.
Great Falls won the opener 12-5, Lethbridge took the twilight fixture
9-7. John Gordy hurled a six-hitter, with 10 strikeouts and
no walks, to lead Jetliners to the afternoon victory. Gordy also
starred at the plate with a first inning homer. Great Falls'
catcher Moore also had a four-bagger.
Gordy (W) and xxx
G Vaselenak (L), Stasiuk (5) and xxx
Miners spotted
Jetliners a 4-0 lead in the first frame but roared back with three in
their half of the first and another four in the second to take the lead.
Great Falls tied at 7-7 in the 4th inning but Mitch Sztaba's
two-run triple in the 5th proved enough for the win. Sztaba
also had a double. Mike Vaselenak knocked in four runs
with three singles.
Fred Friemuth, Welch (W) (5) and xxx
Bob Barnes, Vic Zaremba (L) (2) and xxx
(May 29) At Granum, the White Sox took a
pair from Picture Butte, 8-1 and 11-7 in exhibition action.
Frank Stone
and Bill Kutcheran
combined on a four-hitter in the first game.
Stone (W), Kucheran and xxx
Bosnak (L), Al West (8) and xxx
In the nightcap, Granum twice came from behind to
down the Indians. Gord
Wesley had a double in the opener and a double
and single in the second game.
Walasko, John Peterson (W) (4), Don Johnson
(7) and xxx
Leonard (L), West (8) and xxx
(June 1) Howard
Branch drove in Rudy Leonard in the 10th
inning to give Picture Butte a 2-1 victory over Vulcan in the
opening game of the 1955 season for both clubs. The
contest featured brilliant pitching from both sides. Leonard,
an import from Ottawa, scattered six hits to get the win. Jack
Altman allowed just five hits in a losing
cause.
Elks threatened in the bottom of
the ninth when Altman led off with a double and advanced
to second on a sacrifice bunt. But Leonard got the
next two batters on fly balls.
Leonard
(W) and G. Rice
Altman (L) and Bugg
(June 1) The Miners whipped
Granum 13-8 in their league opener in Lethbridge.
Mitch Sztaba delighted the home crowd with a 425-foot
homer over the centre field barrier. He also had a single.
Les Colwill added a two-run double and a single.
Johnny Klem drove in three runs and had a steal of
home. Darwin Walkingshaw led the White Sox
with a homer, double and single. Gordie Vejprava
and Ted Bogal also had homers for Granum.
Stone (L), Kucheran (6), Don Johnson (6) and Bogal
Welch (W), Fred Friemuth (8) and H Yanosik
(June 5) The Elks dumped
the Lethbridge Miners, 8-6 and 13-3, in a twin-bill in
Vulcan. Jerry Burcher gave up 14 hits in the
opener but went all the way for the win. Jack Altman
scattered nine hits to win the second game.
Miners got homers from Johnny
Vaselenak, Vic Stasiuk and Mitch Sztaba
in the first game while playing-manager Clarence Yanosik
added three singles. Dick Bugg had three
hits for the Elks.
Marty Norman was
the big gun for Vulcan in the second game with a pair of homers
and two singles.
Friemuth, G. Vaselenak
(L) (6) and
Yanosik
Burcher (W) and Bugg
Koskoski
(L), Henderson (3), Davis (3) and Yanosik
Altman (W) and Bugg
(June 5)
It was the wild west at Granum
as the White Sox crushed Picture Butte Indians 11-0 and 28-19 in a
double-header. On a day for hitters, White Sox pitcher Willie
Walasko stole the show with a five-hit shutout in the opener.
He fanned eleven and walked just one. Walasko also helped at the
plate with a double and three singles. Bill Fennessey
belted a homer and two doubles. Al Malarchuk had a
two-run homer. Gord Vejprava and Fennessey
each had five hits in the second game. Vejprava bashed a
pair of homers and had three singles, Fennessey homered and had
four singles. Darwin Walkingshaw and MacDonald
added homers for the White Sox who blew a 16-6 lead when Picture Butte
exploded for 10 runs in the top of the 6th inning. George
Menzies highlighted the rally with a grand slam homer. He
also had a double and single. Tom Karren also had a
four-bagger for the Indians.
Leonard (L), Bosnak (7) and G Rice
Walasko (W) and Bogal
Hillmer, Richards (2), Bosnak (L) (4), Pashuk (8) and G
Rice
Pederson, Don Johnson (6), Kucheran (W) (6) and Bogal
(June 8) Right-hander Jerry
Burcher held Picture Butte to seven hits while Vulcan took
advantage of 10 hits and 8 Indians' errors to post a 12-3
victory. Ben Dann provided the Elks with the
early lead with a three-run homer in the first inning. Marty
Norman had three hits for the winners while Hans Pung
had a triple, double and single for the Indians.
Burcher
(W) and Bugg
Leonard (L), Bosnak (1), Pashuk (7), Yahiro (7) and Pung
(June 8) Granum pasted
Lethbridge 16-9 for their third straight victory. After
falling behind 4-0 after just half an inning, back-to-back
homers by Ted Bogal and Bill Fennessey
produced three runs in the bottom of the first. Bogal
belted another homer in the 2nd as the White Sox added five
more. Vic Stasiuk led the Miners with four
hits, including a pair of doubles.
Welch
(L), Davis (6) and Yanosik
Stone (W) and Bogal
(June 12) Vulcan ran
its winning streak to five games with a double-header sweep of
the Granum White Sox, 7-6 and 6-5.
In the opener, Jack Altman
blasted a 10th inning homer to break up a tense battle.
The lefty hurler went the distance to pick up his second win of
the season. He allowed 13 hits while fanning 13 and walked
only one. Earl Ingarfield of the Sox led the
hitters with a homer, double and single.
Elks erupted for four runs in the
eighth inning of the second game to capture a 6-5
victory. Marty Norman and Benny Dann
had fourbaggers for Vulcan. Jerry Burcher
picked up this third straight complete game victory.
Altman
(W) and Bugg
Walasko (L) and Bogal
Burcher
(W) and Bugg
Kucheran (L), D Johnson (9) and Bogal
(June 12) In Lethbridge,
the Miners and Picture Butte Indians split a pair. In the
opener, Miners got their first look at Hawaiian pitcher Wilfred
Yahiro. The Coalinga College student held Lethbridge
to five hits over eight before weakening in the final frame to
allow four more safeties. The Indians won, 13-5 as Hans
Pung drove in five runs with a pair of
triples.
In the second half of the
twin-bill, Miners sent 16-year-old Jerry Kjelgaard
to the hill and the right-hander scattered 10 hits as Lethbridge
pulled out an 11-4 win. Johnny Klem led the Miners
with four hits and Mitch Sztaba contributed a
homer and a double.
Yahiro
(W) and Pung
Friemuth (L), Davis (3) and H Yanosik
Leonard
(L) and Pung
Kjelgaard (W) and H Yanosik
Vulcan
5 1
Granum 3 3
Lethbridge 2 4
Picture Butte 2 4
(June 15) Mitch Sztaba's
5th inning grand slam homer carried Lethbridge Miners to a 12-9
win over Picture Butte. Sztaba's blow came after rookie
reliever John Bosnak had walked the first three
men to face him. Clarence Yanosik had a
circuit blow for the Miners and Willie Yahiro was
the leading hitter for the Indians with two doubles and a
single.
Welch
(W) and Rice
Richards (L), Bosnak (4), Leonard (5) and Pung
(June 15) Two boyhood chums
from Hawaii, via Fresno State, led the Vulcan Elks to a 9-6 win
over Granum White Sox. It was the Elks sixth straight
victory and third against the Sox this season.
Lanky southpaw Jack Altman
won for the third consecutive time. He allowed 11 hits and
piled up 14 strikeouts. Outfielder Greg Seastrom
pounded out four hits in four trips to the plate. He drove
in a pair and scored twice. Marty Norman had a homer and
single for the Elks. Bill Fennessey led the
Sox with a homer, and two doubles.
Stone
(L), D Johnson (5) and Bogal
Altman (W) and Bugg
(June 17) Granum scored two runs in the
bottom of the 9th to edge Picture Butte 6-5. White Sox
scored on two hits, an infield out, walk, wild pitch and hit
batsman. Steve Odney's two-run homer in the 1st
inning had given Granum an early lead. Willie Walasko
went the distance for the win. The win evened the Sox
record at 4-4, 2 1/2 games behind the league-leading Vulcan Elks
(6-1).
Leonard
(L) and Pung
Walasko (W) and Bogal
(June
19) Granum White Sox swept a twin-bill from the Indians in Picture
Butte, 10-7 and 5-4. The win gave the Sox a 6-4 mark on
the season while the Indians dropped to 2-10.
Granum punched out 19 hits,
including four homers, to capture the opener. John
Gordy scattered 13
hits for the win in his first game with the White Sox. Earl
Ingarfield led the Sox attack with a pair of homers while
Bill Fennessey and Jim McDonald each
had one. Gordy had four singles.
Gordy
(W) and Bogal
Yahiro (L) and Pung
Granum needed two runs in the 9th
to shade the Indians 5-4 in the second game. Two walks and
singles by Joe Tarnava and Gord Vejprava
pushed across the deciding runs.
Pederson, R Johnson
(W) (4), D
Johnson (9) and Bogal
Richards (L) and Pung
(June 19) Vulcan Elks
stretched their winning streak to eight games downing Lethbridge
Miners in both ends of a double-header, 5-4 and 19-3.
Don Jantzie belted a homer in the 9th inning to give Vulcan
the winning margin in the opener as Jack Altman
held the Miners to four hits for the pitching win.
Jerry
Burcher racked up his
4th straight win in the second game as his teammates had 12 hits
and took advantage of seven Lethbridge errors in the 19-3
victory. Shortstop Marty
Norman clubbed a grand
slam homer to pace the Elks.
Dick Bugg
and Jack
Altman each had three
singles and Greg
Seastrom added a pair
of safeties.
Altman (W) and Bugg
Welch (L) and Rice
Burcher (W) and Bugg
Davis (L), Friemuth (7), Vaselenak (8) and Rice
Vulcan
8 1
Granum 6 4
Lethbridge 3 6
Picture Butte 2 8
(June 22) Vulcan Elks downed
Lethbridge Miners 14-6 for their 9th straight victory.
Outfielder Greg Seastrom had his first starting
assignment of the season and scattered ten hits in going the
distance for the win. He had eight strikeouts and walked
five. Marty Norman
provided the offensive punch for the Elks with a three-run
homer, two doubles and two singles.
Dick Bugg,
Benny
Dann and Orie
Gordichuk each had a double and
single. Clarence
Yanosik and
Johnny Vaselenak
poked home runs for Lethbridge. Miners dressed just nine
men and Les
Colwill was forced to catch the final six innings
with a broken finger.
Friemuth
(L), J Vaselenak (3) and J Vaselenak, Colwill (3)
Seastrom (W) and Bugg
(June 23 ) Lacombe
Tournament :
Granum trounced the Central Alberta All-Stars 10-2 to win the
top prize in the annual Lacombe Tournament. 65-hundred
fans packed the bleachers for the final. Carstairs
Cardinals finished 3rd, ahead of Sceptre.
The White Sox bombarded Edmonton 20-0 then
advanced to the final with a 4-3 win over Carstairs.
Don Johnson and
Bill Kucheran combined on
a five-hitter in the final. Sox salted away the win with a
five-run 3rd inning, three coming on Steve
Odney's homer. Earl
Ingarfield had 3 hits in 4 trips.
Frank Stone tossed a
four-hitter in the semi-final victory over Carstairs.
Granum 4 Carstairs 3
Stone (W) and Pung
Weremy (L) and Abel
All-Stars 2 Granum 10
Pat Chapman (L), Guff Chapman, Megus and Martin
Johnson (W), Kucheran and Pung
All-Stars won a spot in the final with a
5-3 win over Sceptre as Charlie Morris
scattered ten hits for the win.
Gulley, Jacobson (2) and Grant
Morris (W) and S Martin
In the opening round, Sceptre took a 5-1
lead after three innings and were never headed as they ousted
Daysland 7-4.
McNabb
(L), Simpson (8) and R Brown
Jacobson (W) and Snyder
Catcher Dave Abel
had three hits, scored three times and knocked in a pair as
Carstairs upset Delisle 8-6. Cy
Ing's 8th inning triple plated the
winning run. Don Kirk
went the distance for the win. Max
Bentley and John
Sirota belted homers for the
Gems.
Coben, MacEwen
(L) (4) and Johnson
Kirk (W) and Abel
Central Alberta All-Stars edged Great
Falls 7-6. Dave Martin
went the distance for the win.
D Martin
(W) and S Martin
Gordy, Barnes (6) and Twite
Granum walloped Edmonton 20-0. White
Sox batted around in both the 2nd inning, when they plated six
runs, and the 4th, when they added another ten runs. Darwin
Walkingshaw and Earl
Ingarfield had homers. Willie
Walasko pitched a five-hit shutout.
Lakeman
(L), Wynn (2), Stanoline (4)
and Emberg
Walasko (W) and Pung
(June 24) Foothills Wheatbelt Vulcan
Tournament : Ending
in a 13-13 tie
(June 26) Vulcan Elks ran
their winning streak to 11 games with a thrilling double-header
sweep of Picture Butte, 5-4 and 9-8. Elks won the opener
on an error in the bottom of the 10th and took the second
contest with a run in the bottom of the ninth.
The Indians took a 4-3 lead into
the bottom of the ninth in the first game. Elks' Marty
Norman singled and move to third on two infield
outs. He sent the game into extra innings when he scored
on an outfield error. In the 10th, Wally Franks
raced home with the winner on another Indians' error. Norman
added a triple and a two-run homer for the Elks.
Picture Butte had tied the second
contest 8-8 with a three-run uprising in the eighth
inning. But, Jack Altman's double and Dick
Bugg's single won it for the Elks in the ninth. Bugg
had four hits including a three-run homer in the first inning.
Altman went the distance
for the win in the first game. Jerry Burcher
picked up his fifth win in a relief role in the second game.
Richards (L) and Pung
Altman (W) and Bugg
Leonard, Yahiro (L) (6) and Pung
Gordichuk, Burcher (W) (7) and Bugg
(June
26) Earl Ingarfield
socked four home runs to pace Granum to a double-header sweep of
Lethbridge, 16-9 in 11 innings and 16-11 in 10 innings. The
victories allowed the White Sox to keep in step with the
league-leading Vulcan Elks, three games off the pace. The
Sox are five games ahead of the third-place Miners.
Ingarfield's third homer
of the opening game, a two-run shot in the 11th inning, was the
winning blow as Granum scored seven times in the inning. John
Gordy, an import from Great Falls, went the distance for
the win. Gord Vejprava and Darwin Walkingshaw
also had circuit blows for the Sox while Bob Laurie,
in his first league action, had four singles. Ben Moore
led the Miners with a three-run homer in the first and a pair of
doubles.
Granum erupted for five runs in
the 10th inning of the second game to down the Miners
16-11. Ingarfield homered for the Sox and Clarence
Yanosik had a four-bagger for Lethbridge.
Gordy
(W) and Laurie
Welch (L), Hurst (4), Moore (11) and H Yanosik
Stone, R Johnson
(W) (9) and Laurie
Moore, Davis (L) (2) and Rice
(June 29) Granum
Tournament : The Vulcan
Elks again showed they were the class of Southern Alberta by
capturing top prize money in the Granum Tournament. Elks
beat Picture Butte 7-4 in the 10-inning final.
The Indians, who trailed 4-3,
knotted the score in the bottom of the ninth on two errors and Willie
Yahiro's run-scoring double. But a three-run homer
by Mike Jantzie in the 10th gave the Elks the
victory. Jack Altman tossed a six-hitter for
the win.
Altman
(W) and Bugg
Yahiro (L) nd Pung
Vulcan advanced to the final as Jerry
Burcher hurled a 4-hit shutout to beat Granum 3-0. Marty
Norman was the offensive star with a two-run homer in the
third and a run-scoring double in the fifth. Willie
Walasko allowed just three hits but took the loss.
Burcher
(W) and Bugg
Walasko (L) and Laurie
Hy Richards stopped
Lethbridge on five hits as Picture Butte won its semi-final 8-1.
Welch
(L), Friemuth (4) and H Yanosik
Richards (W) and Pung
In the consolation fine, Granum
overwhelmed the Miners, 19-2 getting home runs from Gord Vejprava,
Steve Odney and Darwin Walkingshaw.
Friemuth
(L), J Vaselenak (3) and H
Yanosik
D Johnson (W) and Laurie
Vulcan
11 1
Granum 8
4
Lethbridge 3 9
Picture Butte 2 10
(July
4)
In a contest billed as the "battle of champions" the
Seattle Cheney Studs edged Granum White Sox 3-2 in an
exhibition game "that turned out to be one of the best
baseball games played in modern times in central
Alberta." (Hal
Pawson, Edmonton Journal)
"A 'small' home run -- just
inside the foul line flag 270 feet out in short left field"
was enough to give Seattle the victory. Dick Naish's
eighth inning blow scored brother Ed, a catcher, ahead of
him. The White Sox, Alberta senior champions, had won the
Lacombe Tournament, which the Cheney Studs had hoped to
enter but were forced to withdraw to protect the eligibility of
three Olympic prospects on their roster.
"It was a heartbreaking
smash for Jack Altman, who went all the way for
Granum and gave up only five hits. But it was some sort of
justice for 17-year-old Ron Georger, speedy
southpaw, who pitched the last seven innings for the Studs and
gave up only two hits while striking out 15 White Sox."
Granum opened the scoring in the
second inning as Hans Pung's single drove in Earl
Ingarfield who had reached on an error. Studs
knotted the scored in the top of the fifth on a run-scoring
double by George Kritsonis. Sox bounced back
with a run in the bottom of the fifth as Bill Fennessey
drove in Gord Wesley who had walked.
That set the stage for Naish's
dramatic blast.
Altman (L) and xxx
Monte Geiger, Geo Kritsonis (2), Ron Georger (3) and xxx
(July 13) Picture Butte Tournament
: Granum got
a measure of revenge in the Picture Butte Tournament beating
Vulcan 6-2 to take top prize in the one-day affair.
Veteran Bill Kucheran set the Elks down on seven
hits. He fanned eight and walked six. The White Sox
beat Vulcan ace Jack Altman. Joe Tarnava
had three hits for the Sox.
Kucheran
(W) and Laurie
Altman (L) and Bugg
The White Sox reached the final
with an 8-1 win over the host Indians. Roy Johnson,
an import from Spring Coulee, held Picture Butte to five hits. Earl
Ingarfield's three-run homer was a key to the victory.
Richards
(L) and Pung
R Johnson (W) and Bogal
Elks beat Lethbridge Miners 9-6 as Jerry Burcher,
undefeated in league and exhibition play, scattered 11 hits.
Davis
(L) and Colwill
Burcher (W) and Bugg
In the consolation final, the
Indians took a 6-1 lead in the second inning then held on to
shade Lethbridge Miners 7-6. Rudy Leonard worked
five innings to capture the win.
Leonard (W), Yahiro (6) and xxx
Hurst (L), Welch (3) and xxx
(July 15) Camrose
Tournament : Red Deer Dodgers, behind Don Kirk's
five-hitter, won the Camrose Tournament with a 9-1 victory over
Camrose Jubilee All-Stars. Catcher Dave Abel
highlighted the offense with a three-run homer in the 5th inning.
Kirk (W) and Abel
McGregor (L), Mussleman (6) and Brown
Red Deer advanced to the final trouncing
Vauxhall Jets 13-3 in the semi-final.
Baker (L), R Clelland (4), Kirkhoff (6) and Haugen
Gazely, Martin (W) (4) and Abel
Camrose took
a 9-1 win over Beverly Drakes in the other semi-final as Terry Lomnes
fired a two-hitter. He fanned 12.
Babiuk (L), Leske (3) and Mullins
Lomnes (W) and Broen
In opening round action,
Vauxhall Jets beat Battle River All-Stars 6-2 with Roy Cleland
on the hill for the victory. Gord Root had
four hits for the Jets.
Roy Clelland (W) and Haugen
Charles (L) and McLennan
Red Deer Dodgers downed Leduc Oilers 11-3 in the opening round.
Don Martin fired a six-hitter for the win. Larry
Kadatz and Ernie Ressler belted homers for
the Oilers.
Martin (W) and Umarl
Resler (L), Kashuba (3) and Hamilton, Roberts (3)
Camrose All-Stars shaded the Eastern
Alberta All-Stars 5-4 in a 12-inning thriller opening day.
The Eastern crew scored three in the 9th inning to send the game
into extra innings. In the 12th, Palechuck doubled
and scored on a bunt and an error for the win.
Keith McGregor, Rod Schneck (W) (9) and Bertamini,
Emmerling (2)
Simpson, R McNabb (L) (8) and Malik
Drakes had upset the 1954 Alberta
champion Granum White Sox 6-1 in the opening round as Joe
Weremy pitched a five-hitter and hit a three-run
homer.
Weremy (W) and Mullins
Walasko (L) and Johnson
The event
ended with a deficit of more than $1,600 on revenue of $2,392.25 and
expenses of $4,079.52, including $2,600 in prize money. 1090 $1.50
tickets were sold along with 808 at 75-cents, 235 at 50-cents and 135 at
25-cents.
(July
17)
The Elks ran their blistering win streak to 13 games with a
double-header sweep of Granum before the home fans. Elks
dumped the White Sox 9-8 and 4-3.
In the opening game, Vulcan
scored three in the bottom of the ninth, on a single and three
errors, to take the victory. Jerry Burcher
won his sixth game without a defeat. Marty Norman
had a double and a homer for the Elks.
Elks won the second game on Don
Jantzie's third inning grand slam. Jack Altman
pitched a six-hitter for his 6th win of the season.
Stone, R Johnson (4), Kucheran (L) (6) and Bogal
Burcher (W) and Bugg
D Johnson (L), Walasko (6) and Laurie
Altman (W) and Bugg
(July 17) Picture Butte
Indians snapped a seven-game losing streak sweeping a
double-bill from Lethbridge Miners, 13-6 and 5-3.
Willie Yahiro handcuffed the Miners for seven innings in the
opener before tiring in the 8th to allow four runs. In
going the distance he gave up nine hits, fanned ten and didn't
issue a base on balls. Wes Rice led the offense
with a pair of doubles and a single. Mitch
Sztaba cracked a two-run homer and single for the Miners.
Johnny Klem added three hits. In the second
game, Rudy Leonard allowed just five hits to pick up the
win.
Davis (L) and H Yanosik
Yahiro (W) and Pung
Welch (L) and H Yanosik
Leonard (W) and Pung
Vulcan
13 1
Granum 8 6
Lethbridge 4 10
Picture Butte 3 11
(July 20) Picture Butte exploded
for six runs in the 2nd inning and added two more in the 3rd to down
Lethbridge 8-6 in an error-filled contest at Lethbridge.
Each team was charged with six miscues. A bases-loaded triple by
Barry Gillies highlighted the Picture Butte 2nd inning.
Rudy Leonard picked up the win with a solid relief effort.
Bosnak, Leonard (W) (4) and Pung
Welch (L), G Vaselenak (4) and H. Yanosik
(July
20) Granum finally stopped the high-flying Vulcan Elks. White
Sox topped Vulcan 7-1 to halt the Elks' winning streak at
thirteen games. Willie Walasko picked up his third
win scattering ten hits, including a homer, triple and single by Marty Norman.
Seastrom (L), Burcher (5) and Bugg
Walasko (W) and Bogal, Laurie (6)
(July
22) Frank
Stone pitched a three-hitter as Granum downed Picture
Butte 5-3. Willie Yahiro gave up just seven
hits in a losing cause. Bill Fennessey gave
the White Sox an early lead with a two-run single in the first
inning. Gordie Vejprava led the winners with
a triple and a single. Hans Pung belted a
homer for the Indians. It was Granum's 10th win in 16
games. Vulcan continued to lead the circuit with a 13-2
record.
Stone
(W) and Bogal
Yahiro (L) and Pung
Vulcan
13 2
Granum 10
6
Picture Butte 5 11
Lethbridge 3 12
(July 23) Lethbridge
Jubilee Tournament : Vulcan Elks
grabbed top prize in the fourth Foothills-Wheatbelt Jubilee Tournament in Lethbridge
downing Picture Butte 8-2 in the final Jack Altman's
five-hit, 14 strikeout pitching was too much for the
Indians. Elks were led at the plate by Pete Scott
who had three singles and Greg Seastrom who had a
double and a single.
Richards,
(L) Yahiro (7) and Pung
Altman (W) and Bugg
For the third time in four
tournaments, Vulcan dumped Granum in the semi-finals. The Elks
got four-hit pitching from Jerry Burcher to top
the White Sox 3-1. Elks scored what proved to be the winner in
the second inning when Altman was hit by a pitch, stole
second and romped home on Marty Norman's double.
Kucheran
(L), D Johnson (8) and Bogal
Burcher (W) and Bugg
Picture Butte build up a 4-0 lead
then held on for a 4-3 win over Lethbridge in the other
semi-final. Hans Pung had a homer for the
Indians, Clarence Yanosik for the Miners.
Richards, Leonard (W) (4) and Pung
Davis (L), G Vaselenak (4), Welch (6) and H Yanosik
In the consolation final,
Lethbridge scored five times in the final frame to top Granum
8-7. Earl Ingarfield had a two-run homer for
the Miners.
R Johnson, D Johnson (L) (7) and Bogal
Welch (W) and H Yanosik
(July
24) Granum wound up the regular schedule with a split in a twin-bill
with Lethbridge. White Sox won the opener 8-2 while the
Miners bounced back for a 12-11 win in the second game.
Granum wound up with an 11-7 record for second place, behind
Vulcan.
Willie Walasko
tossed a five-hitter and the Sox took advantage of four
Lethbridge errors to take the 8-2 win. Miners scored their
runs on homers from Mitch Sztaba and John Vaselenak.
Lethbridge exploded for eleven
runs in the 8th inning to come back from a 6-1 deficit and shade
the Sox 12-11. Included in the outburst were three-run
homers by Frank Deak and Sztaba and solo
shots by Vic Stasiuk and Clarence Yanosik.
Granum also had four homers, by Earl Ingarfield, Bob
Laurie, Darwin Walkingshaw and Ted
Bogal.
Davis
(L), Friemuth (4) and G
Vaselenak
Walasko (W) and Bogal
Stasiuk, G Valselenak
(W) (7) and
Deak
D Johnson (L), Stone (6), Walasko (8) and Laurie
(July 27)
Vulcan Elks and the Indians split a twin-bill in Picture
Butte. Jack Altman's three-hitter led the
Elks to a 3-1 win in the opener while the Indians bounced back
for a 9-8 triumph in the second game.
The first game featured a
brilliant pitching match up between Altman and Hy Richards
who gave up just five hits in dropping the decision. Elks
won it in the sixth when Dick Bugg walked, stole
second and scored on a throwing error. Greg Seastrom
added the clincher in the eighth when he doubled and scored on
another infield error.
Altman
(W) and Bugg
Richards (L) and Pung
The second contest was a loosely
played affair which had 21 hits and 10 errors. Pitcher Rudy
Leonard singled in the winning run in the bottom of the
9th. He went the distance for the win and had three
hits. Elks were forced to start Greg Seastrom
with Jerry Burcher out with an injured pitching
hand. Seastrom lasted until the sixth when Marty
Norman took the mound for the first time this
season. Don Jantzie led the Elks with a
two-run homer and two singles. Seastrom added a
fourbagger for Vulcan.
Seastrom, Norman
(L) (6) and Bugg
Leonard (W) and Pung
(July 29)
Vulcan Elks wrapped up the regular season with a 6-4 win over
Lethbridge. The game was called after six innings because of
darkness. Sharp relief hurling by Jack Altman
snuffed out a potential Miners' rally in the final inning.
With two men on base, Altman struck out the side to
preserve the victory for rookie Orie Gordichuk.
Don Jantzie powered the Elks with a home run and
two singles.
Gordichuk
(W), Altman (6) and Bugg
Davis (L) and G Vaselenak
Vulcan
15 3
Granum
11 7 4.0
Picture Butte 6 12 9.0
Lethbridge 4 14 11.0
PLAYOFFS
(July 31) Vic
Stasiuk's first inning grand slam launched the Lethbridge
Miners on a 12-4 upset of the Vulcan Elks in the opening game of
their best-of-three Foothills-Wheatbelt semi-final series.
The Elks, who finished 15-3 in the regular season, played their
worst game of the campaign committing eight errors. The
Miners added a run in the second then went scoreless until the
ninth when they broke loose for seven runs, three on Mike
Vaselenak's homer. The Miners won just four of 18
games in the regular season.
Welch
(W), G Vaselenak (6) and H
Yanoski
Burcher (L) and Bugg
(August 2) Bill
Fennessey slammed two homers and Earl Ingarfield
and Steve Odney also clubbed round trippers as
Granum trounced Picture Butte 12-3 in the opening game of a best-of-three Foothills-Wheatbelt League semi-final. Frank
Stone picked up the win in relief.
Roy Johnson, Stone
(W) (3) and Bogal
Rudy
Leonard (L), Hy Richards (7) and Pung
(August 3) Jack Altman
pitched a two-hitter with 13 strikeouts to lead Vulcan to a 7-2
win over Lethbridge to even their semi-final series 1-1.
The California lefty, who allowed just one earned run, had a
no-hitter for five innings. Marty Norman
paced the Elks offensive with two doubles and a single in four
trips to the plate.
Altman
(W) and Bugg
Welch (L) , G Vaselenak (5) and H Yanosik
(August 5) Lethbridge Rotary
Tournament : The
favourites took a beating in opening day action at the 5th
Annual Lethbridge Rotary Tournament.
Assiniboia Aces shocked the
defending champion Spokane Builders 2-0 while the
Foothills-Wheatbelt All-Stars sidelined the Fairchild Flyers of
Spokane 7-5. Granum White Sox topped Libby, Montana
6-1. Worland Indians of Wyoming gained the remaining
spot in the semi-finals beating the Sceptre-Delisle Combines
8-5.
Assiniboia's Paul Pearson
shutdown the Builders on three hits. The Aces scored the
only run they needed in the first when Red Waterton
doubled and scored on Gordon Skjervin's
single. Skjervin led batters with a double and two
singles.
Pearson
(W) nd Waterton
Bloomquist (L) and Hinz
The All-Stars dropped behind 3-0
in the first inning but bounced back with a run in the fourth on
Clarence Yanosik's single and two more in the
fifth on an error and singles by Wes Rice and Greg
Seastrom. Three Flyer errors in the eighth allowed
the All-Stars to plate the winners.
Gagne, Hatfield
(L) (8) and Sulzman
Burcher (W) and Bugg
Earl Ingarfield
drove in four runs with a double and two singles to lead Granum
over Libby. Willie Walasko tossed a
three-hitter and had a shutout going into the ninth until Libby
scored on a single and an error.
Fines
(L), Marshall (8) and Loving
Walasko (W) and Bogal
Worland erupted for five runs in
the sixth inning to down the Bentley brothers' Combines. Paul
Stark, who pitched a no-hitter in the first Rotary
Tournament in 1952, held the Combines to eight hits.
Stark
(W) and Biron
Jacobson (L), MacEwen (6) and Grant
(August 6) The
Foothills-Wheatbelt All-Stars made history at the fifth annual
Lethbridge Rotary Tournament. The All-Stars became the
first Canadian club to win the event in staging a stirring
comeback to topple Granum 7-4 in the final and walk off with the
$1,500 first prize.
The Stars, down 3-0 after five
innings, scored three in the top of the ninth to break a 4-4 tie
and take the title. Willie Yahiro was the
star of the Stars. The southpaw set down the White Sox on
eight hits and fanned 10. He also led the Stars at the
plate with two doubles and a single and scored what proved to be
the winning run.
Granum took a 2-0 lead in the first on a Jim
McDonald triple, Gordie Vejprava's single and an error. The
Sox added a run in the fifth on two errors, a single and a
sacrifice fly. The All-Stars roared back in the seventh to
score four times and take the lead. A walk to Dick Bugg,
Clarence Yanosik's single, a walk to Floyd Gillies
and Greg Seastrom's single produced two runs and a
throwing error netted two more. Bill Fennesey's
eighth inning homer knotted the count at 4-4 heading into the
final inning.
Yahiro led off the ninth for the Stars with a
double. After Marty Norman was given an
intentional walk, pinch-hitter Benny Dann plated a
run with a single to right. Bugg's fly ball drove
in Norman and Dann scored on a passed
ball.
Yahiro
(W) and Bugg
Gordy, Kucheran (L) (7), Johnson (9) and Bogal
The All-Stars reached the final
with a 12-2 win over Assiniboia. Jack Altman
walked the first two men he faced but then settled down to hold
the Aces to five hits while fanning 13. The lefthander
also knocked in three runs with a pair of singles.
Outfielder Johnny Klem, who made the most
spectacular play of the tournament with a diving catch in the
seventh inning which nearly resulted in a triple play, punched
out a double and two singles. Greg Seastrom
had a double and a single.
Skjerven
(L), Carr (4) and Waterton
Altman (W) and Bugg
Granum won a spot in the final
with a 15-3 trouncing of Worland. The White Sox scored
four in the opening frame on two walks, an error and Earl
Ingarfield's inside-the-park homer and never looked
back. Ted Bogal had three hits for the
winners. Joe Weremy held the favoured
Indians to eight hits and fanned 14 to set a tournament strike
out record.
Weremy
(W) and Bogal
Newkirk (L), McIntosh (4) and Biron
(August 7) Lethbridge
Miners upset Granum 4-3 in the opening game of the best-of-three
Southern Alberta senior baseball semi-final. Roy Davis,
who pitched a four-hitter for the victory, scored the winning
run in the top of the ninth on a sacrifice fly. Granum's Bill
Fennessey had the only homer.
Davis
(W) and Powers
D Johnson (L) and Bogal, Laurie (3)
(August 8) Lethbridge
Miners, down 5-0 after three innings, exploded in the fourth,
sixth and ninth innings to upset Vulcan 13-5 in the deciding
game of the semi-final series. It was the second straight
season the Elks had won the regular season title but failed in
the playoffs. Miners came to life in the fourth with a
lead-off homer by Johnny Klem, a single from Vic
Stasiuk, double by George Vaselenak and
homer off the bat off Les Colwill.
Lethbridge went ahead with four runs in the sixth and wrapped up
the series with a five-run ninth. In addition to his
homer, Klem had a triple, double and two
singles. Dick Bugg homered for the
Elks. Jerry Burcher, undefeated during the
regular season, suffered his second straight playoff
defeat.
G Vaselenak
(W) and Powers
Burcher (L), Altman (7) and Bugg
(August 8) Granum White Sox
scored four runs in the opening frame and went on to down
Picture Butte 9-6 to advance to the Foothills-Wheatbelt final
series. Sox got only six hits but took advantage of eight
walks and Indians' errors to claim the victory. Frank
Stone allowed just four hits in going the distance for
the Sox. Bill Fennessey had a two-run homer
for the winners.
Leonard
(L), Richards (7) and Pung
Stone (W) and Laurie
(August 10) Earl Ingarfield's
three-run homer in the eighth inning carried Granum to a 6-4
comeback win over Lethbridge in the opening game of the
Foothills-Wheatbelt League final series. It was Ingarfield's
17th homer of the season. Joe Tarnava also
had a fourbagger for the White Sox. John Vaselenak
homered for the Miners. Willie Walasko survived
a shaky start to go all the way for the win
Walasko
(W) and Bogal
R Davis (L) and Powers
(August 12) Granum White
Sox won a berth in the South Alberta baseball final taking both
ends of a playoff twin-bill from Lethbridge, 9-2 and
10-4.
Jack Altman,
who joined Granum after Vulcan was eliminated from further play,
scattered eight hits and struck out 12 as the Sox took the
opener. Earl Ingarfield homered for the Sox.
A first inning grand slam by Darwin
Walkingshaw paced the Sox in the second contest.
Walkingshaw added a double and a single. Ted Bogal
clouted a solo homer and had a single.
Altman
(W) and Bogal
Friemuth (L), Davis (6) and Deak
Johnson
(W) and Bogal
Welch (L), G Vaselenak (3) and Deak
(August 14) Granum White
Sox pounded out 31 hits in a playoff double-header to take the
lead in both the Foothills-Wheatbelt final and the Southern
Alberta championship.
White Sox trounced Lethbridge
17-4 in the first game to take a 2-0 lead in the league
final. Darwin Walkingshaw led the Sox'
17-hit attack with a triple and three singles. Jim McDonald
drove in five runs with a double and two
singles. Willie Walasko, who tossed a
three-hitter, belted a two-run homer.
Davis
(L), Stasiuk (3) and Powers
Walasko (W) and Bogal
In the nightcap, Ted Bogal
broke up a tight contest with an eighth inning grand slam homer
as the Sox beat Picture Butte 10-3 in the opening game of the
Southern Alberta final. Frank Stone went six
innings to pick up the win. Jack Altman
finished up with three innings of one-hit ball.
Yahiro
(L) and Pung
Stone (W), Altman (7) and Bogal
(August 17) Ted Bogal
drove in six runs with a pair of homers and Darwin Walkingshaw
had five RBI from two homers, a double and a single as Granum
White Sox won the Foothills-Wheatbelt title for the second
straight season with a 20-10 victory over Lethbridge in a game
called after seven innings because of darkness. Sox
won the best-of-five series in three games. Earl Ingarfield
had four hits and scored four times. Mitch Sztaba
blasted a 420-foot homer for the Miners. Vic Stasiuk
knocked in four runs with a triple and single.
Friemuth, Davis
(L) (1) and H Yanosik
D Johnson, Walasko (W) (4) and Bogal
(August 21) For the
second straight season, Granum won a spot in the Alberta senior
baseball finals as they finished off the Picture Butte Indians
10-1 to win the best-of-three Southern Alberta title in two
straight. The White Sox, who earlier captured the
Foothills-Wheatbelt title, scored twice in the top of the first
and were never headed.
Fireballing lefty Jack Altman,
a star with Vulcan during the regular season and acquired for
the playoffs, scattered seven hits while fanning nine and allowed just one base on balls. Sox blasted three
homers. Ted Bogal crushed a two-run shot in
the first, Bill Fennessey homered in the fourth,
and Steve Odney had a leadoff blast in the
eighth. Gord Vejprava had three hits. Willie
Yahiro went the distance for the Indians allowing 11
hits. He was victimized by five Indians' errors.
Altman
(W) and Bogal
Yahiro (L) and Pung
(August 27) Jack
Altman tossed a gem, a two-hit shutout, to give Granum a
3-0 triumph over the Cold Lake Stars in the opening game of the
Alberta senior baseball championship series. Steve Odney
was the hero at the plate driving in all three runs with a
two-run homer in the seventh and a sacrifice fly in the
eighth. Al Mulleneux gave up just six hits
in going the distance for the Stars.
Altman
(W) and Bogal
Mulleneux (L) and Demeriez
(August 28) The Granum
White Sox retained their Alberta senior baseball title edging
the hometown Cold Lake Stars 2-1 to take the best-of-three
series in two straight games. Steady pitching by Willie Walasko
and clutch hits from Gord Wesley and Jim
McDonald were enough for the victory. Wesley gave the
Sox the early lead blasting a homer on the second pitch of the
game. After the Stars had tied the contest with a run in
the fifth, Ted Bogal drew a sixth inning walk,
stole second and scored on McDonald's
line-drive double. McDonald led the Sox with three hits. Walakso
spaced out nine hits effectively while registering 10 strikeouts
and two walks. Al Mulleneux, who went the
distance Saturday, was touched for seven hits and allowed five
free passes.
Granum also won an exhibition
game, trouncing Cold Lake 12-4 behind the pitching of Don
Johnson.
Walasko
(W) and Bogal
Mulleneuz (L) and Demeriez
D Johnson (W) and xxx
xxx and xxx
(September
5) Fernie
Tournament : Granum took top prize in the Labour Day tournament in Fernie
defeating Kimberley Dynamos 7-1 in the final as lefty Jack
Altman pitched a three-hitter. Altman struck out
ten. Bill Fennessey's three-run homer in the
third was the key blow for the White Sox. The only run
against Altman came in the first inning as a result of an error.
Altman
(W) and xxx
Boisvert (L), F Geringher (3) and xxx
In the semi-finals, Willie
Walasko hurled a no-hitter, with ten strikeouts, as the Sox whipped Coleman
14-0 in a game called after seven innings. Kimberley
downed Fernie 11-4.
Walasko (W) and xxx
xxx and xxx
xxx and xxx
xxx and xxx
In opening round games, Fernie
Falcons trounced Eureka, Montana 18-2, Coleman downed Yaak air
base of Troy, Montana 6-1.
(September
11) Darwin
Walkingshaw's sacrifice fly scored Steve Odney
in the bottom of the ninth to give Granum a 2-1 victory in a
challenge match against the Vauxhall Jets, runners-up in the
Alberta intermediate baseball championship. Granum,
winners of the provincial senior title, scored a 9-0 win the
second game of the twin-bill. Close to 800 fans, best
local crowd of the season, watched the action in Granum.
The opener was a pitching duel
between lefties Roy Cleland of the Jets and
Granum's Jack Altman. Cleland tossed
a two-hitter with six strike outs and four walks. Altman
had a no-hitter into the seventh and blanked the Jets until the
top of the ninth when three singles loaded the bases and a run
scored on a wild pitch. He fanned seven and allowed just one
base on balls. Bill Fennessey's run-scoring
single in the fourth and Jim McDonald's double in the
fifth were the only hits off Cleland.
Willie Walasko
pitched a sizzling two-hitter in the seven-inning second game as
the White Sox prevailed, 9-0. Gord Wesley
belted the game's second pitch for a homer to get the Sox on the
board.
Cleland
(L) and Hougen
Altman (W) and Bogal
Anderson
(L), Stevenson (4) and Hougen
Walasko (W) and Bogal
(September
18)
Willie Walasko allowed just one hit, a 3rd inning
single by Doug Erskine, as Granum battered
Vauxhall 17-0 in the first game of an exhibition
double-header. White Sox also won the nightcap,
9-7.
Bill Fennessey and Jim
McDonald had homers in the first game, while Al Marlarchuk
had four singles. Marlarchuk added three more hits
in the second game. In was the second twin-bill sweep over
the Jets in two weeks.
Walasko
(W) and Tarnava
Cleland (L), Rhodes (2) and Hougen
Kucheran, D Johnson (6) and
Tarnava
Rasmussen, Anderson (9) and Blaney
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