Left - Lloyd Haddon was the star of the 1968 Peace River tournament clubbing a record six home runs.
Haddon, a former hockey star with the Edmonton Flyers, playing for the Beaverlodge Royals, was intentionally walked his other four trips to the plate.
Right - Right-hander Greg Dvorak, another of the Fresno State products to play on the prairies, had three sensational seasons 1968-69-70 in the Northern Saskatchewan League. He had seasons of 8-1, 2.58, 12-0, 1.76 and 7-1, 1.32.
In the fall of 1973, the Houston Astros announced the signing of 17-year-old Terry Puhl of Melville, Saskatchewan.
Puhl had been scouted extensively from the time he had led the Bantam (14 and 15 year old) Melville Lions to the Western Canada crown (there was no national playoff) in 1971.
Two years later, as a 17 year old hurler, he was again dominant as the Melville Elks triumphed to win the Canadian Midget (16 to 18 year old) championship. In both tournaments, Puhl was named the MVP.
1968 - 18 year old pitcher Dave Pagan of the Nipawin Lawnmasters (wearing his Snowden Spartans' uniform), a pick up by the Prince Albert Bohemians for Saskatchewan provincial playoffs, talks over strategy and signs with catcher Gord "Squeak" Nelson prior to the start of a game played July 19, 1968.
The Bohs (named after Saskatchewan's best selling beer of that era) triumphed to win their best-of-three quarter-final series in two straight games.
Pagan went on to a ten year pro career after being signed out of Bellevue Community College by the New York Yankees in 1970, making his major league debut with the Bronx Bombers in Yankee Stadium on July 1, 1973.
Nelson, his battery mate, just two seasons earlier, had been one of the sluggers on the 1966 Melville Millionaires, a Southern League squad noted for power hitting that season. (Saturday July 20, 1968 edition of the Prince Albert Herald)
Leroy Gregory, who suited up with Calgary, Regina, Moose Jaw and Lethbridge in 1957-58, returned to Canada to play in the Quebec Provincial League in 1969 and 1970.
Gregory, who advanced to the major leagues as a pitcher, was the batting champion in 1969 as a first baseman with the Drummondville Royals.
In 1959, he was the MVP of the Fresno State club, going 12-0 as the team finished third at the College World Series.
Left - Gregory accepts a trophy signifying his batting title.
In British Columbia, there's been a long history of top level ball in the interior, including the Okanagan, north to Kamloops.
Steven Travers (# 36 above) came out of the University of Nevada to become an ace starter for the Kamloops Brewers in 1980. The photo is of the Kamloops stadium. Travers went 9-3 with an ERA of 1.93 and was named the top pitcher in the Kamloops International Tournament.
Keeping track into the 1980s ... Rich Necker recalls some great talents being honed in Southern Alberta.
Residents of southern Alberta (I was one of them - a season ticket holder at the time in Lethbridge were fortunate enough to witness a host of recently drafted young men who played their first year of professional baseball in the Pioneer League. The following is a list of those who played on Alberta-based teams only (there were others from the Montana and Idaho teams, not included) and whose progression was such to eventually land them in the majors.
1975 Lethbridge Expos
18 year old outfielder Andre Dawson - 21 MLB seasons, mostly with Montreal Expos and Chicago Cubs. 1977 NL rookie-of-year, 8-time NL all-star, 1987 NL MVP, 1987 NL HR leader.
1976 Lethbridge Expos
17 year old right-handed pitcher Bob James - 279 big league mound appearances spread over 8 seasons. Primarily a relief pitcher, he spent the bulk of his career with the Montreal Expos and the Chicago White Sox, the latter team for whom he saved 32 games, second most in the AL in 1985.
19 year old right-handed pitcher David Palmer - compiled a 64 - 59 record, primarily as a starter, over 10 big league seasons, 6 of them with the Montreal Expos.
1977 Calgary Cardinals
20 year old third baseman/outfielder Ty Waller - 63 major league games with 3 different clubs.
1977 Lethbridge Dodgers
19 year old outfielder Ron Kittle - 10 seasons in major leagues, all with AL teams, 1983 AL rookie-of-year with Chicago White Sox.
18 year old outfielder Mitch Webster - 13 MLB campaigns (1,265 games) with 6 different clubs.
1977 Medicine Hat A's
18 year old outfielder Mike Davis - 10 seasons in the majors with Oakland A's (8) and Los Angeles Dodgers (2)
1978 Lethbridge Dodgers
17 year old outfielder Candy Maldonado - 15 MLB seasons with 7 different teams.
18 year old outfielder/first baseman Mike Marshall - 11 seasons in the bigs, the vast majority as a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
18 year old second baseman Steve Sax - 14 MLB seasons, mostly with the Los Angeles Dodgers. 1982 NL rookie-of-year, 5 all-star appearances for NL.
18 year old third baseman German Rivera - 314 MLB games over 3 seasons with Los Angeles Dodgers and Houston Astros.
19 year old catcher Dann Bilardello - 317 MLB games over 8 seasons with 4 different NL clubs.
19 year old catcher/outfielder Dave Sax - 37 MLB games, mostly with the Boston Red Sox.
1978 Medicine Hat Blue Jays
18 year old outfielder LLoyd Moseby - 12 major league campaigns, 10 with the Toronto Blue Jays.
18 year old catcher/third baseman Geno Petralli - 809 MLB games over 12 seasons, 784 of these game with the Texas Rangers.
18 year old outfielder/third baseman Paul Hodgson - a late-season call-up (46 games) with the 1980 Toronto Blue Jays.
18 year old catcher Brian Milnar - called up to the Toronto Blue Jays shortly after he was drafted in June 1978. Went 4 for 9 at the plate in 2 games and then was sent to Medicine Hat of the Pioneer League for development. A series of injuries stymied his progress and he never appeared in the majors again.
1979 Lethbridge Dodgers
22 year old first baseman Greg Brock - 10 MLB seasons, 5 each with the Los Angeles Dodgers (NL) and Milwaukee Brewers (AL).
19 year old left-handed pitcher Rich Rodas - 10 games with the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 1983 and 1984 seasons.
18 year old left-handed pitcher Morris Madden - 16 major league games, all but 2 with the 1988 and 1989 Pittsburgh Pirates.
1979 Calgary Expos
18 year old first baseman Andres Galarraga - had a 19 year MLB career including 8 seasons with the Montreal Expos. A 5-time NL all-star.
19 year old right-handed pitcher Randy St. Claire- compiled a 12 - 6 lifetime MLB record over 9 seasons, primarily with the Montreal Expos.
1979 Medicine Hat Blue Jays
20 year old catcher Toby Hernandez - appeared in 3 games with the 1984 Toronto Blue Jays.
17 year old infielder Fred Manrique - played in 498 MLB games over 9 seasons, 320 of these with the Chicago White Sox.
18 year old outfielder Ron Shepherd - 115 games with the Toronto Blue Jays between 1984 and 1986.
18 year old right-handed pitcher Mark Eichhorn - 11 seasons in the majors, 6 of them with the Toronto Blue Jays.
1980 Calgary Expos
18 year old shortstop Angel Salazar - 5 MLB campaigns including 2 full seasons with the Kansas City Royals.
1980 Lethbridge Dodgers
16 year old catcher Gilberto Reyes - 7 partial MLB seasons from 1983 to 1991 with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Montreal Expos.
20 year old first baseman Larry See - 11 major league games split between the 1986 Los Angeles Dodgers and 1988 Texas Rangers.
16 year old right-handed pitcher Rafael Montalvo - appeared in one game with the 1986 Los Angeles Dodgers
22 year old left-handed pitcher Tom Klawitter - appeared in 7 games with the 1985 Minnesota Twins.
Steve Dalkowski was one of the most feared pitchers in baseball in the late 50s and early 60s.
Although he never fired a single pitch in the major leagues, the flame-throwing lefthander was one of the most talked about players in baseball. Dalkowski's fast ball, and lack of control with it, become the stuff of legend.
In a cruel twist, in Spring Training 1963, just when he appeared to have conquered his wildness, an injury ended the dream. In a 1999 article, The Sporting News reflected upon the former phenom
" ... Dalkowski gained legendary status with a fastball that many who saw him pitch believe was 110 mph. The only thing that kept Dalkowski from ever reaching the majors was that he couldn't throw his fastball with any sort of control -- in 1960, he set a California League record with 262 walks in 170 innings. He also recorded 262 strikeouts. For his minor league career, Delkowski had 1,396 strikeouts and 1,354 walks in 995 innings.
Those who saw Dalkowski pitch believe he was the hardest thrower in baseball history. In a Newsday article from 1979, several baseball men discussed Dalkowski's and his blazing fastball. "He was unbelievable," said former Orioles manager Earl Weaver. "He threw a lot faster than (Nolan) Ryan. It's hard to believe but he did."
Dalkowski's wildness frightened even the bravest of hitters. Ted Williams faced Dalkowski once in a spring training game and that was enough. "Fastest ever," said Williams. "I never want to face him again." Here a just a few examples of how Dalkowski gained legendary status:
One night at Kingsport, Dalkowski threw a pitch that tore off part of a batter's ear. "It made me so scared, I didn't even want to look at it," said Dalkowski. Many people believe after this incident Dalkowski feared one of errant pitches would kill someone and that only contributed more to his wildness.
Dalkowski won a $5 bet with teammate Herman Starrette, who said Dalkowski couldn't throw a baseball through a wall. Dalkowski warmed up and then moved 15 feet away from the wooden outfield fence. His first pitch went right through the boards.
In one minor league game, Dalkowski threw three pitches that penetrated the backstop and sent fans scattering.
In a high school game, Dalkowski threw a no-hit, no-run game with 18 strikeouts and 18 walks.
In an Eastern League game, Dalkowski struck out 27 and walked 16 while throwing 283 pitches. In another game, he was pulled in the second inning after throwing 120 pitches.
At Aberdeen in the Northern League, Dalkowski threw a one-hitter and lost 9-8.
In 1960 at Class A Stockton, Dalkowski threw a pitch that broke an umpire's mask in three places, knocking him 18 feet back and sending him to a hospital for three days with a concussion.
In 1959, Dalkowski set a Northern League record with 21 strikeouts in a game.
In 1960 at Stockton on the California League, Dalkowski struck out 19 and limited Reno to four hits but walked nine and lost 8-3.
The Orioles tried a variety of things to help Dalkowski find the strike zone with little success. However, Earl Weaver, who was managing in the Orioles' farm system, helped build Dalkowski's confidence. In one stretch for Elmira in 1962, Weaver said Dalkowski had a 52-inning stretch where he struck out 104, walked only 11 and allowed one earned run.
The following spring, Dalkowski seemed poised to make the Orioles club. However, his career was ended on a throw to first. In an exhibition game against the Yankees, Dalkowski fielded a bunt from pitcher Jim Bouton. Dalkwoski threw to first and as he did, felt something pop in his arm. He missed most of the season and when he returned his fastball had leveled off to 90 mph. He was released by the Orioles organization and was out of organized baseball by 1966." (The Sporting News, August 24, 1999)
G IP H BB SO W L ERA
1957 Kingsport D 15 62 22 129 121 1 8 8.13
1958 Knoxville A 11 42 17 95 82 1 4 7.93
Wilson B 8 14 7 38 29 0 1 12.21
Aberdeen C 11 62 29 112 121 3 5 6.39
1959 Aberdeen C 12 59 30 110 99 4 3 5.64
Pensacola D 7 25 11 80 43 0 4 12.96
1960 Stockton C 32 170 105 262 262 7 15 5.14
1961 Kennewick B 31 103 75 196 150 3 12 8.39
1962 Elmira A 31 160 117 114 192 7 10 3.04
1963 Elmira AA 13 29 20 26 28 2 2 2.79
Rochester AAA 12 12 7 14 8 0 2 6.00
1964 Elmira AA 8 15 17 19 16 0 1 6.00
Stockton A 20 108 91 62 141 8 4 2.83
Columbus AAA 3 12 15 11 9 2 1 8.25
1965 Kennewick A 16 84 84 52 62 6 5 5.14
San Jose A 6 38 35 34 33 2 3 4.74
A nice run for Chamberlain's Bobby Cuellar (Texas). Chamberlain had five Ks in a 2-inning relief role June 20th, then set a league strikeout makr June 22nd when he fanned 19, giving up an unearned run in a 1-0 loss. Then on the 27th, Cuellar tossed a three-hit shutout, with 13 strikeouts. 20 innings, 37 strikeouts ...
Chamberlain's Bobby Cuellar ... 19 Ks june 1972
In three straight starts ...
On July 1st. the Daily Plainsman reported Cueller had an 0.90 ERA through his first 30 innintgs, Cuellar the Basin Lagues strikeout king in 1971 and ERA champ ... had =whiffed 44 through 30 innings, four walks ...
