1961 Game Reports, BC Interior     

1961 Vancouver, Lower Mainland, Fraser Valley 
1961 BC Interior 
1961 Vancouver Island
  

OKANAGAN MAINLINE LEAGUE

Kamloops Okonots
Kelowna Labatts
Merritt Metros
Oliver OBC’s
Penticton Red Sox
Trail Smoke Eaters
Vernon Carlings

(April 30)  Slamming a pair of grand-slam home runs, one in the opening episode and the other in the ninth panel, catcher Bob Anderson led the way in a 13 to 9 Kamloops Okonots’ victory over the Penticton Red Sox. The Okies started with a rush, driving Penticton rookie Joe Caruso from the mound with a seven-run outburst in the first inning. The Red Sox fought back gallantly to narrow the gap to 8 – 5 entering the eighth only to see it nullified by Anderson’s second grand-slammer in the ninth. The Vineyard City squad made a last-gasp effort in the ninth by plating a four-spot but the deficit was just too much to overcome. Harley Nerdrum, who started on the knoll for Kamloops and was twice relieved, was the winning pitcher in the contest.

Nerdrum (W), Fowles (7), Nerdrum (8), Adair (9), Fowles (9) and Anderson
Caruso (L), Rowland (1), C. Richards (9) and Specht

(April 30)  A brace of victories by the invading Oliver OBC’s shoved the winless Merritt Metros into the OMBL cellar. The scores in the double-dip sweep were 3 to 0 in the seven-inning opener and 8 to 7 in the ten-inning finale. Veteran Gary Driessen tossed a two-hitter for the complete-game shutout win in the matinée tilt. Larry Ovington was stung with the loss.

Driessen (W) and Radies
Ovington (L) and Brkich

Oliver was forced to come from behind in the nightcap to annex the result in overtime. Merritt took a 7 – 3 lead in the fourth frame but gradually saw it whittled away. Richie Schnider, who came on in relief in the fourth inning and then returned to the hill in the fifth after Driessen had stepped in temporarily, was credited with the second OBC victory while Howie Esche was tagged with the Metro loss. 

Popoff, Schnider (4), Driessen (4), Schnider (W) (5) and Radies
Esche (L), Alexander and Brkich

(May 7)  The homestanding Merritt Metros won for the first time this season when they rode the six-hit pitching performance of Larry Ovington to stop the Trail Smoke Eaters 5 to 1 in the second game of a doubleheader. Trail took the opener 6 to 2 to extend Merritt’s losing streak to five games. “Lefty” Gould of the Smelter Towners had little trouble with the Metros in the opener, yielding the hosts a pair of tallies in the sixth stanza after the Smokies had built up a 6 – 0 lead.

Gould (W) and Hackett
Alexander (L) and Hogg

A long triple by catcher catcher Doug Hogg in the eighth inning proved to be the decisive blow for Merritt in the second game. It capped a 12-hit attack against losing twirler Jack Ferguson who went the route.

J. Ferguson (L) and Hackett
Ovington (L) and Hogg

(May 7)  The defending champion Vernon Carlings shook off a surge of home runs by the Kamloops Okonots to squeeze out a a ten-inning 13 to 12 OMBL victory and move into a first-place tie with the Kelowna Labatts. The Okonots launched four round-trippers, but a steady shower of doubles and singles by the Carlings offset this power. The invading Carlings blew leads of 8 – 4 and 11 – 8 before finally counting twice in the tenth inning to put away the victory. Backed by 14 Vernon hits, John Kashuba picked up the pitching victory in relief. Sharing in the homer derby for the vanquished Okies were Gordie Beecroft and Al Collier with bases-empty drives, Bill Wall with a three-run shot and Al Alexander with a two-run blast.

(May 7)  In Oliver, the OBC’s counted three runs in each of the third and fourth innings to humble the Penticton Red Sox 6 to 0 behind the hurling of strong-armed Gary Driessen. The import right-hander scattered seven hits, struck out 15 batters and doubled home a pair of runs. Penticton starting heaver Joe Caruso was tagged with the loss. 

(May 14)  The Kelowna Labatts made it four in a row with a clean sweep of a twin-bill against the visiting Merritt Metros, annexing the opener 5 to 1 before doubling the Metros 10 to 5 in the finale. In the first game, former Penticton Red Sox twirler “Bud” Englesby fashioned a complete-game five–hitter for the Regatta City nine. John Alexander was the loser.

Portsider Jack Denbow was credited with the knoll victory in the follow-up match while Howie Esche, relieved by Larry Ovington in the third, was saddled with the setback.  

(May 14)  The Vernon Carlings maintained their second-place spot on the league ladder by clipping the visiting Penticton Red Sox 5 to 3. Johnny Kashuba came on in relief for the Carlings in the seventh stanza, with two aboard and none out, to retire the side on three pitches and went on to win his third straight game.

(May 14)  The Oliver OBC’s retained third place in the OMBL, winning one leg of a doubleheader with the Kamloops Okonots 5 to 0 before dropping the other 3 to 1. Right-hander Ray Scott went all the way for the Kamloops victory, giving up but three hits while fanning five and walking six. Gary Driessen took the loss. Catcher Bob Radies accounted for the lone Oliver tally in the second tilt with a solo homer. 
      
STANDINGS         W       L      Pct.
Kelowna           4       0     1.000
Vernon            3       0     1.000
Oliver            4       2      .667
Trail             1       1      .500
Kamloops          2       3      .400
Penticton         1       3      .250
Merritt           1       7      .125 

(May 21)  The Kamloops Okonots squared their won-loss record at 3 – 3 with a 6 to 2 victory over the last-place Merritt Metros. Ray Scott earned the heaving verdict while Larry Ovington, who gave way to John Alexander in the seventh stanza, was tagged with the loss.

(May 27-28)   In weekend action at Butler Park, the Trail Smoke Eaters opened their home schedule by splitting a pair of games with the Vernon Carlings. The invaders captured the Saturday night event 7 to 5 despite being outhit by an 11 to 5 margin. On Sunday afternoon, the Smokies plated ten runs in the first four frames and held on to edge the Carlings 12 to 11.

Superb defensive play by the Vernonites saved the pitching win for import left-hander Gary Barnes in the Saturday tussle. On the other hand, the Smelter City nine fell behind early because of shaky play afield and were never able to fully recover.”Busher” McIntyre had three of the Trail safeties while Don Holmes and Dick Washburn collected two apiece.

Barnes (W) and Schmidt
Johnston (L), Grosvenor (6) and Holmes

The hosts opened a 10 – 1 lead in the Sunday affair only to see the north Okanagan nine roar back to tie the score at 10 – 10 heading into the bottom-of-the-sixth stanza. A solo homer by Owen Mailey in that panel put the Trailites back in front by a run but not for long as the Carlings knotted the count once more in the seventh spasm. Former Vernon player Tony DeRosa drew a walk to leadoff the Silver City half of the session, swiped second base and galloped home with the deciding counter on a clutch single by big Don Holmes. Bob Seaman, the last of three Trail twirlers who crushed the Vernon rally upon entering the game in the sixth inning, fanned four over the final two rounds to cop the hurling verdict.       

McMechan (L), Miciuk (4) and J. Kashuba
Gould, Summers (6), Seaman (W) (6) and Hackett, Holmes (6)

(May 28)  The hosting Penticton Red Sox dumped the Merritt Metros 6 to 1 and 6 to 5 in OMBL twin-bill action.

Alexander (L) and Patterson
Rowland (W) and Specht

Esche, Ovington (L) (5) and Patterson
Sheeley (W) and Specht

(May 28)  The Kelowna Labatts suffered their first loss of the campaign, falling 5 to 3 to Gary Driessen and the Oliver OBC’s.

Englesby (L) and Burton
Driessen (W) and Radies

(June 3-4)  It was a fruitful weekend for the Trail Smoke Eaters as they captured a two-game set from the visiting Oliver OBS’s at Butler Park. The Smokies rallied for an eighth-episode, four-run splurge to edge out the OBC’s 5 to 3 on Saturday night and then followed it up with a 6 to 2 triumph on Sunday afternoon.

Big Bob Seaman was on the mound for Trail in the opening joust and garnered the win with relief help from import “Spike” Grosvenor in the eighth. Oliver ace Gary Driessen suffered the complete-game loss. The Smokies outhit the visitors 6 to 4. Bruno Ceccon went yard for the invaders, lighting up Seaman for a solo dinger.

Driessen (L) and Radies
Seaman (W), Grosvenor (9) and Holmes

The Silver City gang led all the way in Sunday’s bout after they were staked to a 1 – 0 lead in the second spasm. They added three more in the third, the first of that triad coming when Tony DeRosa dialed long distance with a solo tater. The only two tallies the OBC’s could muster came late in the game on bases-empty circuit-jacks by Ceccon, his second of the series, and Driessen, who came on as an eighth-inning reliever. Import Larry Summers went the distance for Trail, spinning a seven-hitter, in taking the mound victory.  

Ogee (L), Schnider (6), Driessen (8) and Vanderburg
Summers (W) and Hackett

(June 4)  The invading Kelowna Labatts won their fifth game in six outings and, in the process, grabbed first place in the OMBL with a 5 to 2 victory over the Vernon Carlings. Home runs by Rich Wickenheiser and Bill Martino vaulted the Labatts into a 5 – 1 lead after three innings. “Bud” Englesby limited the Vernon aggregation to just four hits in taking the knoll decision from John Kashuba.

Englesby (W) and Burton
J. Kashuba (L) and Schmidt

(June 4)  The Kamloops Okonots blasted two home runs and capitalized on 12 walks surrendered by three Penticton pitchers to take a 9 to 6 OMBL win from the homestanding Red Sox. Ray Scott went the distance to earn the heaving win and was aided by the four-ply clouts launched by teammates Jack Fowles and Bill Wall. Charlie Preen socked a four-bagger for the vanquished Sox.

Scott (W) and Anderson
Dagneau (L), Sheeley (3), Rowland (8) and Specht

(June 11)  Russ Keckalo’s solo four-bagger in the sixth inning was the deciding factor as the Vernon Carlings regained a share of top spot in the OMBL with a 4 to 3 win over the Kelowna Labatts. Right-hander Ron Miciuk fashioned a five-hitter in taking the win. One of the hits he surrendered was a four-ply clout to the Labatts’ Bill Martino.

Englesby (L) and Burton
Miciuk (W) and J. Kashuba

(June 11)  At Merritt, the Penticton Red Sox handed the hapless Metros their 11th and 12th setbacks of the campaign, taking both ends of a double-dip by scores of 3 to 0 and 5 to 2. Rookie right-hander Joe Caruso captured the complete-game shutout win in the opener,

Caruso (W) and xxx
xxx (L) and xxx 

Fred Fedorak belted a home run for the Red Sox in the nightcap.
    
Sheeley, Preen (W) (4) and A. Richards
Alexander (L), Ovington (4) and Patterson

(June 11)  The Kamloops Okonots continued their winning ways with 4 to 1 and 7 to 4 victories over the slumping Oliver OBC’s. Ray Scott handcuffed the OBC’s on three hits in the matinée tussle.

Scott (W) and Alexander
Driessen (L) and Radies

Both teams managed eight safeties in the late encounter.

Beecroft (W) and Alexander
Schnider (L), Driessen (6) and Radies

(June 15)  The visiting Oliver OBC’s defeated the Penticton Red Sox 12 to 7 to break a four-game losing streak in an error-filled OMBL contest. Only four of the 19 runs scored were earned as the Red Sox committed a dozen miscues while Oliver booted the ball on six occasions. Gary Driessen went all the way on the hill for the OBC’s to get the win while Joe Caruso, the first of three Penticton chuckers, took the loss. The win pushed Oliver above Penticton in the standings.

Driessen (W) and Jacobs
Caruso (L), Dagneau (3), Sheeley (8) and A. Richards

(June 15)  The Kelowna Labatts crushed the Vernon Carlings 9 to 2 to take over top place in the Okanagan-Mainline Baseball League while the loss for Vernon dropped them into fourth spot in the standings.

(June 17-18)  The Trail Smoke Eaters improved their won-loss record to 6 – 2 by sweeping a weekend doubleheader from the lowly Merritt Metros at Butler Park by scores of 13 to 7 and 3 to 1. Garry Morris, Owen Mailey and Primo Secco were the Smokies’ hard-hitters in the Saturday skirmish.       

Boozer (L), Alexander (1) and xxx
Ferguson, Seaman (6) and Holmes

Bob Parker’s long single drove in “Busher” McIntyre with what turned out to be the winning run in the Sunday scuffle.

Ovington (L) and xxx
Gould (W), Johnston (9) and G. McIntyre

(June 24)  The Penticton Red Sox put a damper on the start of the Trail Smoke Eaters’ three-game weekend set in the Okanagan with a 6 to 1 conquest of the visitors. Winning pitcher Bruce Rowland stymied the Kootenay aggregation on five safeties with catcher Don Holmes’ bases-empty circuit-clout in the fourth frame being the only run scored against him. Trail starter “Lefty” Gould suffered the loss.

Gould (L), Johnston (6) and Holmes
Rowland (W) and A. Richards                                 

(June 24)  The Vernon Carlings captured 9 to 0 and 16 to 5 victories from the cellar-dwelling Merritt Metros. Johnny Kashuba silenced the Metros on two hits in the seven-inning opener. His batterymate, Willie Schmidt, connected for a round-tripper to pace the eight-hit Labatt attack. 

Kashuba (W) and Schmidt
Ovington (L) and Pinske                        

A nine-run seventh inning iced the late fracas for the Vernonites.

Miciuk (W), Kashuba (7) and Schmidt
Flewellin (L), Gillis (7), Besse (7) and Pinske

(June 25)  The surging Kamloops Okonots rang up their seventh and eighth straight victories with an 11 to 4 and 6 to 3 sweep of the travelling Trail Smoke Eaters.

Right-hander Ray Scott won his seventh of the season in the lid-lifter, giving up six hits and issuing five walks. Trail starter Jack Ferguson was nicked with the loss. The Okies blasted four home runs in this contest, two off the bat of second baseman Bill Wall and one each by Gord Beecroft and “Buck” Buchanan.

Ferguson (L), Johnston (3), G. McIntyre (5) and Holmes 
Scott (W) and Anderson                                                            

The victory in the late tussle propelled the Kamloops nine into second place in the OMBL standings. A five-run fifth inning broke a 1 – 1 tie and sent the Okonots on to the sweep. Catcher Al Alexander drilled the fifth round-tripper of the day for the winners in support of winning slabster Harley Nerdrum.  

G. McIntyre (L), Gould (5), J. Ferguson (7) and Holmes
Nerdrum (W) and Anderson                                                

(June 25)  The Oliver OBC’s blanked the Kelowna Labatts 3 to 0 as winning slab artist Gary Driessen effectively scattered eight Kelowna safeties in a route-going effort.

Menu (L), Englesby (3) and Burton
Driessen (W) and Radies

(June 29)  The Kelowna Labatts almost blew an 11 – 0 fifth-inning lead but hung on to narrowly nose out the Kamloops Okonots 11 to 10. Bill Martino, who came on in relief of winning heaver “Bud” Englesby in the eighth episode, blasted a grand-slam homer for the Labatts. Losing twirler Gord Beecroft led the Okonots offensively with a double and a pair of singles.

Beecroft (L), Nerdrum (5) and Anderson
Englesby (W), Martino (8) and Burton

(July 6)  The Kamloops Okonots pounded three Merritt pitchers for 14 base hits in racking up a 19 to 4 of the visiting Metros. Harley Nerdrum went the distance on the mound for Kamloops to pick up his third victory against one defeat. Lanky Derek McGillivray, the first of the trio of Merritt chuckers, took the loss. First sacker Joe Yanchuk was top gun with the lumber for the Okies, slamming a home run, double and two singles. Nerdrum and Jack Fowles stroked three singles each. Shortstop Danny Pinske was the Metros’ leading hitter with a double and two singles.

(July 6)  The Kelowna Labatts squeezed past the Penticton Red Sox 2 to 1 in a hard-fought OMBL tussle. Kelowna notched both of their runs in the second stanza. Penticton’s lone run came on a bases-empty circuit-clout by outfielder Charlie Preen in the fourth. Bill Martino allowed seven hits, struck out 11 and walked one in taking the mound decision. 

STANDINGS         W       L      Pct.
Kelowna           9       3      .750
Kamloops         11       4      .733  
Vernon            7       5      .583
Trail             6       5      .545
Oliver            8       7      .533
Penticton         7       7      .500
Merritt           1      18      .053 

(July 8-9) The Trail Smoke Eaters split a two-game weekend set with the visiting Penticton Red Sox, going down to an 8 to 3 defeat on Saturday night but rebounding for a 7 to 0 win on Sunday afternoon.  Winning chucker Stan Dagneau held the Smokies to four hits in the Saturday scuffle. With the Red Sox holding a 4 – 3 lead, Carl Sheeley put the game on ice in the ninth with a three-run homer. Primo Secco had two of the Trail safeties, both singles.

Dagneau (W) and Leonard
Eckstrom (L), Seaman (6), Gould (6) and Holmes

Don Holmes staked the Trail balltossers to an early 3 – 0 lead in the Sunday clash, belting a two-run dinger in the opening canto and a solo tater in the fourth frame. “Lefty” Gould was on the mound for the Smoke Eaters and blanked the Vineyard City squad on four base raps, three of which were collected by Al Richards. 

Sheeley (L), Hale (6), Preen (6) and Day
Gould (W) and Holmes

(July 9)  Gary Driessen of the Oliver OBC’s posted a two-hit, 10 to 0 blanking of the visiting Merritt Metros in the opener of an OMBL double-bill. In the second-half of the day’s action, Driessen came on in relief during the fifth inning to kill a Metros’ rally that had produced two runs to preserve an eventual 4 to 2 Oliver victory for starter Richie Schnider. John Alexander did yeoman work on the knoll for the Merritt band of balltossers, going the route in the opener and relieving Bob Flewelling in the nightcap. In all, he tossed 15 innings. 

(July 12)  Home runs by Hank Tostenson in the fourth inning and Frank Fritz in the sixth stanza accounted for five runs as the Kelowna Labatts edged the hometown Penticton Red Sox 9 to 8. Reliever Ed Menu picked up the pitching win for Kelowna as he took over for “Bud” Englesby in the sixth. Starter Bill Martin returned for a second stint on the knoll in the ninth to strike out Lee Day with two on and two out, earning the save. Carl Sheeley of the Red Sox, who came to the rescue of starter Frank Kozak in the fourth, was tagged with the loss. Joe Caruso finished on the hill for Penticton.

Martino, Englesby, Menu (W) (6), Martino (9) and Burton
Kozak, Sheeley (L) (4), Caruso and A. Richards 

(July 15-16)  The Penticton Red Sox scored a double victory in weekend OMBL action, dumping the travelling Trail Smoke Eaters 13 to 4 Saturday evening and then nosing out the hometown Vernon Carlings 2 to 1 on Sunday afternoon.  Carl Sheeley went the distance in Penticton’s Saturday win while Trail’s “Lefty” Gould, pounced on for six first-frame counters, was the loser.

Gould (L), Eckstrom (2), Johnston (4) and Holmes
Sheeley (W) and A. Richards

Catcher Al Richards’ solo homer in the eighth episode broke a 1 – 1 deadlock and allowed batterymate Stan Dagneau to earn the eight-hit victory over Vernon.

Dagneau (W) and A. Richards
Staff (L) and J. Kashuba

(July 16)  It took extra innings for the hosting Oliver OBC’s to get past the Trail Smoke Eaters 3 to 2. In the bottom of the tenth, Al Hooker drove in John Vanderburgh with the deciding tally. Gary Driessen nosed out Bob Seaman for the pitching verdict.

Seaman (L) and xxx
Driessen (W) and xxx

(July 20)  The Kelowna Labatts strengthened their hold on first place in the OMBL with a resounding 11 to 3 triumph over the visiting Vernon Carlings. The win moved the Labatts 1-1/2 games in front of the runner-up Kamloops Okonots. “Bud” Englesby went the route to chalk up the victory while Vernon starter Ron Miciuk, kayoed in the second session, was the loser. Kelowna pushed across four runs in the opening canto off Rick Wickenheiser’s grand-slam homer and maintained a hard pace from then on. Catcher Jackie Burton had a double and two singles for the victors. The Carlings’ Russ Keckalo clipped the spheroid for a triad of one-baggers.

Miciuk (L), Keckalo (2) and J. Kashuba
Englesby (W) and Burton

(July 22-23)  The Trail Smoke Eaters bounced back from a 5 to 3 Saturday night loss to edge the invading Kamloops Okonots 5 to 4 Sunday afternoon at Butler Park. The Okonots never trailed in the Saturday fracas after forging in front in the fourth frame. Jack Fowles led the winners at the dish with a solo homer and a two-run single. Batterymates Morey Johnston and “Sonny” Hackett each singled twice for the Smokies.

Scott (W), Beecroft (7), Scott (7) and Anderson
Johnston (L) and Hackett

The Smelter City squad outhit the visitors 10 to 7 in the Sunday tilt but were forced to plate a deuce in their final turn at bat to pull off the victory. Complete-game winning pitcher Bob Seaman doubled home Tony DeRosa with the tying run and, after swiping third, romped home with the walkoff winner when pinch-hitter “Skip” Ferguson delivered a timely base hit. 

Beecroft (L), Scott (9) and Anderson
Seaman (W) and Hackett

(July 23)  The Kelowna Labatts scored four unearned runs in the seventh inning to defeat the Penticton Red Sox 11 to 8. Pitching his first league game this season for the Labatts, Les Schaeffer ascended the bump in the fifth to earn the win. Losing chucker Stan Dagneau went the distance for the Red Sox. 

Menu, Schaeffer (5) and Burton
Dagneau (L) and A. Richards

(July 23)  The fourth-place Vernon Carlings beat the visiting Oliver OBC’s 6 to 0 at Polson Park. A highlight of the game was the 370 foot home run launched by Russ Keckalo. Johnny Kashuba picked up his fifth win against two losses.

Driessen (L) and Hocksteiner
J. Kashuba (W) and Schmidt

(July 26)
STANDINGS        W       L     Pct.
Kelowna         13       3    .813
Kamloops        12       6    .667
Oliver          11       8    .579
Vernon           9       7    .563
Penticton       10      11    .476
Trail            8       9    .471
Merritt          1      20    .048

(July 27)  The Kamloops Okonots, plagued by injuries and the loss of some import talent, staved off a late-inning challenge at Riverside Park to down the Vernon Carlings 3 to 1 in OMBL play. The victory strengthened the Okies’ hold on second place in the seven-team circuit. Right-hander Ray Scott picked up his ninth mound victory of the season in going the route. Ron Miciuk, the first of two Vernon chuckers, was nailed with the loss.

Miciuk (L), Keckalo (6) and J. Kashuba
Scott (W) and Anderson 

(July 29)  The front-running Kelowna Labatts creamed the invading Trail Smoke Eaters 23 to 3 in the Orchard City. Winning heaver Bill Martino almost singlehandedly wrecked the Smokies with three home runs and a neat four-hit chucking performance.

(July 30)  The Oliver OBC’s added to the weekend troubles of the Trail Smoke Eaters by whipping the travelling West Kootenay nine 17 to 2. Gary Driessen copped the knoll triumph while Bob Seaman, the first of a trio of ineffective Smelter City slabsters, was nailed with the defeat.

(July 30)  Relying upon their most potent weapon, the home run ball, the Kamloops Okonots bumped the league-leading Kelowna Labatts 10 to 4 at Riverside Park. Big right-hander Harley Nerdstrum, in his final appearance with the Okies, went all the way to earn his fourth win of the season. Ed Menu, the first of two Labatt tossers, took the loss. Jack Fowles unloaded a grand-slam homer for the winners while “Buck” Buchanan supplied a two-run shot. Kelowna’s Frank Fritz lit up Nerdstrum for a last-gasp two-run dinger in the final canto.  

(July 30)  The Vernon Carlings swept a brace of OMBL contests from the lowly Merritt Metros, annexing 6 to 2 and 7 to 2 decisions.  John Kashuba, backed by his brother Alex’s home run, yielded just three hits in winning the opener over Merritt’s Larry Ovington. 

Vernon’s Ron Miciuk was even stingier in the nightcap, limiting the Metros to just a pair of safeties. Dave Besse was tagged with the defeat. 

(August 2)  The league-leading Kelowna Labatts laid a 22 to 7 trouncing on the erring Penticton Red Sox in OMBL action. The Scarlet Stockings, who booted the ball ten times, were virtually out of the picture after falling behind 10 – 0 after three innings were in the books. “Bud” Englesby picked up the pitching win against his former teammates.

Sheeley (L), C. Richards (4), Burgart and xxx
Englesby (W) and xxx

(August 5-6)  The Trail Smoke Eaters split a weekend set of games with the front-running Kelowna Labatts at Butler Park, claiming the Saturday encounter 8 to 7 before dropping the Sunday tilt 5 to 2.

In arrears by a 4 – 1 count after three innings of the Saturday night event, the Smokies had to battle back before finally annexing the triumph with a singleton in the bottom-of-the-ninth inning. Sparkplug Owen Mailey, with his third hit of the game, set the stage for the deciding marker in the final canto. He stole second base and galloped home in walkoff fashion on Garry Morris’ RBI-double. Morris finished with a pair of triples in addition to his two-bagger. Don Holmes banged out a home run and single. “Lefty” Gould struck out six in going the distance for the win. “Bud” Englesby was tagged with the loss.

Englesby (L) and xxx
Gould (W) and Hackett 

Kelowna scattered their attack in the Sunday clash, plating single tallies over five different frames. Labatts’ Bill Martino, outside of first-inning damage inflicted upon him as per Tony DeRosa’s two-run homer, had little difficulty in going the route for the mound triumph. Jack Burton, with three singles and a double, was the Regatta City squad’s main offensive threat. DeRosa had a triple to go along with his dinger while Mailey had another three-hit game for the vanquished Trailites. Morey Johnston absorbed the heaving setback.

Martino (W) and Burton
Johnston (L) and xxx

(August 6)  It took almost 20 games to do it but the Merritt Metros, reluctant doormats in the OMBL, finally recorded another victory. The Metros finished their regular schedule on a high note by shading the second-place Kamloops Okonots 5 to 4 before a good-sized number of partisan Merritt fans. Winning pitcher Larry Ovington and his batterymate, catcher Terry Clark, swung the pendulum in favor of the host club. Ovington limited the heavy-hitting Okies to seven base raps and delivered a three-RBI double in the second spasm. Clark singled in the remaining Metro runs in the third off the slants of complete-game loser Ray Scott.

Scott (L) and Anderson
Ovington (W) and Clark

(August 6)  The Vernon Carlings handed the Oliver OBC’s a share of third place when they were administered an 8 to 3 setback by the OBC’s at Polson Park. Import Gary Driessen stifled the Carlings on just three safeties while his mates belted two Vernon tossers for ten.

(August 13)  The Vernon Carlings swept both ends of a doubleheader against the visiting Trail Smoke Eaters, grabbing 7 to 1 and 4 to 2 decisions at Polson Park. Import Gary Barnes twirled a six-hitter for the opening-game win. The Carlings collected eight hits of a duo of Trail heavers. Vernon’s Alex Kashuba went deep with a bases-empty four-bagger in the second spasm off losing slabster Jack Ferguson.

J. Ferguson (L), G. McIntyre (4) and Holmes
Barnes (W) and J. Kashuba

Trading his catching gear for a resin bag, Johnny Kashuba tossed a neat three-hitter to stifle the Silver City nine in the late encounter. It was his ninth hurling triumph of the campaign. In suffering the loss, Trail’s Morey Johnston was nicked for six base knocks, one of which was a four-ply clout off the lumber of Jack Thompson.

Johnston (L) and G. McIntyre
J. Kashuba (W) and Schmidt

FINAL
STANDINGS         W       L      Pct.    GBL
Kelowna          19       5     .792     ----
Oliver           15       9     .625     4.0
Vernon           15       9     .625     4.0
Kamloops         14      10     .583     5.0
Penticton        10      14     .417     9.0
Trail             9      15     .375    10.0
Merritt           2      22     .083    17.0

SECOND-PLACE TIE-BREAKER  Oliver vs Vernon  (sudden-death)

(August 15)  The Oliver OBC’s exploded for five runs in the top-of-the-tenth inning to dump the Vernon Carlings 14 to 9 and break a tie for second place in the OMBL. A pair of Vernon errors, two walks and a home run by Al Hooker produced the five-spot for Oliver in the bonus round of play. Import right-hander Gary Driessen copped the heaving victory while the Carlings were forced to use four chuckers. Vernon’s Russ Keckalo was the game’s big hitter, slamming a pair of homers and two singles. Teammate Johnny Kashuba also cranked out a four-ply clout. The win for the OBC’s on neutral ground in Kelowna, sends them into the semi-finals against Kamloops while third-place Vernon will tangle with Kelowna. 

Driessen (W) and Hocksteiner, Aikens (9)
Miciuk, J.Kashuba, Keckalo (10), Moro (10) and Schmidt

PLAYOFFS
SEMI-FINALS  Vernon vs Kelowna & Oliver vs Kamloops (best-of-three series)

(August 19)  The pennant-winning Kelowna Labatts plated four-spots in each of the first and seventh chapters to clip the Vernon Carlings 8 to 5 in the opener of the best-of-three playoff series. Two singles and a walk, followed by Bill Martino’s towering grand-slam tater, got the Labatts off on the right foot. Gerry Goyer’s double sparked the seventh-stanza outburst which sealed the deal. “Bud” Englesby went the route for the victory while Vernon starter Ron Miciuk was nailed with the loss.

Miciuk (L), Moro (2) and Schmidt
Englesby (W) and Burton 

(August 20)  The Oliver OBC’s shook off a trio of home runs, all solo shots, by Kamloops Okonot hitters and scored an 8 to 6 victory on their home turf in the first game of their semi-final set-to. Gary Driessen, touched for 12 hits including a pair of round-trippers by “Buck” Buchanan and one by Jack Fowles, managed to survive and persevered to the end for the hillock triumph. The OBC’s gathered ten hits off complete-game losing heaver, Ray Scott. 

Scott (L) and Anderson
Driessen (W) and Hocksteiner

(August 20)  Johnny Kashuba limited power-hitting Kelowna to five scattered hits to pace Vernon to a 4 to 3 victory over the Labatts, tying their OMBL semi-final series at a game apiece. the Carlings scored two unearned runs in the fourth frame to grab the lead, then built their margin of victory with singletons in each of the seventh and eighth episodes.

Martino (L) and Burton
J. Kashuba (W) and Schmidt

(August 24)  The Vernon Carlings earned a berth in the OMBL finals by upsetting the pennant-winning Kelowna Labatts 7 to 6 at Elks Stadium. The Carlings had to fight back from a 5 – 0 deficit incurred in the opening panel. Portsider Gary Barnes endured through a rough start to go the route and earn the heaving triumph for Vernon while Kelowna starter “Bud” Englesby was tagged with the setback. Shortstop Dave Kowal came through with his only hit of the game in the ninth inning to drive in third baseman Ray Adams with the winning run. Russ Keckalo and Johnny Kashuba led the Carlings’ attack with a home run each while second baseman Jim Moro slammed a double and two singles. Bob Campbell and playing-manager Hank Tostenson both had a four-ply clout and a single for the Labatts.

Barnes (W) and J. Kashuba
Englesby (L), Schaeffer (9) and Burton

(August 27)  The Oliver OBC’s advanced into the OMBL finals against Vernon when they blanked the hometown Kamloops Okonots 5 to 0 to win their semi-final series in two straight games. Import right-hander Gary Driessen, nicked for six hits, was never in trouble as only two Kamloops’ baserunners reached as far as second base. Bruno Ceccon, with a double and two singles, and Al Hooker with two singles, one of which drove in a pair of counters, sparked the Oliver attack while losing chucker Ray Scott singled twice for the Okies.

Driessen (W) and Hocksteiner
Scott (L) and Anderson

(September 3-4) Kamloops Labor Day weekend tournament

FINALS  Oliver vs Vernon  (best-of-three series)

(September 10)  Exploding for 13 hits off two Vernon pitchers, the Oliver OBC’s coasted to an easy 7 to 1 victory to grab a one game lead in the OMBL finals. Gary Driessen held the Carlings to four hits to post the pitching win. Johnny Kashuba was tagged with the defeat. Oliver put the game out of reach with four counters in the fifth frame and a pair in the sixth.

(September 17)  The Vernon Carlings nipped the Oliver OBC’s 4 to 3 in 12 innings at Polson Park to force a third and deciding game in the OMBL finals. A pair of errors by Oliver shortstop Al Hooker in the third overtime session gave the Carlings an unearned run for the victory and handed right-hander Gary Driessen a heartbreaking loss. Driessen limited Vernon to six hits while winning tosser Gary Barnes was nicked for a dozen base raps in going the route. Shortstop Jim Moro was the hitting star for the Carlings with a double and triple. It was his speed on the basepaths that forced Hooker into a hurried throw to the plate that was off-target, allowing the deciding run to score.

Driessen (L) and Hocksteiner
Barnes (W) and J. Kashuba

(September 24)  Behind the three-hit pitching of import Gary Barnes, the Vernon Carlings marched to a 4 to 1 victory over the hosting Oliver OBC’s to win the Okanagan-Mainline Baseball League championship. Vernon took the best-of-three final series two-games-to-one. Barnes, showing perfect control, had a no-hitter going until the seventh inning. Losing pitcher Gary Driessen was touched for ten Vernon safeties. The Carlings jumped into an early lead with a singleton in the second panel, added another in the fifth and wrapped it up with two in the sixth. Oliver’s only counter was a towering home run by Bruno Ceccon in the eighth episode.  

Barnes (W) and Dye
Driessen (L) and Hocksteiner


NORTH-CENTRAL B.C.

As was the case in 1960, no inter-city senior-level league was operational in Cariboo country during the 1961 season although Prince George had a three-team city league. Quesnel and Williams Lake had teams that hooked up in occasional exhibition clashes against each other while Quesnel also engaged in the odd match against one of the Prince George clubs.

PRINCE GEORGE CITY SENIOR BASEBALL LEAGUE

Legion
Northern Dairies
Prince George Tire

PLAYOFFS
SEMI-FINALS


(August 6)  Prince George Tire advanced to the finals of the City Senior Baseball League by taking the third game of the best-of-three semi-finals against Northern Dairies at Rotary Stadium.  Consistent hitting in the sixth inning by the Tiremen, sparked by Kevin Smale’s timely double, produced a five-spot that turned the tide toward victory. Hank Bryce notched the knoll verdict. Ron Backman stroked a double and two singles for the victors.

FINALS

(August 8)  Joe Whitney had his curveball working to perfection as Legion took a one-game lead in the league finals over Prince George Tire with a 9 to 1 triumph at Rotary Stadium. The Legionnaire heaver tossed a three-hitter, rang up 11 punchouts and gave up but one free pass. Losing twirler Kevin Smale was nicked for seven safeties including two doubles by Mac Warner.

(August 10)  The Canadian Legion band of diamond troopers copped the 1961 Prince George Senior Baseball League title when they exploded for six tallies in the sixth stanza to take a 9 to 3 win from Prince George Tire and annex the finals in two-straight games. Fred Terrace led Legion at the plate by hitting safely four consecutive times, with four RBI’s, and reaching base a fifth time when hit by a pitched ball. Don Wiese also had a good night at the plate for the champions with two singles and two runs scored.


KASLO-SLOCAN-ARROW LAKES BASEBALL LEAGUE

(August 6)    Winlaw dumped Nakusp 7-2 Sunday to move into second place in the league standings, back of the Slocan Redmen. A four-run first inning proved to be the difference. they added two in the third and another in the seventh. P. Popoff served up a seven-hit effort to claim the pitching win. He fanned three and walked one. Pete Kabatoff relieved in the ninth and struck out the side.

P.Popoff (W), P.Kabatoff (9) and xxx
xxx and xxx

(August 20)    Although they pounded out 14 hits Sunday, Nakusp fell 11-4 to the Slocan Redmen.  A three-run homer by Danny O'Neall in the second inning was a game highlight. Win Storgaard managed to dance out of danger and go the distance for the win racking up ten strikeouts. Garry Wilson allowed 11 hits in taking the loss. He fanned right and walked five.

Wilson (L) and xxx
Storgaard (W) and xxx

(August 20)  Kaslo vs New Denver-Silverton

(August 27)    New Denver-Silverton played one of its best games of the season Sunday downing Slocan City 6-2 as George Nelson allowed just five hits and three walks while fanning 14. The winners got 10 hits off loser Danny O'Neall who had eight strikeouts. Nelson led the attack for New Denver-Silverton clouting a triple and a double. Nelson and Jim Hicks each knocked in a pair of runs.

D.O'Neall (L) and xxx
Nelson (W) and xxx

(September 3)   Winlaw trounced Nakusp 8-0 and 8-2 Sunday to sweep the semi-final series in two straight games and win the right to face Slocan Redman for the Arrow Lakes Baseball League title. Pete Kabatoff was the show for the winners hurling two brilliant games. He had a no-hitter, with seven strikeouts, in the opener. Three walks prevented Kabatoff from a perfect game.

Kabatoff (W) and xxx
xxx and xxx

Kabatoff (W) and xxx
xxx and xxx


WEST KOOTENAY JUNIOR BASEBALL LEAGUE

East Trail
Fruitvale
Nelson
Salmo
Rossland
West Trail

(July 6)  The East Trail Pirates handed the Rossland Capilanos their first defeat of the season, nosing out the Golden City juniors 4 to 3. Ken Alton took the pitching win over Cliff Taylor.

FINAL
STANDINGS           W      L      Pct.
Rossland           16      3     .842
Salmo              12      6     .667
East Trail          9      9     .500
West Trail          7     12     .368
Fruitvale           6     13     .316
Nelson              6     13     .316


EAST KOOTENAY SENIOR BASEBALL LEAGUE

Cranbrook Cubs
Kinberley Dynamos
Kimberley Hobos
Nelson Outlaws

(May 18)  The Hobos emerged as 9 to 8 victors over the Dynamos as the two Kimberley aggregations opened the 1961 East Kootenay Senior Baseball League.

(May 23)  Five errors spelled the downfall of the homestanding Cranbrook Cubs as they dropped their first game of the season, 7 to 5, to the defending champion Kimberley Dynamos in eight innings. Cranbrook started fast, jumping into a 3 – 0 first-inning lead against Dynamo starter Sam Calles who gave way to Eric “Ike” Bodin in the second stanza. Bodin went the rest of the way to earn the win, surrendering two additional runs on five hits. Meanwhile, the Kimberley crew went to work on erasing the early deficit and started on the comeback trail by ripping into the offerings of three Cub twirlers for ten hits. Miles Descharnais, the second of the heaving triad, was tagged with the defeat. Dynie catcher Tim Thygesen was the big noise with the hickory, slamming a home run, triple and double.

Calles, Bodin (W) (2) and Thygesen
Doll, Desharnais (L) (3), Tymchyna (8) and xxx

(May 25)  The Kimberley Hobos blew open a tight 3 – 3 battle by running across eight counters in the eighth canto to wrap up an 11 to 3 conquest of their city cousins, the Kimberley Dynamos. This was the Hobos second win of the season over the Dynamos, having taken the league opener 9 –8 last week. Mel Johnson went all the way on the mound for the winners, giving up eight base raps. Starting chucker Carlo Johansen, the first of a trio of Dynamo slabsters, was nailed with the loss. Johnson helped his own cause with the baton, coming up with four hits in five at bats. Teammate John Kosiancic ripped a pair of doubles. Del Renso and Harvey Nash both singled twice for the vanquished Generators while Ken Edwardson drove in two of the three tallies.  

Johnson (W) and Ratcliffe
Johansen (L), Carter (8), Hansen (8) and Renso

(June 1)  The Cranbrook Cubs picked up their second win of the week when they eked out a 3 to 2 with over the Dynamos at Kimberley’s Coronation Park. After surrendering three successive singles in the first inning, winning slabster Wally Tymchyna of the Cubs held the hosts hitless for the remainder of the contest. Tymchyna also laced a two-run single to help his cause on the knoll. Losing chucker Eric “Ike” Bodin” was nicked for eight Cranbrook safeties.

Tymchyna (W) and xxx
Bodin (L) and xxx

(June 4)  The Kimberley Dynamos looked more like last season’s champions when they swept both ends of a doubleheader, 9 to 8 and 5 to 1, from the Nelson Outlaws in the Queen City. The twin wins were each worth four points, giving the Generators ten points and first place in the standings.

The Dynies started real early in the opener as Les Lilley launched a two-run dinger which was followed up by a solo four-ply clout off the bat of Elmer Garinger. Both blasts came in the first inning off Nelson righthander Les Hufty. The Kimberley margin was increased to 7 – 0 in the second stanza, the big blow being a second round-tripper for Lilley, this one a three-run shot. The Outlaws began to narrow the gap in the third round and they continued their onslaught against Mike Russell, who had relieved starter Carlo Johansen in the fifth. A three-run tater by Charlie Burdette in the sixth spasm got the Lakesiders back into contention and, in the seventh, Eric “Ike” Bodin was summoned to the hillock by manager Ray McNiven to put out the raging fire. Bodin held off the Nelsonites for the remainder of the game, earning the pitching win, although he was nicked for five hits during his tenure on the bump. Lilley picked up a double and single in addition to his brace of taters as the Law Breakers outswatted the visitors 16 to 12.

Johansen, Russell (5), Bodin (W) (7) and xxx
L. Hufty (L) and xxx

The late tilt featured solid hurling by Kimberley’s Bodin and portsider Blair Olson of the homesters. It wasn’t until the fourth inning that the Dynamos took the lead, scoring twice, while adding another deuce in the fifth and a singleton in the sixth. Nelson’s lone counter came on a bases-empty four-bagger by Burdette, his second of the afternoon. The victors were led at the plate by Harvey Nash and Bob Carter, each with three hits. For the Outlaws, Frank Hufty and Burdette, who picked up a single to go along with his goner, both rapped a brace of safeties.

Bodin (W) and xxx
Olson (L) and xxx

STANDINGS                   W      L      Pts.
Kimberley Dynamos           3      3      10
Nelson Outlaws              2      2       8
Kimberley Hobos             3      2       6     
Cranbrook Cubs              2      3       4           

* all games involving Nelson are worth 4 points

(June 18)  The visiting Nelson Outlaws and Kimberley Hobos split the proceeds of a Sunday twin-bill. The Outlaws took the opener 6 to 2 while the Hobos rebounded to capture the evening event 4 to 3. The split for the Nelson baseballers vaulted them into a tie with the Kimberley Dynamos for top spot in the four-team circuit with each team having 12 points. The Hobos follow with 10 while the Cranbrook Cubs are mired deep in the cellar with four.

In the lid-lifter , Nelson slabster Bill Eyre, assisted by seventh-inning reliever Joe Posnikov/Postnikoff, buffaloed the Hobos on four hits. Kimberley starter Ron Brown, derricked after five frames, was tagged with the defeat. Charlie Burnette lit up Brown for a solo dinger, his fourth round-tripper of the campaign while fellow Outlaw, and ex-Dynamo, Al Roemer went yard with a two-run tater.

Eyre (W), Posnikov/Postnikoff (7) and xxx
R. Brown (L), Fisher (6), C. Patterson (7) and xxx

The Hobos jumped into a 3 – 0 first-inning lead in the late event on three hits, including a two-run single by Ron Seredick, and a walk. The added another tally in the third when Seredick creamed one of losing chucker Les Hufty’s deliveries high over the right-field fence for circuit-clout. The Lakesiders chipped away at the deficit and, finally narrowing the Hobo lead to one but a late two-out rally with two runners aboard fell just short. Starter Mel Johnson earned his second pitching win of the season although he needed relief help from Colin Patterson in the seventh.

Hufty (L) and xxx
M. Johnson (W), C. Patterson (7) and xxx

(June 28) 
STANDINGS *             W      L      Pts.
Kimberley Dynamos       5      4       14
Nelson Outlaws          3      3       12
Kimberley Hobos         4      3       10
Cranbrook Cubs          3      4        6 

* all games involving Nelson are 4 pointers

(June 23-25)  Kimberley Dynamos baseball tournament 

(July 13)  The Dynamos outslugged their Kimberley counterparts, the Hobos, for a 9 to 6 win in a thrill-packed EKSBL clash at Coronation Park. It was a hitter’s night with the winning Dynamos pounding out 13 hits which included three home runs and a double off a trio of Hobo chuckers. The Bums also stung the spheroid for 13 base knocks which included a grand-salami tater, a three-bagger and a double. The Generators took a 2 – 0 first-inning lead and were never headed. Alan Fabro of the winners started the homer-fest with a leadoff dinger in the fourth. Teammate Les Lilley went yard with a two-run circuit-jack in the seventh and rookie Sam Calles launched the final Dynamo goner in the eighth episode. The top-of-the-ninth belonged to Ron Seredick. The initial sacker of the Bums dialed long distance with the sacks fully populated for a four-ply clout that brought the losers to within three runs of their arch-rivals but that was as close as they would get. Jim Nelson was nicked with the hurling defeat while the victory was annexed by fifth-frame reliever Jack Armstrong

(July 16)  A bases-loaded single by Del Renso in the bottom-of-the-ninth canto drove in Les Lilley with the deciding run as the Kimberley Dynamos nosed out their city cousins, the Kimberley Hobos, 3 to 2 at Coronation Park. The game was barn burner all the way with the Dynies grabbing a 1 – 0 lead in the bottom-of-the-fifth on an infield groundout. The Hobos fought back and went ahead 2-1 in the top-of-the-eighth episode when John Kosiancic lit up Eric “Ike” Bodin for a dinger with “Moose” Ronquist aboard. The Generators were retired in order in their half of the eighth but came bouncing back in the ninth. Bodin led off their final turn at bat with a long double, stole third after one had been retired an plated the tying counter on the second out, an infield putout. At this point Hobo chucker Mel Johnson began to weaken. He walked Les Lilley, gave up a single to Al Roemer and issued another free pass to Elmer Garinger which loaded the bases and set the stage for Renso’s heroics. Bodin allowed only five hits and struck out 12 in chalking up his fifth win against two losses. In losing his first game of the season against two wins, Johnson allowed seven base raps and punched out five. 

M. Johnson (L) and xxx
Bodin (W) and xxx 

STANDINGS                   W      L      Pts.
Kimberley Dynamos           7      4      18
Nelson Outlaws              4      4      16
Kimberley Hobos             5      7      14     
Cranbrook Cubs              4      5       8           

* all games involving Nelson are worth 4 points

(July 20)  The Kimberley Dynamos scored a 5 to 3 come-from-behind win over the Cranbrook Cubs to strengthen their hold on first place in the EKSBL. The Cranbrook nine started off like gangbusters, ploughing ahead 3 – 0 in their first turn at bat on a solo tater by Wally Tymchyna and a two-run circuit-clout by starting slabster “Bim” Brehm. Although they threatened in nearly every inning thereafter, the Cubs never scored again. Meanwhile, the Dynies kept pecking away and managed single tallies in each of the first, fourth and fifth frames to tie the score. In the sixth spasm, the Generators went ahead for the first time when, with one retired, Cranbrook heaver Brehm allowed consecutive singles to Sandy Livingstone, Rick Steadman and pinch hitter Eric Bodin which fully populated the sacks. This called for a mound conference by the Baby Bears and the decision was made to leave Brehm on the hill. The move backfired as Harvey Nash drew a base-on-balls to force in a fourth Kimberley counter, a tally which proved to be the winner. Cub manager Joe Downey immediately waved in Tymchyna to pitch to Del Renso. Hustling out of the batter’s box on a groundball, as the Cranbrook middle infield attempted an inning-ending double play, Renso beat the relay to first base as an insurance counter crossed the dish. Bodin ascended the bump in the seventh and preserved the mound win for starter Carl Johansen. Top hitter in the clash was third baseman Vic Morasco of the losers who stroked three safe swats. Harvey Nash belted a three-run homer for the vanquished Kimberly squad.

Brehm (L) and xxx
Johansen (W), Bodin (7) and xxx

(July 23)  The basement-dwelling Cranbrook Cubs took advantage of some loose defensive play by the front-running Kimberley Dynamos to double the visitors 8 to 4. Trailing 4 to 1 as they came to bat in the sixth stanza, the Cubs put together three hits which, coupled with four Kimberley errors and two bases-loaded walks by losing slabster Eric “Ike” Bodin, resulted in six unearned runs and gave Cranbrook control of the game. Fourth-inning reliever Miles Descharnais, who replaced starter “Bim” Brehm, copped the hurling triumph. First baseman Andy Drobot paced the winners with the willow, clipping the orb for a double and two singles. Harvey Nash belted a three-run homer for the vanquished Kimberly squad.

Bodin (L) and xxx
Brehm, Descharnais (W) (4) and xxx

(July 25)  A solid three-hit pitching performance by Mel Johnson and a three-run homer by big “Moose” Ronquist featured a convincing 7 to 0 conquest of the Cranbrook Cubs by the Kimberley Hobos. The game was called after seven innings because of darkness. 

Descharnais (L), Tymchyna (3) and Bennett
M. Johnson (W) and Ratcliffe

(July 27)  The Hobos edged their Kimberley arch-rivals, the Dynamos, 5 to 4 in a ten-inning fixture at Coronation Park. The Dynies took an early 4 – 0 lead but, after the third inning, Hobo pitcher Jim Nelson shut the door and allowed only one hit the rest of the way. Meanwhile the Tramps, on a long two-run homer by “Moose” Ronquist in the sixth and a pair of unearned runs in the eighth, tied the score. In the bottom-of-the-tenth, Ron “Slicker” Brown of the Bums, pinch-running for Ronquist who had reached base on a one-out double, moved to the hot corner station on an infield throwing error, leaving runners at the corners. A walk to Ron Seredick loaded the bases. Art King then hit sharply to Elmer Garinger at shortstop who tossed to Les Lilley covering the keystone sack for the second out but the relay to first was too late to double-up the speedy King as Brown crossed the platter with the winning run for the jubilant Hobos. Nelson finished with a six-hitter, issuing three walks while fanning 11, in winning his third game of the campaign. Losing twirler “Ike” Bodin allowed seven safeties, whiffed six and gave up two free passes. Seredick had three hits for the winners including a long double while Ronquist suppled the power with his brace of swats. Del Renso managed a pair of bingles for the Generators.

Bodin (L) and xxx
Nelson (W) and Ratcliffe 

(August 10)  Rick Steadman’s three-run homer in the top-of-the-ninth inning off reliever Jim Nelson gave the Dynamos a 7 – 7 tie with their city rivals from Kimberley, the Hobos. The one point garnered by the Dynamos broke a first-place tie with the Nelson Outlaws. The winners had a 12 to 11 edge in base hits.

(August 13)  The Kimberley Dynamos wrapped up their fifth straight EKSBL pennant when they split a doubleheader with the Nelson Outlaws. The competition was ferocious and neither game was decided until the final out. Nelson nipped the Dynies 2 to 1 in the lid-lifter to temporarily move ahead of the Kimberley squad but the hosting Generators rebounded for a 6 to 4 triumph in the nightcap.

The Lakesiders’ Les Hufty garnered the heaving verdict over Eric “Ike” Bodin as the pair of veteran righthanders matched up well in the opener. The Nelsonites had only five hits off Bodin, all singles, but were able to bunch three of them in the second stanza to run across a pair of counters. Bodin drove in the lone run for the Dynamos in the bottom-of-the-ninth with a hit that plated rookie Al Fabro who had doubled.

L. Hufty (W) and xxx
Bodin (L) and Fabro

Needing a victory in the second fixture, the Dynamos responded early when Harvey Nash lit up Nelson starter Bill Eyre for a solo dinger in the opening panel. They went in front 5 – 0 in the fifth frame when they put together a base-on-balls, a Nelson error and two hits off second-inning reliever Joe Postnikoff, which netted four tallies. The big hits in this outburst were a sharp two-RBI single by Al Fabro and a bases-empty four-ply clout off the bat of Les Lilley. In the meantime, Dynie twirler Rick Steadman was keeping the Law Breakers off the scoresheet, that is, until the sixth spasm when Charlie Burdette registered the visitors’ first counter with a long, high drive over the centre field wall. The homesters got this one right back in their half of the chapter when a single and two Nelson errors gave them a 6 – 1 lead. The seventh stanza saw Steadman tire as the Outlaws pounced on him for three quick runs before Jack Armstrong was summoned to the knoll to quell the fire with one down. Armstrong enticed power-hitting Burdette to pop up to shortstop for the second out but then loaded the bases by issuing a walk.  Kimberley manager Ray McNiven then called in southpaw chucker Bobby Cox to face lefthanded-hitting Frank Hufty. The moved paid off as Hufty lined out to Bodin, playing second base, to end the rally and the scoring.

Eyre (L), Postnikoff (2), L. Hufty (5) and xxx
Stedman (W), Armstrong (7), Cox (7) and Fabro

(August 16)  The third and last playoff spot in the EKSBL was clinched by the Kimberley Hobos when they knocked off the hosting Cranbrook Cubs 5 to 2. “Slicker” Brown earned the complete-game win while Wally Tymchyna, kayoed from the bump in the fifth in favor of Miles Descharnais, was nailed with the setback. Colin Patterson of Kimberley and the Cubs’ Vince Downey each had a double and a single for their respective teams. Merv “Moose” Ronquist launched a round-tripper for the Hobos, his third of the season.

MGR – Ray McNiven (Kimberley Dynamos)
COACH – Ron Nash Nelson Outlaws)
C – Jim Ratcliffe (Kimberley Hobos)
P – Eric “Ike” Bodin (Kimberley Dynamos)
1B – Harvey Nash (Kimberley Dynamos)
2B – Bernie Monteleone (Nelson Outlaws)
3B – tie between Vic Morasco (Cranbrook Cubs) and “Buzz” Mellor (Kimberley Dynamos)
SS – John Kosiancic (Kimberley Hobos)
LF – Les Lilley (Kimberley Dynamos)
CF – Wally Tymchyna (Cranbrook Cubs)
RF – Charlie Burdette (Nelson Outlaws)

RESERVES
Pitchers – Jim Nelson and Mel Johnson (Kimberley Hobos), Rick Steadman (Kimberley Dynamos), Les Hufty (Nelson Outlaws), Miles Desharnais (Cranbrook Cubs)
Position players – Lyndell “Bim” Brehm and Jim Eagle (Cranbrook Cubs), Jim Putsey, Ron Seredick and Merv “Moose” Ronquist (Kimberley Hobos), Frank Hufty (Nelson Outlaws), Al Fabro and Elmer Garinger (Kimberley Dynamos)

(August 19)  The EKSBL all-stars blanked the visiting Vauxhall Jets, a member of the 36 League in Southern Alberta, 8 to 0 in an exhibition tussle at Kimberley’s Coronation Park. The Stars took advantage of some loose fielding by the Jets to take a 5 – 0 lead. Charlie Burdette of the Nelson Outlaws went yard with a solo dinger for the winners while Kimberley Dynamos’ Les Lilley dialed long distance for a two-run tater. Eric “Ike” Bodin, the first of five pitchers used by the east Kootenay squad, was credited with the mound win.  

PLAYOFFS
SEMI-FINALS  Kimberley Hobos vs Nelson Outlaws  (best-of-three series)

(August 19-20)  The hosting Nelson Outlaws, fighting valiantly, dropped both ends of a Sunday semi-final playoff doubleheader to the Kimberly Hobos by scores of 12 to 1 and 15 to 9. The twin-bill sweep gave the Hobos the best-of-three series two games to one as the Outlaws won the series opener 8 to 0 Saturday night in Kimberley.

Blair Olson, although plagued with a sore arm, completely stifled the Hobos on a three-hitter while fanning seven in the series’ opener. The Kimberley squad marched three pitchers to the mound as starter Ron Brown was nicked with the loss. Charlie Burdette had a banner evening with the hickory for the Law Breakers, smashing three round-trippers, each coming in consecutive trips to the plate. Two of his dingers were solo blasts while the third was a two-run shot. Teammate Bernie Monteleone also went yard with a two-run goner.

The second encounter was almost a complete reversal of the series’ lid-lifter as the Hobos were the dominant sluggers. Winning chucker Colin Patterson tamed the Lakesiders on five hits, all singles. Jim Nelson launched a brace of circuit-jacks for the winners while John Kosiancic added a triple to the 13-hit Kimberley offense. Les Hufty and Bill Eyre shared mound duties for the Nelsonites with Eyre being tagged with the setback.

The third and deciding game was a high-scoring, intense battle all the way with the lead changing hands many times throughout the clash. The combatants crushed the horsehide for a combined 34 base blows with the Hobos picking up 22 of them. The teams were locked in a 9 – 9 tie after eight episodes but, in the top-of-the-ninth, the visitors put the game on ice by plating a six-spot. Fifth-inning reliever Colin Patterson copped the hurling victory while Blair Olson was saddled with the defeat. Rob Carmen launched a grand-slam tater for the vanquished nine in the third chapter.

FINALS  Kimberley Hobos vs Kimberley Dynamos  (best-of-five series)

(August 24)  A solo home run by veteran Eric “Ike” Bodin in the bottom-of-the-ninth inning lifted the Kimberley Dynamos to a 3 to 2 conquest of their city rivals, the Kimberley Hobos, as the EKSBL finals got underway. Bodin had entered the game in the sixth spasm as a pinch-hitter, later taking up a slot in the outfield. His dramatic blast off losing twirler Colin Patterson gave the pitching win to Rick Steadman, who fashioned a three-hitter over the course of the contest. One of the base knocks yielded by Steadman was a bases-empty round-tripper to Jim Nelson. Patterson yielded seven hits but his mates backed him up with errorless fielding. The Hobos led 2 – 1 until  Harvey Nash went yard with a solo tater in the seventh to knot the count and set the stage for Bodin’s tie-breaker two innings later.

C. Patterson (L) and Ratcliffe
Stedman (W) and Fabro

(August 28)  Veteran chucker Eric “Ike” Bodin was in top form at Coronation Park as he led the Kimberley Dynamos to their second straight win, a 7 to 0 whitewashing, of the Kimberley Hobos in the EKSBL finals. Bodin allowed but four hits while striking out nine in the one-sided affair. Ron Seredick and Ron “Slicker” Brown split the pitching chores for the Tramps. Another veteran, “Buzz” Mellor, was the big noise at the dish for the Generators, lashing three hits, one of them a homer. Big “Moose” Ronquist had two of the four hits garnered by the Bums off Bodin.   

Bodin (W) and Fabro
Seredick (L), Brown and Ratcliffe

(August 29)  Bob Cox hurled a super game in leading the Kimberley Dynamos to the 1961 EKSBL championship with a 3 to 2 win over their city-cousins, the Kimberley Hobos. The Dynies won the best-of-five series in three straight games.  Southpaw Cox persevered through early control difficulties to come out on top in a hurling duel with the Hobos’ Jim Nelson. Cox yielded five hits while Nelson was stung for eight safeties. The bat of “Buzz” Mellor figured prominently in all the Dynamo scoring. Mellor cracked three singles and drove in two runs, including the winner. Al Roemer drove in the other counter for the Dynies. “Moose” Ronquist doubled home both Hobo tallies after Cox had issued three consecutive walks in the third round. The Tramps had the potential tying run thrown out at the plate in the eighth episode after Ron “Slicker” Brown, pinch-running for Ron Seredick, tried to score from first base when Ed Johnson’s double off the left field wall was fielded perfectly by Eric “Ike” Bodin who then gunned down Brown at the dish with an accurate peg from the outer garden.

Nelson (L) and Ratcliffe
Cox (W) and Fabro

(September 3-4)  Fernie Labor Day weekend tournament