1965 Vancouver, Lower Mainland, Fraser Valley
1965 BC Interior
1965 Vancouver Island
VICTORIA SENIOR AMATEUR LEAGUE
The circuit added fifth team for the 1965 season. A representative from Ladysmith, a town some 55 miles north of the Capital City, joined the loop under the sponsorship of Carlings Brewery. One intra-Victoria change saw Rawlings Plumbing & Heating take over sponsorship of the team previously affiliated with McLaren Construction.
Chemainus Carlings
Greave’s Moving & Storage
Independent Athletic Association
Rawlings Plumbing & Heating
Transport Workers
(May 22) Larry Johnston’s singled in the game-winner as Greave’s Movers came from behind to score three times in their final turn at bat to earn a 4 to 3 walkoff win over the defending champion Transport Workers in the opener of a doubleheader as the 1965 Victoria Senior Amateur Baseball League got underway at Royal Athletic Park. The Independents bombed Chemainus 15 to 10 in a free-swinging second game in which the participants combined for 28 base hits.
Transports’ starting pitcher Norm Billsborough stymied Greave’s hitter for most of the matinée scuffle but got the hook in the seventh in favor of Bruce McKenzie who inherited two baserunners. Reliever McKenzie was totally ineffective, however, walking a pair of batters, hitting one and then surrendering Johnston’s tie-breaking safety. Les Brice picked up the route-going hillock triumph.
Billsborough, Bruce McKenzie (L) (7) and McAvoy
L. Brice (W) and Lumley
Rookie catcher Brian Grexton and holdover John Balloch paced the winners’ 17-hit attack in the second game.
H. O’Keefe (L), Capps (2), W. O’Keefe (6) and J. Montgomery
MacAdam (W), M. Ash (7) and Grexton
(May 23) Rawlings Plumbing & Heating came within an inning of sweeping a doubleheader at Chemainus but a pair of clutch hits by the Carlings’ Terry Eastman and Ted Sarkissian enabled the hosting mid-Islanders to score twice in the seventh inning and salvage a 6 to 5 win in the second half of the twin-bill after bowing to the Victorians 7 to 3 to start the afternoon proceedings.
Key hits by Jay Rawlings, Frank Lezetc and Barry Cosier, backed up by the three-hit pitching of Des Moseley, made the difference in the opening-game victory for the Plumbers.
Moseley (W) and Rawlings
Brinham (L), Capps (2) and Shreenan
Winning pitcher Tom Nicholson limited the visitors to four hits in the late event but needed the late-inning surge by his mates to pull out the decision.
Nicholson (W), Eastman (7) and Shreenan
G. Brice (L) and Rawlings
(May 25) With his club trailing by two runs in the bottom-of the-seventh inning, Jim Heighton blasted a three-run homer over the left-centre field fence at Royal Athletic Park to lead the Transport Workers to a 3 to 2 victory over the Independents. The dramatic drive came as losing pitcher Steve Bishop worked cautiously with a 2 to 0 lead. Bishop, who had control trouble throughout, issued a pair of walks to winning tosser Cliff Rutledge and Barry Harvey before pitching to Heighton.
S. Bishop (L) and Grant
Bruce McKenzie, Rutledge (W) (6) and McAvoy
(May 26) Greave’s Movers turned on the power at Royal Athletic Park, crashing 12 hits in scoring a lopsided 16 to 1 triumph over the Independents. Larry Johnston and Bob Lumley each had four RBI’s for the victors while teammate Vic Skinner chased home three counters. Lumley had a perfect night at the dish, stroking a double and two singles and also reached base once each on a base-on-balls and being hit by an errant pitch. Winning pitcher Stan Thame baffled the hitters from the independents as he tossed a three-hitter and whiffed seven.
Thame (W) and Lumley, Rivers (6)
M. Ash (L), Blake (2), Mabee (3) and Grant
(May 27) With Larry Johnston and Gerry Ciochetti driving in three runs apiece, Greave’s Movers blasted their way to an 11 to 6 victory over Rawlings at Royal Athletic Park. The Movers knocked rookie pitcher Myron Wallace out of the box in the second inning when an error, a walk and a triple by Ciochetti gave them a 6 to 1 lead. Veteran southpaw Des Moseley relieved and put out the fire until the fourth and fifth frames when Greave’s struck for five more runs. Johnston, who rapped three timely singles, also pitched a five-hitter and picked up his first knoll triumph of the campaign. He was relieved by Dave Murdoch in the sixth when Rawlings scored most of their runs, one of which was a four-bagger by Herb Wetherall.
Wallace (L), Moseley (2) and Rawlings
Johnston (W), Murdoch (6) and Lumley
(May 29) Norm Billsborough turned in a shutout performance for six innings before handing the ball over to reliever John Yankoski in the seventh as the Transport Workers handed Greave’s Moving & Storage their first loss in four games, an 8 to 3 setback, in the opening half of a Royal Athletic Park doubleheader. In the second game, Chemainus Carlings and the Independents played to a 7 – 7 draw. The Transports’ John Heighton had a home run in the fourth inning of the lid-lifter while teammate John McKeachie drove in two runs in the third. Four runs came across as a result of Greave’s miscues.
Billsborough (W), Yankoski (7) and McAvoy
McKay (L), L. Brice (5) and Lumley
A two-run double by Pete Ash, his third hit of the game, in the top-of-the-eighth spasm brought the Independents even with the Mid-Islanders in the late contest which will be completed on June 12.
Cutler, McAdam (2) and Grant
W. O’Keefe and Shreenan
(May 30) The Transport Workers picked up their second and third victories of the weekend by taking both ends of a double-dip from the hosting Chemainus Carlings by scores of 6 to 1 and 8 to 7. The sweep vaulted them into first place in the standings.
Winning chucker Cliff Rutledge held the Carlings to one run on four hits in the curtain-raiser, fanning eleven along the way. Ex-pro Art Worth returned to the Workers’ lineup for the first time this season and drove in three runs with a sharp single and a towering wind-blown triple to the right garden.
Rutledge (W) and McAvoy
Capps (L) and Shreenan
Transports’ starter Bruce McKenzie, derricked in the opening panel, could not get untracked in the second tilt, a wild affair which featured flurries of walks, stranded runners and stinging clutch hits. John Yankoski, the third tosser for the Workers, got credit for the winning hillock verdict and broke up a 7 – 7 tie in the seventh stanza with a game-winning single.
Nicholson, Latta (L) (3) and Eastman
Bruce McKenzie, Rutledge (1), Yankoski (W) (5) and McAvoy
Standings W L Pct. GBL
Transport Workers 4 1 .800 ----
Greave’s Moving & Storage 3 1 .750 0.5
Independent Athletic Association 1 2 .333 2.0
Rawlings Plumbing & Heating 1 2 .333 2.0
Chemainus Carlings 1 4 .200 3.0
(June 1) Veteran southpaw Des Moseley served up a masterful assortment of pitches in a sparkling pitching duel with 16-year old Colt Leaguer Brian Craig and steered Rawlings Plumbing & Heating to a 3 to 0 triumph over the Independents. Moseley struck out 16, yielded four hits and didn’t walk a batter. The youthful Craig was almost as stingy with base hits, allowing five bingles while fanning seven and walking four. Ron Stubbings slashed a Craig curve into left field to chase home the first Rawlings’ run in the fourth. The winners made it 2 to 0 in the fifth when Lee Doney scampered home from third base while the Independents were running down Herb Wetherall between first and second. Moseley aided his own cause with a screaming, run-producing triple in the eighth.
Craig (L) and Grant
Moseley (W) and Rawlings
(June 2) Greave’s Movers scored six counters in the seventh and eight more in the eighth to completely annihilate the Independents 16 to 6 at Royal Athletic Park. Leading the Movers’ 16-hit offensive thrust was Larry Johnston who had Four RBI’s on four base hits. Winning flinger Les Brice overcame a four-run setback in the first inning to record his second triumph.
L. Brice (W) and Lumley
Blake (L), M. Ash (7), Cutler (8) and Grant
(June 3) 19-year old battery-mates Norm Billsborough and Mike McAvoy played prominent roles in the Transport Workers’ 13 to 0 blowout victory over Rawlings Plumbing & Heating. Dazzling the Plumbers with his high-kicking pitching motion, Billsborough fanned seven and allowed four widely-spaced hits in going the route for his second win of the season. The strong right-hander also helped his own cause with a solo homer in the sixth and line-drive singles in the seventh and eighth innings. McAvoy, who called a fine game, was the Transports’ chief run producer. He had four RBI’s on an infield out, a double and a circuit-jack over the left-centre field fence.
Wallace (L), Moseley (5), Stubbings (7), Holt (8) and Rawlings
Billsborough (W) and McAvoy
(June 5) Greave’s Moving & Storage downed the Independent Athletic Association 10 to 3 in the early half of a twin-bill at Royal Athletic Park to move into a first-place tie with the Transport Workers. Evening action saw Rawlings Plumbing & Heating knock off the Chemainus Carlings 7 to 5. Steve Dunc, with relief help in the seventh by Larry McKay, notched the matinée game hillock triumph. Dave Cutler, who shared mound duties with Bob Vosburgh, was nicked with the loss.
Cutler (L), Vosburgh (4) and Grant
Dunc (W), McKay (7) and Lumley
Right hander George Brice rang up a dozen punchouts in copping the owl encounter.
W. O’Keefe (L), Capps (3) and Shreenan
G. Brice (W) and Rawlings
(June 6) A doubleheader sweep at Chemainus elevated Greave’s Movers into a full-game lead atop the Victoria Senior Amateur Baseball League standings. George Hemming, back in the Capital City after a spin in the New York Yankees’ farm system, gave up only one hit, a bloop single, as the Movers thumped the Carlings 6 to 0 in the curtain-raiser.
Nicholson (L), Wise (3) and Larry Irving
Hemming (W) and Lumley
Another portsider, Stan Thame, was almost as penurious in the finale, holding Chemainus to two hits in a 6 to 2 Greave’s conquest.
Thame (W) and Lumley
Lynn Irving (L), Capps (3) and Larry Irving
(June 8) A 14 to 2 lambasting of the Independents at Royal Athletic Park moved the Transports to within a half-game of pace-setting Greave’s Movers. George Fuller led the artillery brigade of the winners, driving in four runs while teammate Mike McAvoy blasted a two-run homer in the fifth. Brent Siddons, with late relief help from Cliff Rutledge, spaced out five blows for the Transports.
Siddons (W), Rutledge (6) and McAvoy
MacAdam(L), R. McKenzie (8) and Grant
(June 9) Lefthander Des Moseley’s fastball was humming at Royal Athletic Park where he reduced 16 batters to frustrated swingers as Rawlings upset the powerhouse Transport Workers 8 to 4 in a Senior Amateur Baseball League game. To win, Moseley needed and received rousing support from his mates in the ninth inning. Ahead only 4 to 3 in a topsy-turvy contest, the Plumbers pushed four markers across on a walk, a two-run double by Vince McDonald and a crisp single by George Holt. Jim Heighton walloped a last-ditch solo homer for the Transports but Moseley closed the door after that.
Moseley (W) and Rawlings
Rutledge, Billsborough (L) (5) and McAvoy
(June 10) Greave’s Moving & Storage and Rawlings Plumbing & Heating played indecisive baseball at Royal Athletic Park. The fruits of their labor resulted in an eight-inning 2 – 2 tie with Greave’s Moving & Storage. George Brice pitched all the way for Rawlings. Greave’s called upon three pitchers, the last of whom was George Hemming. He came on in the seventh with none out and two runners on base, retiring the side without any damage being done.
Dunc, L. Brice (1), Hemming (7) and Lumley
G. Brice and Rawlings
(June 12) Steve Bishop was the big show in the afternoon portion of a Senior Amateur League double-dip at Royal Athletic Park when the Independents stopped Rawlings 5 to 4. With the score tied 4 – 4 after Rick Blake’s run-scoring double in the top-of-the-ninth, Bishop brought home the winner with a bunt single. He then ascended the bump in a save situation in the bottom of the frame and promptly retired the side on three strikeouts.
Craig, Vosburgh (W) (7), S. Bishop (9) and Grant
Wallace, Holt (L) (3) and Rawlings
Art Worth, in his first starting assignment on the knoll this season, found himself continuously in hot water but miraculously managed to escape each and every jam to record a shutout win as the Transport Workers steamrolled over the Chemainus Carlings 10 to 0 in the late half of the twin-bill. Worth scattered six hits, stranded 16 base runners, loaded the bases four times and walked seven batters. Yet, when push came to shove, he responded with a critical strikeout, finishing with ten for the evening. Norm Billsborough led the Workers’ 10-hit offence with a triple, double and single.
Worth (W) and McAvoy
Wise (L), Capps (4) and Larry Irving
(June 13) The hosting Chemainus Carlings won two out of three from the fourth-place Independents, pulling within a half-game of their victims. A two-run homer by Larry Irving gave the Up-Islanders a 9 to 7 victory in the opener, a one-inning affair which was necessary to complete a tie game begun on May 29.
Cutler (L), MacAdam (2) and Grant
W. O’Keefe (W) and Shreenan
Harvey Stevenson’s circuit-blast with two runners aboard guided the Independents a 4 to 3 win in the sandwich game. The loss was a heart-breaker for the Carlings’ Lynn Irving who gave up only three hits.
Lynn Irving (L) and Larry Irving
Murdoch, Kilduff (W) (7) and Grant
In the best game of the day, the Independents’ young John Knowles hooked up in a scoreless pitching duel with “Rocky” Wise for eight innings. The teams each scored in the ninth and the Independents went ahead 2 to 1 in the top-of-the-tenth but a walk, triple and squeeze bunt pushed across a brace of tallies in the last-half of the frame for a 3 to 2 Chemainus walk-off win.
Knowles (L) and Grant
Wise, Capps (W) (10) and Larry Irving
Standings W L Pct. GBL
Greave’s Moving & Storage 7 1 .875 ----
Transport Workers 7 2 .778 0.5
Rawlings Plumbing & Heating 4 4 .500 3.0
Independent Athletic Association 3 8 .273 5.5
Chemainus Carlings 3 9 .250 6.0
(June 15) For the second time in less than a week, Greave’s Movers and Rawlings Plumbing wound up in a deadlock. This time the score was 3 – 3 as the Movingmen missed a chance to pad their first-place margin and Des Moseley of the Plumbers wasted a 13-strikeout pitching performance.
Moseley and Rawlings
Dunc, McKay (8), L. Brice (8) and Lumley
(June 16) With his heater humming, southpaw George Hemming struck out 25 , breaking his own Victoria Senior Amateur Baseball League record of 22, as he hurled pace-setting Greave’s Movers to a 10 to 2 shellacking of the second-place Transport Workers. Hemming was fast, and just sufficiently wild, to make toe-dancers out of the Transports as none of them were digging trenches in the batter’s box. The only trouble the hard-throwing portsider encountered was of his own making. He issued a bases-loaded walk to George Fuller in the first canto to force in a run. Fuller also drove in the Workers’ second run with a single in the eighth, one of five safeties they managed to acquire. The Movers scored in clusters. After single runs in the fourth and fifth, they punched across three in the seventh on singles by Dave Rivers, Bob Lumley and Bob Moysey. One-baggers off the bats of Les Brice and Hemming, followed by Jerry Ciochetti’s triple, accounted for five more markers in the ninth. With the win, Greave’s extended their margin over the Transports to a game-and-a-half.
Hemming (W) and Lumley
Rutledge (L), Bruce McKenzie (7) and McAvoy
(June 17) The Transport Workers, smarting from the setback dealt to them just 24 hours previous, swung with meaning at Royal Athletic Park and demolished the Independents 13 to 4 . Norm Billsborough, though touched for 11 hits, went all the way on the hillock to register his third win against one loss. Art Worth, with a double and two singles paced the winners at the dish while teammate Jon McKeachie contributed a two-bagger and single. Dave Cutler ripped three singles for the losers.
Billsborough (W) and McAvoy
Mabee (L), Murdoch (8) and Grant
(June 19) Jay Rawlings’ two-run single in the opening inning sparked a five-run outburst that powered Rawlings Plumbing & Heating to a 9 to 4 win over the Transport Workers in the first game of a Royal Athletic Park double-bill. In the second game, Chemainus came from behind on Doug Latta’s two-run single in the bottom-of-the-eighth to squeeze past Greave’s Moving & Storage 5 to 4.
Winning twirler Des Moseley kept the door locked on the Transports for all but two innings of the lid-lifter to score his fourth straight win while Gary Tuttle provided the punch at the plate, driving in three counters. George Fuller of the vanquished nine matched Tuttle’s RBI performance. Starter Bruce McKenzie of the Workers was nicked with the loss, his second in as many starts.
Moseley (W) and Rawlings
Bruce McKenzie (L), Yankoski (1), Heighton (9) and McAvoy
The combatants each had ten safeties in the late encounter in which winning chucker Lynn Irving of the Carlings breezed ten of the league-leaders.
Thame (L), L. Brice (8) and Lumley
Lynn Irving (W) and Shreenan
(June 20) The Chemainus Carlings topped off a successful weekend by taking 9 to 5 and 2 to 1 decisions from the invading Victoria Rawlings. Playing on their home turf, the Up-Islanders exploded for four runs in the seventh inning of the opener, getting base hits from Bob Wilson, Ken Yaniw and “Rocky” Wise during the spree. Wayne O’Keefe, who ascended the knoll as a second-inning reliever, kept his mates in the game until they came on strong with a four-spot in the seventh to wrap up the victory for him, his second of the season.
Capps, W. O’Keefe (W) (2) and Shreenan
Wallace, Kilduff (L) (6) and Lezetc
Tom Nicholson captured the pitching laurels in the follow-up match, winning his own ball game with a long single off the left field wall in the seventh spasm. Nicholson allowed only one hit in the contest to outshine Rawlings’ hard-working Des Moseley who went the route for the second time in two days.
Moseley (L) and Lezetc
Nicholson (W) and Shreenan
(June 22) Solid hitting by the trio of Bob Lumley, Tom Moore and Les Brice enabled Greave’s Movers to strengthen their grasp on first place in the Senior Amateur Baseball League. As pitcher Steve Dunc breezed to his third victory in three starts, a 7 to 3 triumph over the Independent, Lumley, his batterymate, boosted his league-leading RBI total to 14. He poled a double in the opening inning to drive home Dave Rivers and singled in the seventh to score Moore who had smashed a triple. Playing-manager Brice, also swinging a sizzling bat, contributed two base knocks.
Dunc (W) and Lumley, Rivers (9)
Vosburgh (L) and Grant
(June 23) Mike McAvoy, the Transport Workers’ rangy backstop, blasted a grand-slam home run off George Hemming to send batterymate, Cliff Rutledge, on his way to an all-important 8 to 4 victory over Greave’s Movers at Royal Athletic Park. Hemming allowed seven hits and fanned 16 before exiting the game in the eighth. Rutledge earned his third win of the season by standing 12 runners when the heat was on.
Rutledge (W) and McAvoy
Hemming (L), Thame (8) and Lumley
(June 24) Despite a lowly 3 – 10 record and a patched-up lineup, the cellar-dwelling Independents broke loose with a 23-hit barrage to crush Rawlings Plumbing & Heating 25 to 1. Ten runs in their opening turn at bat pretty well sealed the deal on this one. Ron Griffis and Gary Bishop nicked the horsehide for five hits each. Dave Cutler and Gerry MacAdam collected a trio of safeties apiece and Harvey Stevenson belted a home run. Dave Murdoch added to the Rawlings’ nightmare with a three-hit pitching performance.
G. Brice (L), Holt (1), Wallace (2), Kilduff (4) and Rawlings
Murdoch (W) and Grant
(June 26) Greave’s Movers gained a full game on their closet pursuers by doubling the Transport Workers 12 to 6 in the matinée portion of a doubleheader at Royal Athletic Park. In the other game slated in the two-game set, a sacrifice fly by Tony Cosier in the bottom-of-the-ninth inning plated the winner as the Independents edged the Chemainus Carlings 10 to 9.
Bob Moysey, Tom Moore and Bob Lumley picked up three hits apiece for the Movers in their opening-game win.
Billsborough (L), Yankoski (3) and McAvoy
L. Brice (W), Hemming (6), Thame (7) and Lumley
Back-to-back run-scoring doubles in the top-of-the-ninth canto of the sunset event by John Wilson and Skip Montgomery allowed the hosting Carlings to knot the count at 9 – 9, setting the stage for Cosier’s fly ball in the bottom of the frame.
Capps (L) and Shreenan
MacAdam, Mabee (W) (9) and Craig
(June 27) The Transport Workers failed to close ground on front-running Greave’s Movers when they split a doubleheader, with an 14 to 3 victory and a 2 to 1 defeat, against the Carlings at Chemainus. The Victorians exploded for a nine-spot in the second stanza of the curtain-raiser to put a bow on it. John Yankoski’s grand-slam tater was the big blow of that outburst. The Transports had taken a substantial lead in the first inning when they plated five counters, primarily on the strength of two-run singles by Art Worth and John McKeachie.
Worth (W) and McAvoy
Nicholson (L), Capps (2) and Shreenan
Lynn Irving and Wayne O’Keefe teamed up to keep the Workers scoreless in all but one inning of the second affair. A two-run single by Larry Irving in the third chapter provided Chemainus with the winning tally.
Lynn Irving (W), W. O’Keefe (6) and Shreenan, S. Montgomery (5)
Siddons (L) and McAvoy
(June 29) Rawlings Plumbing & Heating staggered into the seventh inning facing a 5 to 0 deficit and the powerful pitching staff of league-leading Greave’s Movers but the plucky third-place club scored two runs in the seventh and four more in the ninth to squeeze out a Senior Amateur League win at Royal Athletic Park. George Brice and Larry Montgomery came through with clutch hits in the ninth which ended on an anti-climatic note when Greave’s catcher Bob Lumley inadvertently threw the ball past pitcher Larry Johnston which allowed Brice to prance home from third with the winning counter. Montgomery, who doubled home two runs in the seventh, drove in another pair in the ninth with a sharp extra-base blow to left field. Brice, who earned the mound verdict in relief after taking to the hillock in the ninth, followed with a 400-foot triple to the right field wall which plated the equalizer.
Hemming, Thame (7), Dunc (7), Johnston (L) (9) and Lumley
Moseley, G. Brice (W) (9) and Rawlings
(June 30) Ironman Des Moseley tossed his second game in two days in leading Rawlings past the Independents 5 to 3. In going the distance, Moseley rang up 11 punchouts. George Holt’s two-run triple in the eighth panel drove in the winning and insurance counters.
Moseley (W) and B. Cosier
Mabee (L), Udy (8) and Craig
(July 1) Winning pitcher Cliff Rutledge slammed a dramatic solo home run in the eighth inning to break a 3 – 3 deadlock and power the Transport Workers to a 4 to 3 win over the luckless Independents. Hustling shortpatcher John Yankoski gave Rutledge plenty of defensive support, handling 11 chances flawlessly.
S. Bishop (L) and Knowles
Rutledge (W) and McAvoy
Standings W L Pct. GBL
Greave’s Moving & Storage 10 4 .714 ----
Transport Workers 11 6 .647 0.5
Rawlings Plumbing & Heating 7 7 .500 3.0
Chemainus Carlings 7 11 .389 5.0
Independent Athletic Association 5 12 .294 6.5
(July 3-4) Chemainus Invitational Baseball Tournament
(July 6) Tony Cosier, Bob Smith and Steve Bishop had two hits apiece in leading the cellar-dwelling Independents to a 5 to 1 conquest of Rawlings in Senior Amateur League action. The I.A.A. nine played aggressively, stealing three bases and laying down three sacrifice bunts in addition to roughing up losing twirler George Brice for nine hits. Winning pitcher Dave Murdoch looked as good as he has all season, combining with a pair of short-relievers for a two-hitter.
Murdoch (W), Udy (7), S. Bishop (9) and Grant
G. Brice (L) and Rawlings
(July 7) The clutch hitting of 19-year old infielder George Fuller helped the Transport Workers dispose of Rawlings Plumbing & Heating 10 to 6 at Royal Athletic Park and, in the process, move to within percentage points of fist-place Greave’s Movers. Fuller picked up his 15th and 16th RBI’s of the season in the Transports’ five-run first-inning. In the eighth, Fuller drove in his third tally of the game during a three-run rally that clinched the game. He now holds the lead in the the Victoria Senior circuit with 17 RBI’s. In addition to Fuller’s two safeties were doubles by Barry Harvey, John McKeachie and Al Foster and two singles by Keith Dagg.
Rutledge, Yankoski (W) (2) and McAvoy
Moseley (L), G. Brice (8) and Rawlings
(July 8) Greave’s Movers scratched out a single run in the bottom-of-the-ninth inning at Royal Athletic Park to bolster their first-place grasp in one of the most exciting games in the Senior Amateur Baseball League this season. The Movers clipped the Transport Workers 7 to 6 to move two games in front of the runners-up in the two-club duel for top spot. Every pitch counted in the tense affair which climaxed when Dave Rivers, who had singled to lead off the ninth, scored on Bob Lumley’s game-ending ground ball to shortstop John Yankoski. Hustling full throttle down the base line, the burly Greave’s catcher beat a hurried throw from Yankoski which pulled first sacker John McKeachie off the bag. The Movers had a huge 17 to 7 margin in base hits and should have wrapped things up earlier had it not been for their ineptness in taking advantage of many scoring opportunities. Lefthander George Hemming swished 17 in going the route for the pitching win.
Siddons (L) and McAvoy
Hemming (W) and Lumley
(July 10) In doubleheader action at Royal Athletic Park, Rawlings Plumbing & Heating thumped the Independents 12 to 4 while the Transport Workers clubbed the Chemainus Carlings 15 to 5.
Winning tosser George Brice slammed a two-run homer in the fourth inning of the opener to break a 2 – 2 tie and launch Rawlings on a scoring spree that saw them notch at least one run per frame from the sixth inning onward including a four-run seventh panel. Two of those four counters came on a Larry Montgomery single.
G. Brice (W) and Rawlings
Mabee (L), Udy (7) and Craig
The Transports took control of the late game in the second spasm when they put up a nine-spot which was followed by another four in the fourth stanza. John Balloch drove in four runs for the Workers while Al Foster’s bat pushed in a pair of counters.
Nicholson (L), W. O’Keefe (2) and S. Montgomery
Worth (W) and McAvoy
(July 11) The Independents and Chemainus Carlings swapped two-hitters in the Mid-Island town but maintained their positions in the lower end of the Victoria Senior Amateur Baseball League standings. Colt League recruit John Knowles did the honors for the Independents. 5 to 3, in the first game but the Carlings came back in the finale to blank the Victorians 5 to 0 as “Rocky” Wise sparkled on the hill for Chemainus. Knowles displayed a good fastball and sharp curve but had to work hard for the triumph. He was in trouble most of the way because of wildness, walking 12 batters and being charged with several wild pitches.
Knowles (W) and Grexton
Capps (L) and Shreenan
Wise, never in peril, received offensive support from third baseman Ray Latta who doubled in the third inning to give the hosts an early lead.
Craig (L), Murdoch (6) and Tennison
Wise (W) and S. Montgomery
(July 13) Proud and savvy veteran Art Worth lined a bases-loaded double in the seventh inning of a 2 – 2 ball game to lead the spirited Transport Workers to a 5 to 2 Senior Amateur League victory over Rawlings at Royal Athletic Park. Norm Billsborough’s looping single, a walk to John Yankoski and Barry Harvey’s infield hit set the table for the left-handed swinging Worth as he strolled to the dish with two out. 19-year old right hander Billsborough earned the hillock verdict, pitching himself out of trouble on several occasions and stranding nine Rawlings’ runners. He wound up yielding six hits and was aided by the tight Transport infield that helped him through the rough spots.
G. Brice (L) and Rawlings
Billsborough (W) and McAvoy
(July 14) Greave’s Moving & Storage shifted their van into high gear and decimated the second-place Transport Workers with a stunning 17 to 0 trouncing. Four Transport pitchers gave up 21 walks, their infielders committed six errors and their batters produced a measly two hits against winning pitcher Les Brice. For Greave’s, it was a ball. Bob Lumley drove in four counters while Brice and Jerry Ciochetti both knocked in a pair.
L. Brice (W) and Lumley
Siddons (L), Rutledge (1), Bruce McKenzie (3), Heighton (5) and McAvoy
(July 15) Wayne Stewart mastered adversity with a show of heart at Royal Athletic Park. In his first Senior Amateur Baseball League appearance, the hefty Connie Mack slabster started on the hillock for the cellar-dwelling Independents against the menacing line-up of first-place Greave’s Movers. Going head on against the talented strikeout artist George Hemming of the Movingmen made things no easier and, to increase his difficulties, his clubmates committed several costly errors behind him. But Stewart persevered, throttling the pace-setters with four-hit pitching. He matched Hemming in a 2 – 2 mound duel for seven full innings and then was the beneficiary of two-run splurges by his mates in both of the eighth and ninth frames to emerge as the winning pitcher in a 6 to 2 Independents’ triumph.
Stewart (W) and Grexton
Hemming (L) and Lumley
(July 17) Des Moseley struck out 22 to pace Rawlings Plumbing & Heating to a 6 to 4 win over the Transport Workers in the matinée contest of a Royal Athletic Park double-bill. An 11-strikeout performance by Stan Thame highlighted league-leading Greave’s Movers 9 to 5 conquest of the Chemainus Carlings in the second event.
Moseley, picking up his sixth pitching win in eight decisions, helped his cause in the curtain-raiser by connecting for a solo home run in the fourth inning.
Siddons (L), Worth (7) and McAvoy
Moseley (W) and Rawlings
Thame, who won his third straight match, singled in two runs to spark a five-run flurry in the fifth inning of the second tilt. Les Brice and Mike Graas slammed three hits apiece for the victors.
W. O’Keefe (L), Capps (5) and S. Montgomery
Thame (W) and Lumley
(July 18) Hosting Chemainus dropped both ends of a three-team doubleheader to sink into the basement position in the Victoria Senior Amateur Baseball circuit. Rawlings Plumbing & Heating captured a 5 to 4 victory in extra innings in the opener when the winning run touched home as a result of a balk. The Transport Workers annexed the second event in easy fashion, crushing the Carlings 14 to 2.
George Brice went the distance for the Victorians to pick up his fourth win in the lid-lifter. The Rawlings nine were fortunate to cop this one as they did not manage to collect a hit throughout the contest, scoring all their runs on walks, errors, wild pitches and, of course, a balk call.
G. Brice (W) and Rawlings
Nicholson, Capps (2), Latta (L) (8) and Shreenan
The winning battery of Art Worth and Mike McAvoy drove in four runs each for the Transports in the late fixture. Adding to the offense was Jim Heighton’s fourth homer of the season.
Nicholson (L), Capps (1), Latta (4) and Shreenan
Worth (W) and McAvoy
Standings W L Pct. GBL
Greave’s Moving & Storage 13 5 .722 ----
Transport Workers 15 9 .625 1.0
Rawlings Plumbing & Heating 10 10 .500 4.0
Independent Athletic Association 8 14 .364 7.0
Chemainus Carlings 8 16 .333 8.0
(July 20) Regular shortstop John Yankoski took a turn on the bump at Royal Athletic Park and displayed his versatility, pitching a four-hitter as the Transport Workers blasted the Independents 16 to 0. Yankoski struck out ten, and permitted only two hit balls past his group of infielders. Barry Harvey and Jim Heighton provided most of the ammunition for the Transports. Harvey had four RBI’s with a double and sacrifice fly while Heighton delivered a three-run, inside-the-park homer in the eighth frame.
Yankoski (W) and McAvoy
S. Bishop (L), Udy (7), McAdam (7) and Grant, Tennison (3)
(July 21) League-leading Greave’s Movers defeated Rawlings Plumbing & Heating 7 to 3 to boost their margin at the top of the loop to a full game. Playing-manager Les Brice relieved starting chucker Steve Dunc in the fifth frame and picked up his fifth win when the Movers broke up a 3 – 3 tie in the seventh. Tom Moore, the circuit’s leading hitter, and Bob Lumley, tops in RBI’s, led the four-run outburst that produced a 7 to 3 victory. Moore slammed a double and two singles in the contest while Lumley contributed a two-bagger and triple, the pair of Greave’s swatsmiths accounting for six of the seven runs their team scored.
Dunc, L. Brice (W) (5) and Lumley
Sallaway (L), G. Brice (7) and Rawlings
(July 22) A disputed play at first base allowed Greave’s Movers to score the tying run in a game which was suspended after seven frames with the league’s front-runners deadlocked 4 – 4 with Rawlings Plumbing & Heating. Vic Skinner’s run that tied the score was declared valid when George Hemming was called safe at the initial sack on what appeared to be the third out of the inning. Rawlings’ pitcher George Brice, who fielded Hemming’s slow roller, juggled the ball in making the tag on his mound opponent and umpire Doug Hudlin ruled that he did not have control of the horsehide. The game is scheduled to be resumed on July 25 as part of a four-game marathon at Royal Athletic Park.
Moseley, G. Brice (3) and Lezetc
Hemming and Lumley
(July 24) The Transport Workers drubbed the Independents 15 to 4 and Greave’s Moving & Storage whacked the Chemainus Carlings 10 to 6 in a brace of Senior Amateur League clashes held at Royal Athletic Park.
Tom Moore blasted a two-run homer and triple for the Workers in their one-sided opening-game conquest. Teammate Art Worth’s three RBI’s vaulted him into the lead in the loop with 28 for the season.
Knowles (L), Udy (1), Hurst (2) and G. Bishop, Tennison (3)
Siddons, Yankoski (W) (1) and McAvoy
Outhit by a 14 to 10 margin, the Carlings unraveled defensively in the late affair, committing six errors.
Dunc, L. Brice (W) (1), Thame (6) and Lumley
Capps (L), W, O’Keefe (8) and Eastman
(July 25) Rawlings’ hitters lashed out at the right moments during a rare triple-header at Royal Athletic Park. The Plumbers, led by playing-manager Herb Wetherall and outfielder Ron Stubbings, posted two victories over front-running Greave’s Movers. The games, which were previously suspended because of darkness with the score tied, were resumed in the late innings.
Wetherall singled home the winning run in the tenth inning of the first game as Rawlings triumphed 3 to 2. George Brice went the distance in capturing the hillock verdict.
Hemming (L) and Lumley
G. Brice (W) and Rawlings, Cornett (9)
Greave’s, with a hefty 12 to 6 advantage in safe swats, captured the middle game of the day, winning 4 to 3 on line-drive singles by Dave Rivers and Larry McKinty in the bottom-of-the-ninth.
Moseley (L) and Rawlings, Cornett (9)
Dunc, McKay (8), L. Brice (8), Hemming (W) (9) and Lumley
Stubbings doubled with the bases loaded in the seventh inning of the final game which resulted in an 11 to 7 win for Rawlings. George Brice won the mound decision for the second time during the day, this time as a reliever.
Moseley, G. Brice (W) (3) and Lezetc, Cornett (6)
Hemming (L), Lister (8), Thame (8) and Lumley
(July 26) Spray-hitter Dave Rivers banged out four hits in four trips to the plate in leading Greave’s Moving & Storage past Rawlings Plumbing & Heating 9 to 2 at Royal Athletic Park. Others contributing prominently to the winners’ 13–hit assault were Connie Mack Leaguer Gerry Lister with three safeties, Bob Moysey with a pair and catcher Bob Lumley who stroked a two-run homer. Playing-manager Les Brice went all the way on the knoll to record his seventh win.
L. Brice (W) and Lumley
Wallace (L), Sallaway (2), Moseley (3) and Rawlings
(July 27) The second-place Transport Workers remained in contention for the 1965 pennant with a 6 to 4 victory over Rawlings at Royal Athletic Park. The first-place ambitions of the Workers showed quickly in this contest as they reeled off five runs in the first two frames off ace hurler George Brice with Mike McAvoy’s two-run double in the opening panel being the longest blow. Lefthander Art Worth went the route on the bump for the Transports in winning his fifth of the campaign. Both squads clipped the horsehide for ten hits.
(July 28) Greave’s Movers look like money in the bank for the Victoria Senior Amateur League pennant after hard-throwing portsider George Hemming rang up 21 punchouts at Royal Athletic Park in pitching the Movingmen to a 4 to 0 blanking of the I.A.A. Independents. He surrendered six hits, never more than one an inning, and aborted every potential rally with his blazing fastball. Hemming’s batterymate, Bob Lumley, drove in Greave’s first two runs with a third-inning single served up by losing chucker Wayne Stewart. A fielder’s choice and a one-bagger by Bob Moysey accounted for the other tallies.
Stewart (L) and Knowles
Hemming (W) and Lumley
(July 29) The Transport Workers displayed power to the end as they struck down the Independents 8 to 0, chalking up their seventh win in succession and moving to within a half-game of top-dog Greave’s Movers. Strong hitting by Art Worth and George Fuller propelled the Transports to the one-sided victory. John Yankoski starred on the mound for the Workers, winning his fifth game against no losses with a six-hit shutout.
S. Bishop (L), Smith (5) and Grant
Yankoski (W) and McAvoy
(July 31) Rawlings, with an insufficient number of players on hand, defaulted to the Independents in the opening game of a scheduled three-team doubleheader at Royal Athletic Park.
Greave’s Movers, outhit by a 9 to 4 margin, had a quorum for the evening game and clinched nothing worse than a tie for first place by edging the Independents 4 to 3. The tying and winning runs came in the top-of-the-ninth panel with two out and runners at first and second. Don Bell singled and both runners scored when the ball was muffed in the outer pasture.
L. Brice, Hemming (W) (7), L. Brice (9) and Lumley
Mabee, Craig (L) (9) and Grant, Grexton (9)
(August 1) Greave’s Movers, tail-enders in last year’s standings, stowed away the 1965 Victoria Senior Amateur Baseball League regular-season pennant by clipping homestanding Chemainus 5 to 2. George Hemming earned his second win of the weekend in defeating the Carlings on a three-hitter. Outfielder Bob Moysey slammed three important hits for the Movers in the clincher.
The Up-Islanders defaulted a second scheduled game as some of their players were unavailable because of having to report for employment as shift-workers. Chemainus still could technically tie the Independents for the final playoff berth but, because of injuries, vacation time and shift work, may decide to forgo playing a final contest.
Latta (L) and Eastman
Hemming (W) and Lumley
Final Standings W L Pct. GBL
Greave’s Moving & Storage 21 7 .750 ----
Transport Workers 19 9 .679 2.0
Rawlings Plumbing & Heating 12 14 .462 8.0
Independent Athletic Association 9 19 .321 12.0
Chemainus Carlings 8 19 .296 12.5
PLAYOFFS
SEMI-FINALS I.A.A. Independents vs Transport Workers and Rawlings Plumbing & Heating vs Greave’s Moving & Storage (best-of-three series)
(August 10) Des Moseley starred as the Senior Amateur Baseball League semi-finals got underway. Moseley took care of all the pitching and a major share of run-production for Rawlings as the Plumbers upset pennant-winning Greave’s 3 to 1. The portside slab artist, after drawing a walk, stealing second and moving to third on a single by Barry Cosier, scored on a balk in the fifth inning to deadlock the score at 1 – 1. Despite suffering a leg cramp during his scoring effort, Moseley blanked the Movers for the remainder of the darkness-shortened, six-inning tussle. He also continued to bat with authority, singling home an insurance tally in the top-of-the-sixth stanza after Chuck Bennett had driven in the tie-breaker with a one-bagger. Losing twirler George Hemming and Moseley both allowed three hits.
Moseley (W) and Rawlings
Hemming (L) and Lumley
(August 11) The Independents, a club which has enough players on its roster to field two teams, defaulted its first Senior Amateur Baseball League playoff game against the Transport Workers at Royal Athletic Park. With several of last season’s performers either retiring, playing softball or shuttling between softball and baseball, player interest has waned especially during a losing campaign.
(August 12) The brothers Brice locked horns at Royal Athletic Park and it was Les Brice, the southpaw playing-manager of pennant-winning Greave’s Movers, who triumphed in their mound joust. Stepping to the plate with the bases loaded in the first inning, the left-handed swinging Les lit up an offering from his brother, right hander George Brice, for a grand-slam circuit-clout to power the Movingmen to a 5 to 1 conquest of Rawlings, leaving the semi-final series tied at one game apiece. Les did not stop with his slugging, however, as he took to the knoll and allowed only one hit during the six innings played as the battle of brothers took place under dark and dripping skies and ended prematurely. Herb Wetherall drove in the Plumbers’ only counter with a second-inning single, the lone hit that the portsider sibling surrendered.
L. Brice (W) and Lumley
G. Brice (L) and Rawlings
(August 14) The Transport Workers, always a powerhouse at playoff time, coasted into the Senior Amateur finals by blasting the I.A.A. Independents 13 to 0 in the matinée game of a two-game semi-final set at Royal Athletic Park. In the follow-up scuffle, Greave’s Movers and Rawlings failed to declare a winner after darkness ended their match in a 7 – 7 draw.
A seven-inning explosion in the second-inning of the opener sent the Workers on their way to victory. Playing-manager Barry Harvey was the heavy hitter for the Transports during the blowout and winning pitcher John Yankoski held the Independents hitless until two had been retired in the ninth inning when Gerry/Jerry MacAdam and Tony Cosier clipped him for singles.
Yankoski (W) and McAvoy
Mabee (L), Craig (2), M. Ash (7) and Grant
It took a three-spot in their final turn at bat for the pennant-winners to hang on and gain a tie in the late game, called after eight innings as darkness enveloped the skies. Rawlings had gone ahead 7 to 4 in the sixth stanza on a solo dinger by pitcher George Brice but, with the Movers on the verge of elimination, they survived to see another day when walks and a one-bagger produced one tally in the eighth and a two-RBI single by Dave Rivers the equalizers.
Wallace, G. Brice (2) and Rawlings
L. Brice, Hemming (5) and Lumley
(August 17) Skill in the field and power at the plate have carried Greave’s Movers to the finals of the Victoria Senior Amateur League playoffs. The determined Movers wrapped up a semi-final triumph at Royal Athletic Park by doubling Rawlings Plumbing & Heating 4 to 2. Southpaw pitcher Stan Thame, backed by a solid defensive display, picked up the victory. Yielding eight hits, walking three and fanning nine, Thame was tough with ducks on the pond before being relieved by George Hemming in the seventh. Thame had his most trouble with infielder Lyall Cornett who nicked him for three safeties. Doubles by Tom Moore and Bob Lumley produced a fourth-inning run for the Movers. Their other tallies came in the sixth on a single by Bob Moysey, a double by Dave Rivers, a one-bagger by Les Brice and an error. Rawlings pulled off a fifth-inning triple play when losing tosser George Brice caught a bunt by Thame off his shoe tops and fired the ball to first base for the second out. A quick throw to third base caught Bob Bowles off the bag and retired the side.
G. Brice (L) and Rawlings
Thame (W), Hemming (7) and Lumley
FINALS Transport Workers vs Greave’s Moving & Storage (best-of-five series)
(August 19) Southpaw Art Worth tossed a two-hitter while his Transport Worker teammates collected a pair of runs in the third inning and two more in the fourth to grab a 4 to 0 lead over Greave’s Movers before rain forced a stoppage of play at the end of the fifth frame. The Transports, who collected seven hits against the pitching of George Brice, got their third-inning tallies on singled by John Yankoski and Barry Harvey. Keith Dagg’s one-bagger in the fourth drove in the final two counters. Worth yielded singles to Bob Bowles and Mike Graas on his way to his seventh successive pitching victory.
Worth (W) and McAvoy
L. Brice (L) and Lumley
(August 21) A 7 to 1 conquest of Greave’s Moving a Storage gave the Transport Workers a stranglehold on their best-of-five final series. Art Worth pitched his second consecutive complete-game win in the finals. Infielder John Yankoski had a single, double and triple for the winners while catcher Mike McAvoy contributed a three-bagger and triple. Worth, who helped his own cause with a two-run double, limited the Movers to four safeties.
Dunc (L), Lister (4) and Lumley
Worth (W) and McAvoy
(August 22) In a wild, strange yet often exciting contest at Royal Athletic Park, Greave’s Movers out-battled to Transport Workers 13 to 12 in ten innings to remain alive in the Senior Amateur Baseball League playoffs. In what was expected to be low-scoring pitcher’s duel, normally steady pitchers permitted 26 walks, usually reliable defences were guilty of 14 errors and the hitters left a whopping 35 runners stranded on base. Greave’s led 10 to 3 at one stage but blew it all in the seventh and eighth. The Transports went ahead 12 to 10 in the top-of-the-tenth but the Movers for three in their half and the life-saving win. Tom Moore’s run-scoring single off reliever Art Worth ended the proceedings.
Strongman (L), Jolly (L) (4), Brian McKenzie (10), Worth (10) and McAvoy
Hemming, Thame (7), L. Brice (W) (7) and Lumley
(August 24) Getting his first opportunity as a starting pitcher in Senior Amateur League competition, 17-year old Gerry Lister rose to the occasion. Showing remarkable poise, Lister baffled the powerful Transport Workers with a fine array of heaters and benders, coming away with a three-hitter as Greave’s Movers blanked the Workers 4 to 0 to square the best-of-five final series at two games each. Bob Lumley and Dave Rivers slammed successive doubles in the opening inning off tireless Art Worth to give Lister a one-run lead. Rivers and Bob Moysey each stroked a run-scoring single in the next frame. Lumley accounted for the final run in the seventh, chasing home Tom Moore with a double off the fence. Worth, appearing on the mound in all four games, pitched his third complete game of the series and was combed for seven bingles in absorbing his initial loss in seven decisions.
Lister (W) and Lumley
Worth (L) and McAvoy
(August 26) Greave’s Movers hold the 1965 Senior Amateur Baseball League playoff crown and the man who made the championship dream come true is Les Brice. Playing-manager of the Movers, Brice fashioned three runs out of a walk, a single and some daring base running to carry his club to a 3 to 1 triumph over the Transport Workers in the deciding game of the finals at Royal Athletic Park. Greave’s managed only one hit against the pitching of Brent Siddons and John Yankoski but that was all they needed to complete a spectacular comeback in the series after trailing two-games to none. Southpaw George Hemming yielded only four hits as he went the distance on the hillock for the winners. But the deciding factors in the game were walks, Transport errors and the inspirational play of Brice. He scored the first run in the second inning after drawing a walk, coming all the way around to score when Siddons threw the ball past first base on Jerry Ciochetti’s bunt. In the fourth Brice singled to drive home Tom Moore who had walked and stolen second base. Heading for the keystone sack on the throw to the plate, the hustling Brice was safe as Barry Harvey dropped the ball. He moved to the hot corner bag on a passed ball and then, as Siddons went into a long windup, surprised the Transports by streaking for home. He was safe by a whisker as he slid across the plate for his club’s final counter. That was all Hemming needed in the seven-inning tussle. Although wildness landed him in hot water several times, he was able to bail himself out of trouble with timely strikeouts on all but one occasion. Mike McAvoy spoiled Hemming’s shutout bid in the third frame when he poked a run-scoring single. The Workers threatened in the final canto when Art Worth tripled with one out but Hemming had the answer to that. He bore down to retire George Fuller and Jim Heighton by way of his 11th and 12th strikeouts of the game.
Siddons (L), Yankoski (6) and McAvoy
Hemming (W) and Lumley
(September 4-6) Courtenay Labor Day weekend Invitational Baseball tournament