Eston Tournament
(July 1) North Battleford Beavers won the Eston Tournament with a 4-1 victory over the host club in a rain-shortened final. Tom Sallaway hurled the win for the Beavers.
Dentz (L) and xxx
Sallaway (W) and xxx
In first-round games, Bob McClure struck out 20 batters in pitching Eston to a 4-1 win over Kindersley. The Beavers Gary Barker blanked Unity 9-0.
North Battleford Tournament
(July 2) Unity Cardinals downed North Battleford 8-5 to take top money at the North Battleford tournament. The Beavers had two on with two out in the 9th inning. Mark Perkins, the potential tying run, had a three-ball, no strike count but Larry Haylor relieved Steve Wright and got Perkins on three called strikes to end the threat. The contest turned into a walk-fest as three Unity and two Beaver hurlers combined for 28 bases on balls. Bob Brown and Jim Shaw each had two singles for Unity. Perkins had a pair of one-baggers for the Beavers. Cam Sternig rapped a three-run triple for North Battleford.
Dan Boitana (W), Steve Wright (7), Haylor (9) and xxx
McIntyre (L), Brian Lampitt (4) and xxx
In first round games, Unity downed Kindersley 6-2 and Beavers defeated Eston 6-4. Mike Aranaydo got the win for Unity tossing a four-hitter. Dave Croft took the loss. Steve Wright produced a pair of doubles for the winners.
Aranaydo (W) and xxx
Croft (L) and xxx
Beavers scored four times on five hits and three errors in the 5th inning to take the win over Eston. Vince Rucobo got the win, Greg Larson was tagged with the loss. Mike Rawlings of Eston was the leading hitter with a triple and double.
Rucobo (W) and xxx
Larson (L) and xxx
(July 3) In exhibition action, the San Mateo Bulldogs exploded for seven runs in the 7th inning to down Lethbridge Lakers 9-4. Lakers' starting pitcher Marty Maxwell cruised through five innings with a two-hitter before giving way to Jeff DeRecat in the 6th who proceeded to walked the bases full before getting a double play to get out of the inning. However, in the 7th, DeRecat walked a pair and the Lakers sent Randy Maxwell to the hill and he too coudln't find the plate loading the bases with another walk. A wild pitch scored a run to tie the score. After another walk reloaded the bases, Terry Ruggles tripled to put the visitors in the lead to stay. Ruggles led the attack with two triples and a single. Winning pitcher Joe Bloom added a double.
M. Maxwell, DeRecat (6), R. Maxwell (7) and B. Maxwell
Bloom (L) and Scott
Barrhead Tournament
(July 8-9) Calgary Jimmies defeated San Mateo, California, Bulldogs 11-3 to take top money at the Barrhead Tournament. It was the Jimmies 5th game in two days. Jims topped Calgary Giants 12-8 in one semi-final, while San Mateo downed the Edmonton Sunburst All-Stars. In opening round games, Jimmies shaded Red Deer Elks 4-3 and Calgary Giants stopped the Kamloops Okonots.
Unity Tournament
(July 9) Pitcher Gary Brandon singled in the winning run in the 10th inning as Saskatoon edged Eston 2-1 for top money at the Unity Tournament. Fred Maxemiuk led off the top of the 10th with a single and was sacrificed to second before Brandon brought him home.
It was tense in the bottom of the 10th as Bob McClure reached on an error and Mike Rawlings drew a walk. Dennis Migliazzo came in to relief Brandon and on his first pitch the runners pulled off a double steal to move McClure to third. However, Migliazzo got Blyth Irvine to ground out to end the game. Brandon allowed five hits and five walks in registering the win. Loser Greg Larson allowed seven hits. Randy Munch and Don McLeod each had two hits for Saskatoon, Rick Morrice had a triple and single for Eston.
Brandon (W), Migliazzo (10) and Williams
Larson (L) and Rawlings
In the semi-finals, Saskatoon scored twice in the first inning then held on to down North Battleford 2-1. Fred Maxemiuk's two-run single in the opening frame proved to be enough for the win. Losing pitcher Vince Rucobo singled in Neil Lampitt in the 5th inning for the only run for the Beavers. Each team had seven hits. Maxemiuk had three for the Commodores. Pat Price got the win with relief help from Larry Lazecki and Dennis Migliazzo in the 7th.
Price (W), Lazecki (7), Migliazzo (7) and Williams
Rucobo (L) and Settle
Down 6-3, Eston rallied for four runs in the 5th inning and went on to top Minot 10-6. Howard Gesy sparked the Ramblers with two-run singles in the 5th and 6th innings. Minot had scored four in the top of the 5th, helped by Tom Kraft's two-run homer. Bob McClure, who relieved in the 5th, was the winner over Donn Feldner.
Barness, Feldner (L) (1), Cory (5) and Seeley
Dentz, McClure (W) (5) and Rawlings
In opening round action Saturday, Saskatoon downed the Fargo Idso Sails 8-3, Beavers beat Fargo Glass and Paint 4-1, Minot blanked the Unity Cardinals 3-0 and Eston shutout Kindersley Klippers 4-0.
Migliazzo was the winning pitcher over Fargo, while Steve Idso took the loss. With the score tied at 3-3, Saskatoon struck for five runs in the 5th inning to put the game on ice. Migliazzo, who led off the frame with a single, score the winning run when he came home when Tim Alcantar was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. Maxemiuk, who and a double and two singles in the opening game, received the award for the player with the most hits in the tourney. He had seven hits in eleven trips to the plate. Bob McClure received two awards, most valuable player and pitcher with the most strikeouts in one game. In Eston's win over Kindersley, he fanned 18. At the plate, McClure drew four walks and stole four bases.
(July 10) Bill Sobkow's two-run single in the bottom of the 7th inning sparked a three-run rally to lift North Battleford to a 10-7 win over the touring San Mateo Bulldogs. Don McIntyre scattered ten hits in going the distance for the win. Greg Mutcheler was tagged with the loss.
Bulldogs struck for three runs in the top of the 7th to even the count at 7-7 before Sobkow delivered his bases-loaded, two out blow. Both Cam Sternig and Jack Rowley hammered three-run doubles for the Beavers. Tito Real had a triple, double and single for the California squad. Steve Calahan had a pair of doubles for San Mateo.
Mutcheler (L) and xxx
McIntyre (W) and xxx
(July 11) The Eston Ramblers and the San Mateo, California, Bulldogs battled to a 4-4 draw in exhibition action at Eston. The game was called because of darkness. Steve Dentz hurled a six-hitter for the Ramblers. Eston had eight hits off three San Mateo pitchers, Joe Bloom, Mark Souza and Mike Williamson.
Bloom, Souza, Williamson and xxx
Dentz and xxx
Kindersley Tournament
(July 16) With a five-run rally in the bottom of the 8th inning, the Kindersley Klippers edged Eston Ramblers 6-5 to win the Kindersley International Baseball Tournament.
Klippers reached the final by downing Regina Red Sox 11-7 in semi-final action while Eston got by Minot, North Dakota, Merchants 7-6.
Down, 5-1, the five runs came on four walks, an error and a two-out, bases-loaded double by Lorne Niven. Howard Gesy added a triple for the winners while Bob McClure belted two singles for Eston. Larry Sheppard went the distance on the hill for the Klippers to take the win over Steve Dentz.
Dentz (L) and xxx
Sheppard (W) and xxx
In the semi-final, Kindersley also had a big inning, six runs in the 4th, to down Regina. Paul Rissco rang up 12 strikeouts in gaining the mound victory. Bob Currie took the loss. Roy Rowley paced the Klippers with a double and four singles. Ned Andreoni knocked in four runs. Fred Heward had two doubles and a single for Regina.
Rissco (W) and xxx
Currie, Lyle Johnson (6), Sawa (7), Barr (8) and xxx
Eston scored its victory over Minot when Rick Morrice came home on an error after reaching on a base on balls and advancing to third on a single by Bob McClure. McClure was the best hitter for Eston with a double and two singles. Losing pitcher Bill Korering collected a double and two singles for the visitors. Greg Larson got the win.
Larson (W) and xxx
Korering (L) and xxx
In first round action, Regina outsted North Battleford Beavers 5-3, Kindersley whipped the San Mateo Bulldogs 11-4, Eston topped Calgary Jimmies 2-0 and Minot slipped by Unity Cardinals 6-5.
Lacombe Tournament
(July 20) San Mateo, California, Bulldogs cruised to an 11-4 win over Spokane, Washington, Jets to take the 23rd Annual Lacombe Lions Baseball Tournament. A seven-run 5th inning was the difference for the Bulldogs who had wins over Calgary Giants and Moose Jaw Devons to reach the final. It was the first time in the tournament's history that two American teams had clashed in the final.
Len Benedetti, named the tourney's Most Valuable Player, went four-for-five for San Mateo in the final and seven-for-eleven in the tournament.
Earlier, San Mateo recovered from a five-run 2nd inning by Moose Jaw to top the Devons 8-5. Joe Bloom came on in relief of Pat Martin to record the victory, his 2nd of the tourney. Randy Sawa, a pickup from Regina, relieved starter Paul Nelson in the 1st inning and took the loss.
Martin, Bloom (W) (2) and xxx
Nelson, Sawa (1), Risso (7) and xxx
In opening day action, Fred Cardwell fired a two-hit shutout and Rich Gergley provided the offense as Moose Jaw advanced with a 2-0 win over Edmonton Tigers. Gergley hit solo homers in the 6th and 8th innings. Tom Sharpe allowed just six hits in taking the loss.
Sharpe (L) and Chamberlain
Cardwell (W) and Tollefson
San Mateo Bulldogs scored four runs in the first inning and were never headed in taking a 10-6 decision over Calgary Giants. Len Benedetti homered for the winners. Giants out-hit their opponents 9 to 6, but made six costly errors.
Ray Parr (L), xxx (6) and Heatley
Bloom (W), Sousa (6) and Scott, Benedetti (7)
Spokane Jets, a team of former Spokana area college players, topped Red Deer Elks 3-2 scoring the winning run in the 8th inning. Mike Hayes singled and made it all the way home when Mike Gordon's single to centre eluded outfielder Doug Simon. Mike Davey scattered five hits to gain the win. Chris McKinnie allowed just five hits in taking the loss.
Davey (W) and Cain
McKinnie (L), Lynn (9) and Van Onum
Pinch-hitter Larry Roseburg broke up one of the best pitching duels in tournament history with a grand slam homer in the bottom of the 10th inning as Kamloops Okonots downed North Battleford 4-0. Lefty Vince Rucobo had shutdown the Okonots on one hit while fanning 14 until Roseburg delivered on a 3-2 pitch with two out. Rucobo had retired the first two batters then watched the next two reach on errors. A walk to Woody Harris loaded the bases.
Bob Bridges, another southpaw, handcuffed the Beavers on one hit over the ten innings. He had 16 strikeouts and walked just one. Rucobo had three bases on balls.
Rucobo (L) and Settle
Bridges (W) and Porter
Calgary Major Baseball Tournament
(July 30) Calgary Jimmies broke open a close game with a six-run 7th inning and held on to down Calgary Giants 11-8 in the final of the Calgary Tournament. With nearly 3,500 in the stands for the final, the event drew just short of 13,000 spectactors.
The Jammies tagged starter Ray Parr and relievers Jeff DeRecat, Hy Lewis and Bob Duncan for 13 hits. Right-hander Malcolm Lynn picked up the win working into the 6th inning before giving way to Don Davis and Thompson. The Giants rallied for six runs in the last two innings but still fell short. Chamberlain had a homer for the Jimmies..
Lynn (W), Davis (6), Thompson (9) and Van Ornum
Parr (L), DeRecat (7), Lewis (7), Duncan (8) and Schiedermayer, McAuley (9)
Jimmies' shortstop Al Herback was named tournament Most Valuable Player. He batted .444 and was a human vacuum cleaner in the field.
Bob Baird was selected as top pitcher for his superb effort in the tourney opener Friday night.
Ron Stephens hammered a three-run homer in the bottom of the 9th inning to give Calgary Jimmies a 5-2 win over Edmonton Tigers in semi-final action. Rich Meily belted a two-run homer for the Jimmies in the 4th. Edmonton catcher Greg Taylor tied it in the 7th with a two-run blast of his own.
Sharpe (L) and Taylor
McKinnies (W) and Chamberlain
Calgary Giants received 6 1/3 innings of shutout relief by Mike Pestorich, a pickup from Edmonton Blue Willow Angels, and came from behind to down Aberdeen, S.D., 6-2 in the other semi-final. Aberdeen made five errors.
Kurth (L), Pahl (5), Vogel (8) and Hayes
West, Pestorich (W) (3) and Schiedermayer
Aberdeen, S.D., upset the highly touted Moose Jaw Devons 11-0 in a game called after seven innnings. The American entry pounded out 11 hits off Southern League aces Fred Cardwell and Paul Nelson. Andrewjeski held the Devons to two hits.
Cardwell (L) Nelson (6) and Tollefson
Andrewjeski (W) and Hayes
Calgary Giants dumped Fargo, N.D., Collegians 7-1 as Dave Day, imported from Salt Lake City for the event, fired a five-hitter.
Day (W) and Schiedemayer
Monson (L), Kapaun (5) and Madsen
Ron Watamaniuk rapped Regina pitching for five hits as the Tigers trounced the Red Sox 12-2. The game was called after seven innings because of the 10-run rule. Bob Bridges tossed a four-hitter for the win.
Sawa (L), Barr (6) and Logan
Bridges (W) and Taylor
Calgary Jimmies kicked off the Calgary Major Baseball Tournament upsetting the San Mateo Bulldogs 3-0 in the tourney opener. Veteran right-hander Bob Baird blanked the visitors on six hits. He fanned nine before a crowd of 2,220. Baird also helped at the plate, knocking in two insurance runs with a bases-loaded single in the 8th inning. Jimmies scored what proved to be the only run they needed in the 6th inning when Dave Morris led off with a single and advanced to third on a sacrifice and fly ball and scored on Rich Meily's single. Meily, Doug Simon and Al Herback each had two hits for the winners.
Baird (W) and Van Ornum
Bloom (L) and Benedetti
Canadian Senior Championship
(August 27) Saskatchewan clobbered Manitoba 20-4 Sunday to win the 1972 Canadian seniior baseball championship. Roy Rowley was a star on the mound and at the dish. He scattered ten hits for the pitching win and had three hits, including a three-run homer and double on offense.
The winners erupted for eight runs in the 6th inning, to take a 15-2 lead, getting two-run homers from Jim Shaw and Ken Nelson and a solo shot from Greg Steele. The club, primarily made up of players from Moose Jaw Devons and Unity Cardinals, scored three straight wins in the double-knockout tournament. They beat the host Camrose squad 6-1 on Friday and shaded Manitoa 8-7 in 11 innings earlier on Sunday. Three of Manitoba's runs came on homers, by Bob Thompson, Rick Cruse and M. Kaletnesky. Thompson was named the most valuable player. Eight players will be selected from the competing teams to supplement the national teams at the world championship in Nicaragua, November 15 to December 5. Manitoba, the defending champions, had earlier downed British Columbia 11-7 to match up with the Saskatchewan squad. Saskatchewan ended up using its top pitcher for just four innings in the tourney. Fred Cardwell, a right-hander for the Devons, threw four relief frames in the A Pool final after Manitoba had rallied with four runs in the 8th inning.
(August 25) Unity Cardinals, representing Saskatchewan, whipped Camrose Cubs, the flag bearers for Alberta, 6-1 Friday in the first game of the Canadian senior baseball championship. Jerry Brandon, with a no-hitter into the 7th inning, went the distance for the win allowing just two hits. He walked five. Doug Gillies led the offense for the Cards with a homer and double. He drove in two and scored three.
Brandon (W) and xxx
Glen Nelson (L) and xxx