Eston Tournament
(June 29 to July 1) Saskatoon Boston Royals downed Calgary Jimmies 7-3 Monday to capture top money in the annual Eston senior baseball tournament. A four-run 4th inning proved to be the difference. Royals loaded the bases and with two out, Al Mitchell drew a walk and Gary Brandon was hit by a pitch to plate two runs. Bryan Adams singled to drive in two more. Jeff Benedetti hurled a six-hitter to pick up the win. Steve Powers was the loser.
Benedetti (W) and Maxemiuk
Steve Powers (L) and Dave Powers
Royals won a berth in the final by shading Eston Ramblers 5-4 scoring two in the 9th for the victory. Wayne Plummer's four-hitter was good enough for the win. Two of the hits off Plummer were homers by Gorman Heimueller and Greg Goldade.
Plummer (W) and xxx
xxx and xxx
Royals won their opening game Saturday going 10 innings to down Unity Cardinals 9-7. Ken Haanen was the winning pitcher in relief of Plummer and Steve Kemp.
Plummer, Kemp, Haanen (W) and xxx
Cuadros (L) and xxx
In other first round action, Bruce Freeburg tossed a five-hitter and fanned 10 as Eston topped Kindersley 10-1. Freeburg also led the offense with three hits, one a double, and three runs batted in. Terry Gray was the loser.
Freeburg (W) and xxx
Gray (L) and xxx
Berkeley blanked North Battleford 2-0 behind Larry Kowalishen who held the Beavers to just three hits. Cliff
Ballou took the loss.
Kowalishen (W) and xxx
Ballou (L) and xxx
Calgary Jimmies exploded for six runs in the 8th inning to down Moose Jaw Devons 10-4. Steve Powers was the winning hurler over Steve Murray.
S. Powers (W) and xxx
Murray (L) and xxx
(July 2) The touring squad from Berkeley, California hammered the Saskatoon Boston Royals 9 to 2 at Cairns Field. The Bears erupted for four runs in the seventh inning to chase Saskatoon starter Bruce Turner at the end of the frame. John Hughes led off with a home run and playing-manager Greg Warzecka added a three-run blast to complete the scoring for the inning. Both teams collected 11 hits with Fred Maxemiuk leading the Royals with three singles. Gary Brandon added two doubles while Gord Johnson and Don McLeod each picked up a pair of singles. The Bears' offensive attack was paced by Warzecka, who added a single to his home run to produce five RBI's, and Steve Schiedermayer with three one-baggers. Tim Hickerson and Steve Derien each had two singles. Richard Law picked up the hurling victory, striking out five and walking one in his six innings on the hill.
Law (W), Boofer (7) and Thomas
Turner (L), Haanen (8) and Maxemiuk, Gautschi (8)
Churchbridge Tournament
(July 7) The bats of the Moose Jaw Devons were hot as the Southern League leaders beat some of the best teams in Manitoba to win a four-team tournament in Churchbridge, a town close to the Manitoba border. The Devons downed Grandview, Manitoba in their first game 15 to 5, drilling four home runs in the process. Ned Andreoni slugged a pair of dingers, a two-run blast and a three-run smash. Larry Tollefson and Warren Mertens both had bases-empty shots. Roy Rowley got the pitching win.
In the tourney final, the Devons knocked off Binscarth, Manitoba, rated as the top team in the province, by an 8 to 3 score. Rookie Brad Devine chucked the entire nine innings for the victory and the Devons backed him up with three double plays. Devine also made an incredible pick off of Binscarth's Ron Lowe, goaltender for the Toronto Maple Leafs, at second base with the bases loaded to end a potential threat and close out the third inning.
(July 10) The North Battleford Beavers collected 14 hits as they dumped the Crookston, Minnesota Reds 9 to 4 in an exhibition contest played at Beaver Lions Stadium in North Battleford. The Beavers matched the Reds' scoring output for the entire game in their first at bat, plating four tallies. Bill Lumsden was the winning pitcher, surrendering 7 base raps, while Crookston's Herb Hasz was tagged with the loss. Dave Ruybalid of the Beavers had a run-scoring single in the fifth inning followed by an RBI double in the sixth.
Hasz (L) and xxx
Lumsden (W) and xxx
(July 13-14) Kindersley Klippers exploded for 11 runs in the first three innings and cruised to a 12-1 victory over North Battleford to win the 8th annual Kindersley tournament. Bud Papadakis crushed a pair of home runs to lead the Klippers' offensive. Al Saisi and Terry Ruggles also had four-baggers. Beavers had reached the final with an 8-2 win over Unity. Klippers downed Eston 11-8 as Terry Gray recorded his second win of the day. In the opening round Saturday, North Battleford shaded Regina Red Sox 7-6, Unity topped Hatton Vikings 4-1, Eston whipped Viking Shamrocks 10-0 and Klippers got by the Bismarck Capitals 5-3.
(July 13-14) At the Barrhead tournament, Red Deer Generals eliminated the Saskatoon Boston Royals 19-1 Saturday in the first round of play. The host team won the event with a 7-2 win over Red Deer Sunday.
(July 20-21) Tom Rosenstein belted a two-run single in the 7th inning to lift Unity Cardinals to a 5-3 win over Saskatoon Boston Royals and top money at the Unity tournament. Down 3-2, Cards loaded the bases on two singles and a base on balls before Ed Ralston's sacrifice fly tied the game. Rosenstein followed with his game winning hit. The Royals had runners on first and third in the bottom of the 9th with one out before reliever Al Cuadros came in and fanned two to preserve the win for starter Dean Burton. Unity out hit the Royals 11-5.
Burton (W), Cuadros (9) and Harris
Haanen (L) and Ryan
Royals won a berth in the finals by edging the Berkeley, California, Bears 3-2 in14 innings. Steve Kemp was the winner in relief of starter Wayne Plummer who had thrown no-hit ball for seven innings before giving up two runs in the 8th. It was the second win of the tournament for Kemp who had blanked Red Deer 3-0 in the opening round. Don McLeod sparked Saskatoon's seven-hit attack with a homer. John Hughes took the loss.
Plummer, Kemp (W) and xxx
Richard Law, John Hughes (L) and xxx
Hal Harris cracked a home run, his third hit of the game, to lead Unity to a 4-3 win over Swift Current Indians in the other semi-final. Tom Sharpe fanned 14 in going the distance for the win. Steve Murray was saddled with the loss.
Sharpe (W) and xxx
Wayne Pusch, Steve Murray (L) and xxx
Berkeley edged Kindersley 3-2 behind the hurling of Larry Kowalishen. Bud Papadakis was the loser. Don Jackson had a homer for the Klippers.
Kowalishen (W) and xxx
Papadakis (L) and xxx
Unity Cardinals eliminated Eston Ramblers with a 2-1 victory as Al Cuadros fanned 13 in registering the win. Dean Burton knocked in the winning run off losing hurler Bruce Freeburg.
Cuadros (W) and xxx
Freeburg (L) and xxx
Swift Current scored two unearned runs in the first inning and went on to a 5-1 victory over North Battleford Beavers.
xxx and xxx
xxx and xxx
Steve Kemp pitched shutout ball and struck out ten as Saskatoon topped Red Deer 3-0.
Kemp (W) and xxx
xxx and xxx
25th Annual Lacombe Tournament
(July 24) At the 25th Annual Lacombe Tournament, Calgary Jimmies blasted three homers in a 10-0 trouncing of Kindersley Klippers. The win moves the Jimmies into the semi-final round. Dave Powers, Kent Peterson, and Russ McKee socked circuit shots for the winners. Brian Kingman fired a five-hitter for the win.
Papadakis (L), Moline (6) and Bringhurst
Kingman (W) and Powers
Red Deer Generals got a 7th inning homer from former major leaguer Ossie Chavarria en route to a 9-4 victory over Eston Ramblers.
Cardwell, Bridges (W) (5) and McCook
Cline (L), Heimueller (5), Ballou (9) and Nelson, Chavarria
Clark Gillies crushed a two-run homer in the bottom of the 9th inning to hand Moose Jaw Devons an 11-9 triumph over the Berkeley Bears of California. After the Devons had taken a 9-6 lead with a five-run 8th inning, the Americans rallied with three in the top of the 9th. Reliever Roy Rowley picked up the win.
Kowalishen, Miller (7), Law (8), Hughes (8), Babbich (L) (9) and Thomas
Mertens, Gleed (2), Pusch (7), Murray (7), Rowley (W) (9) and Tollefson
Jesse Chavez scored on a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the 9th inning to give Saskatoon Royals a hard-fought 4-3 win over Edmonton Tigers.
Dunbeck (L) and Teale
Cuadros (W) and Harris
(July 25) Two-run homers by Marty Coil and Phil Urabe paced Red Deer to an 8-2 thumping of Saskatoon in semi-final action.
Stahlheber (W), Cardwell (6) and McCook
Kemp (L), Sharpe (7) and Ryan
Bob Papworth's 7th inning grand slam homer highlighted Calgary's 9-5 semi-final win over Moose Jaw. Dave Powers and John Edwards also had four-baggers for the Jimmies while Ned Andreoni belted a pair for the Devons.
Mertens (L), Murray (4), Gleed (7), Pusch (7) and Tollefson
Fitzgerald (W), Hamagami (6) and Powers
Ken Bowman allowed just four hits and playing-manager Marty Coil had three to power Red Deer Generals to $1,700 top money at the Lacombe Tournament with a 4-1 victory over Calgary Jimmies in the final. Jimmies had the early lead as John Elick homered in the 3rd but Gord Graves put the Generals up 2-1 with a two-run single in the 4th. They added another in the 5th and Brian McCook's homer in the 7th. Ron Peterson took the loss.
Bowman (W) and Coll
R. Peterson (L), S. Powers (5) and D. Powers
Calgary Tournament
(July 26) Calgary Giants crushed Kindersley Klippers 14-3 in the opening game of the Calgary Tournament. Giants' exploded for seven hits and ten runs in the top of the 1st inning. Klippers made it worse by booting the ball three times. Hy Lewis and Rob Roy each drove in two runs in the outburst. Jim Lemon, son of the former Cleveland ace, was prominent for the winners. He scattered ten hits to gain the pitching win while contributing three hits, a stolen base and a sacrifice bunt to the Calgary offensive. Terry Gray, who failed to get out of the first inning, took the loss.
Lemon (W) and Edwards
Gray (L), Moline (1), Ruybalid (1) and Bringhurst
(July 27) Red Deer Generals gave up 13 hits and made three errors but managed to post a 12-6 win over Moose Jaw. Bob Bridges went the distance for the win.
Lopez (L), Murray (3), Mertons (6) and Tollefson
Bridges (W) and McCook
Barrhead had three, two-run innings to down the California Berkeley Bears 6-1. Gavin Long pitched a six-hitter for the win.
Long (W) and McDonald
Hughes (L), Babich (9) and Thomas
Brian Kingman allowed just one earned run and fanned 13 to lead the Jimmies to a 4-2 semi-final win over Binscarth, Manitoba. The seven-hitter won Kingman the tournament's best pitching award.
Rottman (L) and Gallant
Kingman (W) and D. Powers
(July 28) Calgary Giants plated two runs in the first inning and were never headed in a 9-3 semi-final victory over Red Deer. Paul Sullivan survived 11 hits to go the route to pick up the pitching victory. Rob Roy, a pickup from Lethbridge, had three of the Giants' 15 hits, including a two-run homer.
W. McKee (L), Dumbeck (4), Pasutto (8) and McCook
Sullivan (W) and Edwards
Barrhead Cardinals rallied with four runs in the 7th inning to top Calgary Jimmies 7-6. Home runs by Terry Teale and Mike Teahen were the key blows for the Cardinals.
VanDeKeere, Jamieson (W) (5) and McDonald
Fitzgerald, Hamigami (7), S. Powers (7) and D. Powers
A three-run 2nd inning carried Calgary Giants to a 5-1 win over Barrhead and top prize in the Calgary Tournament. Winning pitcher Ray Forgie was the Calgary hero, holding the Cardinals to seven hits for the win and aiding his cause with three runs batted in, two coming on his 2nd inning homer.
Tournament MVP honours went to the Giants Jim Lemon who pitched the opening day win and was a force on offense as the Calgary lead-off batter throughout the tourney. He had seven hits and three stolen bases.
Jamieson (L), Hendley (4), Brown (6) and McDonald
Forgie (W) and Edwards
Killam Lions Tournament
(August 4) Red Deer Generals, riding the big bat of Al McKee, downed Unity Cardinals 15-6 to take top money of $1,000 at the Killam Lions Baseball Tournament. McKee drove in six runs with a pair of two-run homers and a double.
Canadian Senior Baseball Championship
(August 7) North Battleford Beavers, the host club, knocked off New Brunswick 6-5 in 11 innings in the opening game of the Canadian Senior Baseball championship.
Centre fielder Rick Johnston reached on an error in the 11th, stole second, advanced to third on another error and scored on a wild pitch. Beavers had rallied with four runs in the 8th inning to tie 5-5 after the eastern squad had taken the lead with four runs in the 7th and another in the top of the 8th. Reliever Roy Rowley was the winner over Val McClure.
Harvey, McClure (L) (8) and Parent, McLaughlin (10)
McIntyre, Barr (7), B. Lampitt (8), Rowley (W) (11) and Tollefson
(August 8) At the Canadian Senior Baseball Championship, the host city, North Battleford (2-0) continued to impress with a 9-3 win over Prince Edward Island.
Wayne Pusch fanned 10 in going the distance for the win. Brent Coffin was the loser. Ken Nelson and Ned Andreoni each rapped a double and two singles for the Beavers.
Pusch (W) and xxx
Coffin (L), Jim McAdam (4) and xxx
Quebec (2-0) also remained unbeaten downing New Brunswick 9-3. At Lloydminster, Adrien Daviault hurled Quebec to its win. Don Davis took the loss. Charles Hughes led the offense driving in five runs with three hits.
North Battleford also scored a win over the Ontario representatives, the Fort Erie Merchants, by that 9-3 mark. In other games Thursday, Quebec topped PEI 4-1, and Alberta's Edmonton Tigers crushed Saskatchewan 10-5.
The Tigers fell behind 2-0 before posting a run in the 2nd and erupting for six in the 3rd knocking starter Ken Haanen out of the game. They sent 12 men to the plate in the big inning, garnering six hits. Edmonton added two more in 4th and another in the 5th before Wade Wanner, an impressive junior from Moose Jaw, came on to pitch hitless ball for the final three innings. Fred Cardwell scattered nine hits in going the distance. Julius Owchar drove in two runs with a triple and double for the Tigers.
The Saskatoon Royals, the Saskatchewan flag bearers, whipped Ontario 9-3 with a 17-hit attack. Randy Munch had a double and two singles for the winners. Wayne Plummer went the route for the win. Joe Leeder took the loss.
Plummer (W) and xxx
Leeder (L), Gary Hart (7), Bob Teal (8) and xxx
Newfoundland beat Nova Scotia 9-6 and Nova Scotia downed Ontario 3-1. BC struck for five, 1st inning runs against Manitoba and withstood a 6th inning grand slam by Bob Thompson to win 5-4. Glennis Scott allowed only six hits but was hurt by five Manitoba errors. Mike Finlayson went five innings for the pitching victory.
Finlayson (W), Bob Elliot (6), Rick Mosher (6) and xxx
Scott (L) and xxx
(August 9) Teams from North Battleford and BC emerged as the favourites as play ended on the second day of the Canadian Senior Baseball Championships at North Battleford.
The host club downed Quebec (3-1) 8-4 while BC stopped New Brunswick 4-2. Both winners have 3-0 records atop the A Pool standings.
John Elias tossed a one-hitter as Quebec thumped Manitoba 9-0, eliminating the prairie province from any chance of a playoff spot. Quebec used a 15-hit attack which included four homers.
Earlier, New Brunswick (1-3) had earned its first win taking an extra inning decision from Manitoba (0-3), 6-2. PEI (0-3) lost to BC 9-4 earlier Friday.
In the B Pool, Alberta (2-0) is the only undefeated team after a 1-0 victory over Nova Scotia (1-2). Saskatchewan (2-1) needed 13 innings to edge Newfoundland (2-1) 6-5. Ontario (0-3) lost to Newfoundland 8-4. Games are being played at three centres - Unity, North Battleford and Lloydminster.
Paul Sullivan fired a four-hit shutout in the Alberta win over NS. The only run came in the 3rd inning as Tim Young drew a walk, stole second and came around to score on Murray Steeves' safety through a hole at short.
(August 10) Saturday, North Battleford clobbered Manitoba 10-0. Later, Jerry Araujo hurled a five-hitter while helping the offense with four hits as Manitoba (1-4) beat PEI 6-3. Alberta had emerged with a 5-0 record from the B Pool after downing Ontario 8-3. Quebec topped BC 2-1.
(August 11) Fred Cardwell pitched Alberta to the Canadian Senior Baseball championship Sunday with his second victory of the tournament, a 5-1 win over Nova Scotia. Cardwell gave up just six hits while racking up 16 strikeouts. The Edmonton Tigers winners of the B Pool with a 4-0 record, downed Quebec 7-1 to reach the final. Nova Scotia, with a 2-2 B Pool record, trounced North Battleford Beavers 11-3. The Tigers scored all they needed in the 1st inning. Tim Young reached on a bunt single, stole second and scored on a double by Murray Steeves. Al McKee then drove in Steeves with a single. North Battleford, which had a 5-0 record from the A Pool, met their first defeat in the semi-final.
Cardwell (W) and Symington
Tim Bryne (L), Billy McIssac and MacLean
Semi-Finals :
Alberta 7 Quebec 1
Hazel (W) and xxx
Elias (L), Sabloniere (6), Daviault (8) and Lemmetti
North Battleford 3 Nova Scotia 12
Pusch (L), Rowley (3), Arthur (3) and Hanus, Tollefson (8)
Moore (W) and MacLean
Kamloops International Baseball Tournament
(August 29) In opening round games at the second annual Kamloops International Baseball Tournament, the BC All-Stars defeated Hillsboro, Oregon, 5-2 and Red Deer Generals edged Sunnyside, Washington, 2-1. The Alaska Goldpanners are the defending champions.
(August 30) The Vancouver Auroras upended the Goldpanners 7-2 at the Kamloops Tournament sending the defending champions to the loser's bracket, just one loss away from elimination. The Goldpanners took an early 1-0 lead as Tommy Sain singled and Ken Phelps drove him in with a double. The lead held until the 4th inning when a walk and Larry Kissock's homer put Vancouver in front. The BC squad iced the win in the 5th loading the bases on an error, walk and base hit by Don Archer before Wayne Martin crushed a grand slam homer off Tim Ryan.
Ryan (L), Marty French and xxx
xxx and xxx
Calgary blanked Binscarth, Manitoba, 3-0.
(August 31) Alaska Goldpanners began their long road back with a 4-0 win over Binscarth Orioles on Saturday. Alaska got a combined three-hitter from Floyd Bannister, Ed Matta and Jeff Jens. Bannister allowed just one hit and fanned nine through five innings.
Bannister (W), Matta, Jens and xxx
xxx and xxx
(September 1) Sunday night, Goldpanner's lefty Bill Harris, from the University of Santa Clara, fired a three-hitter and struck out 19 as Alaska nipped the Vancouver All-Stars 1-0.
Harris (W) and xxx
xxx and xxx
Earlier in the day, Danny Graham and Jim Willis each slugged a pair of homers as the Goldpanners downed Hillsboro, Oregon 7-5.
(September 2) With a run in the 9th inning, the defending champion Alaska Goldpanners edged Calgary Jimmies 3-2 to capture the second annual Kamloops International Baseball Tournament and take home top prize money of $5,000. Alaska, which faced a triple-header on the final day, had to come through the back door to recapture the title. They lost their first game and had to climb through the loser's bracket to advance to the final. 19-year-old lefty Floyd Bannister (left), from Arizona State University, ended up as the winner in all three games of the triple-header. He also picked up a win on Saturday.
A 9th inning sacrifice fly by Chuck Redmon scored the winning run. Calgary broke a scoreless tie with two runs in the 5th inning against Tim Ryan. Goldpanners got one back in the 6th as Ken Phelps drove in Curt McNeley who had doubled. Tommy Sain's run-scoring hit tied the count in the 7th. Randy Hansen led off the 9th for Alaska with a double high off the right field wall. He advanced to third on an error and scored on Redmon's short fly to centre.
Ryan, French, Bannister (W) (8) and xxx
xxx and xxx
Earlier Monday, the Goldpanners got by Red Deer 5-4 and trounced the Jimmies 10-3 to force the deciding game.
Against Red Deer, the Goldpanners took a 3-2 lead into the 9th inning on a run-scoring single by Jim Willis and Danny Graham's two-run homer in the third. But, the Generals tied the contest 3-3, on a run-scoring single by Jesse Chavez. In the extra inning, Bob Bridges led off with a homer for the Generals but the Goldpanners came right back in the bottom of the 10th against Bridges when they loaded the bases on a walk and singles by Willis and Graham which set the stage for Jim Skaalan's game winning shot off the left field wall.
Bridges (L) and xxx
Kunkler, Bannister (W) and xxx
Alaska made quick work of the undefeated Jimmies with two runs in the 1st inning and Tommy Sain's three-run homer in the 2nd on the way to the 10-3 triumph.
Bannister (W), Jess (6) and xxx
xxx and xxx
Bannister was selected as the Most Valuable Player and the top pitcher in the tournament.