1977 Vancouver, Lower Mainland, Fraser Valley
1977 BC Interior
1977 Vancouver Island
PACIFIC METRO BASEBALL LEAGUE
With the exception of the North Shore Mountaineers, who were granted a one year leave of absence, all entries from the previous season returned for the 1977 campaign. Divisional grouping was scrapped in 1977 as well with the seven remaining clubs playing under one intra-league umbrella. The Burnaby team, last season known as the Barons, was renamed the Astors. Each team is scheduled to play 36 games with the four top teams qualifying for the playoffs.
Bellingham Bells
Burnaby Astors
New Westminster Auroras
Richmond Fraser Arms
Surrey Sports
Vancouver Pharaohs
Vancouver Puccini’s
(May 15) The Pacific Metro Baseball League opened its season with a three-team triple-header at Capilano Stadium and a double-bill in Richmond. Each of the three participants at Cap Stadium emerged with a win and a loss.
In the opening game, Burnaby shutout Vancouver Puccini’s 1 to 0 behind the strong pitching of Bob Bridges.
The Vancouver Pharaohs split their pair of contests, winning 5 to 4 over the Burnaby Astors, then dropping a 7 to 2 decision to Puccini’s.
In the sandwich event, the Pharaohs got off to a fast start against the Astors with a three-run homer in the top of the first by Rick Bultitude. After Burnaby had rallied to tie the game at 4 – 4, Terry Schuss won it with a solo round-tripper in the top-of-the-seventh. Les Babuin threw a four-hitter for Puccini’s and centre-fielder Len Gamlin knocked in three runs in their nightcap romp over the Pharaohs.
Meanwhile, at Brighouse Park, Surrey Sports captured both ends of a two-game set against Richmond Fraser Arms. Brian Unruh notched the pitching win over the Frasers’ Dave Steele in the opener as Surrey prevailed 8 to 2. The Sports continued to pound Richmond pitching in the finale, capturing a 10 to 4 verdict as Steve Hynek posted the mound victory over southpaw Dennis Zinio. Designated hitter Jack Hatch had a solo homer and a two-run single for the winners.
(May 18) Both the Pharaohs and Puccini’s raised their Pacific Metro Baseball League records to 2 – 1 with victories over Richmond and Burnaby respectively.
At Brighouse Park, the Pharaohs got a pair of doubles and three RBI’s from right-fielder Tony Ciccone/Cicconi who spearheaded a 7 to 2 conquest of Richmond Fraser Arms, winless in three starts. Winning pitcher Jim Rentmeester gave up five hits while Jim Baker was tagged with the loss.
Designated-hitter Russ McKee enjoyed a four-for-four outing at the plate, including a two-run circuit-clout, as Puccini’s thumped the Astors at Burnaby’s Central Park. Middle pasture patroller Gary Wilson added a second dinger for the winners, a solo shot, as Burnaby’s record fell to 1 – 2.
(May 19) Steve Pettifer slugged a solo home run and Tom Craig cracked a two-run single to lead Vancouver Puccini’s to a 4 to 3 Pacific Metro League victory over Surrey Sports at Capilano Stadium.
At Central Park, the Burnaby Astors outlasted Richmond Fraser Arms 9 to 8 as Jim Kilner and Ron Masson both drove in a pair of counters for the winners. Stu Winrob had a brace of doubles and three RBI’s for the Frasers.
(May 22) Starting pitcher Kerry Morris and Murray Gage-Cole, who relieved him in the fifth inning, scattered eight hits as the New Westminster Auroras edged the hosting Bellingham Bells 3 to 2 in the second half of a Pacific Metro Baseball League doubleheader. Bellingham won the opener 7 to 1.
(May 24) Brian Powers hit a double and triple and drove in three runs at Capilano Stadium to lead the Bellingham Bells to an 8 to 4 win over the Vancouver Pharaohs in Pacific Metro Baseball League play. Winning pitcher Jerry Striegel allowed six hits, including two doubles by the Pharaohs’ Mike White.
Meanwhile, at Whalley, Surrey Sports parlayed Steve Hynek’s six-innings of no-hit pitching and a five-run first inning into a 5 to 2 Pacific Metro League victory over the Burnaby Astors. Sports pounced on Astors’ starter Andy Williamson for four safeties in the opening panel. Stu Graham’s two-run double was the big blow of the rally. Hynek fanned six and issued three walks before developing a sore arm in the sixth and handing over the ball to Phil Brissette who allowed two runs on four hits. Ken Bjarnason and playing-manager Ossie Chavarria succeeded Williamson on the bump for Burnaby, both holding Surrey scoreless.
(May 25) Pitchers Mark Lehman, a southpaw, and Scott Herzer combined for a three-hitter as Bellingham shutout Richmond Fraser Arms 4 to 0 at Brighouse Park. Junior call-up Ron Allenby was dinged with the loss. Dan Newell drove in two runs with a pair of doubles for the Bells while Rich Miller singled twice for the Frasers. Bellingham’s record is now 3 – 1 while Richmond is winless after five games.
(May 29) The New Westminster Auroras whipped Richmond 10 to 0 and 6 to 2 in a Pacific Metro Baseball League doubleheader at Queen’s Park Stadium. Pitchers Kerry Morris and Brad McArthur combined for a one-hit shutout in the first game. Dale Ramsay and Wayne Martin led the Auroras’ attack. In the second tilt, five errors by the Frasers combined with six New Westminster hits gave the Royal City nine the win.
Bob Bridges, with a three-hitter, and Ken Bjarnason were the winning pitchers for the Burnaby Astors in their 4 to 0 and 7 to 4 sweep of the Vancouver Puccini’s at Capilano Stadium.
(June 2) Roy Melvin’s run-scoring double in the bottom-of-the-seventh inning snapped a 2 – 2 tie and gave Vancouver Puccini’s the ammunition they needed to defeat Surrey Sports 4 to 2 at Capilano Stadium. Melvin had a pair of singles in the contest in addition to his two-bagger. Puccini’s raised their record to 4 – 3 with the help of four costly Surrey errors and the seven-hit pitching of Rod MacKay.
At Queen’s Park Stadium, the first-place New Westminster Auroras took down hapless Richmond Fraser Arms 5 to 3. Doug Folka had four base knocks for the Auroras in support of winning tosser Greg Lindsay.
(June 3) Ted Springenatic doubled in the winning run in the bottom-of-the-eleventh inning to give the front-running New Westminster Auroras a 6 to 5 Pacific Metro League victory over Vancouver Puccini’s. Kerry Morris emerged as the winning pitcher for the Royal City diamond pastimers in the Queen’s Park Stadium clash. Dale Ramsay had a hot hand with the baton for the victors, stroking three hits that produced three RBI’s.
(June 4) A three-run homer by Stu Graham powered Surrey Sports to a 9 to 1 drubbing of Richmond Fraser Arms at Whalley Stadium. The loss for Richmond was their ninth in succession. Vern Friesen, with last-inning assistance from Phil Brissette, annexed the hillock verdict over Dennis Zinio.
(June 7) Steve Pettifer lunched a three-run homer in the opening inning and a two-run triple in the sixth as Vancouver Puccini’s blasted winless Richmond 10 to 0 at Capilano Stadium. Winning slabster Carey Johnson blanked the Frasers on three hits. The win for the Italian Eatery boosted them to a 5 – 4 record for the season.
The other Vancouver team, the Pharaohs, also won handily, pounding three New Westminster pitchers for 15 hits in a 10 to 4 romp over the Auroras at Queen’s Park Stadium. Terry Schuss blasted a grand-slam ding-dong in the Pharaohs’ five-run first inning, allowing pitcher Rick Mosher to cruise to the easy win.
First-place Bellingham Bells clobbered Surrey Sports 8 to 2 at Whalley Stadium in the other Pacific Metro League clash on the agenda.
(June 8) Morrie L’Heureux hit a run-scoring double in the sixth stanza and Brian Hall followed with a two-run single as Richmond Fraser Arms finally gained a Pacific Metro League victory, a 5 to 4 squeaker over Surrey Sports at Brighouse Park. Dave Steele went the full nine innings on the knoll for Richmond, surrendering nine hits including a three-run homer to losing twirler Phil Brissette.
(June 9) Jim Kilner’s eighth-inning bunt with the bases loaded allowed the winning run to cross the plate as Burnaby downed the New Westminster Auroras 4 to 2 in Pacific Metro League action at Central Park. Playing-manager Ossie Chavarria went the distance on the hill for the victorious Astors, scattering six hits while fanning an equal number.
At Capilano Stadium, Surrey led Vancouver Puccini’s 8 to 7 going into the eighth inning but had to forfeit the game when they were left with only eight player after playing-coach John Hatch was banished during a dispute with the umpire.
(June 10) Roy Melvin’s singled plated Len Gamlin with the winning run in the bottom-of-the-eleventh inning as the Vancouver Puccini’s shaded the New Westminster Auroras 6 to 5 at Capilano Stadium. The Auroras had tied the game 5 – 5 in the seventh inning when Paul Watson delivered a key two-run triple. Russ McKee hammered a three-run first-inning tater for the winning Restaurateurs.
(June 12) The Burnaby Astors had to work hard at Central Park to take a pair of Pacific Metro Baseball League games from lowly Richmond Fraser Arms, 2 to 1 and 3 to 2. Astors, sporting an 8 – 4 record, won the first game behind solo home runs from Don Gurniak and Kim Ettinger. Andy Williamson scattered four singles in picking up the win. Left-fielder Brian Lownsbrough drove in all three of Burnaby’s runs in the second game with doubles in the first and third innings.
At Whalley Stadium, the New Westminster Auroras swept a pair from Surrey Sports, 1 to 0 and 6 to 4. Catcher Ted Springenatic singled in the only run of the first game in support of winning pitcher Greg Lindsay’s four-hitter.
(June 13) The Vancouver Pharaohs climbed one game over the .500 mark by edging the Bellingham Bells 4 to 3 at Capilano Stadium. Rick Bultitude, who picked up the save upon relieving winning pitcher Rick Mosher in the eighth inning, had a pair of RBI’s on the strength of a triple and single.
(June 14) Brad McArthur hurled a five-hitter with six punchouts as the New Westminster Auroras edged the Vancouver Pharaohs 2 to 1 in Pacific Metro Baseball League play at Capilano Stadium. A two-out single in the eighth inning of a 1 – 1 deadlock by Pat Phelan drove in Ted Springenatic with the deciding tally.
Meanwhile, in Bellingham, the hosting Bells took both ends of a twin-bill, 6 to 3 and 4 to 3 in 11 innings, from the Burnaby Astors.
(June 15) Shortstop Henry Somers went four-for-four from the batter’s box, with a double and two RBI’s, to lead the Vancouver Puccini’s to a lopsided 13 to 1 Pacific Metro Baseball League victory over cellar-dwelling Richmond at Brighouse Park. The Frasers went through five pitchers as the Restaurateurs exploded for 17 base blows. Right-fielder Russ McKee had three doubles and three RBI’s while catcher Len Gamiln laced a brace of two-baggers to drive in a pair of counters.
(June 16) Wins by New Westminster and Burnaby in the Pacific Metro Baseball League raised their records to 9 – 4, vaulting them into a three-way tie with the Vancouver Puccini’s for first place.
At Queen’s Park Stadium, Ted Springenatic belted a first-inning grand-slam round-tripper to lead the Auroras to a 5 to 2 conquest of Surrey Sports. Murray Gage-Cole pitched the complete-game victory, allowing seven hits and striking out nine.
Brian Lownsbrough singled in the fifth inning to drive in two runs, then scored himself as the Astors doubled the Vancouver Pharaohs 4 to 2 at Cap Stadium. Terry Schuss’ eighth-inning single drove in the losers’ only runs.
(June 17) Dick Burns’ run-scoring single in the eleventh inning scored Russ McKee with the winning run as the Vancouver Puccini’s nipped the New Westminster Auroras at Capilano Stadium to consolidate their hold atop the circuit with a 12 – 4 mark. Puccini’s had come from behind to tie the game 1 – 1 in the ninth canto when Al Watson came through in the clutch, ripping a two-out, full-count pitch for a single that drove in Len Gamlin with the equalizer. Rod MacKay, who allowed five hits, outduelled Kerry Morris for the pitching win
(June 18) Cellar-dwelling Richmond scored twice in the eighth inning to nose out Surrey Sports 8 to 7 at Surrey. The Frasers had a three-run homer from Rob Kemp to get them started on the road to victory but needed RBI singles by Morrie L’Heureux and Tom Bird in the eighth to pull this one out of the fire. Dave Steele, in a relief role, captured the hillock decision.
(June 18-19) The New Westminster Auroras would prefer to forget all about about a disastrous weekend on Pacific Metro League diamonds. Saturday, the Royal City squad went 13 innings before suffering a 6 to 3 setback at the hands of the Burnaby Astors and, on Sunday, they dropped a doubleheader to the Bellingham Bells, 6 to 1 and 3 to 1.
Don Gurniak’s three-run homer won the Saturday scuffle for Burnaby in the fourth overtime session. Playing-manager Ossie Chavarria also belted a home run in this contest.
The Bells pounded out 12 hits in the first fracas on Sunday but it was two costly throwing errors and a timely single that contributed to Bellingham’s five-spot in the sixth inning and an easy mound win for Jerry Striegel who allowed six hits. In the second skirmish, six superlative fielding gems combined with a balanced hitting attack were more than enough for winning flinger Randy Eggen who was touched for just two hits.
(June 20) Morrie L’Heureux cracked an infield single to score Ken Lorenz in the bottom-of-the-sixth stanza at Cap Stadium to give Richmond Fraser Arms a 2 to 1 Pacific Metro League win over the Burnaby Astors. Playing-manager Ossie Chavarria gave Burnaby a 1 to 0 first-inning lead when he singled to drive home Bob Kelly. The Frasers knotted the count in the same frame when Stu Winrob walked, stole second and came around to score when Lorenz drilled a one-bagger. Lefthander Dennis Zinio went the nine-inning route to record the win with a six-hitter. L’Heureux, with three hits, and Lorenz with a pair, were Richmond’s top hitters.
(June 23) The New Westminster Auroras scored four runs in both the sixth and ninth innings to demolish Richmond Fraser Arms 12 to 1 in Pacific Metro League baseball at Cap Stadium. Kerry Morris went the distance on the knoll for New Westminster, whiffing a dozen while allowing just thee hits. Dale Ramsay nailed a solo dinger in the ninth for the Auroras.
Surrey’s Stu Graham doubled in the eighth inning at Central Park to drive in the tying runs then watched his team give away a Pacific Metro League game to Burnaby. The Astors’ Ron Masson walked, reached second base on a ground out then scored the winning run in a 5 to 4 victory when an errant throw from the Surrey catcher sailed over third base when Masson was attempting a theft of the hot corner sack. Ken Bjarnason picked up the win after relieving Gord Fitzer in the seventh panel.
In Bellingham, Bert Haas singled in the winning run as the Vancouver Pharaohs edged the Bells 4 to 3. Rick Mosher and Bill Bazaluk combined on the bump in limiting the hosts to four hits. Warren Coughlin drove in two tallies for the winners.
(June 26) In a battle of Vancouver diamond troopers, the Pharaohs came from behind to nudge past Puccini’s 3 to 2 in extra innings, completing a sweep of a Pacific Metro Baseball League double-bill at Capilano Stadium. The Egyptian Rulers squeezed out a thrilling 4 to 3 win over the Italian Ristorante in the opener when Al Forman singled in the seventh spasm to plate Rick Bultitude with the winning counter.
Mike White doubled to send Ron Turner home with the deciding marker in the overtime finale after Burt Haas had crossed the dish with the tying tally in the seventh stanza.
The invading Bellingham Bells clipped Richmond Fraser Arms 5 to 0 and 13 to 4 in a Pacific Metro two-game set at Brighouse Park. Don Newell had three RBI’s for the Bells in the opener as Scott Herzer fashioned an eight-hitter to take the decision over the Frasers’ Dave Steele. An eight-run third inning iced the nightcap for the Washingtonians. Bob Bromley annexed the knoll verdict while Dennis Zinio, the first of three Richmond chuckers, absorbed the loss.
Meanwhile, at Central Park, Surrey Sports took both ends of their doubleheader, defeating the Burnaby Astors by scores of 1 to 0 and 4 to 1.
(June 28) The Bellingham Bells increased their Pacific Metro Baseball League lead to two games by dumping their nearest challenger, Vancouver Puccini’s, 4 to 2 at Capilano Stadium. Bellingham’s’ record for the season now stands at 16 – 7 while Puccini’s slipped to 12 – 7. Bells’ catcher Mike Locker hit a double and single to drive in a pair of runs while outfielder Dave Storrer, with a brace of one-baggers, batted in the other two. Winning pitcher Jerry Striegel gave up seven safeties and walked five. Losing twirler Carey Johnson was nicked for nine base raps.
(June 29) Richmond Fraser Arms and the Burnaby Astors battled to a 6 – 6 tie at Brighouse Park in a Pacific Metro Baseball League clash that was called after nine innings because of darkness. Portsider Dennis Zinio of the Frasers toiled on the knoll for the full nine frames while Andy Williamson and Ken Bjarnason shared the mound chores for the Astors. Al Chorney, seconded from the junior ranks by Richmond for the tilt, went four-for-four at the platter with a pair of RBI’s. Burnaby skipper Ossie Chavarria nailed a six-inning round-tripper.
At Queen’s Park Stadium, meanwhile, Brad McArthur and Corey Coomber combined to limit Surrey Sports to three hits as the New Westminster Auroras won 8 to 0. Nick Mitchell had three hits and drove in four runs for the winners.
(June 30) After scoring a deuce in the opening panel, Richmond Fraser Arms never looked back and went on to knock off Surrey Sports 6 to 1. Rich Miller had three RBI’s, with a circuit-clout and a single, for the winners.
(July 1-2) Surrey Sports/Whalley Dominion Day weekend tournament
(July 5) The Burnaby Astors and New Westminster Auroras were winners in Pacific Metro Baseball League action on two different fronts.
Sparked by Brian Lownsbrough’s two-run double and a home run by Bob Bridges, the Astors defeated Surrey Sports 6 to 2 at Whalley Stadium. Ray Rigolo fired a seven-hitter in recording his second win of the season.
At Queen’s Park Stadium, the Auroras rolled over the front-running Bellingham Bells 8 to 0 to move within three games of first place. Dale Ramsay and Wayne Martin accounted for most of the hitting damage, collecting three hits each in four times at bat.
(July 6) Richmond Fraser Arms posted a rare victory, just their fifth in 22 starts, upending the Burnaby Astors 11 to 3 in a Pacific Metro League game at Brighouse park that was called after 6-1/2 innings. Stu Winrob, Tom Bird, Ken Lorenz, Howie Stephens and Keith Frew all had two hits for the Frasers.
(July 7) Ron Frederick’s sacrifice fly in the 14th inning allowed Mike White to tag up and score the winning run for the Vancouver Pharaohs who came out ahead of Surrey Sports 3 to 2 at Capilano Stadium. Keith Wilson went all 14 frames on the hill for the Pharaohs, surrendering four hits while ringing up ten punchouts. Losing twirler Gord Johnson also went the route, yielding nine safeties.
(July 8) Catcher Ted Springenatic slammed a two-out, two-run homer in the top-of-the-tenth inning that lifted the New Westminster Auroras to a 3 to 1 Pacific Metro Baseball League victory over Vancouver Puccini’s at Capilano Stadium. Springenatic, who was three-for-five at the plate, drove home the tying run for the Auroras with a single in the eighth frame.
(July 10) Gary Wilson swatted a two-run homer in the bottom-of-the-sixth inning to give Vancouver Puccini’s a 2 to 1 victory and a split of their twin-bill with the Bellingham Bells at Capilano Stadium. Bellingham scored their only run off winning chucker Don Rogelstad, who scattered five hits, in the third inning.
The Bells, with Jerry Striegel spinning a three-hitter, took the matinée contest 1 to 0. With two out in the sixth inning, Monte Walton scampered home from third base with the game’s only run while Puccini’s had a Bellingham runner trapped between first and second base during a pickoff attempt.
Meanwhile, New Westminster and Burnaby divided the spoils in a double-dip at Queen’s Park Stadium. Jim Kilner hit a second-inning homer as the Astors grabbed the opener 7 to 2 while the Auroras, behind the four-hit pitching of Murray Gage-Cole, took the evening tussle 2 to 1.
Standings W L T Pct. GBL
Bellingham Bells 19 9 0 .679 ---
Vancouver Pharaohs 13 7 0 .650 2.0
New Westminster Auroras 15 10 0 .600 2.5
Vancouver Puccini’s 13 9 0 .591 3.0
Burnaby Astors 13 13 1 .500 5.0
Surrey Sports 7 19 0 .269 11.0
Richmond Fraser Arms 5 18 1 .217 11.5
(July 12) Seven runs in the second stanza, two of which scored on Jim Kilner’s base-loaded double, helped boost the Burnaby Astros to a 10 to 7 conquest of the Vancouver Pharaohs at Central Park. Burnaby outhit the Pharaohs by a wide 15 to 5 margin but three of the losers’ hits were four-ply clouts. Mike White and Nick Miller launched two-run blasts while Rick Bultitude nailed a three-run shot. Ron Masson singled home what turned out to be the winning run in the eighth after Bultitude had tied the score at 7 – 7 with his sixth-stanza dinger.
(July 13) New Westminster Auroras 3 - Vancouver Pharaohs 0
(July 15) The Vancouver Pharaohs whipped Richmond Fraser Arms 11 to 3 in a Pacific Metro Baseball League game at Capilano Stadium. Warren Coughlin paced the Pharaohs’ 14-hit offensive thrust with four safeties and a pair of RBI’s while Jim Rentmeester allowed five hits in pitching the victory.
(July 17) The Burnaby Astors swept a pair of tight games, 4 to 3 and 2 to 0, from the Vancouver Puccini’s in Pacific Metro Baseball League action at Central Park.
In the first game, back-to-back doubles by Ken Moore and Brian Lownsbrough in the fifth inning staked the Astors a 4 to 1 lead which was needed for the winning margin when Puccini’s Dave Schwab narrowed the gap with a two-run single in the seventh.
Bases-empty homers by Don Gurniak in the fourth and Lownsbrough in the sixth were all the runs winning pitcher Bob Bridges needed in the second game.
At Whalley Stadium, the second-place Vancouver Pharaohs disposed of Surrey Sports twice, 3 to 1 and 3 to 2.
Al Forman knocked in two runs with a single to give the Pharaohs the edge in the second contest.
(July 18) Bob Sharp’s two-run double snapped a 1 – 1 tie and powered Surrey Sports to a 3 to 1 upset of the New Westminster Auroras at Queen’s Park Stadium. Teammate Jack Hutch had doubled to drive in Surrey’s first run earlier in the game.
At Capilano Stadium, Vancouver Puccini’s swept a doubleheader from Richmond 6 to 5 and 2 to 1. Russ McKee, Len Gamlin, Steve Pettifer and Henry Somers each had two hits for Puccini’s in the opener. In the nightcap, Dave Schwab and Al Helton both stroked a brace of safeties for the winners.
(July 20) Paul Watson scored from third base on a wild pitch in the bottom-of-the-12th inning to give the New Westminster Auroras a 5 to 4 victory over the Burnaby Astors at Queen’s Park Stadium. The win moved New Westminster three games back of the front-running Bellingham Bells.
(July 21) The Vancouver Pharaohs edged the New Westminster Auroras 3 to 2 at Capilano Stadium. Mike White hit a solo homer and Burt Haas delivered a run-scoring single to cap a two-run rally in the bottom-of-the-ninth inning which erased 2 to 1 deficit.
Brian Lownsbrough belted a two-run homer in the sixth inning and Bob Kelly cracked a bases-loaded triple in the eighth to propel the Burnaby Astors to a 12 to 3 romp over Surrey Sports at Central Park.
(July 22) Rick Bultitude and Al Forman had three hits and three RBI’s each as the Vancouver Pharaohs outscored the first-place Bellingham Bells 7 to 5 at Capilano Stadium.
(July 23) The New Westminster Auroras clipped the Vancouver Pharaohs 5 to 2 at Queen’s Park Stadium. The win for the Royal City Realtors was highlighted by Wayne Martin’s four-bagger.
(July 24) Richmond Fraser Arms put their bats to work for a total of 27 hits, including seven by Tom Bird, in upsetting the Vancouver Pharaohs 6 to 5 and 9 to 1 in a Pacific Metro Baseball League twin-bill at Brighouse Park.
The Frasers came from behind a 5 to 0 deficit in the exciting opener to finally tie the score in the seventh spasm. The go-ahead marker came in the bottom-of-the-eighth when Bird singled with the sacks full to score Howie Stephens. Bird had a super game with the baton, going four-for-five with five RBI’s. He hit two singles, a triple and a home run. Teammate Bill Jackson contributed a pair of singles and a two-bagger. Burt Haas was best with the stick for the Vancouverites, clipping the orb for a single and two doubles. Dennis Zinio took the slab decision over Rick Bultitude.
A six-spot by Richmond in the sixth stanza, highlighted by Howie Stephens’ three-run inside-the-park round-tripper, put the finale on ice and allowed pitcher Ron Allenby to cruise to the four-hit victory. Stu Winrob and Morrie L’Heureux added solo taters for the victors. Bird added three more safeties, a single, double and triple, to bring his daily total of safe swats to seven.
Standings W L T Pct. GBL
Bellingham Bells 24 12 0 .667 ---
New Westminster Auroras 19 12 0 .613 2.5
Vancouver Puccini’s 19 13 0 .594 3.0
Vancouver Pharaohs 19 14 0 .576 3.5
Burnaby Astors 18 17 1 .514 5.5
Surrey Sports 10 23 0 .303 12.5
Richmond Fraser Arms 7 25 1 .219 15.0
(July 25) The Vancouver Pharoahs took a pair of games, 5 to 3 and 2 to 1, from Surrey Sports in Pacific Metro League play at Cap Stadium. The twin triumphs lifted the Pharaohs into third spot, a half-game in front of their city cousins, Vancouver Puccini’s.
(July 26) The Burnaby Astors scored three runs in the ninth inning to break a 3 – 3 tie and defeat Richmond Fraser Arms 6 to 3 at Capilano Stadium. Don Gurniak and Glen Chidlow led the Astors offensively with a pair of RBI’s in support of winning flinger Andy Williamson’s six-hit hillock performance.
(July 28) Warren Coughlin slugged a two-run homer in the bottom-of-the-ninth inning to give the Vancouver Pharaohs a 12 to 11 win over Vancouver Puccini’s after the winners rallied from a 9 to 4 deficit to score six runs in the eighth inning. The victory forced Puccini’s to share second place with their city brethren, the Pharaohs. A tie-breaker game has been arranged for August 2 at Cap Stadium.
SECOND-PLACE TIE-BREAKER
(August 2) Russ McKee unloaded a three-run homer in the seventh inning and Terry Stein belted a solo shot in the eighth to lead Vancouver Puccini’s past Vancouver Pharaohs 9 to 2 in a sudden-death game to decide second place in the Pacific Metro Baseball League.
(August 5-7) B. C. senior amateur baseball championship tournament
(August 18-21) Canadian national senior baseball championship tournament
PLAYOFFS
Although the pre-season goal of the Pacific Metro Baseball League was to stage a series of playoff games wherein the four top-finishing teams qualified to battle for the championship, no evidence was found in either the Vancouver Sun or Vancouver Province that any semblance of such took place. It appears that once the regular-season schedule was completed, comprising close to 120 games which included a second-place tie-breaker, the emphasis was put upon preparation of the all-star team for the B.C. senior amateur championship tournament and, ultimately, the Canadian national championships in Brandon MB, which would suggest that the regular-season pennant-winning Bellingham Bells, with no representation on the Vancouver-based all-star squad, would also be declared as overall 1977 de facto titlists.
PACIFIC COAST JUNIOR BASEBALL LEAGUE
Douglas College, New Westminster
North Burnaby Steelers
North Shore Mountaineers
Surrey Sandpipers
Vancouver Pharoahs
Vancouver TOS