Commentary
Old Horton Ford softball teams remembered Whatever the time of year or the sport in vogue at the moment, there is nothing like a morning session at one of the local ‘debate clubs’ to discuss the current sports scene or recall when days were better in that sport.
Recently, discussion turned to softball and some of its “good old days” around Brownsville.
Don Davison had previously showed me a scrapbook compiled by the late Bud Patton and given to Davison by Mrs. Patton.
A lot of the clips from 1956 through 1958 pertained to the Horton Ford team, which had a great record in local league and tournament competition, including a couple of state titles and a trip to Illinois for national tournament play.
There was a photo of the Horton team (no date listed), whose players included manager Bill Pochek, Bob Flock, Ken Sealy, Bud Patton, Bill Prosser, Bob Gettemy, Bob Douglas, Red Simpson, Tom Clark, Leroy Marker, Jack Davison, Joe Thomas, Bob Bradmon, Tappor Grey, Jim Tamalaro and Bear Sealy.
A big headline from the Brownsville Telegraph proclaimed “Horton Captures State Softball Tournament,” and went on to note that the new champs had won four games in a row at Altoona, nipping Bethlehem, 2-1, in the finale to be state champs.
Dave Liptak pitched a six-hitter and fanned 10 in the championship game, and Simpson homered in the seventh for the winning run. Horton beat Phoenix of Altoona, 5-0, in the opener, and Patton homered.
Chet Tabor pitched a three-hit 1-0 win over Grand Hotel of Altoona, and 10-2 and 2-1 wins over Bethlehem clinched the title.
Horton repeated as state champs the following year, winning five in a row at Allentown with Dave Liptak working three successive shutouts, including the 7-0 title clincher over Allentown.
This earned Horton a berth in the national tournament at Long Beach, Calif., but Davison recalled they had to decline the bid because of lack of funds and some players not able to get off work long enough to compete.
Liptak pitched the opening 3-0 win over Allentown, and Clarence Grooms and Jack Davison homered.
Then they won 6-1 over Eddystown, 2-0 over Stroudsburg on a no-hitter by Liptak, and 2-1 over Philadelphia with Bill Plichta singling in the winning run in the ninth.
For the series, Liptak didn’t allow a run, and fanned 34 in 21 inning, while Tabor had 17 Ks in two wins.
Brownsville did gain the national tournament at New Bedford, Ill., but was ousted in two games.
Host New Bedford beat them 5-3, and there was no box score for the second game, against Midland, Texas. Charley Cotton pitched for Brownsville and had one of their three hits, along with Prosser and Gray.
There was also a program from the National Class “A” Tournament, held in Redding, Calif.
You might want to compare prices. Today if you want to enjoy some suds at a Pirate game, it costs 5-bucks for one glass. In this tournament 30 years ago, you could get a 6-pack (12-oz. cans) for $1.69, a 12-pack of Old Milwaukee for $2.99, or a 6-pack of Coke (12-oz.) for 79-cents. A double fiberglass belted whitewall tire cost $29.95, and a restaurant featured a pitcher of soft drink for $1.25 and all the salad you could eat for another $1.25. Another listed a 16-inch family size pizza for $6.89, plus tax, but no takeouts.
WMBS radio’s lineup included for one day Ed Murrow, Steve Allen, Arthur Godfrey, Helen Trent, Gal Sunday, Big Sister, Ma Perkins, Young Dr. Malone, Guiding Light, Perry Mason, Nora Drake, Brighter Day, Hilltop House, and later in the evening, news, sports, and dance music.
Another clipping reported that the Brownsville Merchants nipped Roscoe, 1-0, on Bud Patton’s home run in the second inning, and Leroy Marker outdueled Bob Bergman in a match of four-hitters.
The Merchants also whacked Monessen, 21-1, with Patton and Bob Flock hitting a double and two singles each, Downer a triple and Chauncey Fletcher a triple and double.
Then Marker pitched a 6-hitter, and Joe Thomas and Bingo Yaksic homered. Davison tripled, and Bob Gettemy, Bud Patton and Prosser hit doubles in a 10-6 win over Naomi.
A photo of the Merchants team included Joe Wozolek, Ricky Marker, and John Belin, batboys; Bob Flock, Bill Prosser, Bud Patton, Bill Downer, Chauncey Fletcher, Don Davison, Leroy Marker, Jack Davison, Bob Bradmon, manager Bob Gettemy, Joe Thomas, and Bingo Yaksic.
There was also a clipping from Aug. 25, 1952, noting that Fayette City came from behind to beat Perryopolis, 9-8, in the opening game of their best-of-five set for the Northern Section title in the Big Ten Baseball League.
Fayette City won with two in the last of the ninth on a walk to Jack Russell, singles by Tinse Manown and Ralph Bartolozzi to tie the game, and Johnny Kovalchak’s single to score Manown with the winning run.
Kovalchak, Hal Livingstone, and Jack Russell had two hits each for the winners, while Rudy Martina tripled and singled, and Toodles McLaughlin hit two doubles for Perryopolis.
The winning lineup included Muckle, 2B; Kovalchak, SS; Plevnak, RF; Livingstone, LF; Felak, C; C. Russell, 1B; J. Russell, CF; Manown, 3B; Briggs and Schneider pitching, and Bartolozzi and Bondi pinch-hitters. For Perryopolis, it was McLaughlin, CF; Giocondi, LF; Havadich, 3B; Strycula, 1B; Descaro, RF; Mains, C; Martina, 2B; Matras, SS; Estok and Clay pitching.
There were some other clips, but those will have to be a future column.
Jim Kriek is a Herald-Standard sports correspondent and columnist.