Out of the Past: 1952 a good year for area female athletes
In all the time spent rummaging through the microfilm to get notes for this column, one point eventually became evident – women didn’t participate in sports then as much as they do today. But there was one time when the ladies had their day.
Go awayyyyy back to this week in 1952.
Shirley Orndorff, 17, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. R.M. Orndorff, of Ohiopyle, earned double honors while competing in the Eastern Zone Trapshoot Finals, at Reading, Pa.
She broke 182 out of 200 birds to win the overall women’s championship, then she broke 91 out of 100 to win the Junior Division title, outgunning entries from 14 states and the Canadian Provinces.
Moving over into golf, some ladies from Connellsville had their day, while playing in the Women’s Golf Championships at Baldoc Hill, near Irwin.
Mrs. Alex Levin scored the biggest win of the day. Competing in the Third Flight, and in her first match, Mrs. Levin defeated Mrs. Jean Caplan of Pittsburgh, who had been billed as the pre-tourney favorite to win the flight.
Other winners that day included Mrs. Sam Barasch in the First Flight, Mrs. David Sapolsky in the Third Flight, and Mrs. Gerhardt Horowitz in the Fourth Flight.
Mrs. Sapolsky later teamed with Andy Gaspar to win the annual women’s Pro-Member title, also at Baldoc, with a net of 27 for nine holes. Then she teamed with her husband to win the Scotch Foursome event. Hitting alternate shots, they netted another winning 27 for nine.
So, what else was going on that week way back then?
– The Steelers were in training camp at St. Bonaventure College, Olean, N.Y., with 60 players. Their cuts that week would include Alfred (Bizz) Bieshada, former Connellsville and John Carroll University player, and Bill Pavlikowski, ex-Redstone player.
– In the County League’s Valley Section, Trotter defeated Dunbar, 10-5, with Ed Zadylak the winner over Foreman. Kurtz led Trotter with three hits and D. Williams doubled. Foreman homered for Dunbar.
Then Dunbar nipped St. Rita’s, 6-4, as Osler and Foreman teamed up to pitch the win, Foreman getting the nod in relief. Watson had two hits. F. Manzella (2B, 1B), Scacchi and Maricondi (2 singles) led St. Rita’s.
– Scottdale nudged Perryopolis, 9-7, in the Big 10 North, scoring six in the top of the ninth. Chuck King hit a 3-run homer, Bob Galasso a home run, Vergulich (2), Heise, and Zerilla doubled, and Bozo Shimshock two hits. Don Mains and Tom Havadich homered for Perry, and Toodles McLaughlin had two hits.
– Connellsville stopped Bute, 10-6, to keep the County League’s Valley Section lead. Snipe Hartz pitched a 6-hitter, two each by Tajc and Bill Scott, and Zimmovan’s homer. George Tannehill (2B) and Dunaway (HR) led Connellsville.
-In Little League Tournament play, Monongahela collared Connellsville, 8-0, as Ed Kukla pitched his 12th no-hitter of the season, and struck out 14. That’s right, 12 in one season!! And it was his third in tournament play. He also hit a 3-run homer.
– Larry Rechichar (3B) of Republic, and Jack Misenko (OF) of Grindstone were picked to play for the West team in the annual Junior American Legion Baseball East-West game.
– In the Big 10 North, Bozo Shimshock pitched his 12th win as Scottdale downed Vestaburg, 13-6. Jim Heise, George Planey (2B), and Zerilla had three hits each for the winners. Gates had three hits, and Giovanelli and Kopacko doubled for Vestaburg.
– Connellsville widened its County League Valley Section lead edging Monarch 3-2. Snipe Hartz worked a 5-hitter and struck out 18 in Connellsville’s 28th win. Bill Kurtz and Dunaway (2B, 1B), Chappie Hartz and Ed Piasecki (two hits) led the offense. Kontra doubled for Monarch.
– Pitt was ready to start workouts with 44 prospects, including LB Mike Omatick, of Connellsville; letterman-RB George Glagola, and RB John Jacobs, both of Georges Twp.
– Trotter stopped Oliphant, 7-3, in County League Valley play, on P. Slauter’s 7-hitter. Bill Slauter had three hits, Herchko and McCandless doubles. Baker (2B, 1B) led Oliphant.
– Monarch downed St. Rita’s, 10-3, on Ivan Hominsky’s 3-hitter, all doubles by Manzella, Maricondi, and Scacchi. Kontra (grand slam) and Sovari homered for Monarch.
– Mount Pleasant scored two in the seventh to edge California, 6-5, in their best-of-three Junior American Legion playoff opener. LeJohn had two hits and Brashear tripled for Cal.
– Bill Stapula resigned as football coach at Centerville to take over the junior high program at California. Pete Daley, Ellsworth, was named to succeed him.
– WP Randy King had two hits and Chuck King a 2-run homer as Scottdale stopped Colonial 3, 7-1, in Big 10 North play. Rohaley, Zelanack, and Hillen divided Colonial’s six hits.
– California beat Mount Pleasant, 13-5, to even their playoff series, as Forsythe pitched the win, backed by Whiteco with a double and two singles, and Selep two hits.
But Mount Pleasant came back to win the third and clinching game, 8-6. California got out to a 5-0 lead, but MP came back to win. Sabo had three hits and Campbell a homer for Cal.
– Colonial Legion got four in the last of the seventh to trip Perryopolis, 13-10, in Big 10 play. Farkas and A. Letrick had three hits. Toodles McLaughlin hit a triple and two singles, and Tom Havadich three hits for Perry.
Chuck King had a double and two singles, John Spisso, Bozo Shimshock. Myers, and R. King two hits to lead Scottdale past Smock, 10-5. Cuppett (3B, 1B), and Vrable (2B, 1B), led Smock.
– And the Pirates? Well, they lost twice to the Cardinals, 7-2 in 10 innings, and 3-2, and were mathematically eliminated from the pennant race, one of the earliest such dates in league history. They trailed Brooklyn by 42 games!
Sound familiar?