Whetsel made memories with 1951 grand slam
Remember that song of a few years ago which told us about a lot of good things in life, and then reminded that “memories are made of this!” Well, you can bet that one “this” was engraved permanently in the memory book of Jim Whetsel.
Go awayyyyy back to this week in August of 1951. It was also hot then, the summer baseball seasons were in their windup days, heading into the playoffs, and thoughts were slowly turning to football. But there were still a lot of baseball games yet to be played.
One of those playoff sets took place in Uniontown, where Rofey’s and Colonial 3 were engaged in a best-of-five series for the Junior Legion League championship. Rofey’s won the opener, 10-9, as Farnella and Haney hit doubles, and Robinson equaled that for Colonial. Rofey’s then went two-up with a 9-4 win, as Koslick had two hits and Farnella homered. Williams homered for Colonial, and Misenko and Coughenour had two hits each.
That brought on the third game, and it began to look like Colonial might get a win and keep the series going. They were leading 4-2 into the last of the ninth inning, but Rofey’s kept their hopes alive by loading the bases.
Whetsel had been inserted into the lineup late in the game, and he got his first turn at bat in the ninth.
Bingo! A grand slam home run pulled Rofey’s from behind into a 6-4 win, and the league championship.
D. David pitched a winning 7-hitter, and along with Whetsel’s winning blast, got bat backing from Fanella (3B), Reposky (2B), and F. David, two singles.
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Gino Galie and Bobby Locke also had their pitching moments that week, but with different results.
Galie threw a no-hitter as Filbert blanked Gates, 9-0. But the game summary carried no other notes on his effort. Rechichar and Kazimer had four hits each and Thomas homered for Filbert.
Locke pitched a two-hitter, and struck out 14, for Colonial Legion, but those two hits cost him a 3-0 loss to Vestaburg in Big 10 action. John Garcher homered in the fifth, and again in the seventh after George Kopachko walked, for Vestaburg’s edge.
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So, what else was happening that week?
– Collier and Continental were assured of 1-2 finishes in the County League’s Valdike Section after Collier stopped Gates, 7-2, and Collier collared Upper Middeletown, 3-0.
Jim Delorenzo had two hits for Collier, while Al Leveno (3) and Andy Messich (2) paced Gates.
Collier got all its runs in the first, and Bob Seimon took it from there, pitching a 1-hitter and striking out a season’s league high of 21.
Boniar, Horwath, and Kazimer homered for all of the runs.
Mike Lemansky pitched a 7-hitter and Ventura and Burns had three each as Buffington downed Ronco, 8-5.
– Preliminary plans were completed for “Frank Wydo Day.”
To be held on Nov. 4. The former German Twp. athlete would be honored at halftime when the Steelers hosted the Philadelphia Eagles.
– In Big 10 play, Colonial Legion strengthened its playoff bid by edging Clyde, 13-12, in 12 innings. The winners had 16 hits, three by Drozbeck, Baron, A. Letrick, and Softcheck. Corazzi (4), Monovich and Scotton (3) paced Clyde, which also pulled a triple play.
Joe Petcheny pitched a 2-hitter, and didn’t allow a runner past second, as Robena zeroed Oaks, 12-0. George Cvengros had three hits and Lou Panek homered.
Bobtown outlasted Crucible, 12-8, and in hits, 20-16. P. Novak, Antonelli, G. Kocerka, and Donley had three hits, and Ergovich and Doman dittoed for Crucible.
Fayette City scored 11 in the third to clinch a 14-4 rout of Smock. Moriarity (4) and Holland (3) led Smock at bat.
– Ralph Kiner hit three homeruns, but the Pirates still lost twice to the Phils, 5-1 and 12-7.
– Pro Freddy Welch, Pike Henry, Eustace Bane, and Dr. Walter Tormay fired a 62, playing under one-half handicap, to win the Uniontown Country Club Pot O’ Gold Tournament.
– Workouts started for the Fayette County Coaches Assn. annual All-Star football game, to be played at Connellsville. Ted Miler (Connellsville) and Joe Bosnic (Dunbar Twp.) were coaching the East, and John Robba (Georges) and John Lozar (Masontown) coached the West.
– In County League play, Phillips blanked Bute, 1-0, on Utlak’s 2-hitter, in the Valley Section. Scott and Gorley singled for the only Bute hits. F. Morgan tripled for Phillips.
In Valdike Sction play, J. Delorenzo and Janesko had a double and two singles each, as Enany’s stopped Buffington, 13-2.
– Uniontown VFW Post 47’s championship team was preparing for the state playoffs in Harrisburg.
Pete Yezbak and Leo Moore managed the local Stars, whose lineup included Wayne Hall, Russell Hellein, Tommy Gates, Junior Marra, Steve Kavaka, Joe Craig, John Androsky, Don Ciampanelli, Bob Cimini, Ed Misinay, Jack Kaydo, Haid Parker, Don Parker, Jim Serafin, Bill Sestak, Dick Salatrick, Steve Sapen, Ed Campbell, and Ray Solly.
– Lefty Dunay worked a 4-hitter and fanned eight as Robinson Auto beat Ronco, 7-4, in County League Valdike action. Coville had a homer and single, and Kazimer two hits for the winners.
– In the Big 10, Vestaburg kept the North Section lead with an 11-3 win over Smock, led by Tom Berlinsky with three hits. Saluva had three for Smock.
Fayette City stopped Clyde, 7-4, with Ken Manown and Beans Giordanango having three hits. Whitey Carr led Clyde with two doubles and two singles.
Bobtown downed Robena, 7-3. M. Popernak and Crackovich had two Robena hits, and George Kocerka homered for Bobtown.
– Stanish had a triple and single to pace Masontown over Upper Middletown, 14-7, in County League play. Collier swamped Martin, 18-4, led by Orv Bacha (two triples, two singles) and Joe Kokish (HR, 3B, two singles). The Delorenzo Brothers, Jim and Bob, homered, and WP Vic Labutta had three singles.
– Pals Club whipped Bobtown, 12-8, in Big 10 South action. Messich (3B, 2B, two singles), Shead and Yasenowky (3 each) led the offense. Novak and Dmochowsky had three for Bobtown.
Nemacolin led Point Marion, 7-4, as Joe Bialko pitched a 6-hitter, one of them Taylor’s 3-run homer.
Shaffer had a 3-run homer, and Nicosia and Wagner three hits, as Oaks clubbed Crucible, 15-2.
– Orient Single Men won their community championship, edging the Orient Married men, 6-5.
John Skomra, Homer Mull, Dolly Oralene, Pat Shoak, Jim Durant, and Bill Oralene had three hits each.
– And the Pirates? Mel Queen pitched a 6-hit shutout over the Cubs, 3-0, but the Buccos were still last, “only” 27 games back of Brooklyn.
Remember?