Out of the past
If you are a sports fan, what usually comes to mind this time of year, the middle of August? Granted, there is still a lot of baseball to be played, and some leagues are in their playoffs. And hot, hot weather is still the order of the day. But one factor starts to creep into the scene, as the first reminder that summer is on its downward run toward fall.
High school football teams are now in two- or three-a-day preseason workouts, and the workouts can openly be called that now. Not conditioning sessions, or weight training, or whatever aliases some coaches use before August.
And so it was during this week, away back in 1951, when football came upon the scene. It was time for the annual East vs. West Scholastic All-Star game, sponsored by the Fayette County Coaches Association to be played in Connellsville.
Ted Miller (Connellsville) and Joe Bosnic (Dunbar Twp.) were named East coaches, while John Robba (Georges) and John Lozar (Masontown) were to coach the West. Their teams were made up of players who had graduated in June, or who had used up their athletic eligibility.
The East lineup included:
Connellsville – Bob Hatfield (T), Gorman Dull (G), Jack Nedrow (C), Regis Kosisko and Jack Harbaugh (RB).
Dunbar Twp. – John Yagla and Bob Franklin (G), and Paul Schmidtke (RB).
Perry Twp. – Art Saxon (C), and Charles Clach (RB).
North Union – John Revack (T), Tom Hunt (G), Jack Stanley (C), and Ed Light (RB).
South Union – Larry Doljac (T) and Lee Bero (RB).
Uniontown – Herb Gray and Bill Hillen (E), Patsy Giachetti (T), Rob Fanella (G), George Antoon, John Smith, Don Arthur, and John Pedro (RB).
The West lineup included:
Georges – John Markutsa and Tom Pleban (T), Regis Metro (G), John Jacobs and Dale Goodwin (RB).
Redstone – John Midlik (E), Fauster Vittone (T), Chuck Stabilla (C), Ted Golembiewski and Clarence Marhefka (QB), Norm Peretti and Charley Erjavec (RB),
Brownsville – Stan Sikora (G) and Tom Horwatt (RB).
Masontown – Ed Merti (E), Bill Rozzi (T), Dick Sokol (G), and Max Tinti (RB).
Point Marion – Sonny Cottage (RB), and Labin (E).
German Twp. – Bob Spenik (E), Mike Zimmerling and George Cooper (G), Jack Groves (C), and Stan Sidosky (RB).
While the game wasn’t to be played for two more weeks, a quick peek at the later files revealed that the underdog East won, 7-0, before about 5,000 fans at Coker Stadium. It was 0-0 into the fourth and East appeared to be moving, but West stopped them on downs, turned around and moved the sticks once, but East took over near midfield. It took 15 plays from there, Harbaugh going the final yard, with two minutes left, and Kosisko kicked the PAT. East led in first downs, 14-6.
How many of those players do you remember?
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So, what else was going on that week?
-Joe Clay pitched a five-hitter and struck out 11 as Perryopolis collared Colonial 3, 3-0, in Big 10 play to maintain third place. Strycula hit a triple and single, Zelenock had two singles, and Don Mains a double. Hillen had two hits for Smock.
-Scottdale was ordered to forfeit six Major County League wins for using what league officials ruled was an “ineligible player.” It seems the unnamed player was released earlier in the season after breaking his arm, and then was found to be back in the lineup for the games in question.
-Joe Uhal hit a home run, double, and single to power Trotter past Bute, 6-0, in County League Valdike Section play. Winning pitcher Siesky allowed only two hits, doubles by Scott and Reed.
-Ray Helterhan and Perry Schwartz were hired as assistants to head football coach Bap Manzini at Bellmar High.
-Oliver scored three in the last of the eighth to nip Trotter, 5-4, in County League play. Bushnock allowed five hits, including a home run by Williams. Oliver counted two hits by Harmon, Simpson’s triple, and Bierbower’s double.
-The Steelers opened training camp at Alliance College, Cambridge Springs, with 52 prospects. However, it would not be “hi-diddle-diddle, Rogel up the middle” that year. RB Fran Rogel, who led the team in rushing the previous season, had been called up for military service. And Jerry Shipkey, one of the best ever to play linebacker for the Steelers, had retired.
-Trotter went ahead with two runs in the fourth and held that edge the rest of the way, to nip Phillips, 5-4, in their County League clash. Kurtz hit a double and single, and Williams had a triple for Trotter. A. Cindric had three hits and Pillar two for Phillips.
-Dave Page of Connellsville had a “lucky 13.” He celebrated his 13th birthday by winning the Junior Golf championship at Pleasant Valley Country Club, firing a medal score of 85 and besting Dave Post, 3-and-2. (An 85 at 13!! I can remember being four times that age and still praying for an 85. Honest – I never, not ever, broke 100 in all the years I played!!).
-Wendell-Herminie got two in the fourth and held the edge to nip Scottdale, 7-5. Scottdale’s King and Wendell-Hermanie’s Yuvan each had three hits, Scottdale’s Rimmel a triple, and Scottdale’s Bob Percy a double.
-Perryopolis SOI scored five in the first and rolled from there to rout Smock, 13-1, and clinch third place in the Big 10. Tom Havadich featured the big start with a two-run homer, and added two singles while John Strycula doubled and extended his hitting streak to 10 games. SOI also counted a double and single from Mike Matras, a triple from Thomas, and Eldo DiVirgilio and Planey two singles apiece. Baer (triple, single) and Salava (two singles) led Smock.
-And the Pirates? Forget it. They were so far back in last they needed field glasses to see Brooklyn.
Remember?