Out of the Past: Plenty of baseball back in 1963
If Charles Dickens had been a sports writer, he might have said that this was the best of times for baseball fans. Of course, there were also the worst of times, depending on which side of the field your affections lay at the moment. But, no matter the final score, part of the baseball crowd was going to go home feeling that it was (for them) the best of times.
It was this week of July, awayyyyy back in 1963, when the local baseball slates were in high gear. Uniontown and Brownsville were in an all-out battle for the County League lead, Point Marion was in high gear across the American Legion Baseball trail, and the VFW Baseball All-Stars had moved into tournament competition. In general, if the local baseball fans couldn’t find something to their liking, then they weren’t really the “fans” they claimed to be.
So, what was happening that week?
– In the County League, Buffington turned “Giant Killer” and thumped first place Uniontown, 15-9, cutting the losers’ lead to just one game over Uniontown, for while the latter was losing, Brownsville was scoring four in the eighth to clip Filbert, 8-4. Smock also had a 4-run spurt, in the seventh, to nudge Revere, 7-4.
Bill Scott helped stake Uniontown to a 6-0 lead with a 3-run homer in the first, and a 2-run shot in the second, giving him six homers for the season, and the league lead. But Buffington “Burned” Uniontown in the bottom of the second, with eight runs, featuring Glenn Burns homering with two on, and Regis Burns doubling in two more. Regis Burns doubled in two more in the 4-run fifth to clinch the win for Russ Watson in relief. In all, Buffington mounted a 20-hit offense, led by Paul Wilczynski’s 5-for-5.
Bob Hanula singled in two, and Paul Redzanic tripled in two more, to give Brownsville the lead for good, on the way to its win. Paul Cooley and Jake Olsavsky hit Filbert doubles, while Redzanic, Jim Bucnell, and Casper Voithofer had two hits each. Pickhandle Merkosky homered in the first (1 on) and sixth to lead Smock. George Ozanich singled in the go-ahead run, and Tom Sankovich and Joe Locke drove home insurance runs.
– West Section leader Uniontown routed Evans Manor, 18-4, and Lemont edged Hopwood, 6-4, in Coolspring Softball League play. Uniontown counted 24 singles, led by J. Williams (4), Sonny Oris, Ray Solly, and Jim Whetzel (3 each), and Don Barnhart’s homer in their win. Mark Soom and Joe Beal hit three-run homers to give Lemont its winning edge.
– Fayette County VFW Baseball League All-Stars tuned up for their area tournament competition opener by defeating American Legion League leader Point Marion, 10-3. Vic Worry, Fred Markovich, and Sandy Adams combined to pitch the win, while Denny Thomas homered, and Tom Keyok, Dan Andria, and J. Mathews had two hits. J.L. Lechner led the Pointers with a triple and two singles.
– Smock and Uniontown played to a 3-3 County League tie, Smock tying in the ninth on Pickhandle Merkosky’s triple and Tom Sankovich’s flyball. Sankovich had three hits, and Joe Locke, Petrell, and Moriarty two. Lemansky and Tekovic had two Uniontown hits.
– In a free-swinging 24-hit affair, Point Marion Legion scored its 16th league win in a row, 11-3 over Masontown. Winning pitcher Matt Voithofer had two doubles and a single, Joe Sepic a triple and double, and J.L. Lechner a double and single.
– Vic Worry pitched a four-hitter and struck out 11 as Fayette County opened VFW All-Star Tournament best-of-3 series play with a 1-0 win over Latrobe. Fayette got its run in the fourth when Pete Lechner was safe on an error and came around on an out and Denny Thomas’ single.
– Paul Redzanic and Andy Machusko batted in five runs each as Brownsville belted Filbert, 14-3, in the County League. Machusko hit a 3-run homer, and Vince Morich a solo shot. Pickhandle Merkosky and Steve Seaman had three hits each, Bob Hudock two, and Joe Locke a 2-run homer to lead Smock past Revere, 5-3, in the County League.
– Latrobe VFW Stars evened the set with Fayette, winning 2-1 as Speal pitched a two-hitter and fanned 16. Dan Andria and Tom Kanyok had Fayette’s hits.
– Point Marion got its 17th Legion League win in a row, 5-2 over Jefferson, led by the Sepic Brothers. George pitched the win and fanned 11, and Joe tripled.
Carmichaels scored four in the eighth to edge Connellsville, 5-2, with John McCombs allowing four hits and striking out 16. LP Stipa ceded six hits and fanned 12.
Art Vojtkosky homered as Perryopolis downed Masontown, 12-8. Tom Kattaron hit a 3-run homer and George Franks, Kroftcheck, and Ron Rifenburg led Masontown at bat.
– Latrobe Teeners collared Fayette, 2-0, to win their best-of-3 playoff series (2-1) and advance to the Regionals. Frank Yanosky pitched a three-hitter and had a triple and single to pace Latrobe. Tom Landman (2) and Kenyok had the Fayette hits.
– Nationals edged Americans, 5-2, in the annual Teener League All-Star Game at Bailey Park. Ed Dvorchak and Ed Semans combined to pitch a winning 7-hitter. Paul Cenker and Jake Swaney had two hits and John Holt a double for the winners.
– Uniontown retained a tie for the County League lead by edging Smock, 3-1, the final edge being Mike Lemansky’s two-run homer in the eighth. Dick Cole and Bill Scott combined to pitch a winning 2-hitter. Lemansky and Don Tekavec had three hits and Junior Marra two for Uniontown.
Filbert got four in the seventh and tripped Buffington, 5-4. Paul Cooley had three hits and Tom Kolessar, Paul Wilczynski, and Flora hit doubles for Filberrt.
– The next day, Brownsville took over the County League lead by thumping Uniontown, 10-5, as Bob Hanula (1 on), Ewing Bell (2 on), and Casper Voithofer (1 on) hit homeruns. Jack Garbutt had a 3-run shot for Uniontown.
Fred Answine hit a 3-run homer, single, and drove in four runs as Pals Club collared Filbert, 5-0. Lukasik pitched a winning two-hitter.
Roger Guty (2) and Gary Brain homered in Revere’s 13-2 rout of Buffington. WP Joe Skocik allowed eight hits and fanned 11.
– James L. Dunn Jr., of Uniontown, won the Fifth Flight championship in the Western Pa. Junior Golf Tournament, held at Allegheny Country Club. Dunn completed the four-day 72-hole competition without losing a match.
– County League standings: Brownsville 17-2, Uniontown 16-3, Smock and Pals Club 14-9, Revere 11-12, Buffington 6-13, and Filbert 7-20.
– The Pirates split a doubleheader with the Cubs, losing the opener 6-1, then winning the nightcap on Bill Virdon’s single in the 14th inning. Jerry Lynch tied the major league record for pinch-hit home runs with his 14th. With the split, the Bucs were 49-47, standing seventh, 11 games back of Los Angeles.
Remember?