Out of the Past
1960: Baseball still king on local sports scene Those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer we once sang about are indeed winding down all too quickly, moving into the last quarter, so to speak.
Local baseball has ended and now attention has turned to pre-season workouts by the scholastic football teams.
But for the time being, let’s go back, awaayyyyy back, over four decades, to this week in 1960 when there was still a lot of baseball being played, as leagues headed into their post-season playoffs. Football workouts had started in high schools and colleges, but for the moment, that was secondary to baseball around here.
As the summary noted, “Pals Club pulled one of the biggest surprises of the County League season” and gained a berth in the playoff championship finals.
Pals ambushed Filbert, 6-4, in game five of the best-of-five semi-final series and moved into the championship round.
Jake Olsavsky homered for Filbert, and Murnis Banner for Pals. Filbert had a threat going in the ninth, scoring two runs and had the bases loaded. But Ed Herczyk came on in relief and got two outs, ending the game with a strikeout, to preserve the lead and the clinching win. Banner, Joe Kurnot, Magerko, and Franks all had two hits, and Hatella and Mazurek hit doubles. Lemansky led Filbert with a double and single, and Stathers and Kopas hit doubles. The umpires listed for the game included two long-time veterans of the mask and pads, Chink Andria and Jack McMullen.
Coolspring evened its semifinal series with Colonial at 2-2 by winning an 18-10 slugfest. Coolspring had 20 hits, Ron Susano going 6-for-6 with a homer and two doubles. John Kolar had four hits (HR, 2B), WP Buck Grover hit two doubles, Bill Scott a double, and Tom Croftcheck, Pickhandle Merkosky, and Andy Machusko had two hits. For Colonial, Paul Redzanic hit a grand slam and three singles; Jack Garbutt had four hits and Frank Glista three as both had two doubles.
Coolspring then scored a 15-1 rout and advanced to the championship round with Pals. Bill Scott pitched a winning 4-hitter, three in the fourth when he ceded the only run, and one in the ninth. Scott also helped his win along with a triple, double, and single. Croftcheck (2 doubles) and Machusko (2B) had four hits, Niemic and Kollar two, and Martina and Marra doubles. Charlie Locke had two Colonial hits.
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The Fay-West League started its championship finals with regular season champion Wooddale meeting Mill Run in a best-of-seven set. The Dalers got away to a 14-1 winning start, as Snipe Hartz and Karl Hesson combined to pitch a two-hitter, ceding only Van Kooser’s single and Tom Gallentine’s triple, the latter becoming the only Mill Run score in the seventh. Hesson (HR) had three hits, and Blaine Brooks (2B), Frank Siecinski (3B), Paul Alexander, and Hartz all had two.
Wooddale got to the finals by beating Norvelt, while Mill Run ousted Trotter, winning the deciding game 11-4. Bill Miller led with three hits, and Bob Galasso, Ken Smith, Jack Osler, and WP Ken Osler all had two. Don Heffley had three Trotter hits, and Jim Gross (2B) two.
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Moose beat Kiwanis, 7-3, to win the best-of-three Teener League championship finals at Bailey Park. Moose took a 4-2 lead in the second on a grand slam by Bill Hughes, over the fence in right, the first slam hit all season by any Teener League player. Ted Barnett added a triple and single, and Metts and Hull hit doubles.
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Joe Thomas was in real championship form that week. The Uniontown runner set new meet records for the 880 and mile to help Uniontown finish fifth in the All-Comers Track Meet at Indiana. Thomas, who set an Eastern scholastic mile record (4:14.9) at Mount Lebanon in WPIAL competition, won the mile run in 4:19.7, then he and teammate Jim Hart ran one-two in the 880, Thomas winning in 2:00.3. This earned him top track performer honors for the meet. Buzzy Cassidy, Uniontown, ran away in the 3-mile, winning in 16:26.5, and Chuck White took third in the 440 to complete Uniontown scoring. John Kantner, Brownsville, set a new pole vault record, of 12-6.
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In other sports notes:
– The Pirates lost to St. Louis, 9-2, but still led the National League by three games (65-42) over the Cards.
– Searights scored a run in the eighth to nip Braznell, 2-1, in Pleasant Valley League play. Emil Selong pitched a 3-hitter and helped his win along with a double and single. Andy Sepsi (HR, 1B) and Marbury (2B, 1B) led Braznell.
– Pa. Women’s Golf Championship play started at Fox Chapel Golf Club, with opening qualifiers including Mrs. Helen Benitoa, Uniontown, 39-42-81, and Miss Ann White, Uniontown, 44-41-85.
– Lebanese Club beat State Highway, 10-3, led by Tamer Joseph with three hits (2B) and Fred David, three hits.
– West Virginia opened football drills with 83 prospects, including tackle Bill Groves, Carmichaels; center Bud Shillings, Isabella; QB Allan Cairns, California, and FB Bob Benke, Star Junction.
– The Pirates swept St. Louis, 9-4 and 3-2, as Vern Law notched his 17th win, and hiked their lead to six games.
– Second round results in Pa. Women’s Golf Championship play at Fox Chapel included Mrs. Helen Benitoa, Uniontown, defeating Mrs. C. Otis, Pittsburgh, 3 and 2, while Mrs. John Dyson, Hazleton, defeated Miss Ann White, Uniontown, 2 and 1.
– Searights beat East Millsboro 12-7 and won the Pleasant Valley League championship. Allan Sepsi (HR) had three hits, Demko (HR, 3B) and Andy Sepsi (2B) had two. Ujcheck hit two doubles and A. Lent one for EM.
– Pirates swept the Phils, 11-2 as Bob Friend got his 13th win, and 4-3, with Roy Face winning in relief. The Bucs are now 70-43 and leading by 71/2 games.
– Marvin Anderson, 131, of Shaffer’s Boys Club, won a unanimous decision over Carl Douglas of Braddock on a boxing card at Martins Ferry, O.
– The County League playoff finals opened with Coolspring edging Pals Club, 2-1, but Pals filed a protest claiming that plate umpire Pete Vansick called the game after 71/2 innings, when there was still light enough to play. Jim Susano pitched a 4-hitter to outduel Ed Herczyk, who allowed six. Joe Hatalla’s double for Pals was the only hit for extra bases. League officials later threw out the protest, giving Coolspring a 1-0 lead in the best-of-7 set.
– Quarterfinal round play in the state women’s golf championship saw Miss Ann White defeating Mrs.T.E. Nelson, New Castle, 3 and 2, and Mrs. Helen Benitoa over Mrs. B. Halpern, Pittsburgh, 2 and 1.
In the third round, Miss White lost to Mrs. Paul Klinefelter, 3 and 2, while Mrs. Benitoa nipped Mrs. P.M. Tepolitz, Pittsburgh, 2 and 1. Then Mrs. J.G. Capers Jr., Philadelphia, defeated Mrs. Benitoa, 2 and 1, and advanced to the finals.
– Uniontown has 13 seniors among their football prospects for the season, 10 of them lettermen. The latter include Bob Turpin, Bill Vicini, Tim Washnock, Al DeVerne, Tom Shaneyfelter, John Patek, Jim Evans, Bill Onseko, Rich Curry and Clyde Thomas, plus Marlin Ford, Les Sarson, and Paul Petrone.
Jim Kriek is a Herald-Standard sports correspondent.