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Out of the Past

By Jim Kriek For The 6 min read

Fay-West League was going strong at start of July in 1970 One of the most difficult scenes to imagine for this part of the country at this time of year is a summer without sandlot baseball.

No Big Ten, no County League, none of the strong organizations that covered the area 50 years ago.

One of these recent columns noted that in that particular week being recalled there were 34 teams playing around Fayette and part of Greene County.

But for this week back in 1970, only the Fay-West League was going.

There were American Legion games, the VFW Teener League, and there were no end of Little and Pony Leagues and softball games.

But there were none of what one observer once called “Patch Teams” that made for enjoyable evenings and relaxing Sundays at the ball field.

However, there was one bit of good news out of Pittsburgh, and this is not something written by the Grimm Brothers.

A banner headline in the Morning Herald proclaimed “Bucs Win Fourth Straight.”

No fairy tale. The Pirates scored three in the last of the ninth to edge St. Louis, 3-2, and at that moment they were 37-35 overall, in third place (half-game out of second), trailing the Mets and Cubs.

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In the Fay-West League, Breakneck scored four in the sixth, three on Pickhandle Merkosky’s home run, to stop first-place Trotter, 5-2. Bill Lessman pitched a four-hitter and batterymate John Coughenour added a double to the offense.

Mill Run got two in the last of the sixth to nip Dunbar, 4-2, and pull even for the season. Don Shearer hit a triple and single and Bugs Orndorff a triple, and Roger Miller gained the pitching edge over Rick Vernon.

That left Trotter 12-8, Breakneck 11-8, Mill Run 9-9 and Dunbar 3-17.

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Some good pitching efforts marked the American Legion lineup.

Republic nailed Uniontown, 6-2, behind the 7-hit, 11-strikeout pitching of Jack Rupenthal, and held onto second place in the South Division.

Roger Miller started for Uniontown, but was injured (extent of the injury not noted), and was followed to the mound by Mark Cooley and Garrett Breakiron.

Joe Mazurek had three hits and Bruce Rechichar a double for Republic. Tom Holliday had three hits for Uniontown.

Also in the South Division, Bob Clites worked a 2-hitter as Point Marion stopped Brownsville, 7-2. Dave Penich had a double for Brownsville.

In the North Division, Connellsville maintained its one game lead over Fayette City with an 11-1 win over Perryopolis, as Stan Cudnik fired a 2-hitter and fanned 13. Les Hart and Ron Conner had a double and single, and Wolinski two singles for Connellsville.

Fayette City stayed right behind Connellsville with a 6-3 win over Masontown.

Their 14-hit attack included four by O’Hara (2B), E. Guthrie 3B, 2B, and 1B, Jim Russell’s triple, and three each by Flock (2B) and Rohland. Don Belczyk was the winning pitcher in relief.

Connellsville then collared Point Marion, 5-0, as Bill Petko allowed just four hits and struck out 14 (no walks). John Schroyer and Barry Harvey hit triples, Les Hart a double, and Bob Crawford two singles.

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Connellsville was also out front in the VFW Teener League, scoring in the last of the seventh to edge Point Marion, 3-2, and keep the edge. Bob Mongelluzzo singled home Ron Addis to give Tim Trafecanty the pitching win.

Colonial got five in the fifth to clinch a 7-3 win over Perryopolis, the edge coming on singles by Jim Kelly, Rick Smiell, Dave Pindrock, John Zaiglin, Dan Spiranic, and Paul Lancaster, coupled with an error.

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Elsewhere around the area:

-Asbury pulled a triple play during a 6-2 win over Christ Methodist in Protestant Softball League play.

With two on, Rambo speared a liner, doubled the runner at second, then fired to first to get the retreating runner. Jim Hobgood homered for Asbury.

-John McCune, who helped Uniontown St. John gain a 21-4 record the past season and gain the PCIAA-C (State) finals for the second year in a row, will enroll at Carroll College, Helena, Montana.

-John Giachetti, of Cleveland, Ohio, native of Uniontown and former Golden Gloves champion, is head coach of the United States AAU boxing team touring Europe.

-George Yasenosky pitched a no-hitter as Crows buried the Lions, 26-0, in Smithfield Little League play.

-Jan Withrow, Uniontown, playing baseball for the Third Armored Division team in Europe, hit a two-run homer for all the edge needed in a 2-1 win over V Division. He also had three hits in an 11-5 win over the Eighth Infantry Division.

-Robb Bartholmai, former Waynesburg High football player and wrestler, has graduated from Pitt Dental School.

-Casper Voithofer, assistant coach at Penn State, is now coaching a team in the Puerto Rican basketball league.

-John Katusa, Carmichaels, defensive line coach the last four years at California State, has been named head coach, succeeding Bill Hepner.

Katusa previously coached at Redstone, Monongahela, and German Twp. He is also assistant dean of men at Cal.

-In VFW Teener League play, Connellsville padded its lead with a 9-2 win over Perryopolis. Dave Shearer pitched the win, and Bob Mongelluzzo hit a double and single.

Colonial scored 10 in the first and cruised to an 11-3 win over Point Marion. Greg Garbutt pitched a 5-hitter and Paul Lancaster hit a double and single, Voithofer had three PM hits.

-Republic blasted Brownsville, 13-4 in American Legion South play, to tie Point Marion for the division lead. Gary Moore fanned 11, and Ed O’Roark and Bill Holloman had a double and single each.

Bill Hadden and Andy Kovalik had Brownsville doubles.

-Senior right-hander Bill Micsky (Beth-Center) received the Joe Bedenk Award as most valuable player for Penn State’s baseball team the past season. He posted a 6-1 record and 2.43 earned run average.

-Connellsville pitcher Dave Ryan struck out nine and ran his consecutive scoreless innings streak to 16, as Connellsville blanked Point Marion, 5-0, in VFW Teener League play.

Bill Nesbitt (1 on) and Bob Mongelluzzo homered, and Nesbitt and Mark Krall doubled.

Colonial scored seven in the first and defeated Perryopolis, 11-3, Greg Garbutt (3B, 2B), and Dave Pindrock (2B) led the offense.

Perryopolis rebounded with a 12-6 win over Point Marion. Ed Hough worked a 5-hitter, and Ken Lang (3B), Al Lang (2B), and Lew Sweitzer (2B) led the offense.

Woods doubled for PM.

-Uniontown scored five in the seventh to nip Point Marion, 10-7, in American Legion play, led by Bob Dudics (2B) and Tom Holliday and Ken Meadows triples.

Jackson had a double for PM.

Bill McClusky and Tom Pearson singled in runs in the last inning to give Perryopolis a 6-4 win over Masontown.

John Noschese added a triple and Travis a double. Earl Guthrie and Pat Buras had Masontown doubles.

-And the Pirates? They were still two games back in third after a 4-3 win over St. Louis.

Seems that one-run jinx was going the other way back then!

Jim Kriek is a Herald-Standard sports correspondent.

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