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Local baseball all-stars met this week in 1962

By Commentary Jim Kriek 5 min read

Never mind all this hoopla about the major league All-Star game in Pittsburgh. Away back in this week, in 1962, there was more excitement about another All-Star game being played around here.

It was the halfway point of the season for the Fayette County and Fay-West Baseball Leagues, and that meant just one thing locally – it was time for the annual All-Star game matching the best of each league’s players against each other.

Oh, there were no six-figure bonuses for these All-Stars, like some ‘major league’ players have written into their contracts for being picked to play in their version of the game, nor were there any big festivities planned. No parades, boat races, artistry around the city, and chasing the tipplers off the streets like we have been hearing about.

No, locally, it was just the prestige of being picked to play in the game and the resultant bragging rights for another year that would be afforded the winning league.

Pals Club and Brownsville, then one-two in the standings, led the County picks with six each for the 25-man squad, to be managed by John Biskup, of Pals, assisted by Paul Gmutza, of Filbert. Coaches were Ray Garbutt (Smock) and Joe Waineski (Brownsville).

Players included:

Pals Club – Tom Croftcheck, C; Joe Hatalla, 2B; Bob Korcheck and Bill Marovic, OF; John Radosevich and Ed Herczyk, P.

Brownsville – Pickhandle Merkosky, C; Jim Kuhns, SS; Paul Redzanic and Bill Scott, OF; Don Young and Bruce Dal Canton, P.

Smock – Bob Myden, C; Phil Petrell, 3B; Charlie Locke, OF.

Filbert – Jack Garbutt, 1B; Rudy Martina, 3B; Joe Craig and Bernie Logan, OF, Joe Kafko, P.

Buffington – Glenn Burns, 2B; Ray Stathers, SS; and Paul Zombar, P.

Revere – Frank Havrilla, 1B.

Republic – Walter Workman, SS.

Fred Mazurek (Pals) and Cy Rechichar (Revere), both out with injuries, were named honorary members of the team.

The Fay-West League Stars will be managed by George Leonard, Breakneck, with his staff still to be named. The players included:

Wooddale – Ben Beals, C; Paul Alexander, 1B; Don Cooper, 3B; Ed Kuhn, SS; Karl Hesson, OF, and Snipe Hartz, Bill Lessman, and Lou Sibal, P.

Breakneck – Mike Minerd, 2B; Augie Reich, 3B; Bob Beals, Ted Kozel, and Peanut Leonard, OF, and Bill Little, P.

Mill Run – Ken Osler, C; Marlyn Dull, 1B; Bugs Orndorff, 2B; Bradley Bryner and Dave Schaefer, OF; and Marvin Eicher, IF.

Connellsville – Joe Beucher, 1B; Bob Flockvich, SS; Don Soberdash and Scott Flack, OF; Harry Halfhill, P, and Dick Basinger, IF.

How about those for two good All-Star lineups??

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Elsewhere that week:

-Nixon Gun Club and Ross Bros. tied for honors in the weekly Fayette County Trap League competition, with 122 breaks. Perfect 25 scores were shot by A. Franks and W. Sabo, Nixon; A.J. Myers and E.A. Ross, Ross Bros.; J. Hvizdos, Fayette Club; and W. B. Taylor, Masontown Sports Center.

-Stan Musial was named to the National League All-Star team for a record 19th time.

-In a match of Connellsville High teammates, Jack Trump defeated Craig Seese, 7-5, 6-3, to win the Senior Boys Division tennis championship at East Park. Arlene Zimmerman won the Girls Division title, 6-2, 6-2, over Kathy Seese, and Fred Piper beat Dan Filburn, 6-4, 6-1, to win the Junior Boys crown.

-In Fay-West League play, Wooddale beat visiting Connellsville, 11-5, for its 20th win, on Bill Lessman’s 6-hitter, two by Dick Basinger. Wayne Stewart led the Dalers with two homers and four RBI. Paul Alexander led off the home first by socking the first pitch into the trees in right. Karl Hesson and Ben Beal added two-run shots.

Breakneck downed Mill Run, 10-2, as Bill Little and Dick Murray combined on a 5-hitter, three by Marvin Eicher. Mike Minerd had three hits and Ted Kozel two for Breakneck.

-Ben Mateosky, native of Uniontown, now playing for Richmond, Va., has been named an outfielder on the International League All-Star team that will play Baltimore on July 11.

-Arthur C. Hess Jr., of Connellsville Twp., caught a 32-pound Wahoo while on vacation in Florida, and entered it in the Metropolitan Miami fishing contest.

-Head coaches all renamed at Redstone include Bill Cessar (football), Paul Polink (basketball), and John DePasquale (track), plus Mike Palamara (football asst.), Vince Coppolino (junior high football), and Bob Perry (junior high assistant).

-There was good reason to celebrate in Mill Run after this win!! The Millers snapped Wooddale’s 8-game Fay-West winning streak, 4-2, as Hughy Bigam pitched five strong innings, and Bob Burke the last two. The Dalers came into the game with 17 homers in their last six games, but this time it was Mill Run hitting the long shots, back-to-back by Ross Orndorff, a 3-run shot, and Bradley Bryner’s solo effort. Marvin Eicher added a triple and single. Paul Alexander and Karl Hesson each had a double and single to lead Wooddale.

Breakneck used a 16-hit barrage to back up Crusher Grinko’s 8-hit pitching to topple Connellsville, 17-5. Bob Beals had four hits, Mike Minerd smacked a 2-run homer, Ted Kozel and Mel Smith added two doubles each, and Augie Reich had a double and single.

-Vernon Law celebrated the arrival of his fifth son by pitching the Pirates to a 7-0 win over Houston. Just for good measure the Bucs a made it a twi-night sweep, 4-3, in the nightcap. (A one-run game the right way!!).

-How about this for a record! Funeral services were held in Bedford for Edgar Cypher, 87, who had attended every Pirate opening game from 1893 through 1960 – 68 consecutive years – then missing in 1961-62 because of illness. RIP to a real fan!!

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