Category: 1951

1951 NSC Women’s Fast Pitch World Tournament

1951 held at Phoenix, Arizona.

Champion – A-1 Queens, Phoenix, Arizona
Runner Up – Phoenix Lettuce Gems, Phoenix, Arizona

The A-1 Queens waited a full year for the chance to win back the NSC title from the Gems. They defeated the powerful Erv Lind Florists team from Portland 3-0 in the winners bracket final.

The Gems then eliminated the Florists and star pitcher Doris Barrett 3-2 in a 15-inning classic as Marge Lang won her third straight game in the losers bracket. She had just posted back to back 1-0 wins over Atlanta and Oklahoma City. But, in the finale, it was all the A-1 Queens as Charlotte Armstrong twirled a 1-hit shutout to earn a 3-0 victory in the championship.

MVP and Leading Hitter, Dodie Nelson had two hits in the final game, scored 2 runs and drove in a run.  She finished up 9-19 for a .473 batting average.

Betty Luna won the Miss Softball Award as she was either getting a base hit, making a play in the field or finishing up a game in relief to give Charlotte Armstrong a rest.

Armstrong won the Outstanding Pitcher award as she was 5-0.

After the tournament was over, the Queens played an exhibition game against an all-star team from the Oklahoma City and Portland players and won that game 2-1.

Charlotte Armstrong went all the way for the Queens who won in the bottom of the 7th innings on Lois William’s triple, Betty Luna’s double and Ethel Fuller’s game winning hit.

Alma Wilson pitched scoreless ball for 6 innings for the All Stars, only to see Doris Barrett come in relief in the seventh inning and lose the game.

  • MVP Award – Dodie Nelson, A-1 Queens (9-19, .473, played a tremendous outfield)
  • Outstanding Pitcher – Charlotte Armstrong, A-1 Queens (5-0, Hurled 10 inning 1-hit shutout in the final)
  • Leading Hitter – Dodie Nelson, A-1 Queens (9-19) – .473
  • Miss Softball Award – Betty Luna, A-1 Queens (Outfielder/Pitcher, did everything, hit, play the field or finish a game in relief)

1951 NSC ALL WORLD TEAM

P – Charlotte Armstrong, Phoenix A-1 Queens (5-0)
P – Doris Barrett, Erv Lind Florist (2-2)
P – Alma Wilson, Downtown Chevy Sooner Queens (3-2)
C – Jo Martin, Downtown Chevy Sooner Queens
C – Lois Williams, Phoenix A-1 Queens
1B – Flossie Ballard, Phoenix A-1 Queens
2B- Irene Mass, Erv Lind Florist
3B – Betty Luna, Phoenix A-1 Queens
SS – Dorothy “Snookie” Doyle, Phoenix A-1 Queens
OF – Marie Burris, Phoenix A-1 Queens
OF – Dodie Nelson, Phoenix A-1 Queens
OF – Eva Jo Sheever, Downtown Chevy Sooner Queens
UTIL – Alice Jorgensen, Seattle Epicures
UTIL – Robbie Mulkey, Erv Lind Florist

FINAL STANDINGS

1. A-1 Queens, Phoenix, AZ (5-0)
2. Phoenix Lettuce Gems, Phoenix, AZ (5-2)
3. Erv Lind Florists, Portland, OR (2-2)
4. Downtown Chevy Sooner Queens, Oklahoma City, OK (3-2)
5t. Lorelei Ladies, Atlanta, GA (3-2)
5t. Martin Maids, West Allis, WI (2-2)
7t. Eagle Markets, Quint-Cities, IA (1-2)
7t. Epicures, Seattle, WA (1-2)
9t. Imperialettes, El Centro, CA (0-2)
9t. Webster Dairy Girls, Glendale, AZ (0-2)
9t. Cincinnati Comettes, Cincinnati, OH (0-2)
9t. Shamrocks, Salt Lake City, UT (0-2)

1951 ISC Men’s Fast Pitch World Tournament

1951 held at Phoenix, Arizona on September 7-19.

Champion – Softball Club, Calvert, California
Runner Up – Fike Plumbers, Phoenix, Arizona

This was the first NSC tournament held after Carrol Forbes left the NSC and formed the ISL. There was certainly a battle for the big-name teams between the two
organizations. The Hanford Kings stayed with the NSC in 1951 while the Hoak Packers from Fresno went to the ISL tournament in Greeley, CO.

The Calvert club breezed throught the winner’s bracket, outscoring their opponents 21-4 in their first three games. Meanwhile, Fike Plumbers of Phoenix were in a dog fight for their first three games, winning each one by a 3-2 score, including an eight inning win over Sapulpa. However in the winner’s bracket final, Fike cut loose and clobbered Calvert, 7-2 to remain in the driver’s seat.

Hanford, who had lost their first game, 5-1 to Calvert went into the loser’s bracket and built momentum with each game they played, winning 5 games and outscoring their
opposition, 30-7 including 3 shutout games. This set them up for a rematch with Calvert in the loser’s bracket final. Calvert knocked them out of the tournament with a 4-3 win and then met the Plumber boys from Phoenix in a rematch.

Calvert were victorious, 1-0 in a 10-inning match and won the final and the 1951 NSC championship with a 5-0 shutout in the 9-inning game. George Walker with Salt Lake City got into a 15-inning match with Paul Woods of the OS Stapley team from Phoenix. The Street Department swept them up, 2-1.

  • Cleo Goyette Memorial MVP Award – Bill Deloach, Softball Club
  • Leroy Zimmerman Memorial Pitching Award – Weldon Haney, Softball Club
  • Leading Hitter – Larue Savage, Colonials – .462
  • Most RBI – N/A

1951 ISC FIRST TEAM ALL WORLD

P – Kenny Law, Fike Plumbers
P – Weldon Haney, Softball Club
P – Les Haney, Kings
C – Charles Morris, Kings
C – George North, Street Department
IF – Dick Gonzales, Softball Club
IF – Bill Deloach, Softball Club
IF – Lyle Glenn, Kings
IF – Larue Savage, Colonials
OF – Lou Ferrero, Kings
OF – Bob Neeley, Fike Plumbers
OF – Buddy Storer, Softball Club
UTIL – Clyde Woods, Stanford Home Builders
UTIL – Bill Heard, Kings

FINAL STANDINGS

1. Softball Club, Calvert, CA
2. Fike Plumbers, Phoenix, AZ
3. Kings, Hanford, CA
4. Colonials, Springfield, MO
5t. Street Department, Salt Lake City, UT
5t. Fisher-Hess Pontiac, Ogden, UT
7t. Double Seven Corp., Phoenix, AZ
7t. Stanford Home Builders, Oklahoma City, OK
9t. Bartlett-Collins Glass, Sapulpa, OK
9t. Cassidy Chevrolet, Kentland, IN
9t. Holloman AFB, Los Cruces, NM
9t. Merchants, Tampico, IL
13t. O.S. Stapley, Phoenix, AZ
13t. Tony’s Famous Foods, Fort Dodge, IA
13t. General Depot, Ogden, UT

1951 ASA Women’s Major Fast Pitch Nationals

1951 held at Portland, Oregon.

Champion – Orange Lionettes, Orange, California
Runner Up – Betsy Ross Rockets, Fresno, California

Pat Collins, Lionettes (with only one hit in 8 at bats in the game, she made it count as she drove in winning run with a hit in the 20th inning to win the Championship). The Lionettes scored their first run on an error in the second inning. Then in the 4th inning, Kay Rich smacked a double and then tied the score on Irene Huber’s hit. The score stayed that way until the 20th inning when Collins clutch hit scored Joann McLachlin with the winning run. Ruth Sears of the Lionettes was 3-8 in the final game

Jo Nelson (2-1) and Florence Root (2-1) pitched the Dieselettes to a 4-2 record and third place.

Hazel Lane, American Lithofolders (3-0, 22 IP, 17 Ks)

Bertha Ragan-Tickey of Orange Lionettes hurled 143 consecutive scoreless innings during the season. in the 12 years she has been pitching, she has 205 shutouts of which 96 have been no-hitters. Three of those were perfect games.  She also had accumulated 4320 Strikeouts. That is an average of 360 per year.

  • MVP – Bertha Ragan-Tickey, Orange Lionettes
  • HR Leader – 13 players tied with 1 HR
  • Batting Leader – Mary Gilpin, Schrader Company – .545

FIRST TEAM ALL-AMERICANS

P – Bertha Ragan-Tickey, Orange Lionettes (5-0, including the 20 inning 2-1 championship game clincher, had 22 K in the game, total of 60 K in 48 IP)
P – Virginia “Ginny” Busick, Fresno Rockets (4-1, 51 IP, 55 K, started the final game, went 14 innings giving up only the one unearned run, before exiting the game.)
P – Margie Law, Phoenix Ramblers (3-1, 29 IP, 51 K)
C – Betty Schlegel, Fresno Rockets
1B – Ruth Sears, Orange Lionettes (7-20, .350)
2B – Shirley Coney, Caterpillar Dieselettes
3B – Dorothy Naples, Schrader Company
SS – Kay Rich, Fresno Rockets
OF – Carolyn Thome, Caterpillar Dieselettes
OF – Mary Gilpen, Schrader Company (6-11, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 2 Runs)
OF – JoAnn McLachlan, Orange Lionettes

FINAL STANDINGS

1. Orange Lionettes, Orange, CA (5-0) (Defending Champ)
2. Betsy Ross Rockets, Fresno, CA (4-2) (North Pacific Coast)
3. Caterpillar Dieselettes, Peoria, IL (4-2) (West Central)
4. PBSW Ramblers, Phoenix, AZ (4-2) (Rocky Mountain)
5t. American Lithofolders, Detroit, MI (4-2) (Host)
5t. Wooten Motors Motorettes, Fort Worth, TX (2-2) (Texas)
7t. Hall-Maytag Girls, St. Petersburg, FL (2-2) (Southern)
7t. Schrader’s Company Lamos, Cleveland, OH (2-2) (East Central)
9t. Goetz Girls, St. Joseph’s, MO (2-2) (Western)
9t. Ace Bowlers, Toronto, ON (1-2) (Canada)
9t. Lynx, Buena Park, CA (1-2) (South Pacific Coast)
9t. Victor’s Market, Minneapolis, MN (1-2) (Northern)
13t. Building Trades Council, Baton Rouge, LA (0-2) (Southwestern)
13t. Cardinalettes, Pottstown, PA (0-2) (Central Atlantic)
13t. Holling Debs, Buffalo, NY (0-2) (Mid-Atlantic)
13t. Hartford Laurelettes, Hartford, CT (0-2) (North Atlantic)
17. Green Jackets, Bremerton, WA (0-2) (Northwestern)

1951 ASA Men’s Major Fast Pitch Nationals

1951 held at Detroit, Michigan.

Champion – Dow AC Chemical Company, Midland, Michigan
Runner Up – Clearwater Bombers, Clearwater, Florida

John Hunter of the Clearwater Bombers was 5-0, 75 K, 39 IP, 2 shutouts, three 1-hitters, before hurting a nerve in his pitching arm. He struck out 16 in his first game, 4-2 win and then in a 3-1 victory, struck out 19 hurling a 1-hitter. He then threw another 1-hitter, shutting out Toronto and ace pitcher Percy McCrackin 6-0. Hunter struck 17 more. At this point, he had 52 Ks in the first 3 games. Hunter came back and defeated the Grumman Yankees with star hurler Roy Stephenson, 1-0 in 11 innings behind Buster Zeigler’s bases loaded walk off single. Once again, he tossed a 1-hitter and struck out 13 batters. In the winner’s bracket final, Hunter defeated Dow AC with Clyde Lefty Dexter on the mound, 3-1 with 10 K’s. He had hurt his arm against the Long Island Yankees and pitched through it, but after his 5th game, he could not continue any longer.

By the way, Dexter and the Dow AC team had just beat the Grumman Yankees 4-0 in 21 innings. Dexter pitched that whole game and in the top of the 21st inning, Jack Kett singles, Al Linde doubled, Jim Streiter was walked intentionally to get to Clyde Dexter and all he did was hit a grand slam to give Dow the 4-0 win and advancing them to the finals, where Dexter came back only to lose the 3-1 game.

Clyde Dexter of Dow AC went 3-0, 42 IP, 36 K, pitched a 21 inning shutout to beat Grumman’s star Roy Stephenson, Dexter hit a grand slam to win the game, moving Dow AC to the Championship.

John Skolnicki of Dow AC  went 2-0, pitched 10-0 and 4-0 shutouts in the final two games, giving up only 5 hits total to win title). He also was 2-2 with a 2B and 2 RBI in the Championship game.

Don McDonald was 1-1 and pitched the other game for Dow, losing 3-1 in the winners bracket final.

Al Linde of Dow AC was 11-28, .393, 1 HR, 7 RBI, 8 Runs 5 2B and 3-4 in Championship, with a HR, 3B, 3 RBI and 2 Runs scored.

Jack Kett of Dow AC was 6-24, .250: 2-4 with a 2B and an RBI in the championship.

Roy Stephenson of Grumman Yankees was 4-2, 66 IP, 52 of those innings came in the last 29 hours of the tournament.

After John Hunter hurt his arm and could no longer pitch, Jess McWhorter took over for the Bombers in the first championship game, only to lose to to Dow AC, as pitcher John Skolnicki hurled a 3-hit shutout, winning the game 4-0 for Dow. Skolnicki also had 2 RBI in that game.

In the Final Championship game, it was not even close as the Midland squad exploded for a 10-0 win. Skolnicki pitched a 2-hit shutout and once again accounted for 2 RBI. The Legendary Al Linde went 3-4 with a double, a home run, 3 RBI and 2 Runs scored in the final.

The Bombers Jerry Curtis and Jess McWhorter could do nothing to stop the Dow bats. Dow finished the tournament with a 6-1 record.

  • MVP – John Hunter, Clearwater Bombers
  • Batting Leader – John Zula, Calumet City Chiefs – .535
  • Home Run Leader – Bobby Forbes, Clearwater Bombers – 2
  • Home Run Leader – Benefield, Denver Murphy Chevrolet (4-16, .266, 7 RBI, 4 Runs) – 2
  • Home Run Leader – Seidel, Calumet City Chiefs (4-19, .210, 5 RBI, 4 Runs) – 2

FIRST TEAM ALL AMERICANS

P – John Hunter, Clearwater Bombers
P – Roy Stephenson, Grumman Aircraft
P – Clyde Dexter, Dow Chemical
C – Ken Overcash, Clearwater Bombers
1B – John Zula, Chiefs (8-15, 2 RBI, 3 Runs)
2B – James Hooker, Buck Miller’s All-Stars
3B – G “Dutch” Hanel, Murphy-Mahoney
SS – Pat Campagna, Grumman Aircraft
OF – Al Linde, Dow Chemical
OF – Bobby Forbes, Clearwater Bombers (6-21, .285, 4 RBI, 5 Runs)
OF – Carroll Lee, Babbitt Realty
UTIL – Robert Crouch, Clearwater Bombers

FINAL STANDINGS

1. Dow Chemical AC, Midland, MI (6-1) (East Central)
2. Clearwater Bombers, Clearwater, FL (5-2) (Defending Champ)
3. Grumman Aircraft Yankees, Bethpage, NY (4-2) (Mid-Atlantic)
4. Buck Miller’s All Stars, Memphis, TN (4-2) (Southwestern)*
5t. Chiefs, Calumet City, IL (3-2) (West Central)
5t. Murphy Chevrolet, Denver, CO (3-2) (Rocky Mountain)
7t. Levi Auto, Toronto, ON (2-2) (Canada)
7t. Star-Kist Tunas, San Pedro, CA (2-2) (South Pacific Coast)
9t. Trenton Democrats, Baltimore, MD (2-2) (Central Atlantic)
9t. Babbitt Realty, Houston, TX (2-2) (Texas)
9t. Western Gravel, San Jose, CA (1-2) (North Pacific Coast)
9t. Union Wire Rope, Kansas City, MO (1-2) (Western)*
13t. Peerless Woolen, Rossville, GA (0-2) (Southern)
13t. Briggs Beautyware, Detroit, MI (0-2) (Host)
13t. Casino Espanol, Havana, Cuba (0-2) (Cuba)
13t. Cochituate Motors, Cochituate, MA (0-2) (North Atlantic)
17t. Copping Big Bricks, Eugene, OR (0-2) (Northwestern)
17t. Hickham Field Flyers, Honolulu, HI (0-2) (F) (US Air Force)

* won a game by forfeit

NOTES

Northern Champ – 20th Century Signs, Bismarck, ND (Northern) did not attend.