Category: 1955

1955 ISC Men’s Fast Pitch World Tournament

1955 held at New Bedford, Illinois on August 28-September 5.

Champion – Nitehawks, Long Beach, California
Runner Up – Condors, Dinuba, California

  • Cleo Goyette Memorial MVP Award – Kenny Law, A-1 Construction
  • Leroy Zimmerman Memorial Pitching Award – LeRoy Zimmerman, Nitehawks
  • Leading Hitter – Charles Fazzone, Future A.C. – .583
  • Most RBI – N/A
  • Most Promising Young Player – Wally Gifford, Potter’s Drive-In

1955 ISC FIRST TEAM ALL WORLD

P – LeRoy Zimmerman, Nitehawks
P – Bryan Voigt, Condors
P – Jim Boender, Elites
P – Jack Randall, Nitehawks
C – Stan White, Nitehawks
C – Jack Miers, Elites
C – Don Helmuth, Condors
1B – Larry Silvas, Nitehawks
2B – Ray Unruh, Condors
3B – J.Mato, Condors
SS – Cleo Goyette
OF – Charles Fazzone, New Castle
OF – Lou Novikoff, Nitehawks
OF – Les Arnold, Elites
UTIL – Jim Brown, Reynolds
UTIL – Bob Neely, A-1 Construction

FINAL STANDINGS

1. Nitehawks, Long Beach, CA
2. Condors, Dinuba, CA
3. Elites, New Bedford, IL
4. Local 1014 Chief’s, Gary, IN
5t. A-1 Construction, Phoenix, AZ
5t. Reynolds, Arlington, TX
7t. Future A.C., New Castle, PA
7t. Potter’s Drive-in, Elgin, IL
9t. Public Service Co., Platteville, CO
9t. National Cash Register, Dayton, OH
9t. Motors, Cochituate, MA
9t. Seiben’s Hybrids, Geneseo, IL
13t. Mid-America Securities, Salt Lake City, UT
13t., Springfield, MO
13t. Silver Tavern, Kenosha, WI
13t. VFW, Ft. Madison, IA

1955 ASA Men’s Open Slow Pitch Nationals

1955 held in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Champion – Lang’s Pet Shop, Covington, Kentucky
Runner Up – Tresler’s Comets, Cincinnati, Ohio

Lang’s Pet Shop defeated Tresler’s Comets 6-1 in the winners bracket final and watched as the Comets beat Rhodes-Garden Club of Pennsylvania 11-5. Rhodes had previously eliminated last year’s champ, Waldeck’s Tavern by a 13-6 score.

Tresler’s Comets then eliminated Rhodes-Garden 5-1 to get another crack at Lang’s. The Comets defeated Lang’s 7-6 behind the big bat of Jack Carmichael and then forced another game.

Lang’s prevailed in the final championship game 19-13. Paul Zembrodt was 3-4 with a triple, 2 HR and 5 RBI for Lang’s. Ralph Bo Stuntebeck, Jack Nie and Gene Dittoe (2B, 3B, HR, 3 RBI), also collected 3 hits apiece. Bill Zeigler smacked a 3-run homer to chip in for Lang’s. Ed Reuter (HR, 4 RBI) and Art Merten (3B, 3 RBI) led Tresler’s with 3 hits each. Jack Carmichael added 2 more hits, including a double and 2 RBI to complete an outstanding tournament performance. Lang’s pitcher Tom Infield won 5 straight including the winner’s bracket final giving up only 9 runs, he hurled 3 consecutive 1-Run games to the King Seat.

Tresler’s Comets played in the same league as Shield’s Realty, Waldeck’s Tavern, and the Cincinnati Firefighters.

  • MVP – Jack Carmichael, Tresler’s Comets
  • HR Leader – Jack Carmichael, Tresler’s Comets
  • Batting Leader – Gene Dittoe, Lang’s Pet Shop – .667
  • Outstanding Pitcher Award – Tom Imfield, Lang’s Pet Shop

FIRST TEAM ALL-AMERICANS

P – Tom Imfield, Lang’s Pet Shop (6-1 record, gave up only 5 runs in the first 5 games)
C – Francis Scumaci, Continental Can
1B – Art Merten, Tresler’s Comets
2B – Ralph Bo Stuntebeck, Lang’s Pet Shop
3B – Joe Ober, Tresler’s Comets
SS – Bob Trainor, Waldeck’s Tavern
SF – Ed Rueter, Tresler’s Comets
OF – Jack Carmichael, Tresler’s Comets
OF – Walt Wherry, Lang’s Pet Shop
OF – Albert Tankosh, Rhodes-Garden Club
OF – Gene Dittoe, Lang’s Pet Shop (16-24, .667)

FINAL STANDINGS

1. Lang’s Pet Shop, Covington, KY (6-1)
2. Tresler’s Comets, Cincinnati, OH (6-2)
3. Rhodes-Garden Club, McKees Rocks, PA (4-2)
4. Continental Can, Pittsburgh, PA (5-2)
5t. Waldeck’s Tavern, Cincinnati, OH (4-2)
5t. Perry Social, Pittsburgh, PA (2-2)
7t. Sheffield Bronze, Cleveland, OH (3-2)
7t. Oscar’s Alleys, Islip Terrace, NY (3-2)
9t. Delco DIAA, Dayton, OH (2-2)
9t. Jackie’s Bar, Detroit, MI (2-2)
9t. Maltese Drug, Wantagh, NY (2-2)
9t. Homestead Café, Hamilton, OH (1-2)
13t.Engineers, Chattanooga, TN (2-2)
13t. Blue Grass Athletic Club, Louisville, KY (1-2)
13t. Fire and Police, Rossville, GA (1-2)
13t. Victory Club Rainbows, Middleton, CT (1-2)
17t. Oscar’s Boys, Louisville, KY (1-2)
17t. Packard Electric, Warren, OH (1-2)
17t. Steve Master’s Grill, Rochester, NY (0-2)
17t. Twin City Automatics, Minneapolis, MN (0-2)
17t. Slovak Club, Glassmere, PA (0-2)
17t. First Baptist Church, Frankfort, KY (0-2)
17t. Baldwin Piano, Cincinnati, OH (0-2)
17t. McAdenville Reds, McAdenville, NC (0-2)

1955 ASA Women’s Major Fast Pitch Nationals

1955 held at Portland, Oregon.

Champion – Orange Lionettes, Orange, California
Runner Up – PBSW Ramblers, Phoenix, Arizona

The Orange Lionettes captured their fourth National championship to move within one of the all time record held by the New Orleans Jax Maids in the 1940’s. The tournament was a one women show as Bertha Ragan-Tickey pitched all five Orange triumphs, 4 of them shutouts (2-0, 3-0, 1-0, 1-0) and the final game, which was a 4-1 victory in which the only run scored by the Ramblers was unearned. This is the 6th straight year that a team from California has won the championship. On another note, this year would mark the last time that Betty Evans Grayson of Erv Lind Florists would play in a National Tournament as she retired after the season. She pitched the Florists over the defending champs, Fresno Rockets 4-1 and then lost the semi-final game to the Ramblers 6-1.

The legendary Nina Korgan of New Orleans Jax Maids fame in the 1940’s, who came out of retirement last year, hurled for the Jurisich Transfer team of New Orleans, LA. She went 1-1 and struck out 25 batters in 18 innings. She pitched last year for the New Orleans team and although lost the Southwestern Regional Final, She was named regional MVP. This year, she led her team to the Regional championship and once again was named Regional MVP. She pitcher in her first ASA National Championship Tournament back in 1935 for the Syracuse, Nebraska Blue Birds.

Carol Nelson, Fresno Rockets (3-2, including a no-hitter).

Erger, Bank of Denver went 5-17, .294, 2 HR, 3 RBI, 4 Runs.

  • MVP – Bertha Ragan-Tickey, Orange Lionettes
  • HR Leader – Erger, Bank of Denver – 2
  • Batting Leader – Kay Rich, Leach Motor Rockets – .611

FIRST TEAM ALL-AMERICANS

P – Margie Law, PBSW Ramblers (4-2, 31 Ks, 42 IP, including a 7-0 no-hitter,  and 6-19 at the plate with a .316 batting average)
P – Norma Jean McDaniel, KC CIO-AFL Dons (2-2, 20 Ks, 28 IP), She also went 7-13, .538 batting.
P – Bertha Ragan-Tickey, Orange Lionettes (5-0, 4 shutouts, 1 Unearned Run, 35 IP, 52 K), won final 4-1, her triple drove in 2 runs. She had a no-hitter and a 1-hitter.
C – Dot Wilkinson, PBSW Ramblers (9-20, .450, 3 RBIs, 4 Runs)
1B – Gloria May, Fresno Hacienda Rockets (8-18, .444)
2B – Beverly Cox, Erv Lind Florists
3B – Jeanne Contel, Fresno Hacienda Rockets
SS – Kay Rich, Fresno Hacienda Rockets (11-18, 10 RBI, which set the tournament RBI record, 6 Runs, and she had 5 hits, including a grand slam and 6 RBI in one game)
OF – Jerry Pollard, Fresno Hacienda Rockets
OF – Zada Boles, PBSW Ramblers
OF – Thelma Eisen, Orange Lionettes
UTIL – Harriet Leeke, PBSW Ramblers

HONORABLE MENTION

1B – Virginia Bickle, PBSW Ramblers
3B – Margaret Dobson, Erv Lind Florists
SS – Kay Rohrer, PBSW Ramblers
OF – Carolyn Thome, Caterpillar Dieselettes.

FINAL STANDINGS

1. Orange Lionettes, Orange, CA (5-0) (South Pacific Coast)
2. PBSW Ramblers, Phoenix, AZ (4-2) (Cactus)
3. Erv Lind Florists, Portland, OR (4-2) (Host)
4. Hacienda Rockets, Fresno, CA (3-2) (Defending Champ)
5t. Bank of Denver, Denver, CO (3-2) (Rocky Mountain)
5t. Tilden U-Drive It, Vancouver, BC (3-2) (West Canada)
7t. RH Hall, St. Petersburg, FL (2-2) (Southern)
7t. CIO-AFL Dons, Kansas City, MO (2-2) (Western)
9t. National Cash Register, Dayton, OH (1-2) (East Central)
9t. Caterpillar Dieselettes, Peoria, IL (1-2) (West Central)
9t. Jurisich Transfer, New Orleans, LA (1-2) (Southwestern)
9t. Arcade Pontiac, Washington DC (1-2) (Central Atlantic)
13t. Texas Motorettes, Fort Worth, TX (0-2) (Texas)
13t. Airflytes, Seattle, WA (0-2) (Northwestern)
13t. Muirhead Transfer, Toronto, ON (0-2) (East Canada)
13t. Jet Girls, Alameda, CA (0-2) (North Pacific Coast)

NOTES

North Atlantic – Raybestos Brakettes, Stratford, CT could not attend. Mid-Atlantic – Pandoras, New York City, NY did not attend. Northern – Shaper Sales, Minneapolis, MN did not attend. Texas Motorettes, Fort Worth, TX went in place of Texas Champ – Tandy Leatherettes, Forth Worth, TX, who could not attend.

1955 ASA Men’s Major Fast Pitch Nationals

1955 held in Clearwater, Florida.

Champion – Raybestos Cardinals, Stratford, Connecticut
Runner Up – Clearwater Bombers, Clearwater, Florida

After being so close for a while now, the Raybestos Cardinals finally reached the summit. They won their first National Crown and defeated the Clearwater Bombers in doing so. The Bombers were knocked into the loser’s bracket and had to win three straight to claim the crown. They defeated the Trenton Democratic Club of Baltimore 2-0 in 10 innings. Then in the first final, the Bombers won another 2-0 battle behind John Hunter’s 3-hit shutout and Harry Hancock’s double. But, when it came down to the Final game for the title, Howie Wieland hurled the 10 inning 2-0 victory and for good measure, he delivered the double that produced the two runs. Hunter went 9 innings in the final game and Eddie King came in to pitch the 10th inning and gave up the winning runs and was charged with loss.

  • MVP – John Hunter, Clearwater Bombers
  • Batting Leader – Marion Cook, Standard Parts – .500
  • Home Run Leader – Ben Karrless, Lackland AFB War Hawks – 1
  • Home Run Leader – George Adam, Raybestos Cardinals – 1
  • Home Run Leader – Jim Ellis, Clearwater Bombers – 1
  • Home Run Leader – Frank Binkley, State Farm Insurance – 1
  • Home Run Leader – Palmer, Coca Cola – 1
  • Home Run Leader – Perry, Yellow Cab Merchants – 1
  • Home Run Leader – Tony Pagluica, Raybestos Cardinals – 1

FIRST TEAM ALL-AMERICANS

P – John Spring, Raybestos Cardinals (3-1, 36 IP, 34 K, 3 Shutouts)
P – Harvey Sterkel, Merchants
P – John Hunter, Clearwater Bombers (4-0, 44 IP, 47 K, pitched the winners bracket final, winning 1-0)
C – Ernie Bertolini, Trenton Democratic Club
1B – George Adam, Raybestos Cardinals
2B – Don Miles, State Farm Insurance
3B – Billy Wojie, Raybestos Cardinals
SS – Nolan Whitlock, Clearwater Bombers (.318)
OF – Bob Sprentall, Clearwater Bombers (.304)
OF – Frank Binkley, State Farm Insurance
OF – Jim Ellis, Clearwater Bombers
UT – Tony Pagliuca, Raybestos Cardinals

HONORABLE MENTION

P – Clarence “Buck” Miller, Standard Parts (2-2, 24 IP, 41 K)
P – Howard Wieland, Raybestos Cardinals (2-0, 17 IP, 18 K, pitched 2-hit shutout and drove in both runs in 2-0 championship)
P – Eddie King, Clearwater Bombers (2-1, 10 IP, 15 K)
C – Marion “Rabbit” Cook, Standard Parts (8-16, 3 RBI)
2B – Jerry Curtis, Clearwater Bombers
SS – Jack McLeod, Raybestos Cardinals
OF – Bill Baroff, Raybestos Cardinals
OF – Ray Gawerecki, Hanley’s Real Estate
OF – Ben Karass, Lackland AFB

OTHERS

Herb Dudley (1-0, 12 IP, 12 K)

FINAL STANDINGS

1. Raybestos Cardinals, Stratford, CT (6-1) (North Atlantic)
2. Clearwater Bombers, Clearwater, FL (6-2) (Defending Champ)
3. Trenton Democratic Club, Baltimore, MD (4-2) (Central Atlantic)
4. State Farm Insurance, Bloomington, IL (4-2) (West Central)
5t. Standard Parts, Memphis, TN (3-2) (Southwestern)
5t. Haney Real Estate, Omaha, NE (2-2) (Western)
7t. Yellow Cab Merchants, Denver, CO (2-2) (Rocky Mountain)
7t. Coca Cola, Sacramento, CA (2-2) (North Pacific Coast)
9t. Roth’s Rangers, Clearwater, FL (2-2) (Host)
9t. Hilliard’s Cafe, Houston, TX (2-2) (Texas)
9t. Canton YMCA, Canton, NC (1-2) (Southern)
9t. Lackland AFB War Hawks, San Antonio, TX (1-2) (Air Force)
13t. McAllister Studebakers, Albuquerque, NM (0-2) (Cactus)
13t. Hispano Americana, Manzanillo, Cuba (0-2) (Cuba)
13t. New Bar, St. Paul, MN (0-2) (Northern)
13t. Flame Show Bar, Detroit, MI (0-2) (East Central)
17t. Shamrock Tavern, Longview, WA (0-2) (Northwestern)
17t. Kodak Park AA, Rochester, NY (0-2) (Mid Atlantic)

NOTES

South Pacific Coast Champ – Anderson Furniture, San Diego, CA did not attend. Fisher Brothers, Montreal, Quebec were supposed to go in place of Canada Champ – Lew Kanes, Windsor, ON but could not attend. US Army Champ – First Army, Fort Monmouth, NJ did not attend. US Navy Champ – Submarine Bs, New London, CT did not attend.