Sectional Shocker

Thursday, July 31, 1958

Although this year's West Covina American All-Star team was not quite the juggernaut they were in '57, no one doubted that they had the horses to win the 1958 Sectionals and go to the State Tournament again, and maybe this time, beyond. But it simply wasn't to be...

West Covina American.....000 203–5 9 2
Norwood Village..........301 20x–6 6 2

I think I'll just let this newspaper article describe the action. (Another here.) It was evidently quite a game.

So it was that West Covina American – the consensus favorite going in – was eliminated in an opening-round stunner. In the final, Norwood Village defeated Colton to win the Section III title and a berth in the State Tournament the following weekend.

Little League Post-Season Wrap-Up, 1958:

The hard-hitting newcomers from West El Monte ended up besting last year's West Covina American's 3rd Place finish in the California State Tournament, going home with the 2nd Place trophy this year. 1958 State Champion, Sacramento, in turn, took 2nd Place to Rose City (Portland), Oregon, in the Western Regionals. The West lost to North Region reps, Kankakee, Illinois, in the first round of the Little League World Series. Illinois ended up winning the U.S. title, while Latin America superstars and Series favorites Monterrey Industrial repeated as World Champs.

The Section III playoff program. See if you can find the name of the future Major League Hall-Of-Famer who played in this tournament!

Mom let me write in the inning numbers, and the goose egg for WC in the top of the third. I don't know where Mom got the "100 to 1 odds" business. Did Dad tell her that? If so, it's an indication he maybe didn't take Norwood Village as seriously as he should have. Dad usually scouted his competition in person, but just reading the writeups in the papers ahead of time, he should have known that this upstart El Monte bunch could be a force to be reckoned with.

The future Hall-Of-Famer was young Rollie Fingers, playing for Cucamonga.