West Covina American, 11 – Covina American, 2

Saturday, July 27, 1957

Since the league started in 1950, West Covina American had never gotten farther than an Area final, but today they won their first District title, completely dominating a strong Covina American team, 11-2. West Covina slammed 5 home runs against starting pitcher Frank Stone, who later redeemed himself with a homer of his own which drove in Covina's only 2 runs. West Covina mound man Bruce Young struck out 9, walked none, and held the losing team to just 3 hits.

Covina American..........000 200– 2  3 3
West Covina American.....047 000–11 11 0

West Covina is assuming the appearance of a juggernaut. They have thus far out-scored their competition by a combined run total of 50-4 (only 1 of those 4 unearned), and hit safely 37 times to their opponents' 8. WCALL now moves on to the Section V tournament in Arcadia, where they will face District 15-A champs Bassett on August 2.

 

1957 District Tourney Begins

Friday, July 26, 1957

District 15-B playoff action kicked off today, with West Covina American scoring a convincing victory over the La Puente All-Stars, 7-1. Jim Kendall threw another stellar game, striking out 11 and allowing the opposition only a single base hit, while himself batting in 3 runs on 2 hits. Outfielders Bruce Young and Tom Dolan also had 2 hits apiece, with Dolan tallying the only extra-base hit of the game.

West Covina American.....310 120–7 10 1
La Puente All-Stars......000 100–1  1 1

 

Jay Johnstone's Nationals Defeated

Tuesday, July 23, 1957

Eleven-year-old center-fielder and future major leaguer Jay Johnstone led his West Covina Nationals in hitting today, but it wasn't nearly enough to keep rival West Covina American from winning the District 15-B/Area 4 title and city championship by a score of 7-1.

The east-side All-Stars' center-fielder Tom Dolan and shortstop Don Bunch led the winners' offensive charge: Dolan with a home run and a double, with Bunch also hitting a two-bagger and driving in 2 runs. Pitcher Bruce Young held the opposition to only 4 hits.

West Covina American.....100 240–7 7 0
West Covina National.....001 000–1 4 4

West Covina American, 25 – San Jose, 0

Monday, July 22, 1957

West Covina American showed impressive muscle in their first tournament appearance today, soundly defeating San Jose Little League 25-0. (No 10-run rule back then!) Southpaw Jim Kendall threw a no-hitter, striking out 16. Right-fielder Bruce Young led the Americans in offense with 4 hits in 5 at-bats, banging out a home run and 2 doubles for 4 RBIs. Pitcher Kendall also had a good day at the plate, driving in 3 runs on 3 hits. Don Bunch recorded 3 RBIs with his single hit of the game: a home run.

San Jose Little League.....00  0  000– 0  0 8
West Covina American.......45(12) 31x–25 10 0

West Covina's American and National teams meet up tomorrow afternoon to decide the Area and city championship. (W.C. National received a first-round bye.)

Notably, three other teams in District 15-B also had no-hit games today.

1957 All-Stars Team Photo

Ladies and Gentlemen: Introducing the 1957 West Covina American Little League All-Stars

Click image for full-res file.

Standing (l. to r.): Ed Shannon (Manager), Carl Lenz, Mike Okura, John Montgomery, Denny Allen, Gary Beecher, Steve Fox, Freddie Allen, Bruce Young, Fred Allen, Sr. (Co-manager). Kneeling: Rudy Bullen, Don Bunch, Jim Kendall, Tom Dolan, Gary Walker, Alan Myer.

 

Click image for full-res file.

The hurlers: Jim Kendall, Bruce Young, Gary Beecher, Rudy Bullen.

Kendall will be on the mound when Area tournament play officially gets underway tomorrow afternoon.

 

The 1957 Champs, and All-Stars Roster

Saturday, July 20, 1957

7-Up won the West Covina American Little League championship title today, defeating Driftwood Dairy 3-1. Winning pitcher Bruce Young threw a one hit game, and Alan Myer capped off the victory with a two run single in the bottom of the 5th. In a hard-fought loss, Driftwood's pitcher, Bill Fetters, held the victors to only three hits.

Driftwood Dairy.....010 000–1 1 0
7-Up................010 02x–3 3 1

League champions 7-Up, co-managed by Moe Fox (left) and Ed Shannon (right).

Click on photo for full-res file.

Also at today's game, the roster of this year's WCALL All-Star team was announced publicly for the first time. The 14-man squad included six players from league champions 7-Up; the Elks landed four berths, Driftwood Dairy, three, and Exchange Club, one. The team will be managed by Ed Shannon, with Fred Allen, Sr., assisting.

The 1957 West Covina American Little League All-Stars:

Denny Allen (Elks) – 11
Freddie Allen (Elks) – 12
Gary Beecher (7-Up) – 11
Rudy Bullen (Elks) – 12
Don Bunch (Driftwood) – 11
Tom Dolan (Driftwood) – 12
Steve Fox (7-Up) – 11
Jim Kendall (Elks) – 12
Carl Lenz (7-Up) – 12
John Montgomery (7-Up) – 12
Alan Myer (7-Up) – 12
Mike Okura (Driftwood) – 11
Gary Walker (Exchange) – 12
Bruce Young (7-Up) – 12

Area Tournament play gets underway next Monday the 22nd, when the West Covina American All-Stars square off against San Jose Little League's best-of team in the Area 4 opener at West Covina National Field.

 

Eligibility Affidavit

 

Two observations here: despite my previously having looked through my mom's scrapbook dozens of times in the past, I never noticed until now that this form was signed by two of my dad's own employees: the league president, Glenn Francis, and the notary public, Jack Warren. Both had been Dad's business associates ever since the end of WWII.

And, all through the post-season, poor Alan Myer will suffer the indignity of having his name misspelled virtually every time it is written on score sheets, typed on forms, or published in newspapers. Even my own mom could never get such a simple thing right!

 

Tournament Application

This form–received and approved by Little League Baseball, Inc. 60 years ago today–marked the beginning of West Covina American's march to the State Tournament in 1957. It won't be until late July that the playoffs actually begin, however, so that's when I'll start covering the games here day-by-day.

 

Your Humble Narrator

Yours Truly, back when my father was coaching Little League.

Despite being so young then, I nevertheless remember a lot from those days 60 years ago: many of the players (especially Steve Fox and Mike Okura), Cortez Park (I loved it when my dad would let me run the bases!), going to the State Tournament, and especially the parade at West Covina Plaza after the team returned home. The whole spectacle of it was very memorable, even to a little boy who was only just about to turn 3.

It's really quite astonishing to me how quickly the years have passed. And, of course, I feel saddened that my parents and so many of those young players are no longer with us. All the more reason why they deserve to be memorialized now...

 

Dedication

In 1957, the All-Stars of the West Covina American Little League became the first youth sports team from the city to participate in a statewide tournament. Here, I will be telling the story of the All-Stars' unprecedented winning streak, day-by-day, as it happened, 60 years ago.

This blog is dedicated primarily to the manager of the 1957 All-Stars, my father, Ed Shannon, and to my mother, Lillian Shannon, whose meticulous scrapbook-keeping documented this important first in West Covina sports history.

I further dedicate this account to the All-Star players themselves: especially local sports legend Mike Okura, and my personal childhood hero, Steven Fox. May they both rest in peace.

And so, without further ado...

PLAY BALL!