Ephemera

Just sharing some stuff from the 1957 State Tournament while we wait for the games to get underway.

Dad's name tag, pass, and official's ribbon.

 

Before and during the tournament, all the players and coaches got free rides on Santa Monica's transit system. I remember my mom and I took a ride on a trolley at one of the games; probably the first time I ever rode in such a conveyance. (We didn't have trolleys in Glendora.) Anyway, after the tournament, I was given the leftover tokens as play money, and I've kept them all these years since. (I colored two of them with a red marker some time when I was in grade school.)

 

Television and Telegrams

West Covina making it to the California State Tournament was a Very Big Deal back then. No sports team from the city had ever reached this level of competition before. In the decades since, West Covina has become renown for producing major sports talent, but its American Little League All-Stars of 1957 were the very first to achieve anything resembling recognition or fame. It was also the first West Covina team to appear on live television.

My first memory of the 1957 post-season wasn't any of the games, though. It was seeing my own dad on my favorite TV show, Engineer Bill!

 

During the tournament, the teams were staying at the Ramsey Military School in Santa Monica. On the morning of their opening game, the young West Covina ballplayers received these telegrams of congratulations and encouragement from city officials.

 

All local eyes were on the boys from West Covina when they took the field against Ontario, and as fate would have it, the game would be a major turning point in the team's fortunes.

 

Half Way to Williamsport

Saturday, August 3, 1957

The 1957 WCALL All-Stars continue to go where no West Covina sports team has gone before. Last weekend, they won their first-ever Division title, and today, they are the champions of California Section V, and on their way to the State Tournament!

Celebrating their victory are (l.–r.): Don Bunch, Mike Okura, Steve Fox, Bruce Young, Jim Kendall and Rudy Bullen.

 

Having won 6 straight games to this point, West Covina is now only 5 more wins away from going to the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.

West Covina American.....030 000 3–6 6 1
Arcadia American.........000 102 1–4 2 1

 

 

The performance of both teams was about as excellent as Little League play gets. This was one exciting baseball game! Read all about it...

Foes Become Friends

Friday, August 2, 1957

 

Section play begins! In their most challenging post-season game to date, West Covina American achieved a thrilling come-from-behind 9-4 win today over the tough Bassett All-Stars in their Section V opener at City Hall Park in Arcadia.

With the game tied 3-3 after 3 innings, center-fielder Tom Dolan hit a 3-run homer in the top of the 4th to take the lead. Pitching ace Jim Kendall then shut down Bassett's offense for the duration, sealing West Covina's victory.

West Covina.....002 403–9 9 0
Bassett.........031 000–4 5 0

(An interesting personal note: it was at this game that my father first met Bassett manager Don Sealy (above, standing l.), with whom he would coach the Covina American Legion Post 207 team in 1964 and 1965. Dad was always the kind of man who could turn a foe into a friend–especially when it involved baseball!)

 

Sunday Sports Page

Sunday, July 28, 1957

District tourney recap. West Covina catcher Alan Myer was injured in yesterday's game, though fortunately, it appears not seriously.

Interesting column ends with an early commentary warning against the use of the curve ball by Little League-age pitchers.

 

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.