Comeback!

Friday-Saturday, August 9-10, 1957

Friday afternoon in the consolation round, West Covina eliminated Lancaster, with Bruce Young throwing a 1-hitter. Then, only 20 hours later, Jim Kendall sent Novato packing in a highly lopsided win; the losers' only tallies coming on two solo home runs in the 3rd.

Lancaster.......000 000–0 1 3
West Covina.....101 03x–5 2 0

Novato..........002 000– 2 2 4
West Covina.....600 60x–12 9 2

Unfortunately, there are no clippings in Mother's scrapbook that describe the play of either game, only those line scores. So instead, let me recap the rest of the action that's been going on in Santa Monica the past couple of days.

In Thursday's opener, 1956's Western Regionals' 4th place team and this year's overall State tourney favorite, La Mesa, held Oroville to only 1 hit, while racking up 9 of their own in an easy 7-3 win. The local faves from nearby Venice also had little trouble dispatching Novato 7-2, while Santa Ana defeated Lancaster 3-1.

In the winners' bracket on Friday, Santa Ana sent West Covina's new rival Ontario to the consolation round in a 5-run shutout, while La Mesa edged Venice in a nail-biter, coming from behind with 2 outs in the bottom of the 6th to win 3-2.

La Mesa will now meet Santa Ana for the State Championship tomorrow at 4:45 P.M.

This is some tournament!

 

The Tide Turns

Thursday, August 8, 1957

Over the years my father coached ball, there was one name that always elicited respect and an attitude of determination from him and his players.

"Ontario."

Any time one of Dad's teams faced an opponent from Ontario, they knew they were in for a battle. At every level of play–Little League through American Legion–Ontario was a consistent powerhouse. That was true over a half-century ago, and I have no doubt it's still true now.

Today's game, however, would be the very first time that All-Star teams from West Covina and Ontario met on a baseball diamond (or any sports field, for that matter), and it was a fateful meeting, indeed.

The televised opener on August 8th was a quintessential pitchers duel. Jim Kendall was brilliant on the mound, throwing a no-hitter through 5 innings and striking out 10; at one point 7 straight. But Ontario's pitcher, L. Keith Cardin, was even more unhittable, striking out 13 with 8 down in a row, and–except for Fred Allen's lead-off single in the 1st–preventing any West Covinan from reaching base for the first 4 innings. Cardin's streak ended when Don Bunch tied it with a solo homer with 2 outs in the bottom of the 5th: the only earned run of the game for either side.

In the top of the 6th, Ontario's Jackie McClure snapped Kendall's no-hit streak via a misplayed bunt. Bob Murray followed up with a line drive past left-fielder Steve Fox that McClure tried to stretch into a run, but which instead resulted in a dramatic 7-1-2 put-out at the plate. The fielder's choice, however, left Murray on third, who then scored on a wild pitch by Kendall. West Covina was unable to come back in the bottom of the 6th, giving Ontario a 2-1 victory.

And so it was that West Covina's unprecedented post-season win streak came to an end. However, unlike the preceding playoffs, the State Tournament had a double-elimination bracket. West Covina had suffered a loss, but their Cinderella story was not yet over. Not by a long shot.

Ontario.........010 001–2 3 1
West Covina.....000 010–1 2 1

 

State Tourney Team Photo

The 1957 West Covina All-Stars at the California State Tournament. That's one proud group of youngsters there.

Click on image for full-res file.

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

 

Their televised opener starts at 4 P.M. tomorrow at Ramsey Military Academy Field.

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