This week Replays rides the “Way-back machine” to 50 years ago, reviewing the Independent Record’s chronicles of the conclusion of the 1958 local youth baseball and men’s fastpitch softball seasons.

In Legion baseball, Helena won the Central Division championship with an 11-1 mark. Shortstop Clayton Linebarger established a team batting record with a .467 average, which has yet to be broken. The Capital City squad’s other top hitters included Gary Toll at .348, Tom Allen at .347, Tom Liebsch with a .333, John Nickovich at .302, Wayne Foster at .300, Hank Flatow at .299 and Bob “Spud” McCullough with a .290.

The pitching staff was led by Ken Leland and Bob Hoffman, who were 8-1 and 7-2, respectively. Incredibly, Leland finished all nine of his starts for complete games that year. Jerry Rogers went 3-1, while Nickovich was 2-0.

At the State Tournament in Helena, coach Lou Pohlmeier’s charges went 1-2, placing third. They wound up with a fine 22-6 overall mark.

In the B-League, the Helena Auto Dealers Association (HADA) captured the best-of-five series versus Kiwanis, 3-1, to earn their second straight City championship. HADA took first during regular season and finished with a record of 14-3.

Kiwanis won the series opener 9-6 at Carroll College field, before the champs swept the next three in a row. In the second contest, HADA pitcher George “Rusty” Day fired a one-hit shutout in a 12-0 victory. Next, Con Norling belted a three-run homer and Dave Didriksen crashed a triple in their 8-6 win. Auto Dealers’ pitchers Brad Stratton and Jim Nettleton split the mound assignment.

HADA then clinched the title with a 13-1 triumph, pounding out 16 base knocks. Norling spun a three-hitter in the complete-game victory.

The rest of HADA’s roster consisted of Andy Anderson, Neil Dougherty, Roy Weaver, Joe Dolan, Mike Kieckbush, John Carpenter, Jim Bompart, Lee Worth, Norbert Frigge, Jim Wills, Roger Bosse and Doug Pasche. Ad Banks served as head coach and was assisted by George Williams.

Dougherty went on to a distinguished Legion career, where he earned the very first Earl Tucker Trophy as team batting champion in 1963, with a .417 average.

In C-League action, the Elks Club earned the City crown, defeating East Helena twice in a row in the best-of-three series. They had previously bounced the undefeated Algerians (12-2) from the playoffs in two straight games.

The championship was contested at the Helena Junior High (now Middle School) field, which was located just east of the school, in the northeast corner of the current discus/javelin field.

Frank Martello hurled a four-hitter for the 7-1 victory in the finals, while the club rapped 12 hits and his teammates played errorless ball behind him. Joe Hendrickson was the losing hurler.

The Elks finished with a 14-3 mark, as Martello (14-2) won every single game for them, including all four playoff victories. In 111 innings pitched, he struck out 125 batters. Martello later was the ace of the Legion’s pitching staff.

Members of the titlist club not previously mentioned were head coach “Uncle” Lou Martello, assistant coach Gordon Rickert, Bill Purcell, Bill Woods, Doug Feller, Jim Tangen, Mike Bradford, Charles Hilke, Pat Russell, Dennis Cory, Mike Nilan, Dennis Rickert, Ken DesRosier, Charles Hunter, Dennis DeVaney, Ed DeVaney, Mike Clark, and batboy Kim Rickert.

The Giants bested the Nationals two games to one in the Pee Wee League World Series, which took place under the lights at Legion Field. Frank Buckley and Mike Purcell collaborated to toss a two-hitter in the Giants’ 4-2 rubber match win for the championship. Buckley did not allow a hit in his three innings of work, while striking out six of a possible nine batsmen. Dave Frank, Purcell and Ray Beaver all produced an RBI apiece.

The remainder of Giants’ skipper Frank Purcell’s pee wee ballplayers were Frank Christman, Tom MacKenzie, Jeff Cory, Jerry Martello, Nevin Leary, Curtis Pepin, Charles Stein, Ray Beaver, Dick Westin, Bob Nebel, Dennis Nebel, Randy Pursley, Mike Buckley, Don Fuller, Dave Burns, Ken Burns, Dan Killeen, Bob Berg, Tom Goetz, John Sasek, Ron Stern and Jack Keeler. Bob Steele was the assistant coach.

Dave Burton of the Nationals won the city batting title, with a .768 average. Some of the other top players in 1958 were Mickey Maierle (Athletics), Merle Farrier (Nationals), Mike Melugin (Nationals), Nick Farnum (White Sox), Bob Fletcher (Pirates), Mike Neely (Pirates), Jim Walczak (Nationals), Bill Leaphart (Pirates), Johnny Stemple (Indians), Joe Mudd (Tigers), Stuart Johnson (Reds), Don Nielson (Dodgers) and Lee Kelly (Pirates), among others.

In the final game of the men’s Helena Fastpitch Softball tourney, Main Tavern captured their fourth consecutive city crown, edging Red Meadow 2-1. Irv Blessinger’s single drove in Bob Clearman with the winning run in the fifth inning. Darryl Lee and Dick Duffy were the battery for the champions. Norvel “Nog” Hansen, Helena High football coach, took the loss.

A few other local fastpitch players from the various teams five decades ago were Bill Bisom, Gene McKinnon, Joe Olheiser, Bill Walrath, Ed Wardell, Ray Cramer, Joe Sidor, Jim Kuhl, Troy Helmick, Pius Kuhl, Stan Syskowski, Buck Webster, Skip Webster, Pat Trottier, Troy Buck, George Snyder, Vince Lupien, Don Siewert, John Garden, John Hass, Russ Smith, Spike Moe, Will Levengood and Ron Amen, to name a few.

Reporter Curt Synness: 449-2150 or curt52s@bresnan.net