Month: November 2023

Softball Memories

One of my sports memories. There are many
I remember playing left field for CBS in the 1965 All Newfoundland softball fast pitch championship. It was an amazing weekend of softball. I hit a ball, in that championship game, that the first baseman couldn’t handle. I was surprised they didn’t give me a hit as they awarded me second base. That would have broken up the no-hitter. This was where Ford show cased his pitching and pitched a fantastic series, however his arm  grew tired in that championship game.
We were a rag tag team with a softball t shirt that was our uniform and the Argentia team was dressed in full uniform. It would have been a miracle if we had won.
Members of the CBS team  were Ford Metcalfe, Wayne Hiscock, Carson Hiscock, Gerry Dyke, Hollis Metcalfe, Trevor Metcalfe, Ed Mahoney, Leo Gleason, Steve Wiscombe. The coach was Dave Metcalfe. I recall Jack Mercer was one of our biggest supporters.There may have been a couple of other players and coaches so if anybody is familiar with the team please contact stevewish@gmail.com or steve@sitesnl.com
This is a breakdown of the series

By: Bill Barron

“A LOOK BACK” 1965 Provincial Senior Championship

THIRD STRAIGHT TITLE FOR ARGENTIA

Vandouser hurls no-hitter in finals

The Argentia Seals again hold the top perch in Newfoundland senior softball. Backed by the strong armed pitching of Jack Vandouser and Curt Holstein, the hustling Argentia ball club under coach Matt Ahearn swept their third straight provincial softball crown over the weekend in the 13-team double elimination series.

It was a tournament filled with major upsets and some of the big teams that got an early exit were St. John’s, Harmon and Labrador City. It was three determined clubs from CBN, Placentia and CBS that were around in the final stages to challenge the defending provincial champs.

The championship series narrowed to Argentia and CBS and in the final ball game Vandouser twirled a no-hit gem in a magnificent display of pitching as his mates pushed across seven runs. Opposing Vandouser on the mound was 19 year old Ford Metcalfe who carried the upstarts from CBS to the finals. In the championship game he ran out of steam as Argentia banged out nine hits. All of the runs came in the second and third innings with four in the second. Vandouser in pitching his no-hitter walked three and struckout the same number. With two out in the seventh it took a running catch by the Argentia center fielder to preserve the no-hitter. Jim Neve and Gene Davis had two hits each for the winners.

Read full story here

https://www.nlfastpitch.ca/NewsDetails.aspx?NW_News_ID=367