BLAST FROM THE PAST: SPORTING NEWS FROM 1960 AND 1966
Here is a look back at some local sporting events from the past. We hope you enjoy this new series.
BLAST FROM THE PAST: Spring 1960
The College High Wildcat baseball team burst to a 12-1 record — and came up just two runs short of playing for the Class AA state championship.
The squad zipped to a 9-0 record — and the state’s No. 1 ranking — prior to losing to Tulsa Webster, 6-4. But the Wildcats won their next three games to wrap up Bartlesville’s first-ever Oklahoma Six Conference baseball championship.
Col-Hi outlasted Enid, 5-4, in nine innings in the state quarterfinals. But Tulsa Central peeled Bartlesville away from the playoff run, 4-3, in the semifinals. Bartlesville pitcher Eddie Clark (8-1) suffered his first loss. Central went on to win the state title.
Among Col-Hi’s heroes were Mike Vaclaw, who batted around .440, and Clark Halderson at .341.
Paul Curd ripped the ball at a .326 clip while Stan Ogle and Stan Legg hit about .280.
In addition to Clark, Vaclaw and Haldorson, other seniors included Harold Winget, Bob Cook, Jerry Harrison, Tommy Thompson and Delton Cheek.
In the season opener, Clark smashed a grand slam at Bartlesville Municipal Stadium (later renamed Bill Doenges Stadium) to help beat Tulsa Hale, 11-2.
In an 18-7 rout of Sapulpa, Vaclaw opened the scoring with a two-run double.
Bartlesville beat Dewey, 11-3, thanks to a homer by Winget and pitching performance by Clark.
Pitcher Paul Chestnut roasted Sapulpa’s batters in a 2-0 thriller in early April. Roger Woody plated three runs in an 8-4 win against Tulsa Rogers.
And, so the season went — a full roster of heroes, each one stepping up at opportune moments.
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October 1966
Jean Cole shot a sizzling 87 to take a four-stroke lead against Bev Gardner in the championship flight of the Women’s All-City Golf Tournament sponsored by the Examiner-Enterprise. Other competitors in the flight included Jenny Cochran, Marie Hiatt and Evalee Rogers.
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Central Junior HIgh’s football team tip-toed past Stillwater Junior High, 6-0. A 40-yard pass from Bill Berryhill to Jim Humble set up a three-yard touchdown run by Kent Martindale.
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Dewey High’s football team, coached by Noah Due, humbled Hominy, 36-0. Roger Woody hit Steve Sprague for a 24-yard pass to set up the first score. Mike Warwick, Woody, Robert Walton and Terry Birmingham each scored touchdowns.
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College High’s football team buried Springfield (Mo.) Parkview, 43-8, with Scott Martin and Pat Sears both flinging passes for the Wildcats. Steve McFarlane hauled in a 30-yard scoring strike from Martin and Sears directed a 61-yard scoring drive, including two completions to Pat MuCullough, who finished with 96 yards receiving.