The 1971 TCBA Yesterday Championship Series was to
be a contest between the experienced and the inexperienced,
the
new versus the old. In only my second year in TCBA my Newmarket
EH's had advanced to the league championship series. We had a
chance to make history. We could become the first team from Canada
to win the coveted plaque.
It was not to be easy. The Long Island Islanders
and Jim McEneaney stood in our way. Jim had been there before;
he had been in championship series and won them. He was just
recently a finalist in TCBA today. He surely knew what had to
be done and how to do it.
At first reaction, his lineup was intimidating.
He had Gaylord Perry, Bobby Tolan, Frank Robinson, Orlando Cepeda,
Bob Bailey and Jim Fregosi...they are awesome. But wait, we
can match up, we do have Fergie Jenkins, Roy White, Tony Oliva,
Willie McCovey, Sal Bando and Alex Johnson.
Let's play ball! Game 1 was a match-up of players
traded during the off season. Fergie Jenkins the ex-Islander
against Gaylord Perry the ex-EH. Fortunately for my nerves and
our chances we got things going early. Roy White walked to lead
off the ballgame and we were on our way. We were able to score
7 runs in game 1 and hold the Islanders to just 1. Jenkins did
his job and we were feeling better already. Tony Taylor was
surely my hero with 2 hits and 4 RBI. Series 1-0 EH's--can we
continue?
Game 2 may be remembered as a classic. I sent Rick
Wise against Dick Bosman. Bosman struggled early and allowed
me a 3-0 lead through 3 and a 4-1 lead through 6. Then it happened,
my bullpen, so perfect all year, gave one away. Bob Bailey (I
told you he scared me, Mac) hit a 2 run homer off closer Jack
Aker for a 4-4 ballgame, OUCH!!! That's okay; we can score in
extras...NOT A CHANCE...10th zip, 11th zip, 12th zip. Jim Fregosi
had had enough and ended it leading off the 12th with a dinger.
5-4 Islanders and a 1-1 series tie.
We are okay, the series is coming home and we are
tied, I am pleased with that.
Game 3 Steve Hargan versus Wayne Simpson. Neither
pitcher showed up and Hargan was gone after 2 innings and 5 runs.
At least we were close we got to Simpson for 3. The Islanders
added 1 more and had an eventful 6-3 victory. In the game they
lost infielder Wayne Garrett for the series. Series 2-1 Islanders.
Game 4 was key for us. We could not fall behind
3-1. It was time to call on Fergie. But Mac called on Perry....here
we go again. Fergie left after 6 innings with the EH's having
an comfortable 8-3 lead. He did his job. John Hiller did what
he could to give it back allowing a Frank Robinson 3 run shot
in the 8th to reduce the lead to 8-6. Jack Aker closed it up
and the EH's had the 8-6 victory and the series tied 2-2. There
was some worry for us as both Roy White and Willie McCovey were
injured. White was back for game 5 but McCovey was forced to
miss it.
Game 5 - Ex EH- Tom Hall against Ex Islander - Sandy
Vance. We scored 2 in the first and never looked back. Vance
allowed only 5 hits through 8 innings and only 1 run. Tom Dukes
pi
