Pirates capped an 8-1 season with playoff sweep in ‘71

LEAMINGTON — In the Tyke division of the 1971 Leamington Minor Baseball Association, the standings couldn’t have been any tighter when the dust settled on the season.

The Expos and Pirates both finished with 8-1 records on the summer, with the Angels racking up a 6-2-1 record for third spot.

The Pirates, coached by Henry and Trudy Wheeler, absorbed their only loss — 10-9 to the Angels — in the fourth week of the season.

The more experienced Expos, coached by Roland Martens, lost their only game to the Pirates — a 4-3 barnburner on July 31.

When playoffs began, the Pirates got the nod as the number one seed for that victory and hosted the Cubs in the first game of the playoffs, while the Expos drew the Leamington Post and News.

The 1971 Tyke house league champs, the Pirates. Back row from left, Henry Steeman, Troy Wiper, Rick Taylor, AndyWiper, Mark Ribble, Tracy Wiper, Mike McVeigh, Philip Wiper. Front row: Coach Henry Wheeler, Greg Guyitt, Brad Dunmore, Tim Tetzlaff, Paul Woelk, Mark Wiper and assistant coach Trudy Wheeler.

Photo courtesy of Bill Wheeler

The Cubs gave the Pirates all they could handle as the favourites had to come from behind to pull off an 8-7 victory in the last inning.

Rick Taylor and Tracy Wiper — the Pirates dynamic pitching duo — scattered six hits, struck out nine and walked eight.

Rod Zwiers went the distance for the Cubs, allowing eight hits, fanning 12 and walking four.

Taylor led the offense for the Pirates with three hits. Wiper and his brother Mark each contributed two. Andy Wiper made it a Wiper trifecta with the only other Pirates’ hit.

Rick Finlay led the Cubs with a couple of hits, while Zwiers, James Schmidt, Victor Pundzius and Daryl Havens had singles.

Meanwhile, the Expos easily defeated the Post and News squad.

But in the semi-finals, the Expos dropped a hard fought 14-9 decision to the upstart Angels to see who would face the Pirates in the final game.

A week later, the Pirates exploded for four runs in the first inning and held on to beat the Angels 14-8 in the championship. Wiper and Taylor — once again — combined for the Pirates victory, striking out 15 batters, while issuing seven walks and allowing nine hits.

Rick Butler, Tony De- Santis and Jerry DeGoey shared the mound for the Angels. They gave up 14 hits, fanned 10 and walked six.

The Wipers once again led the way at the plate, as Tracy collected four hits to help his own cause. Andy Wiper had three hits, while Troy Wiper, Mark Wiper and Taylor had two hits each. Tim Tetzlaff had one hit.

DeGoey and Ewald Dobetsberger each pounnded three hits to lead the Angels, while Jamie Mastronardi, Rick Beck and DeSantis had one hit apiece.