O'Toole's won lobball title in 1991

By C. Scott Holland

In the fall of 1991, the Thursday Night Men’s Erie Shores Lobball League had their two finalists for the best of five championship series. O’Toole’s Restaurants would play Wilkinson Electric for the title.

The opening contest featured plenty of hitting and O’Toole’s managed to hold on for a 15-11 victory.

Wilkinson Electric did well to keep pace with O’Toole’s, but a six-run seventh provided the difference.

For Wilkinson, Steve Wuerch, Andy Dick and Mike Tales singled before Mark Wuerch and Gary Schultz launched home runs. Mark Wladarski and Dave Manning doubled. Others who contributed to the Wilkinson offense were Al Salvati and Doug Wales.

Game one in the Erie Shores Lobball League 1991 championship had lots of action on the basepaths, as this runner from O’Toole’s safely reaches third base in the opening game of their title series against Wilkinson Electric. O’Toole’s went on to win the series in five games.

Photo courtesy of the Scott Holland Collection

O’Toole’s compiled a total of nine runs in the opening two innings. Eric Gow began the fireworks by crushing a solo home run. Rick Gillett reached base on an error, then Paul Prout singled and Mike Graff sacrificed.

In the second frame, the heavy hitting started as Brian Taylor tripled and Prout clouted a three-run homer.

The six-run outburst in the seventh inning, which decided the game, was initiated by a series of singles from the bats of Mike McCallum, Wayne McKeen, Scott Gee, Brian Taylor, Steve Brown and Mike Graff. Rick Gillett walked and Eric Gow clubbed a double.

O’Toole’s went on to win the championship in five games, defeating Wilkinson 4-0 in the final after tightly played first four games.