1953 Midget Pontiacs swept Simcoe for Ontario Championship

By C. Scott Holland

When it comes to baseball championships, sweeps aren’t often seen, especially when it is for a provincial title.

But the 1953 Leamington Young Pontiacs swept Simcoe-Norfolk 3-0 to claim the Ontario laurels.

The team won the third game of their best of five series here at the Leamington fairgrounds diamond in front of a large fan base.

They defeated Simcoe 11-7 in the final contest, after nipping their opposition 11-10 in the opener and then taking a 5-3 decision in game two.

The 1953 Leamington Young Pontiacs Midgets won the Ontario championship. Kneeling in front are bat boys, Leonard Knight and Robert Derbyshire. Standing in the middle row are business manager Clair Gunn, Kennedy Simpson, Clair Wiper, Jerry Brooks, Don Simpson, Art Watt, Bill Derbyshire, manager Bill Simpson. In the back row are Duane Cook, Ralph Trombley, Garnet Hillier, Ed Gillanders, Gerry Cole, Harold Wigle, Bob Rankin, Bill Jones and Ken Phibbs.

Photo from the C. Scott Holland collection.

The pitching mastery of starter Don Simpson was effective and Simpson went the full nine inning distance, allowing just six hits.

The championship was the second consecutive for an Essex County team at the Midget level, as Riverside won the OBA crown in 1952.

The hometown Young Pontiacs racked up six runs in the bottom of the second and did not surrender that lead.

The lone time Simpson got into any difficulty was in the top of the ninth, when two Leamington errors, two fielder’s choices, a walk and a long fly ball allowed Simcoe to score three unearned runs.

However Simpson and his teammates regained their composure and got the final out to claim the championship.

Despite the late inning rally, Simpson had a fabulous outing, striking out 14 batters and walking five.

A key play in the contest was during their six-run splurge when Bill Derbyshire smashed a double to score a couple of runs. That one hit ignited the Leamington offense.