Wheatley Tykes took the 1966 OBA title

WHEATLEY — Last week marked the 55th anniversary of the Wheatley Campers Cove Tykes winning the 1966 Ontario Baseball Association “C” championship.

In their Western Counties title series, the Cove team had beaten Corunna two games straight by scores of 7-6 and 11-4.

Brian Jennings took the decision on the mound for the first game, striking out 13 Corunna batters. Dennis DeClerck led at the plate with three hits. In game two of the series, the locals made it a sweep with the 11-4 win. Paul Drummond threw a three hitter and struck out 14 batters. Terry Dickinson hit a long home run for the winners.

The Tykes advanced to the OBA finals against Orchard Park of London next.

The 1966 OBA “C” champs from Wheatley. Front row: David Heyens, Jamie Stickney, Ricky Robinson, David Reid, Allan Harris. Middle row: Rene Gulliver, Paul Drummond, Terry Dickinson, Brian Jennings, Ricky Gulliver, Mike Heyens, Dennis DeClerck, Jim Knox, Jim Bell. Coaches in the back are Don Robinson, Bob Mills and Alf Whaley.

Photo submitted by Dennis DeClerck.

In game one, they trailed 5-0 going into the bottom of the fifth, before exploding for seven runs to take a 7-5 lead. Their opponents scored three more to take a 8-7 lead into the final inning, but Wheatley’s bats came through in the eighth to win it.

Dickinson started the inning with a two out homerun to tie it and the locals rolled from there. Mike Heyens reached base on an error and advanced to second on the same play. Rick Gulliver, who had hit a three-run homer earlier in the game, came through with a single to bring Heyens home with the winning run.

Jennings pitched the first five innings for Wheatley with help from Drummond and Dickinson.

In the second game of the finals, the Cove boys edged Orchard Park 5-4 in London to win the OBA championship. Dickinson, DeClerck and Drummond had two hits each to lead the attack. Drummond and Jennings shared the pitching duties, combining on a two-hitter for the win.