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South Jersey Baseball History:
Dateline: July

Monday, July 1, 2002

By Charlie Schick
South Jersey Baseball Historical Society

Dateline is a diary of South Jersey baseball that highlights area players, games, events, and outstanding accomplishments in the past history of the great game of baseball. The June dates and facts listed below are taken from the manuscript entitled "A Day's Walk Through South Jersey Baseball."

July 1, 1941 At Briggs Stadium in Detroit, American League All Star team beats the National League’s elite squad 7 to 5. Ted Williams hits a 9th inning 2-run home run to make Chicago White Sox pitcher Gordy Smith, Columbus, New Jersey resident, the winning hurler.

July 4, 1954 Cleveland Indians star hurler Earl Winn, in a rare relief appearance, and South Jersey’s Ray Narteski combine to shut down the Chicago White Sox by a count of 2 to 1. The White Sox only hit comes off the bat of Minnie Minoso, who singled in the 9th inning.

July 6, 1965 In Tri-County League play, first place Vineland’s Ken Lange pitched a no-hitter to shutout the Brooklawn team 6 to 0. The winners scored all the runs they needed in the first frame, when a hit batter and 3 straight walks accounted for a run. Walt Davis’ 6th inning 2-run home run, however, definitely left no doubt on the contest outcome.

July 10, 1977 In American Legion competition, the Berlin Post ripped 21 hits in their extra inning 16 to 15 victory over Runnemede in the Camden County Legion tournament. A 5-run 9th force extra innings Berlin’s Chris Unger and Joe Hartmann each had 4 hits.

July 14, 1999 In a Tri-County League, Bo Orozco’s 4 for 4 and 9 RBI’s lead Vineland to a 17 to 2 rout over a stunned Camden squad. Orozco’s perfect day at the plate included a grand slam blast, a 3-run homer and a solo shot. The winners put the game away early with 5 runs in the first inning.

July 17, 1960 Brooklawn Post 72 defeated Pitman Post 49 by a 3 to 0 score to move into the South Jersey finals. Winning pitcher Jim Megee allowed 5 hits and fanned 10 in hurling his shutout. Megee and his trusty battery mate Ed Hlopak each had 2 hits to lead the offense.

July 20, 1938 In big league action at Cincinnati, Boston Bees right-hander Dick Errickson, Vineland New Jersey, won his first major league game. He pitched 2 scoreless innings in relief to topple the Reds 4 to 3. His win was over double no-hit pitcher Johnny Vander Meer.

July 25, 1931 More than 1,200 baseball fans were on hand to see Trenton Post 93 defeat the Atlantic City Post 14 to 0 for the South Jersey crown. The winner’s ace hurler Phil DeCara tossed a 6-hitter and led his team’s 11-hit offense with 3 hits of his own.

July 29, 1984 Cherry Hill New Jersey’s Orel Hershiser, Los Angels Dodgers rookie pitcher, hurled his 4th shutout of the year when downed the Cincinnati Reds 1 to 0. He fanned 7 and allowed just 2 hits in picking-up his 7th win of the season. The only run crossed in the bottom of the 3rd frame on Ed Amelung first major league hit and RBI.

July 31, 1971 In VFW tournament competition, Camden County’s American ball club won a doubleheader 1-0 and 8-1 over Union VFW to capture the New Jersey championship. Bill McKernan tossed a no-hitter to win the first game. Andy Plakis allowed just 2 hits in the second contest and struck out 7 in clinching the title.

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