Thunder Bay Red Sox (1970)
Thunder Bay Red Sox (1970) was a group of 16-18 year old All-Star baseball players who captured the Canadian national title and represented the country at the World Series. The team was inducted into the Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame in 2001.[1]
Overview
- Sport: Baseball
- League or level: Little League Big League Division
- Season: 1970
- Achievement: Canadian Champions
- Inducted: 29 September 2001[1]
Season
In 1970, following the amalgamation of Thunder Bay, the Thunder Bay Red Sox were formed as an all-star squad of players aged 16 to 18. The team traveled to Windsor to compete for the Canadian Little League Big League Division Championship. In the opening game of a three-game series against the Windsor All-Stars, Jim Hartley pitched a one-hit shutout over seven innings to secure a 1-0 victory for the Thunder Bay side.[1]
The second game of the national series saw the Thunder Bay Red Sox take an early lead with four runs in the first inning. However, the Windsor team responded with four runs of their own and eventually won the game 9-6 to tie the series. In the final deciding match, the score was tied 2-2 entering the seventh inning. The Thunder Bay hitters produced three runs in the top of the seventh, and the defense held Windsor scoreless in the bottom half to win 5-2 and claim the Canadian title.[1]
As national champions, the team advanced to the World Series held in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. This international double-elimination tournament included regional champions from Europe, Latin America, and the United States. The Thunder Bay Red Sox faced the host team from Fort Lauderdale in their first game, losing 10-4. They were subsequently eliminated from the competition following a 7-0 loss to the representatives from Puerto Rico.[1]
Roster
The names below come from the Hall of Fame profile and its team photograph caption.[1]
| Name | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Jim Hartley | player | pitcher |
| Barry Hauta | player | |
| Glenn Hogan | player | |
| Criag Holt | player | |
| Randy Howe | player | |
| Igor Kacerick | player | |
| Larry McChristie | player | |
| Mike Mihalich | player | |
| Bill Nesbit | player | |
| Lou Nistico | player | |
| Darrell Penner | player | |
| John Raynak | player | |
| Lorne Roneki | player | |
| Mike Skuta | player | |
| Tom Wiegand | player | |
| Armand Compardo | manager | |
| Alfred Mauro ("Pepsi") | coach |
Honours and achievements
- 1970 Canadian Little League Big League Division Champions
- Represented Canada at the 1970 World Series in Fort Lauderdale, Florida
- Defeated Windsor All-Stars two games to one in the national championship series[1]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 "Thunder Bay Red Sox Little Big League", team profile, Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame, https://www.nwosportshalloffame.com/team-profile/460b3559-0725-4f5c-b3a0-e62c0e129685 (accessed 31 October 2026). Archived copy on datum.locker.