New Ulm Sports Central - Preserving and Sharing New Ulm Area Sports History

For a few people like Myron Forstner and Vern Kuck, attendees at this year's state amateur baseball tournament, plus several others who were unable to personally take in the games, the Hanska run into the championship game brought back a bunch of memories as evidenced by Sports Central's state tournament history files.

Searles lost the Class B state title (same as Class C today) by 1-0 to Soderville in the final game at Faribault as the attendance for the event reached 29,003. Roger Spencer pitched the shut-out and won the MVP honors for the tournament that year.

Searles beat Hinckley 15-3 in the first game on a Saturday afternoon, then had to play Winnebago Valley 6-0 in a 9 a.m. game the next Thursday after being rained out Wednesday. Friday afternoon Searles topped Lester Praireie 6-1 and then lost to Soderville 1-0 Saturday.

Of note was the Hinckley game when the Tomahawk representatives blasted out 25 hits and had three players with four hits and two with three. Getting the four hits were drafted pitcher Shorty Lund of Lafayette, Forstner and Kenny Gleisner of the St. George area. Third baseman Walter (Pug) Gareis, first baseman Bob Grossmann and drafted catcher DeMar (Cotton) Anderson of Lafayette had three hits each. Kuck played right and center field that game. That same weekend Dick Donnelly pitched a non-hitter for Dick Siebert's Litchfield team.

In the second round Searles ousted Winnebago Valley which was 24-0 after a first round win.

Also playing for manager Gene Forstner were pitcher Eldon Hughes, Vern Schugel, outfielder Vern (Ader) Wieland and catcher named Norman. Wieland got the only hit off Spencer in the championship game as Soderville made a first inning run stand up.