1965 Varsity Baseball

Row 1: B. Derr, C. Hoverter, W. Zettlemoyer, J. Reed, W. Bower, S. Sheely, D. Fisher, J. C. Pierce, T. Witters. Row 2: P. Paturzo, D. Jester, R. Kreitzer, W. Sipe, T. Hertzler, J. Carlew, K. Roth, B. Potter, T. Brown. Row 3: L. Eberly, B. Meals, D. Sauve, M. Sallie, P. Regis, B. Deily, B. Schick, R. Hann. Row 4: Coach Brandt, Coach Freed.

In the beginning …

Diamond Coach Optimistically

Looks Forward to League Competition

The Mechanicsburg High School baseball team has begun practices for its 1965 campaign. Forty-five boys signed up for baseball and from this number 25 will be chosen for varsity. There are six lettermen returning. Sophomores and juniors however constitute the greater portion of the team.

Mr. William Freed, head coach, is highly optimistic about the outcome of this year’s season. He anticipates a fine infield, but admits that M-burg has few, if any, “power” hitters. Thus, the team will have to take advantage of every situation and win on fundamentals. Mr. Freed believes the boys are capable of doing just that. Possibly the weakest point of the team is the inexperience of the pitching staff, an area which could be crucial.

Individually, Bill Derr seems to have catcher tied down. Ward Bower will play shortstop. But a real battle has shaped up between Wilson Sipe and Charl Hoverter at the hot corner. Six boys are battling for the second base position, and the same number are going after the first sack. Pitchers include Terry Brown, Jack Reed, Jim Lowe, Ron Kreitzer, and Dave Jester. Dean Fisher, Lee Sadler, “Vesty” Sheely, and Bruce Potter seem to be in torrid pursuit of the three outfield spots.

Carlisle seems to be the “team to beat” in league competition. This is due mainly to Carlisle’s solid pitching staff, says head coach. Cedar Cliff takes a close second on paper for the same reason.

Wildcat “Diamond Dandies” In Pursuit of League Title

Mechanicsburg’s diamond hopes suffered a severe setback in the opening game of the season, played April 2, at Big Spring. A combination of snow, rain, errors and anxiety plagued the Cats in the first inning as the Bulldogs pushed across 11 runs, greatly helped by six Wildcat errors. The boys from Newville added seven more tallies while the M-burg “nine” managed only four. Ron Kreitzer took the loss.

Kreitzer took the mound four days later and shut out Cumberland Valley, at New Kingston. The hefty junior was touched for only two hits and seemed to be in control all the way, The Cats picked up their two runs in the first inning and protected the margin throughout the rest of the contest.

The Cats continued their winning ways at home, April 9, with a solid 8-4 victory over Cedar Cliff. M-burg tallied seven times in the fifth inning. Bruce Potter led off the inning with a solo homer. The club batted around and with two down and the sacks loaded, Potter lined a double to right center good for three more runs. The Colts came back with four runs in the sixth off M-burg starter Jack Reed, but Jim Lowe came on in relief to preserve the victory.

The Wildcats suffered their first defeat, April 27, at the hands of Cedar Cliff, at Highland Park. Jack Reed suffered his first loss of the season, giving up only four hits, with two errors behind him.

(May 3, The Torch)

1965 Varsity Scores

M.H.S.	Game	Opponent	Record
4	Big Spring	18	0 - 1
2	C.V.	0	1 – 1
8	Cedar Cliff	4	2 – 1
7	Carlisle	1	3 – 1
1	Camp Hill	0	4 – 1
6	C.V.	3	5 – 1
3	Carlisle	1	6 – 1
0	Cedar Cliff	3	6 – 2
4	Camp Hill	3	7 – 2
2	C.V.	3	7 – 3
7	Cedar Cliff	10	7 – 4
0	Carlisle	2	7 – 5
10	Camp Hill	0	8 - 5
League Record: 8 - 5 2^nd place in the West Shore League

Team Statistics:

Hitting:

Leading Hitter: Hoverter - .323

Pitching:

Wins: Jack Reed – 4, Ron Kreitzer - 3

ERA: Reed - 1.68, Kreitzer – 1.75

1965 Team Members

Pete Paturzo, Wayne Zettlemoyer, Dave Sauve, Sylvester Sheely, Dean Fisher, Ward Bower, Kerry Roth, Jack Reed, Terry Hertzler, Charlie Hoverter, Willie Sipe, Bill Derr, Bruce Potter, Tom Witters, J.T. Pierce, Ron Kreitzer, Jim Lowe, Terry Brown, Dave Jester, Scott Houser, and Peter Regis.