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1973: Dalbens grand slam paces Tradeway Chevy 16-18 baseball win
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Forty years ago, on July 9, 1973, by pounding out 20 hits, the Tradeway Chevrolet 16-18 Babe Ruthers smothered Sonora 25-2 in a Central Valley League game in Lathrop. Ron Dalben collected three hits, including a grand slam home run, to pace the attack. Winning pitcher Miles Branson contributed a triple and four runs scored to his victory. Branson struck out eight batters and allowed just two hits. Sonora forfeited the second game of the scheduled doubleheader. The two wins moved Tradeway’s record in the Southern Division to an 11-2 mark, clinching the divisional championship for the second straight year. With three league games remaining, the Carlon Perry-coached Chevys are assured of a trip to the State Babe Ruth 16-18 tournament at Mountain View, beginning July 23.

In other sports stories from the Bulletin files:

10 years ago: July 16, 2003 – The Manteca Babe Ruth 15 year-old all-stars were eliminated from the Central California State Babe Ruth tournament in Madera last night as they dropped a 16-14 verdict to Selma in a slugfest. They had come back from a 13-1 third-inning deficit. Zack Avelar collected double, a single, drove in three runs and scored one himself in a losing cause.

Randy Sprinkle, Manteca High’s triple-threat baseball star, was named the Bulletin’s MVP on the 2003 All-City team. He was named because of his outstanding play on the mound, at the plate and in the outfield.

It’s official. Former Lathrop resident and 1983 East Union High graduate Scott Brooks signed a two-year deal with the Denver Nuggets to serve as an assistant to head coach Jeff Bzdelik.

20 years ago: July 14, 1993 – Six early errors proved too hard to overcome and Manteca fell to Tracy 8-3 during the District 2 Babe Ruth 15 year-old all-star tournament in Hollister on Monday night. That loss eliminated Manteca from the event after they split their first two games. John Sheridan singled twice in a losing cause.

Cal West survived a wild 15-inning marathon to beat Ripon 13-12 en route to a doubleheader sweep at East Union High School Sunday, while Tubbs & Sons Electric topped Reeve Associates 6-3 in eight innings for a split of its final two league contests in Tracy. By winning its opener, Cal West clinched the Tri-County Babe Ruth 16-18 League crown and a berth in the Central California Babe Ruth 16-18 tournament in Lemoore later this month. Cal West won the second game 3-2 in five innings and is now 11-0 on the season. Cal West finally won the first game in the bottom of the 15th when Brian Webb, who had pitched the first six innings, slugged a one-out single to center to score John Abrew from third base. In the second game, Abrew singled home the tying and winning runs in the third inning.

Meanwhile, Tubbs Electric rallied for three runs in the top of the eighth inning and held Reeve Associates scoreless in the bottom of the frame to earn its first win of the season. Brian Marain drove in a run with a triple and later scored in the final inning for Tubbs. The Tracy-based squad won the second tilt 14-4 in six innings. On the day, Tubbs’ Andy Gliege had five hits, including two doubles.

Vacationing swimmers slowed the Manteca Dolphins team and it had to settle for a third-place finish at the Hughson Invitational on Saturday. Nevertheless, the Dolphins got some strong individual efforts from its swimmers, including the pair of Victor Hucke and Jason Beier. Hucke, who competes in the boys 7-8 division, stroked to wins in the 50 freestyle, 25 butterfly and 25 backstroke. Beier (11-12 boys) bested the field in the 50 free, the 50 fly and the 100 individual medley.

30 years ago: July 9, 1983 – The Manteca Dolphins swim team, spurred by a pair of triple winners, breezed to an impressive victory over its Ripon rivals in a meet held Saturday. The Mantecans captured the win by a final score of 815-736. Joshua Greiman and Cheryse Boyer both captured wins in three events. Greiman, competing in the boys 7-8 age division, posted victories in the 50-meter freestyle, 25-meter backstroke and the 25-meter freestyle. Boyer competed in the girls 13-14 division and captured victories in the 50 butterfly, the 50 backstroke and the 50 freestyle.

The Manteca Babe Ruth 14-15 all-star team, three outs away from a district championship, fell prey to a three-run seventh inning by Modesto and lost 3-2 in the title game of the District tournament in Lodi Thursday night. Earlier in the evening, Manteca had beaten Modesto 8-4 to force the decisive second game.

Riding the pitching and hitting of Paul Emperador, the Manteca Twins routed the Tracy CHP 10-4 Friday in Babe Ruth 16-18 Baseball action. Emperador hurled a complete game victory, giving up nine hits but striking out 10 Tracy batters. At the plate, he had an even better day, ripping three singles and a double, and had an RBI. He also added two stolen bases to his day’s credentials.

40 years ago: July 11, 1973 – Every time Mike Buchanan has competed in the National Judo Championships, he has taken a first, and last weekend was no exception as the 14 year-old traveled to New York to capture first place in the 15 year-old heavyweight division.

Manteca Ford ran their win streak to three as they swept a doubleheader from Pixie Pancakes of Turlock, 3-0 and 17-0 last Sunday in Central Valley Babe Ruth 16-18 Baseball action. Excellent pitching from Steve Delmanowski and some fine defense highlighted the first game. Delmanowski struck out six batters and only walked one in picking up the shutout win. Mike Hubbard fired a four-hitter, fanning nine batters, while his teammates were raking four Turlock hurlers for 17 hits in the second game victory. Keith Rankins collected four hits in five trips to the plate. Mario DeLeon slammed a double and a triple and Boyce Jeffries, Greg Teunissen, Mike McCleary and Jeff Seibert each got two hits.

50 years ago: July 11, 1963 – The McFall-Grisham Legion baseball nine was handed its second straight District 11 second-half loss last week, by Karl Ross Post of Stockton, 8-7. Losing pitcher Eron Grisham had run-producing double in the eighth inning and Greg Wisby doubled in the fifth.

70 years ago: July 8, 1943 – Manteca’s Milo Candini, a pitcher for the Washington Senators, has been named by The Sporting News as Player of the Week for his three-hit shutout of the Boston Red Sox. It was his fifth consecutive victory.

80 years ago: July 13, 1933 – The Spreckels Sugar Company baseball team won their game on the local diamond Sunday against the Western Sugar Refinery team of San Francisco by a score of 7 to 0. The Manteca battery was Cozad and Roberts.

100 years ago: July 11, 1913 – The Holt nine of Stockton and Manteca White Sox played a slow game on the local diamond Sunday. The score was 8 to 7 with Manteca on the long end. Shepherd struck out 13 batters for the local nine and Potter and Delmege each collected three hits.