One hundred years ago, on August 17, 1914, the Battery C team from Stockton, with “Gus” Brock as pitcher were lined up as opponents to the Merchants. Free watermelons, a gift from Mr. Powers, and though much appreciated, did not draw many to the game. The game went into the tenth inning, when the Merchants got the deciding run and won a hard-fought game by a 5 to 4 score. Elmer Blodgett pitched the first six innings for our team and Lagorio took over for the final four innings. An attempt to water the diamond previous to the game was a failure owning to the lack of a hose.



In other sports stories from the Bulletin files:

50 years ago: August 21, 1964 – Coach Phil Harmon’s defending champion Manteca High football team will start workouts next Monday in preparation for their 10-game schedule for 1964. The Buffalo varsity last year won eight of nine games with only an upset loss to Sonora High.



40 years ago: August 21, 1974 – Manteca’s Center Plumbing fast-pitch softball team dropped their opening game in the Lodi post-season tournament to the Lodi All-stars 7-5 Tuesday night. Fiore’s Plumbers banged out 11 hits, but several line drives were snagged by Lodi to end major Manteca scoring threats. Carlon Perry collected three hits and drove in a run for the local nine.



30 years ago: August 21, 1984 – Manteca’s Kevin Wentworth captured a one-stroke triumph Thursday afternoon in the North-South Junior Amateur championships on the Hill course of the Pleasanton Country Club. The 15 year-old Manteca High sophomore shot a three-over-par 75 to finish with a three-day total of220. He finished ahead of Carmichael’s Dave Carr.



20 years ago: August 20, 1994 – The fall high school sports season started Wednesday with the Manteca High tennis team’s 4-0 loss at Modesto High. Manteca’s Andrea Belluomini played the closest match of the day, going down 2-6, 3-6 in the No.1 singles match.

 

10 years ago: August 25, 2004 – Inexperience hurt Coach Jessica Harty’s Manteca High volleyball team Tuesday in a 25-23, 12-25, 11-25, 26-28 loss to Merced’s Golden Valley High at Winter Gym. Stephanie Aschenbrenner, a third-year varsity player, handed out 15 assists for the Lady Buffs. Michelle Van Ryn finished with nine kills.

Outshooting visiting Ripon Christian High 18-4, an inaccurate Sierra High soccer squad escaped with a 2-0 win over the Knights on Tuesday. Tino Hernandez and Michael Montes scored goals for the Timberwolves, now 3-2-0.

An unproven Manteca High soccer squad proved a lot in their one-sided 4-1 victory over Bear Creek High in a season-opener at Lincoln Park on Monday. The Buffaloes outshot the visiting Bruins 28-12, but only 11 of the Buff attempts were on goal. Adrian Gallardo scored twice and Miguel Solis added one more in the win. Sophomore Aaron Knab capped the locals’ scoring with a goal with 17 minutes left in the contest. Freshman Jeremy Thiel had 11 saves in goal.