Ninety years ago, on June 20, 1927, by defeating the Oakdale Giants by the score of 9 to 6, the Manteca Maulers practically clinched the first half flag in the Don Pedro League. The Maulers got a five-run lead over their opponents in the first inning and at no time were they in danger of losing the game. Nine errors were chalked up against the Oakdale Giants. Emil Theiler and Louis Bianchi each got two hits and scored two runs for the Maulers.

In other sports stories from the Bulletin files:

100 years ago: June 21, 1917 – In last Sunday’s game, Melones defeated the Manteca boys by a score of 12 to 8.

80 years ago: June 24, 1937 - Manteca’s league-leading 20-30 Club team came from behind last Sunday to win over the Kraft Cheese squad in 12 innings by a score of 14 to 13. Joe Escobar, local hurler, seems to be recovering from a sore arm, as he proved effective in the innings he worked.

Several local admirers of Milo Candini have “chipped in” and subscribed to an El Paso newspaper in order to keep informed on the progress of the Manteca boy who is pitching for the El Paso club of the Texas-Arizona League. Milo has been making a creditable showing during the season and the sports writers are speaking very highly of him.

70 years ago: June 26, 1947 – Playing two games last weekend, the local Junior Legion baseball team divided honors, dropping the game Saturday to the Stockton Juniors and beating Jackson the following day. Both games were played on the local high school diamond. Although the local boys led Stockton until the fourth inning, the game ended with the score of 31 to 13. The Stockton boys had the breaks when they received 17 walks during the game. Agostini had three singles and a double for the local boys. The Jackson game on Sunday wound up with Manteca holding up the top end of a 19 to 2 score. Outstanding player for the day was Ed Perez, Manteca pitcher, for pitching the four-hit, two-run game.

60 years ago: June 27, 1957 – The Manteca girls’ softball squad, led by the pitching of Cathleen Cotta and Edith Pool, won their first game of the season by downing the Stockton Aztecs 14 to 11. The Manteca girls, sponsored by Center Plumbing of Manteca, were off to a shaky start, but found themselves in time to outscore the Stockton lasses.

50 years ago: June 24, 1967 – Manteca Ford, playing in the Salida softball league, beat Modesto SOS by a score of 13 to 9. Jack Brandt and Larry O’Reilly each had a triple to drive in three runs and Gene Haley had a double and two singles to drive in five runs. Bill Ladd was the pitcher for Manteca. 

40 years ago: June 22, 1977 – Bill Stricker, former UOP basketball cager and holder of several school records, has been named to coach the East Union High varsity basketball team in the 1977-78 season, it was announced this week. Principal Richard Durham said Stricker will assume a teaching post in the math department in September. Before assuming the East Union assignment, the 6-8, 29 year-old was the Tracy High sophomore coach.

The defending division champion Azevedo State Farm Insurance Babe Ruth 16-18 Baseball team dominated Sonora last Wednesday in a return game by an incredible 31-0 score. The debacle saw State Farm pound two Sonora pitchers for 21 hits, while local hurler Darrell Womack was hurling a no-hitter. The losers contributed to their own downfall by making 15 errors. Brad Steele, Jack Lewis, Bob O’Rourke, Mark Azevedo and Dave Greene each scored three runs for the locals. Steele Slammed three triples and Steve Burrows added a pair of three-baggers.

30 years ago: June 21, 1987 – Frank’s Exxon pulled out a hot potato in the midst of the fire Saturday, defeating Lodi 5-4 with a two-run rally in the bottom of the seventh inning in Babe Ruth 16-18 Baseball action. Coach Jack Thomson had to start shortstop Donnie Hall as his pitcher and Hall responded with a five-hitter. He struck out five, but walked 11 batters. Exxon right-fielder Oscar Castellanos drove in the winning run with his bases-loaded liner that brought home Russell Keith. Donnie’s younger brother, Ronnie, had a two-run single in the game.

Led by the record-setting performances of Eric Wohle and Josh Greiman, the Manteca Dolphins placed second overall in the Oakdale Invitational swim meet Saturday. Wohle turned in the meet’s most impressive efforts as he set new Mid-Valley League marks in the boys’ 13-14 100 freestyle (56.6), 100 IM (1:05.39) and 50 backstroke. He also swam on the winning 200 medley and 200 free relay teams. Greiman, an 11-12 boys’ division swimmer, won the100 free in a record 1:09.56 and also placed firsts in the 50 backstroke, 50 free and 200 medley relay.

20 years ago: June 22, 1997 – Paul Rebeiro tossed a five-hitter and Tom Tuggle slugged a two-run homer in the sixth as the Tuff Boy Trailers routed Hafer’s 11-1 Saturday afternoon in Manteca Babe Ruth 16-18 Baseball play. Rebeiro crossed up the Hafer batters for six strikeouts in a complete game effort. Tuggle went 3-for-4 with three RBI. Alex Gonzales went 2-for-3 with an RBI double in the fourth inning for Hafer’s.

Down to their last out before sending the game into extra frames, Cardoza’s Cougars edged Sonora 3-2 on Ryan Walker’s clutch single in the seventh inning Sunday afternoon in Babe Ruth 16-18 Baseball action at Manteca High. At the plate for Cardoza’s, James Hardcastle walked three times and singled.

In other BR 16-18 action Sunday, Sierra Babe Ruth erupted for 14 runs in the final two innings to blast Ripon 15-0. John Bolton allowed just one hit to the Ripon team. Jeremy Cook blasted a homer and Troy Vick went 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles to trigger Sierra’s offensive fireworks.

 10 years ago: June 26, 2007 – On Monday at Sierra High, the tandem of Ricky Acosta and Marshall Swift led the Braves to their 19th straight victory, a 7-1 win over the Red Sox that vaulted the No. 1 seed into the championship game of the Manteca Babe Ruth 14-15 Division. Acosta got the start on the mound and through six innings of shutout ball, he allowed just two hits and struck out 11. At the plate, he went 2-for-3 with a triple and four runs batted in.

East Union High’s Natalie Heihn and Sierra High’s Josh Revives have earned the distinction of being named Manteca Bulletin All-Area Most Valuable Players for girls’ and boys’ swimming. In2007, Heihn broke the EU record in two events, the 100-meter freestyle (54.24) and the 100 meter backstroke. Revives, only a sophomore, broke the SHS record in the 200 freestyle with a new time of 1:50.86 in the Sac-Joaquin Section finals.