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1984: Swift, Foster are MVPs in all-star softball games
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Thirty years ago, on August 7, 1984, the Manteca slow-pitch all-star softball team proved that their lopsided victory last week was no fluke as they pounded out 31 hits,including four home runs, en route to an easy 27-6 win over the Tracy all-stars at Northgate Park. Larry Starkey clubbed a three-run homer and a two-run shot, both in the third inning. Starkey also had two singles on the night to wind up with four hits and six RBI. Pitcher Darren Swift was named MVP of the game as he had three hits, scored three runs and scattered 12 Tracy hits. In the opener, the Manteca women put up a fight but still wound up on the short end of a 9-6 decision. Donna Foster, the Manteca MVP, ripped a pair of base hits for the locals.



In other sports stories from the Bulletin files:

10 years ago: August 11, 2004 – Over 50 players representing Manteca High’s varsity, junior varsity and freshman levels are in volleyball drills at Winter Gymnasium. Varsity coach Jessica Harty is running her athletes in conditioning drills as part of an effort to get the Lady Buffs back into their 2002 form, when the team advanced as far as the Sac-Joaquin Section semi-finals.

Four standout swimmers took high-point honors as the Manteca Dolphins Swim Club took second at the Mid-Valley Swim Conference Championships on Saturday. Melissa Brock won the high-point honors at the 17-18 year old age division with three first places in the 100 meter IM, 100 free and 50 free. Christin Gowan took the honor in the 13-14 girls with two wins. She won both the 100 IM and 50 back. Joshua Revives was best in the 11-12 boys with three firsts in the 100 IM, 100 free and 50 free. Emily Winchitl dominated at the 7-8 girls level, winning the 25 fly, the 25 breast and the 25 free.

20 years ago: August 10, 1994 – Manteca will be sending four players and an assistant coach to the ASA 18-under Junior Olympic National Championships, which start with opening ceremonies tonight at the Sacramento Softball Complex. Pitcher Amy Denny, catcher Kim Clark, third baseman Andrea Long and outfielder Angie Long are all members of the Lodi Grapettes, which qualified for the tournament by placing in the top eight last month at the Hall of Fame Tournament in Oklahoma City. Assistant coach Bud Long will also participate in the Sacramento tourney.

The price for attending high school football and basketball games is going up this year. The Valley Oak League, which includes all three Manteca-area high schools, has announced a ticket increase which will go into effect this fall for all league schools. The price of adult admission for varsity football will increase from $4 to $5. Admission to varsity basketball games will go up from $3 to $4.

30 years ago: August 8, 1984 – Kevin Wentworth outlasted San Francisco’s Darren McCray for a three-hole playoff victory and the 14-15 age group title in the Livermore Junior Golf Tournament Tuesday. The soon-to-be sophomore at Manteca High shot a 71 to come from five shots back to tie McCray.

40 years ago: August 7, 1974 – Dave Minner turned in his second consecutive three-hitter and moved Manteca’s Center Plumbing into the semi-finals of the Stockton post-season invitational softball tourney. Tony Zaragoza, Jim McCleary and Minner provided the offensive punch for a 5-1 win over R-B Trucking of Stockton.

Melanie Cabral set a new record in the Trans-County Swimming Championships on July 27. The new mark in the 15-17 year-old 50-yard butterfly is 32.1.

50 years ago: August 5, 1964 – Led by the pitching of Roy Thran and the hitting of Mike Trout, the Jaycees took a big step toward winning the overall championship of the Little League Monday night by downing the Firemen 4-1 in eight innings. Trout blasted a grand slam home run in the bottom of the eighth inning off Mark Winter to lead the Jaycees to the win.

100 years ago: August 7, 1914 – Manteca came back Sunday in one of the best baseball games of the season, defeating the Escalon team 3 to 2. Elmer Blodgett in the box showed his class. He fanned nine men, allowed five hits and one free passage and hit one man. Barnhart, playing in left field, was badly fooled twice by high flies against the heavy wind. But he redeemed himself by his heavy hitting, breaking up the game in the ninth inning by hitting a home run on the first ball over. The hit was a possible two bag, but the right fielder stumbled and lost the ball. Clam Miklas umpired the game and was favored by a friendly grandstand.