AS I SEE IT WITH HARRY PEPPER .- . . It has come to my notice that there are rumors going the rounds that the Rossland Minor Soccer Association draw which was to have been made on June 20th has flown the coop. Nothing could be farther from the truth. I happen to be pretty closely connected with minor tion and introduction of the allleague soccer and I can assure star team make up a major poryou, one and all, that anyone who tion of the wind-up do . First to come up for an award thinks this is barking up a wrong was Ken Plotnikoff of the Trail tree. I did hear that someone was Machine Works team , who took home the Joe Remesz Trophy going to write a letter to the as the most sportsmanlike "Miner" protesting it, and it is with a lot of pleasure that I player. Ken also shared the would like to tell you all, evefy-Home Run Trophy which is one of 3 GROW League sponsored one who has a ticket on this draw , that you will have just as trophies, with Jack Mccunn of good a chance as your neighthe Trail Hotel. The Morey Johnson Memorbour. ial Trophy, the Golden Glove, By way of explanation, I would also went to McCunn. like to say that when the minor The Cominco Trophy, emsoccer executive embarked on blematic of the league winners this venture the idea was born was won by the Crown Point that we give the youngsters who Club which is sponsored by hotake part in this sport a real tel owner, Ernie Rushworth . bang-up wind-up banquet, and to The Art Misisco Trophy for this end we had received many the most valuable player was offers of help. However, we felt that if the youngsters would get won by John Obetkoff of the out and hustle a little, the sale Trail Hotel, while John Thompof tickets would see that we had son of the Crown Point won a paid-up feed for the kids and batting honors and a GROW I some nice prizes for the lucky League Trophy with a .467 average. winners. Warren Hutchinson's 10-0 Well, this was not bad thinkrecord over the season won the ing, but we didn't figure that some of the kids we executive Crown Point ' s strong-arm hurmembers have been striving for ler, another GROW League trophy. "Hutch" was also named all season would let us down. But when we arrived at the pitcher of the all-star team . He was joined on this exclunitty-gritty, to quote a current cliche, we didn 't get 100 per sive club by catcher Dale Shultz of the Trail Machine cent. Works, first baseman Denny Some kids went overboard, others could not have cared Larson of Montrose R & W Moless, with the result that our tors, second sacker, Tim Horinitial assessment fell far short coff of the Hi-Arrow Arms , Dino DeRose of the Crown Point of expectations. At a meeting was selected to protect the hot called by President John Rykers in July , we decided we corner and Trail · Machine Works' Don McLeod was chowould try to sell the books turned in by the kids, some with sen shortstop. There must have beenanawone or two tickets sold and thus full lot of good outfielders in the try to salvage something. GROW League this season beAs anyone knows who has cause the all-star team couldn't tried to sell tickets in August cut down to less than four . They on a draw that was supposed to named Jack McCunn and Jim take place in June, it ain't no McIntyre of the Trail Hotel, fun . Consequently , we find ourJohn Thompson of the Crown selves in September still somePoint and Wally Caron of Trail what short of our goal, however, Machine Works to posts in the we will definitely hold thedraw far reaches of the park. The at our wind-up banquet and if anyone would like to help us meet our quota of tickets, you know who to contact. To some who have given , I can only say, "Thanks a million", and to those who think that people who have to live in this town would try to beat you for a dollar, then all I can say is , you should be prime candidates for the job of running this minor soccer show. I' 11 bet you will be welcomed with open arms by the incumbent executive . As was expected , the Lou DeRosa-sponsored ball tourney turned up some mighty fine ball and, when the smoke had cleared, the club which was expected to take home the marbles did just that. The Spokane Gonzaga University Bulldogs , a team which placed high in college ratings in the U.S. this past season, just managed to edge the TrailRossland Silver Caps in their first meeting by a 3-Z extra 'inning win while out-hitting the locals 10-3 . The Slocan Valley Combines, who filled in for the absentokanagan champs - Kam loops Okonots , did not go unnoticed as they came up with a 7-5 win over Nelson Indians and pushed the Silver Caps to 10 innings before bowing 4-3 . A trio of Steve's on the Gonzaga club gave the Silver Caps more trouble than they could handle in the final game . Sandmore was the winning pitcher and Randal and Schrader each hit a homer in a winning cause . I would like to offer my congratulations to Lou for a fine tourney and hope that any future efforts of this nature will meet with the financial success they so richly deserve. On Saturday evening I attended the G.R.O. W. League windup banquet for the second year in a row and was just as well treated as I was last year and still amazed at the way this very successful league functions . · There are no less than eight trophies whi ch are up for competition every season and the d warding of these and the selec- 2 Hi-Arrow Arms team won the playoff and the Trail Hotel Trophy which goes with it. They owed a tremendous lot to outfielder Alec Ozeroff, who had a fantastic final series, going lZ for 14 and something like an .880 batting average . John Hughes Wanderers are off to a terrific start in the Juvenile section of the West Kootenay Minor Soccer League, with just two games under their belts . They can boast of a 7 -Z win over Nelson, and a 7-0victory over the previously topdog Castlegar Eleven . Re-alignment of our kid soccer set-up is set for next season with the probability of a house league set-up, as in minor hockey, becoming the vogue . I will endeavour to give some attention to the overall picture in minor soccer next week, but at present, what with new schedules being worked out and the scoring statistics being somewhat cloudy, I thought I would by-pass it for this week . Itrust you will .bear with me. Finals in the Play-for-fun League are proceeding apace and now only two teams remain in play . Hanson 's Texaco and the K.C . Knights each had a win over Wise 's, and these eliminated. the Scrappers from further competition. President Jim Markle of the Minor Hockey Association phoned the other night to give me some word on his organization and preparations for the coming season . He teils me they have had Z meetings and that Junior Warrior coach-elect , Lloyd McLellan, has been named superintendent of coaches for the kids and that registration forms for those wishing to play this winter will be in the schools shortly. Registration dates and times are to be Saturday, September 25th, from 10:00 a .m . to lZ :00 noon, and Thursday , September 30th from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. I will try to relay anvthing further I get from Jim on this subject. 4