Waggener High School - RingBrothersHistory.com

The Voice of St. Matthews, January 12, 1956: Not Altogether Suburban After 1955St. Matthews Not Altogether Suburban After 1955In the American League, John Thompson of the Models topped the pitchers with a 6-1 record, and shortstop Chuck Armstrongof the Showers was the best hitter. Chuck's .452 average, six home runs and six doubles led the league.The St. Matthews National and American League All-Stars were picked from the four Little League teams in their respectiveleagues.The National All-Star coaches were Carl Porter of the Lions and Harold Hammon of the Ermonns, and the line-up included:Kit Georgehead, Bob Dundon, Sonny Tribble, Jim Lapsley, To Dudgeon, Charlie Kane, Bryan Nemitz, Paul Charron,Mike Gambill, Bruce Martin, Tuffy Horne, Tim Wright, Rich Stokes, and Dave Liebson.The American All-Star managers were Bill Cardot of the Models and Herb Rose of the Colonials. The line-up:Steve Graef, John Thompson, John Cardot, Merle Kruer, Keith Thomas, Larry Loeser, Don McKay, Ray Simpson, ChuckArmstrong, Cap Hoskins, Mike Lynch, Bob Dixon, Rudy Miller, and Dave Hart.There were 15 boys 13 and 14, on each of the eight teams, and each team played 18 regular season games.The Pony League, for boys 13 and 14, had six teams of 16 players, and each team played 15 games. All-Star coaches werePete Farlee and Charles Sterner, and the line-up was:Ivan Imes, Jr., Lothian Smallwood, Charles Long, Dale Sterner, Sid Wright, Butch Faries, Buzz Miller, Lloyd Payton,Bobby Marr, Dick Peloff, Bob Norcross, Dean Elkins, Kent Thomas, Johnny Baxter, and Tookie Robertson.It was the St. Matthews Pony League’s second session, and the braves edged the Dodgers for the title.Lloyd Payton, Yankee third baseman and pitcher, and Ivan Imes, Dodger hurler, both of them former Little League stars,captured the hitting and pitching titles. Lloyd complied a .390 average in what was generally agreed to be a pitchers’league, and Ivan racked up six victories without a defeat.The St. Matthews Pony League All-Stars gave the community something else to boast about. Led by the pitching of BobbyMarr of the Giants and the hitting of Dick Peloff and Buzz Miller, they defeated the Lexington Southern All-Stars 5-2 in thefinals to win the eastern Kentucky championship. Marr gave up only four hits and struck out 13 men, while Peloff’s triplewith the bases loaded and Miller’s homer with one aboard accounted for all the St. Matthews runs. The local boys lost inthe State finals in Muhlenburg by scores of 3-0 and 5-1, but not before they had put on a spirited performance in only theirsecond year of play.It was the end of Pony League baseball here, but not the end of a baseball program for teenagers. The fathers of the Leagueplayers, anxious to see their boys get in another year of organized play, voted in the fall to transform Pony League into aBabe Ruth League, lifting the age limit one year, to 15.There were other local triumphs.Our Lady of Lourdes finished another undefeated season, winning 11, to capture the Far Eastern League basketball title. Itwas their 24th straight victory in league play, but their streak was finally put to an end in March when they were edged 28-26 by St. James in the second-round of the County-wide parochial tournament.Even the mightiest must fall, and in August, the Big Spring Golf Club swimming team lost their first contest in two years,bowing to the Louisville Boat Club, 75-52.(Pam Mueller was chosen Big Springs most valuable swimmer.)The Richmond Boat Club swimmers in August won the River Road Invitational meet defeating the teams of the River RoadCountry Club, Pastime Boat Club, and Louisville Boat Club. Richmond piled up 119 points, nearly twice as much as secondplace L. B. C. whoe scored 60.Other highlights:The St. Matthews Merchants playing their first year, got to the finals of the Louisville Amateur Baseball Federation beforebowing to the Kingfish.Ed Lowry won the River Road Country Club golf title.The Bears won the Junior Division championship of the St. Matthews Football League with six victories and no defeats.The Trojans won the Senior Division title with six wins, no losses, and two ties.1955 was on of the best years in the history of st. Matthews for commercial building.