(EDITOR’S NOTE: Since May of 1999, the Times News Sports Department has featured an On This Date practically every day, highlighting an event that happened in the past. With the coronavirus putting a halt to most sports locally and nationally, the On This Dates have been expanded to the stories that actually ran in the next day’s newspaper. Today’s On This Date story is from July 27, 1979).

By Norm McLaughlin

Sports Staff Writer

HAZLETON - A funny thing happened in the District 18 Little League final last night.

The team from the “other side of the mountan,” that wasn’t suppose to do anything, came home with a brand new championship banner. The Tamaqua All-Stars defeated Hazle Township, 7-3, to win the District 18 flag.

Coach Joe Ambrose’s club brought the winning banner to Tamaqua for the first time since 1969. The team, which has parlayed good pitching with good defense and clutch hitting, did it that way again last night. Wendell Paisley turned in another strong pitching performance and got more sparkling defensive support by his teammates.

“We have been getting good pitching and excellent defense,” said Ambrose of his team’s success. “We haven’t hurt ourselves at all. Our hitting hasn’t been that outstanding, but we have boys coming up with clutch hits when we needed them.”

While Paisley held the Hazle Township club to six hits and three runs (striking out six), he also came through with two key hits to drive in two runs. Steady Mike Urenovitch came through with two RBI along with Bill Bynon and Cary Bates with runs batted in.

It didn’t take long for Ambrose’s nine to get out to a lead, as it pushed three runs across in the second inning. With one out, Bates singled. Then Bill Thompson walked and Charlie Herbinko reached on an error to load the bases. Urenovitch was hit by a pitch, then Paisley lined a shot over shortstop, driving in two more runs for a 3-0 Tamaqua lead.

Hazle Township got on the board quickly to start the second, when pitcher Dan Elko lined a shot over the left field fence that took about two seconds to leave the park. That was all the damage that was done in the inning. The home team made it closer in the fourth, though, when Bob Stash doubled and Jim Fisher singled. But Paisley held them in check the rest of the inning.

Tamaqua made it 5-2 with two runs in the fifth. Mike Ambrose, Bates and Roger Galloway walked in between two outs. Then Ambrose scored on a wild pitch and Bates scored when Herbinko and Urenovitch walked to force in the second run.

Tamaqua punched across two more runs in the top of the sixth for a nice 7-2 cushion going into the bottom of the inning. Ed Titus was hit by a pitch, then Mike Ambrose singled with Titus going to third and scoring on Bynon’s ground out. Bates then singled in Ambrose.

Hazle Township wouldn’t quit and with two outs took advantage of four straight walks by Paisley to push a run across, but then Chris Ritz flied out to Urenovitch to end the contest.

Tamaqua managed nine hits with Paisley and Bates getting two each, and Herbinko, Urenovitch, Titus, Ambrose and Bynon coming through with singles. Of the six Township hits, Elko had two, along with Stash.

Now the team that wasn’t supposed to do anything will enter sectional play on Wednesday with the opponent and site to be announced Sunday. For the weekend, though, the CHAMPIONS will rest and admire that new banner that will be flying at the Little League field.

FOUL BALLS ... Titus came up with a good defensive play at shortstop while Urenovitch made a “Willie Mays” type catch in centerfield ... Good Tamaqua crowd on hand with collection total over $155 ... Tamaqua officials received trophy and banner with players and coaches receiving pins ... Field was one of nicest we have seen ... Hard to find though and a lot of Tamaqua people arrived a little late ... Umpires did good job all through tournament ... Tamaqua could play down in Harrisburg area or up in Berwick-Milton area on Wednesday ... Pitching and defense has been great for Tamaqua through tournament play ... TN cameraman Bill Garber had to walk almost a mile to get pictures and hung around during long post game show to get team shot of the new champs ... Tamaqua’s tournament road started with a 3-2 win over Beaver Banks, a 6-3 win over Weatherly (both wins coming in extra innings), a 3-0 victory over Jim Thorpe and then last night ... Titus hit .417 during the tournament, with Bates finishing at .375. Urenovitch ended at .357, and Paisley hit .313.

Tamaqua 030 022 - 7 9 0

Hazle Twp. 010 101 - 3 6 1

Paisley and Bynon; Elko, Stash (5), Elias (6) and Stash, Lawrence (5). W - Paisley. L - Elko. HR: Hazle Township - Elko.

NOTE: Two stories on Tamaqua’s championship victory were combined to produce today’s On This Date story.