Colgate University 1939 Yearbook (Hamilton, NY) - Full Access

first baseman Dick Washburn, for his steady all-around improvement. -In addition to this award, Washburn was seled~d to lead the 1939 outfit. After earl practice tilts against Ithaca College and the Bigelow Weavers, the Maroon donned its war paint and et out to scalp unwary opponents. On April 22, liddlebury College became the first to fall before the power of the Colgate bats by the score of 10-2. Continuing at a fa t clip, Colgate neatly tripped the Big Red of Cornell before a large crowd by the one-sided score of 10-4. The latter had been leading the Eastern Intercollegiate League previous to this game, but was powerless before the relief hurling of George Sisler, son of the former major leaguer. Free hitting by Dieffenbach, Luczynski, Gilson, and Pill enabled Sisler to win his second game of the season. Allen went to the mound against Villanova, but was unable to hold the strong Phila– delphia aggregation and the hopes of the Reidmen for an undefeated season were shattered, as the visitors slugged out an l L-8 triumph. Dieffenbach was great in defeat, leading Col– gate's attack with four for four. The 1\tlaroon was not to be stopped easily, hmvever, and a Junior Prom crowd saw the Red Raiders overcome rain and an early yracuse lead to tomahawk the Onondagans, 13-5. The game was a thriller from the start. With Sisler gunning for his third victory of the cam– paign, the Salt City nine was leading 4-3. Then came the big fiflh inning. Cliffy Clinton poked a long one out that went for three bases. Next came Pill, who cracked a single over second to bring Clinton across with the tying run. Gilson momentarily halted the rally by forcing Pill at second. Luczynski, however, singled sharply to left and took second on the throw-in. With the fan shouting in his ears to do something, Dieffenbach was intentionally passed to load the bases. Bill Bartlett came up in a tight spot, and drove a hard grounder through the infield to score the two decisive runs. In this exciting contest Sisler clouted one of the longest home run ever seen on Whitnall Field . A return game at Hha a aw the Maro n, with new confidence, outla t the Cornellians to cop a 1 -13 verdict . Once again the potent Colgate bats pulled a thriller out of the fire. With the Red Raiders (railing 13-12 in the eighth inning, third baseman Ray Luczynski (rippled to left-center, and came in on "Dief's" single a moment later. AtthispoinUhe Cornell defense cnunpled, paving way for a Colgate victory. The Raiders then dropped a hard-fought contest to St. Lawrence. The temporary diamond on Whitnall Field proved to be Colgate's undoing when a short single by a St. Lawrence player hit the edge of the cinder track in center-field and bounced over Dieffen– bach's head for a home run, earning the "Larries" a 7-6 triumph. Shortly afterward, this well-balanced t. Lawrence team took its second contest from the Maroon, this time by the impressive score of 6-l. Tommy dams made his first start of the season against the ever-powerfulHolyCro s nine at \Vorcester on lay 7, but the Purple squad proved itself far superior as the final score of 13-3 indicate . hortly afterward the Raiders steadied and broke their lo ing streak with a decisive 13-0 shutout over Clarkson, as Sisler hurled superb ball. 200