Thirty-eight-year-old Joseph “Flatty” Klepic, who has been serving ‘em up as long as the average fan around here can remember, swept Panther Valley League pitching honors for the 1946 season, according to figures released by League Statistician Tony Kinn.
Klepic finished the season with a record of ten victories and no defeats for a perfect .1000 average. He saw action in thirteen games during the regular campaign. The only blemish on an otherwise perfect record was his setback by Summit Hill in the opening game of the semi-final playoff series between the two clubs.
The Coaldale right-hander chalked up a total of 102 strikeouts and issued only 28 walks.
NEW RECORDS
Most consecutive wins: Joe “Flatty” Klepic, Coaldale right-hander, chalked up ten in a row.
Most runs in one inning: Coaldale scored 11 in the third inning against Seek on August 2.
Most hits for one individual in one game: Cal Mock, Coaldale shortstop, banged out 6 for 7 against Seek on August 2. It was a nine-inning game.
Most hits in one game: Coaldale smacked out twenty-five safeties against Seek on August 2.
Most consecutive shutouts: Dewitt “Lefty” Bowden, of Coaldale, hurled three straight.
RECORDS TIED
The sixteen strikeouts registered by “Lefty” Bowden, of Coaldale, in the game against Summit Hill on May 19 equalled the mark held severally by Joe Klepic, of Coaldale (1943), Mike Gazdick, of Nesquehoning (1944), and Stanley Kozuch, of Summit Hill (1945).
The one-hour-twenty-five minute game played between Coaldale and Seek on June 16 tied the shortest game on record established by Nesquehoning and Tamaqua on July 9, 1944.
