CANADIAN JUNIOR LADIES SOFTBALL CHAMPIONS

Many of the players on the 1973 Blue Angels played together through minor softball, surfaced as Saskatchewan junior girls' champions and became gold medal winners at the 1972 Saskatchewan Summer Games.

They won the Saskatchewan junior title in 1973 and then won a seven-team playoff to determine Saskatchewan's team at the 1973 Canada Summer Games at Burnaby, B.C. The Blue Angels won the deciding game 9-2 against Moose Jaw Grads.

The Blue Angels played seven games at the Canada Games, winning five, losing two and scoring 55 runs. They beat Alberta, 7-5, in the semifinal game and British Columbia, 6-4 in the final.

In the deciding game, Saskatchewan trailed 2-1 after the fourth inning and 4-3 going into the bottom of the sixth. Winning pitcher Marvel O'Donnell started off the sixth with a walk. Carol Bertsch singled. Carol Rayburn singled to drive in the tying run. Pat Harrison singled to drive in the winning run. A crowd estimated at 10,000 watched the final.

Marvel O'Donnell, Terry Nelson and Leila Berg were the pitchers. Lynne Fuller was the catcher. Chris Gervais, Carol Bertsch, Ann Tkachuck, Bev Mazurkewich and Kathy Messner were the infielders. Irene Glazier, Carol Rayburn, Bonnie Skeoch, Debbie Dionne, Pat Harrison and Sherry Wright were the outfielders. Frank O'Donnell and Andy Messener were the coaches.

The Blue Angels are the only Saskatchewan team ever to win a women's softball gold medal at the Canada Games.