40th Anniversary of 1965 Class AAA - State Baseball Champions

Nolan Ryan won more than 300 major league baseball games during a career that ranks him as one of baseball all time greats.  But in the Class AAA State Championship game of 1965, Ryan and the Alvin Yellowjackets came up short as the Indians clinched the State Championship.

Waxahachie Daily Light staff writer Ken Flagler filed the following report for the newspaper in 1965.

Moseley Stops Alvin In FinalsDisch Field-Austin—Waxahachie Indians, overcoming their six errors, chocked off an Alvin seventh-inning rally Wednesday night to capture the state Class AAA baseball championship here.  Pressure was heavy on both teams as Alvin committed five errors.

 

With lefthander Randy Moseley on the mound, the fighting Redskins of Coach Bill Borgers took a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning and led all the way.  The Tribe widened the gap with two runs in the third and added its final marker in the fifth.  Alvin, which scored its first run in the fourth, took advantage of hits and WHS errors to throw a big scare into the Indians and their supporters in the seventh inning.

The Green and White made two of its six errors this inning.  But the Warriors ended the diamond action with two Alvin runners stranded on base.   Coach Borgers and the Indians went to Austin to win and they won everything.  Tuesday afternoon the coach won a flip of a coin to be home team for the South San Antonio game; Wednesday evening he again won the flip of a coin to be the home club. 

Alvin with two down put a runner on third in the first inning when Third Baseman Billy Childress doubled and was safe at third when Indian fielder Gary Vasseur let the ball get by him.  But the runner was left stranded as Moseley struck out Nolan Ryan.

 

Ryan, who had pitched for Alvin the day before, started out but couldn’t last even a third of an inning against mighty Waxahachie.  He pitched to four Braves before being relieved by Pat Wagner.  Catcher Dale Fincher drew a walk to start the fireworks and Centerfielder Jimmie Tamez followed with a single. 

Then shortstop Harvey Huffstetler blasted a triple to make it 2-0 WHS.  After Moseley had walked, First Baseman Pat Cluney  greeted Wagner with a single to score Huffstetler.  The Warriors loaded the bags but were unable to get anymore runners across home plate that inning.

 

In the last of the third Cluney started the activity when he reached base on an error.  Rightfielder Lester Jacobs reached base on an error with Cluney going to third.  Terry Neal ran for Jacobs and stole second.  Second Baseman was safe on another Alvin error with Cluney scoring.  Neal was later forced at home and Edwards scored on a sacrifice fly by Fincher to centerfield.  This made it 5-0.

 

As the seventh inning got underway, Alvin go its first two batters on base on a single and an error.  Another single brought one run in and a second runner was thrown out at third.  Childress reached base on an error and Ryan singled to score Alvin’s final tally

 

Moseley struck out the next batter, the final batter of the game grounded out.  Edwards to Cluney and the Indians staged their victory war dance on the diamond.  Then they boosted Coach Borgers onto their shoulders for a brief but enjoyable ride.

 

Best defensive play of the game for the Green and White came in the fifth when Phil Brown, inserted into the line up at centerfield, made a sensational catch of a long fly off the bat of Ryan.  Moseley struck out seven batters and issued two walks, both coming in the third round.

 

For the year, Waxahachie had a record of 22 wins and seven defeats.  The win, the biggest one of the season, gives the Indians a winning streak of seven straight contests.  When the team returned to the motel after the game, Coach Borgers was dumped fully clothed in the motel’s swimming pool by the players.