Mississippi-Ohio Valley League 1951

All-Star Games

Game 1: South 5, North 4 (10 innings)

Mount Vernon, Thursday, July 12, 1951

Game 2: Paris 8, All-Stars 6

Paris, Friday, July 13, 1951

Game One

The first 1951 Mississippi-Ohio Valley League All-Star Game was played at Mount Vernon's Veteran's Park on July 12, 1951.

Two All-Star teams, selected by the Valley League managers, played a close game to a 6-5 conclusion with the South taking home the victory. Ed Mehringer of Vincennes was the winning pitcher, while Herb Heiserer of Paris took the loss. Centralia's Jerry Durnin knocked in the game winner with a single in the tenth.

I've been unable to locate a box score for this game, but the following players were selected to play:

NORTH
Butch McCord (PAR/NA) 1B
Sonny Hancks (MAT/NA) 2B        - two hits
Mike Krsnich (PAR/NA) 3B
Russ Gilmore (PAR/NA) SS
Quincy Smith (PAR/NA) LF
Wally Dunkovich (MAT/NA) CF
Ev Hall (DAN/NA) RF
Steve Karas (DAN/NA) C          - solo home run in 6th
Duke Black (PAR/NA) C
Kenny Grubb (PAR/NA) P          - pitched 7th through 9th
Dick Lacko (MAT/NA) P           - pinch hitter
Herb Heiserer (PAR/NA) P        - pitched 10th; losing pitcher
Nick Agnos (DAN/NA) P           - pitched 4th through 6th
Bob Hertzberger (MAT/NA) P      - starter; 3 IP, 2 runs
Jack DeRousse (PAR/NA) UT
Don Grzesick (DAN/NA) UT

SOUTH
Jim Given (MV/NA) 1B
Jerry Durnin (CEN/NA) 2B        - single, (GW)RBI
Chuck Popovich (MV/NA) 3B
Oscar Solorzano (MV/NA) SS
Fred Pearson (CEN/NA) LF
Lee Tunnison (CEN/NA) CF
Bill Bleyer (CEN/NA) RF
Wayne Haas (VIN/NA) C
Orley Patino (MV/NA) C
Frank Brookman (MV/NA) P
Ed Mehringer (VIN/NA) P         - pitched 7th through 10th; winning pitcher
Ed Rellergert (VIN/NA) P
George Gatto (CEN/NA) P
Bob Messel (CEN/NA) P
Kirby Dickens (CEN/NA) UT
Dave Perello (VIN/NA) UT

UMPIRES
Tom Hanley
William Heck
Ducky DeFrank
Walter Helkie

Attendance: 1,200

Notes, Issues, Sources, and Mysteries

• Based on the game account in the Mattoon Journal-Gazette of July 13, 1951. The July 10 issue of the J-G listed complete rosters for both teams. If someone has a more complete account or scoresheet, please drop me a line. Thanks.
• It's not clear who managed either team for this contest.
• No MVP or similar award seems to have been awarded for this game.

Game Two

The second 1951 Mississippi-Ohio Valley League All-Star Game was played at Lakers Stadium in Paris on July 13, 1951.

A selection of players from the previous night's All-Star teams took on league-leading Paris--and lost, as the Lakers came out on top by an 8 to 6 score. Herb Shankman was the winning pitcher for Paris; Dick Lacko of Mattoon was the loser for the South. Quincy Smith was the game's hero with a third inning grand slam that sent Lacko to the showers.

I've been unable to locate a box score or complete player list for this game, but these players are known to have played:

ALL-STARS
Sonny Hancks (MAT/NA) 2B          - starter
Wally Dunkovich (MAT/NA) CF       - three hits; double
Dick Lacko (MAT/NA) P             - starter, losing pitcher; four singles and Smith's HR in third
Lee Tunnison (CEN/NA) P           - relieved Lacko in the third
Ed Rellergert (VIN/NA) P          - relieved Tunnison in the fourth
Steve Karas (DAN/NA) C            - starter
Wayne Haas (VIN/NA) C             - replaced Karas in the 8th

PARIS
Quincy Smith (PAR/NA) OF          - grand slam HR, 3rd inning
Herb Shankman (PAR/NA) P          - starter, winning pitcher; 10 strikeouts, pitched into 8th
Herb Heiserer (PAR/NA) P          - relieved Shankman in the eighth
Lowell Black (PAR/NA) C


All-Stars      101 000 130 - 6 11 0
Paris          005 200 10x - 8 12 2

Notes, Issues, Sources, and Mysteries

• Based on the game report in the Mattoon Journal-Gazette for July 14, 1951. If someone has a more complete account or scoresheet, please drop me a line. Thanks.
• I have no idea who managed the All-Stars for this game. Presumably Tom Sunkel managed the Lakers.
• The 1952 Sporting News Guide reports attendance of 2,232 for M-O-V All-Star Game(s) in 1951. Perhaps the attendance for this game was 1,032. Y' think?
• It's likely the same umpires worked both games, as that was the intention.
• No MVP or similar award seems to have been awarded for this game.