Vandals Altemate at Being Good and Bad
&ck row: Jeff Overholser. Co..ch Ernie Wohlotz, Ch~rles Hendorson, Denny Groy, Marlin Huff. John Ikeda, Athletic Director "Babe" Brown, W~lt Smith, Elmer Sperry, W~Jioce Worner and Chuck Schiforl ... front row: Bill CorbeuQh, Jerry Isaacson, Sumner Johnson. MonoQer Philip Johnson, Fronk Vlro, John Dolley and Len Pyne
Spring of 1945 found Idaho still fielding a baseball team despite wartime difficulties. Under Coach Ernie Wohletz, the Vandals got off to a promising start with seven victories in their first ten games. However, a late season collapse blasted Vandal victory hopes and the diamondmen wound up the year with a record of nine wins and ten defeats. Top man on the Vandal hurling staff was big John Dailey, frosh right hander, who twirled three wins against no defeats. Walt Smith, Sumner Johnson, and Bill Carbaugh carried the rest of the hurling load. Johnson was the winning pitcher in three starts and dropped one contest. Leading hitter on the Idaho squad was Carbaugh, who played top-notch ball in center field when he wasn't pitching. Carb finished the season with a fat .367 batting average and included three home runs among his 22 blows. Other heavy hitters on the team were Jeff Overholser, right field, and Len Pyne, veteran shortstop. Military teams provided plenty of opposition for the Idaho nine. McCaw General Hospital, Fort George Wright. and Mountain Home Army Air Base all were listed on the Vandal schedule. Idaho athletic history was made in the game with Mountain Home as Coach Wohletz took his men to the southern Idaho installation by plane, the first air trip for a Vandal team. Transportation was furnished by Mountain Home officials.
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