The Shrine & Pits produced 24 pros in '60s led by Berbeck, Hiller, Kilkenny, Shank

LHP Marv Berbeck was dominant in the Leaside junior league. In his final year of junior, he fanned 156 in 82 innings while going 12-2. Both the win and strikeout totals still stand as records.

By George Farelli

Canadian Baseball Network

Someone asked me the other day if I knew Marv Berbeck, a Toronto lefty who pitched in the minors.

Berbeck has always been on my radar, from the recollection of my midget and junior playing days at Christie Pits, and the lefties who were active in Toronto in those days, he was easily one of the best I ever faced. The others would include John Bukowski and Eddie Jordan. (Jordan later pitched for the Leaside Maple Leafs and then the Ottawa-Nepean Canadians for some old goat).

Looking back, I remember the exact year, but my Perth Boys Club team played an exhibition game at Eglinton Park against a team from the Leaside League. If I remember they were called Richardsons (Richardson For Sports sporting goods store). Berbeck was on that team. He only pitched part of the game, but I can remember his stuff was nasty.

I played for Perth from 1960 to 1964, a team sponsored by Jim Warden a Metro policeman, and managed by one of my all-time favourite people Harry McAloney. My friend Brian Cowan was a teammate with Perth for the same years.

Berbeck originally played at East Riverdale Playground and then came to Leaside. His father, Lou, sat behind the plate so he could hear his son’s pitches. In his final year of junior for Richardsons, Berbeck struck out 156 in 82 innings while going 12-2. Both the strikeout and win totals are the most ever in the Junior league. The late Steve Breitner is second in both categories.

Nobody was surprised Berbeck was eventually signed by the Detroit Tigers June 29, 1960. Scout Bobby Prentice gave him a signing bonus of $8,500 US.

Well, maybe the triple-A International League Toronto Maple Leafs and Leafs scout Ron Roncetti were a tad caught off guard. Lefty Berbeck, 18 at the time he signed, had worked out with the Leafs for two years. Legendary hockey coach Roger Neilson coached the midget and Birnie ran the junior program.

The June 30, 1960 Associated Press story which appeared in the Victoria, Tex. newspaper read Berbeck had pitched “in the suburban Leaside league.” The Talbot Park, also known as the Shrine, at the corner of Eglinton and Bayview Avenues ... the suburbs?

Berbeck made his debut with the class-D Jamestown Tigers in the New York-Penn League. He was 6-5 in 12 games with a 3.21 ERA in 1961 with 68 strikeouts in 73 innings. Teammates with Jamestown who reached the majors was Pat Jarvis who won 85 games in the majors.

Next, he moved on to the Milwaukee Braves system and the class-C Boise Braves, going 7-7 with a 5.27 ERA in 23 games, with 126 whiffs in 128 innings. Also on that team was Hall of Fame father Sandy Alomar, poppy of Robbie Alomar and Sandy Alomar, Jr., Cincinnati Reds reliever Clay Carroll and Vern Handrahan (Charlottetown, PEI).

That same year Berbeck moved to the class-C Eau Claire Braves in two starts with a 4.50 ERA. Slugger Bill Robinson (166 homers during 16 seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Philadelphia Phillies, Atlanta Braves and the Yankees in 16 years) infielder Jack Littrell and reliever Dave Eilers (four seasons each) all reached the majors, as did manager Jim Fanning.

And in 1963, Berbeck’s final year with the Greenville Braves, he had a 6.75 ERA in one game. Because of injury, his career was cut short.

Discussing Berbeck brings back the memory of a discussion I had a few years ago with Howie Birnie, about the calibre of ball played it the city in those days, the late 50’s to late 60’s.

With Howie’s help I put together a list of signed players out of Christie Pits and/or Leaside during those years. It’s indicative of the high level of play.

Besides Prentice and Roncetti, scouts regularly working Toronto games would include Marty Philp (San Francisco Giants), George Begley (New York Mets), Lefty Bagg (Kansas City Royals), Jim Frail (Pittsburgh Pirates), Leaside senior skipper Joe Irvine (New York Yankees) and Jim Liness with the Cincinnati Reds. Former Toronto Maple Leafs’ catcher Tim Thompson, who scouted for the St. Louis Cardinals, would drive in from Pennsylvania.

I may have missed one or two but, with the exception of major leaguers John Hiller and Mike Kilkenny, plus Alfie Payne, Dick Krol, George Deratnay, Bob McKillop and Paul Sullivan, I’m proud to say I played with or against all of them.

Name Team Turned Pro Year Teams

Games Won-Loss ERA

Doug Beckett, Red Sox, 1967 A-Waterloo, AAA-Louisville, A-Greenville, rookie-Red Sox, AA-Pawtucket.

(120 games, 17-23, 4.74 with seven saves).

Marv Berbeck, Tigers, 1961 D-Jamestown, C-Boise, C-Eau Claire, A-Greenville.

(38 games, 13-13, 4.56)

John Bukowski, Astros, 1962 D-Moultrie, A-Winnipeg, A-Brunswick, A-Raleigh.

(108 games, 22-23, 3.94).

Bill Bunn, Red Sox, 1966 A-Oneonta, A-Waterloo, A-Appleton.

(53 games, 6-10, 3.99)

Tyrone Crawford, Tigers, 1966 A-Statesville, A-Batavia A-Erie.

Games Average, Home runs RBIs

(165 games, .263, four homers, 63 RBIs).

George Deratnay, Braves, 1961, D-Belmont, D-Newton-Conover.

(12 games, 1-2, 5.66).

Bob Duguid, Braves, 1964 Rookie-Sarasota league Braves, A-Greenville Braves.

(20 games, 7-4, 3.73)

John Fallis, Cubs, 1965 A-Duluth-Superior, A-Daytona Beach

(28 games, .163 average, four RBIs)

John Hiller, Tigers, 1963 A-Jamestown, A-Duluth-Superior, AA-Knoxville, rookie-Tigers instructional league, AA-Montgomery, triple-A Toledo.

Majors: 545 games, 87-76, 2.83, 125 games with the Detroit Tigers.

Minors: 176 games 37-40, 3.58.

Charlie Hughes, Tigers, 1962, D-Thomasville, A-Lakeland, A-Jamestown, A-Rocky Mount, AA-Asheville, A-Raleigh, IND Drummondville.

(594 games, 244, 39 homers, 250 RBIs)

Bob Johnstone, Mets, 1965 Rookie-Marion, A-Durham.

(Eight games, 0-1, 6.88)

Mike Kilkenny, Tigers, 1964 Rookie-Cocoa Tigers, A-Lakeland, A-Daytona Beach, AA-Montgomery, AAA-Toledo.

Majors: 139 games, 23-18 4.43 ERA with four saves with the Tigers, San Diego Padres, Oakland A’s and Cleveland Indians.

Minors: 159 games, 27-30, 2.78 ERA.

Dick Krol, Yankees, 1962 D-Harlan, C-Idaho Falls.

(Seven games, 0-1, 3.27).

Bob McKillop, White Sox, 1961 D-Clinton, D-Daytona Beach, A-Sarasota, A-Tidewater.

(374 games, .245 average, two homers, 127 RBIs).

Gary Newitt, Pirates, 1964 A-Batavia.

(Three games, 0-2, 4.50).

Joe Pfaff, Royals, 1968 Rookie-Kingsport, A-Waterloo

(19 games .125, 0, 0)

Alfie Payne, A’s 1963 A-Daytona Beach, A-Burlington.

(130 games, .229 average, three homers, 43 RBIs).

Jim Ridley, Braves, 1964 Rookie-Sarasota Braves, A-Greenville. A-West Palm Beach.

(109 games, zero homers, 32 RBIs, .234).

Alf Riverso, Red Sox, 1967, A-Greenville.

(165 games, .257, one, 58).

Harvey Shank, Angels, 1969, A-San Jose, AA-El Paso, AAA-Hawaii, AAA-Salt Lake.

Majors One game, 0-0, 0.00 with California Angels.

Minors: 134 games, 23-15, 11 saves, 3.57 ERA.

Robbie Stevens, Yankees 1966 Rookie-Gulf Coast Yankees, A-Fort Lauderdale, A-Batavia.

(101 games, .275 average, five homers, 51 RBIs).

Paul Sullivan, Red Sox, 1968, A-Jamestown, A-Watertown, AA-Quebec, AAA-Peninsula

(89 games, 27-22, 2.80 ERA, five saves).

Cliff Wooder, 1963

(Three games, .000, zero RBIs)

Duncan Wood, Tigers, 1964 Rookie-Cocoa, A-Jamestown, A-Statesville.

(50 games, 12-13, 3.74)