Rails strong on mound

Blessed with a mound staff of five strong hurlers, the Proctor high school Rails are heavy favorites to repeat as Lake Superior baseball conference champions.

Last year, the Rails were undefeated in league play, but as so often in the past, lost to Grand Rapids in the playoffs for a berth in the state tournament, which the Indians won.

In the Rails' opening game against Hermantown Monday night, the Rails gave an indication of their power by clobbering the Hawks 13-4.

There are seven returning players, a year older and with experience in regional tournament play.

The three Proctor pitchers, Nik Peterson, Bill Richardson, and Dan Norton are all-around athletes and effective on the mound as well as at the plate. Peterson didn't lose a game last year.

The other two hurlers are Ray Miles and Jay Anderson.

Three-year veterans are Matt Downs at second, Scott Pionk at shortstop, and Chuck Flynn as catcher. When Norton isn't on the mound, he's covering first. He was a regular since his freshman year and is ending his brilliant high school athletic career when he graduates this year. He, Downs and Pionk were .300 hitters last year.

It's just as well all are year-'round athletes because they will need their strength. They are scheduled to play 16 games in 33 days against such non-conference powers as Grand Rapids, Greenway, Virginia, and Superior.

But despite the gruelling schedule, the coaches pick them as the class of the conference and the likely league champions.

(Proctor Journal, April 23, 1981)