Great Falls however was waiting for them. Throughout Salt Lake City's history in
the Pioneer League, it seemed to be that if Salt Lake was going to be in the playoffs...
they would have to go through Great Falls in order to win the pennant...
even if Salt Lake hasn't played in the league for years because they were elevated
to Triple-A. As soon as they come back... Great Falls would be waiting.
In 1957, the Great Falls Electrics electrified the Bees, stealing the pennant
from them... something that Salt Lake would remember for a very long time. It would |
be the last chance that the Bees would get in their long term 7 year
PDC with the Philadelphia Phillies. Over the course of the next 3 seasons, the
Bees would fail to make the playoffs again. Future Chicago Cubs' SS Bobby Sturgeon
(.324) would make a cameo appearance, Wallace Rushing would have a noteworth
year in 1955 batting .345. Future Mets and Phillies Manager Dallas Green would
go 17-12 with a 3.58 ERA in 1956 and Lou Vassie (21 2B, 21 HR, .281) and John
Wisniewski (21 2B, 20 HR, .287) would share nearly identically good seasons in
1957 but perhaps the greatest performance of all in those 3 seasons, was John
Moskus who had already taken hold of the all team Derks Field lead in HRs in 1953
with 28. Now he would take over the all time Derks Field batting title by hitting
.386 with 20 doubles and 21 homers in 1956. |