1975 Beaver Falls HS Boys Baseball Team
1975 BFHS WPIAL Baseball Champions
The 1975 Tiger Baseball Team was the one to be reckoned with as it walked away with Section V honors and the WPIAL Championship.
The 1975 Regular Season begins
To start the regular season, the fighting Tigers won the first two games before dropping two straight games to Hopewell and defending champs, Beaver. At that point, they were two and two behind league leader, Beaver. For the first ten games the team had a seven and three record, and with four games left, Beaver, Ambridge, New Castle and Ellwood, the going got tough. The season came down to the final game against Ellwood where the Tigers proved themselves the tougher team and defeated the Wolverines, 1-0.
The 1975 Playoffs get Underway
The first round playoff game was played at Center Twp. against New Wilmington where Beaver Falls overpowered New Wilmington, 9-1. The Quarter finals then moved on Freeport. There the Tigers defeated Kittanning, 3-0. In the Semifinals, also held at Freeport, Beaver Falls shut out Gateway, 2-0.
The “75” Championship Game
With one game remaining between being champions or the hard luck guys, the Tigers traveled to Three Rivers Stadium (Home of the Pittsburgh Pirates) to take on the California Trojans.
Through nine innings Frank Miloszewski fired a four hit shut out before giving way to Rich Manzetti with the game tied at 0-0.
In the bottom of the thirteenth inning with the score still tied at 0-0 and with two outs and Dave Hornacek at third and Nick Nardone on first, Rick Chiappetta was at bat. On a two ball and two strike count, the pitcher threw a wild pitch, letting Hornacek score from third. With that play, Beaver Falls won its first WPIAL Championship since 1969.
Tigers were led by seniors Frank “Milo” Miloszewski, Rich Manzetti, Nick Nardone, Kevin Hogue, Tom Wooley, and Bill Walker. The “Big Bats” were Dave Horacek and “Milo”. Sportsman of the year award went to Ralph Borkovich.
The Tigers were coached by Joe Smartz, Manager and Rege Frankhouser, Assistant Manager