1957 Champs
The 1957 California Junior College Champs
The information about Roy Taylor and 1957 State Champs on this page was copied with the permission of Jay-Dell Mah. Jay has a site that provides much history of early players from our area that played in the Western Canada Baseball League,
Jay is also looking for pictures and game information from 1957. If you have or can provide such information please contact Jay at 
Thank you Jay for allowing us to share this information.
(Left to right, Taylor, John Carlson , Bud Ellington , Steve Stavrianoudakis from Taylor's first COS squad in 1951)
The beloved Roy Taylor took over the reins of the COS baseball program in 1951 and over 17 seasons compiled a 285-199-6 record. His 1957 team captured the California Junior College title with many of those with a Western Canada connection in starring roles including Marvel Weekly, Jim Hansen, Jim Garrett, Dick Doepker, Buddy Burgess, and Ben Reniker.
Taylor's efforts would win him a spot in the COS Hall of Fame and the California Community College Baseball Coaches' Association Hall of Fame.
1952 spring practice on campus at COS. Steve Stavrianoudakis (left), Charlie Beene (right). Photo courtesy Charlie Beene
Left: Steve Stavrianoudakis (in a "borrowed" Saskatoon uniform), Charlie Beene and Bob Garcia at spring practice 1952. 2nd from left, Ben Reniker . Third from left, Jim Hansen . Right: Jim Garrett (Left photo courtesy Charlie Beene, others courtesy Roy Taylor and Jim Garrett)
Left: Steve Stavrianoudakis (in a "borrowed" Saskatoon uniform), Charlie Beene and Bob Garcia at spring practice 1952. 2nd from left, Ben Reniker . Third from left, Jim Hansen . Right: Jim Garrett (Left photo courtesy Charlie Beene, others courtesy Roy Taylor and Jim Garrett)
Left to right: Rich Rubio , Bill Sheffield , Roy Arnold , Jim Peterson , Len Tucker (Len Tucker photo courtesy Neill Sanders ,others courtesy Roy Taylor and Jim Garrett)
Three key members of the 1957 championship team, catcher Jim Garrett (left), pitcher Marvel Weekly (centre) and pitcher Dick Doepker (right).
1957 Championship Season
Feb 22 COS 3 Monterey JC 0
COS opened the season with a 3-0 win over Monterey Peninsula College in Visalia as Dick Doepker , Ben Reniker and Jim Hansen combined on a one-hitter and 14 strikeouts. Bill Ryan led COS at the plate with three hits. Jim Garrett had a pair of doubles.
Feb 26 COS 7 Bakersfield JC 1
Dick Doepker , Ben Reniker and Jim Hansen combined to limit Bakersfield to six hits as COS scored a 7-1 win in Visalia.
March 1 LA Valley JC 5 COS 4
Los Angeles Valley College shaded COS 5-4 as the Giants made five costly errors.
March 2 COS 6 Taft JC 1
Dick Doepker and Jim Hansen hooked up in a brilliant pitching performance to lead COS to a 6-1 decision over Taft in the opening conference game of the season. The two combined for 19 strikeouts. Doepker , who went the first six innings, fanned 12 and Hansen struck out another 7 in the final three innings.
March 5 COS 6 Fresno St JV 5
A three-run triple by Frank Alves in the 8th inning gave COS a 6-5 win over Fresno State College Junior Varsity at the COS diamond.
March 9 COS 18 Hancock JC 0
COS whipped Hancock 18-0 in the first game of a twin-bill in a contest called at the end of five innings. Dick Doepker and Marvel Weekly combined to hold Hancock to one hit while the Giants banged out 14.
March 9 COS 13 Hancock JC 3
COS pounded out 15 hits to trounced Hancock 13-3 in the second game of the double-header.
March 12 COS 17 Fresno JC 6 4
COS roared back from a six-run, first inning deficit to score 17 unanswered runs and whip Fresno Junior College 17-6. The Rams drove COS mound ace Dick Doepker from the hill in the opening frame but were limited to three hits the rest of the way by Jim Hansen and Ben Reniker . Jerry Burcher took the loss. Buddy Burgess , Mel Silva and Bill Key each had four hits for COS. Frank Alves belted a homer for the Giants.
March 15 Stockton JC 11 COS 3
March 16 Loyola LA
March 19 Porterville JC 2 COS 1
A brilliant pitching duel highlighted Porterville's 2-1, 10-inning win over COS. Mountie Bedford allowed just two hits and fanned 11 in taking the win while Jim Hansen gave up just three hits and struck out nine. The Pirates scored the winner on a sacrifice fly by Maynard Summers .
March 22 Coalinga JC 3 COS 2
Leroy Gregory doubled in Larry Yogi with the winning run in the 9th as Coalinga beat COS 3-2. Dave Buss had a homer for the Falcons.
March 26 Bakersfield JC 6 COS 3
March 30 Reedley JC 12 COS 6
Reedley College had 10 hits and cashed in on 14 COS errors to whip the Giants 12-6.
April 2 COS 16 Porterville 2
Centrefielder Glen McMillan pounded two homers and a single to pace COS to a 16-2 win over Porterville. Buddy Burgess had a homer and two singles. COS erupted for nine runs in the fifth to salt away the victory. Jim Hansen held the Pirates to two hits over the first seven innings. Therman Zearley and Mike Guy finished up.
April 4 Fresno State JV 11 COS 10
Fresno exploded for seven runs in the first inning then held on to top COS 11-10. Each team collected 14 hits. COS committed seven errors. L.H McDaniel blasted a homer, double and three singles for the Tigers. Buddy Burgess had a homer for the Giants while Jim Garrett chipped in with a double and a single.
April 6 COS 3 Taft JC 1
Ben Reniker tossed a four-hitter and fanned 18 to lead COS to 3-1 win over Taft JC in a CCJCA game in Visalia. The win broke a six-game losing streak for COS and kept alive their chance for at least a tie for the league title. Buddy Burgess belted a two-run homer in the second inning and rapped a double in the fourth and scored on Frank Alves ' single.
Las Vegas 8 COS 7
The Las Vegas Wranglers of the Arizona-Mexico League opened its spring training with an 8-7 win over COS. Buddy Burgesshad a three-run homer for the Giants.
April 9 COS 5 Fresno JC 0
Dick Doepker allowed just two hits in pitching COS to a 5-0 win over Fresno JC. The win gave Roy Taylor's Giants a 6-3 record in the Central California Junior College Association. Reedley leads the loop with a 5-1 mark. Doepker gave up a single to StanBusch in the third and another to Cloyce Keeney in the fifth. He fanned 10 and walked three.
April 11-12-13 Azusa Tournament
COS 10 SB 1
LACC 3 COS 0
COS 8 Las Vegas 7
Jim Garrett slammed a homer to led COS to an 8-7 win over Las Vegas
April 17-18-19 Bakersfield Tournament
COS 11 Valley 3
COS 6 Coalinga 4
April 23 COS 6 Fresno State JV 4
Fresno 14 COS 6
Fresno JV 5 COS 3
The Fresno State Junior Varsity defeated COS 5-3, their second win in three starts against the Giants. Paul Millhorn pitched a five-hitter with 12 strikeouts. Columbus Craig belted a homer, triple and two doubles. Buddy Burgess had the big blow for the Giants, a third inning homer.
April 26 COS 4 Coalinga JC 3
COS took a 4-0 lead then held on for a 4-3 win over Coalinga. Giants scored three in the fourth, two on Babe Castillo's single to break a scoreless game. Marvel Weekly and Jim Hansen combined on a six-hitter.
April 30 Fresno State JV 5 COS 2
COS 15 Popular 2
May 4 COS 15 Reedley JC 8
COS remained in the hunt for the CCJCA title with a 15-8 win over Reedley College. COS scored six in the first and coasted to the win. Jim Hansen tossed seven shutout innings before the Tigers erupted for seven in the 8th inning. Bud Silva led the Giants with four hits.
COS 9 Coalinga 5
COS won the CCJCA title downing Coalinga 9-5 in a one-game playoff. Buddy Burgess belted a pair of two-run homers. JimHansen went the distance scattering nine hits for the win.
COS 7 Sierra 2
COS advanced to the semi-finals of California JC playoffs with a 7-2 win over Sierra College. Jim Hansen tossed a seven-hitter for the win. The right-hander fanned 13 and allowed just one base on balls. Jim Garrett led the offensive with a homer and two singles.
COS 3 Modesto 0
Marvel Weekly threw a four-hit shutout as COS downed Modesto 3-0 in the first game of a best-of-three series for the Northern California Junior College title
COS 7 Modesto 3
Jim Hansen's six-hitter led COS to a 7-3 win over Modesto Pirates. to win the series in two straight games.
COS 4 San Diego 1
COS won the opening game of the final series with a 4-1 win over San Diego JC as Marvel Weekly tossed a three-hitter. The freshman from Exeter pitched hitless ball over the final six innings. Catcher Jim Garrett sparked the offense and performed brilliantly on defense as he picked two runners off first base and handled a pair of bunts flawlessly.
COS 6 San Diego 5
COS won the Cal JC title with a 6-5 victory of SD College to take the best-of-three final in two straight games. Jim Hansen went the distance to picked up his fourth straight playoff victory after finishing the regular season with a 6-3 mark. Jim Garrett scored the winning run in the eighth after reaching on a walk and being driving home on Bill Ryan'ssingle.
COS 7 Las Vegas 6
COS scored four in the first and went on to down Las Vegas 7-6. Jim Garrett's two-run homer in the fifth was the winning margin. Garret had three hits.