July 15, 1961
Texans Take Game One
The Dallas Texans took game one of the inaugural Continental Series on Saturday. The Toronto Maple Leafs kicked off the scoring in the bottom of the first when John Harmon scored on a Chico Terry single. Harmon reached base on a single before stealing second base.
The lead wouldn't last long, as the Texans answered back in the top of the second when Bobby Thomson drove in Bobby Morgan on an RBI groundout.
Terry came through for the Maple Leafs again in the third, when he blasted a go-ahead two-run home run. MVP candidate Leon Wagner followed that up with a home run of his own. Toronto eventually tacked on another run in the inning, giving them a 5-1 lead.
The Texans refused to quit, as they came storming back in the 4th, scoring three runs. Thomson was responsible for two of them, clubbing an opposite field homer down the right field line.
However the Maple Leafs extended the lead again in the bottom of the inning when starting pitcher Ron Mrozinski hit a solo homer.
The Texans scored one in the top of the 7th, but the Maple Leafs answered back with two of their own in the bottom of the inning, making the score 8-6.
Dallas struck back with a vengeance in the top of the 8th. Peter Danovich and Carlos Bernier both reached base on walks against Toronto reliever Raul Oro. Roy White then singled up the middle. Bobby Morgan provided the blast of the day, hitting a grand slam to the left field power alley. Dallas had nothing doing the rest of the inning, but the damage was done, as they held a 10-8 lead.
Danovich slugged a solo homer in the top of the 9th, giving Dallas an 11-8 lead. Dave Debusschere came on to shut the door in the bottom of the 9th.
The use of Debusschere was an interesting one, as he was slated to start game two.
Dallas leads the series 1-0.