Chardon's 1950 baseball state final four run was a wild ride

Jun. 8—There are certain touchstones in the first half of the 20th century for Chardon's proud athletic tradition.

One was the unbeaten 1922 football team, led at quarterback by eventual Ohio State All-American lineman Ed Hess.

From Chardon QB to Ohio State's first All-American lineman, Ed Hess had remarkable journey

Then there were state baseball tournament runs in 1940 and 1942.

The first time the Hilltoppers were seen in the final four on the diamond, though, came one memorable spring in 1950.

Technically, it marked the third state baseball appearance for Chardon. But the tournament had a different format amid the Hilltoppers' 1940 and 1942 berths, with them eliminated in an "opening round" prior to the final four.

That 1950 team coached by Dave Paulus — with punch up and down the lineup and Ken Lampman's indefatigable arm — was different. The squad played just 12 games, but made that time count.

April 21, Chardon hammered Newbury, 16-3, getting a complete-game four-hitter from Lampman, during which he struck out 11.

Lampman fired a five-inning no-hitter April 29 against Wickliffe in a 15-5 mercy rule. Charley Peters had three hits, and the Hilltoppers erupted for eight runs in the third to seize control.

Chardon only lost twice during the regular season, both in clashes with Harvey. The second was an 8-2 rout during the Red Raiders' senior day at Painesville Township Park. Wright Koski's bases-loaded single in the second plated Bud Deakin and George Heerlein.

Lampman got the Hilltoppers back on track the following afternoon May 6, with a two-hitter featuring 10 strikeouts in a 6-2 win over Chester in what the Telegraph described as a "masterful exhibition" to clinch a sectional tournament berth.

He returned to the mound three days later with a four-hitter to clinch a Class B sectional crown for Chardon as it handled Wickliffe, 5-1, at Painesville Township Park to advance to district level. Hal Stafford had two hits and scored a pair of runs.

Lampman could also get it done at the plate, as evidenced by a 4-for-4 day with four runs as the Western Reserve League champion Hilltoppers walloped Madison, 17-4, on May 13.

In order to advance to state, Chardon would have to win a Kent District "playoff" against Avon Lake, then emerge victorious twice at the Kent Regional.

That May 15 showdown with the Shoremen was something.

Avon Lake trotted out left-hander Don Tominick, naturally with Lampman getting the call for the Hilltoppers.

Tominick struck out 20, threw a no-hitter — and lost, as Chardon scratched out a 2-1 decision.

In the second, Ken Bolek walked, stole second and third and came home on a hit-and-run. Then in the fourth, Bolek walked once more to lead off. Tom Goodrich was hit by a pitch. Hugh McAnaney bunted and beat out the throw on a fielder's choice, which loaded the bases.

First baseman Kaye Kause laid down a squeeze bunt that plated Bolek with the eventual winning run. Lampman yielded five hits, walked four and struck out six.

"Even pitching a no-hitter doesn't faze Chardon," the Hilltop Echo, the student newspaper, reported.

After the game, Paulus told the Telegraph that Tominick was the "best schoolboy pitcher I have ever seen."

Returning to Kent for the regional tournament, Chardon had to win a pair of games on the same day, May 19.

First up was Warren Champion, then Akron Ellet.

The Hilltoppers prevailed over Champion, 1-0, in eight innings in a morning game, then saw through a 2-0 afternoon victory in nine innings over Ellet. How they did it — the Telegraph laid out how remarkable that part was in its May 20, 1950 edition:

"If Chardon had a star in yesterday's tournament play, it must have been Ken Lampman, who pitched the entire 17 innings of ball that the Hilltoppers played," the Telegraph reported.

That's right: Lampman hurled two shutouts over 17 innings in the same day. He yielded five hits and logged a combined 10 strikeouts.

Stafford and Peters each had two hits against Ellet. In the ninth, Forrest Leggett reached on an error, and Stafford walked. Peters followed with a single to bring in Leggett. Later in the frame, with the bases loaded, Goodrich's fielder's choice scored Stafford. Ellet got the tying run to the plate in the ninth, but Lampman induced a flyout to Peters to end the game.

Kause singled to right in the seventh off Champion starter Paul Kovach, the only hit Kovach allowed. He stole second and third, then came home on a wild pitch.

The Hilltoppers were 9-2 heading into the Class B state tournament in Columbus. The semifinals, with Middleport, Amelia and McCutchenville, were a blind draw, for which Paulus would arrive the night prior.

"Two wins at Columbus this weekend, and the Hilltoppers will have brought home another trophy, this one the prize of them all, a state tournament trophy," the Telegraph wrote.

Chardon put in a six-inning tuneup with Kirtland, called early because Paulus and Kirtland counterpart Larry Brown needed to attend a WRL meeting. The Hilltoppers won, 6-2, their 11th straight win over a Class B opponent. Jerry Ford gave Lampman's arm a respite with a complete game.

"Paulus today took time out to express his deep appreciation on behalf of the team and Chardon High School to the Chardon Junior Chamber of Commerce for its voluntary, unselfish efforts in collecting funds from the various merchants in order to finance the trip to Columbus," the Telegraph stated.

The blind draw for state yielded Amelia as the opponent.

Unfortunately for Chardon, it was no match for sophomore Ken Gaskins, who fired a two-hitter and struck out 16 in a 9-1 win, taking a no-hitter to the seventh. The Hilltoppers got on the board in that inning through Peters, who singled, went to third on a Bolek single and stole home.

Lampman worked into the sixth, allowing seven runs — all unearned.

"The Class B title contender came up with four runs in the sixth, which drove Lampman out of the box and iced the contest for keeps," the Telegraph reported.

Chardon is one of four Geauga County schools to make it to the state final four in baseball, with its 1950 and 2022 appearances. Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin has made five since 2001, Cardinal advanced to that level in 1996 and Kenston is the fourth with its inaugural appearance this weekend.

Lampman won seven letters at Chardon, with three in baseball and two apiece in basketball and football. He was a three-sport student-athlete all four years of high school and was student body president and class honorarian as a senior.

After one memorable spring in 1950, they probably should have presented him an ice pack for his indefatigable arm as well.