The last year of World War II saw a remarkable group of Almont athletes have an unbelievable year.
The year started with the football team. The team was undefeated and league champions. The only blemish on their record was a tie with Imlay City. Morris “Buck” Bannister set a school record scoring 25 touchdowns. In February of 2017, they were elected to the Almont Community School Athletic Hall of Fame.
They followed that up with the best basketball season in school history. I do not presently know their overall record, but they were undefeated league champions. They were district and regional champions. They advanced all the way to the semifinal game of the postseason tournament before losing. In February of 2016, they were elected to the initial class of the Almont Community School Athletic Hall of Fame.
The 1945 Almont Varsity baseball team also had a very successful season. They won 10 of 12 games and were undefeated in conference play.
On April 17, the season started with a double header with Romeo. Morris “Buck” Bannister started the first game and he was the winning pitcher. He struck out 12 and only allowed two hits. Almont won by a score of 6 to 0. Almont had eight hits in the ball game.
In the second game, Almont out hit Romeo five hits to four hits but committed five errors. Frank Bacholzky was on the mound and took the loss by a 5 to 2 score. Kendall Frost was the hitting star for Almont collecting four hits including two doubles.
In a game at Memphis on April 20, Buck Bannister took the mound and defeated Memphis by a score of 9 to 1. No other information is presently known about this game.
Frank Bacholzky took the mound on April 24 against Imlay City on a muddy field. He only allowed four hits and Almont won 8 to 1. Bannister hit a solo home run and George Plumb had two hits in three at bats.
In a game rescheduled from April 27 to May 1, Almont went to Capac and came away with a 9 to 2 win. Buck Bannister struck out 14 and only allowed three hits. Capac’s pitcher, Walker, gave up 13 hits while striking out seven.
The next day at home against Yale, Almont won by a 5 to 3 score. Frank Bacholzky was on the mound and allowed four hits. He collected two hits in three at bats. L. Revoldt and Bill Roberts also each had two hits.
Rain caused the May 4 game against Imlay City to be delayed to May 6. Bannister took the mound against Dietrich from Imlay City. Dietrich held the Almont batters to only one hit. That hit was a single by Frank Bacholzky. Frank then stole second base, went to third on a wild pitch and scored the game’s only run on a passed ball. Bannister made that run hold up by not allowing any hits! Almont won 1 to 0.
On May 8 the team traveled to Dryden and routed Dryden by a score of 12 to 2. Almont had fifteen hits off of two Dryden pitchers. Frank Bacholzky was the winning pitcher allowing only four hits while striking out 10.
On May 11 Almont beat Armada at Almont by a score of 9 to 1. Bannister was the winning pitcher. No other information is presently known about this game.
Rain again delayed the next game until May 21. New Haven came to Almont and was defeated 14 to 7. Frank Bacholzky started the game and was leading 13 to 0 after four innings. He was replaced by Richard Keller but Keller was wild, so Frank returned to the mound to finish the game. The hitting highlight of the game was Buck Bannister’s grand slam home run.
On May 28, Almont played Rochester, which was the Tri-County Champion and undefeated. Buck Bannister yielded six hits while striking out 10. Almont scored four runs in the first inning, one in the second, and four more in the fifth. Rochester was only able to score three in the second and one in the seventh. Almont won by a score of 9 to 4. Frank Bacholzky was the leading hitter going four for four.
The last game of the season was against Yale. Yale defeated Almont by a 3 to 0 score with Frank Bacholzky taking the loss. No other information is presently known about this game.
Buck Bannister ended the season with six wins against no losses. He averaged over 12 strike outs per game (73 in total) and less than three hits per game. His wins included a no hitter. He batted well over 300 and hit two home runs, including a grand slam.
Frank Bacholzky had a record of four wins and two losses. He averaged eight strike outs a game and only allowed four hits per game. He had 18 hits in 43 plate appearances for a .418 batting average.
In three sport seasons, they won three undefeated league championships but have been recognized with only two Hall of Fame selections. I believe it is time to correct this oversight.
I have pictures of the football and basketball teams but not one of the baseball team. If anyone has one, please provide it to me for the museum.
Copies of the Almont Historical Society’s various books can be purchased by contacting Jim Wade at 810-796-3355 or jrwade49@gmail.com or stopping by the museum on Saturdays from 1-4 p.m.
