2010 AAABA Final Wrap-Up
Baltimore Returns!
The 66th Annual AAABA tournament has come to a close. After six days of terrific baseball, Baltimore’s Youse’s Orioles have once again claimed the National Title. Baltimore has now won the National Tournament in seven of the last eight years and has claimed 27 titles overall. The Baltimore franchise has, without a doubt, asserted themselves as AAABA royalty. It was clear early on that the Orioles were back with a vengeance winning their first two games by a combined score of 21-1 over Maryland State and New York. If you remember in 2009, Baltimore was eliminated in regional play and was unable to defend their 2008 title. However, 2010 would be a much different story. Baltimore finished off an impressive six consecutive victories with a 4-0 win over Johnstown Delweld in the championship game Saturday afternoon. The Orioles were only on the ropes once throughout their tournament play, trailing early 4-0 against New Orleans on Friday afternoon. Baltimore fought back to win 5-4 overcoming that early deficit and thus knocking out the NORD Boosters (2009 AAABA Champions). Besides that close call against the Boosters, Baltimore won their six games by a combined score of 41-6! Love’em or hate’em, you must tip your cap to the O’s; They are talented, well coached, highly skilled, and they execute when it counts. I think most teams will tell you that in order to knock off the Orioles, you need a flawless game and some luck. Congratulations Youses!
Johnstown Impressive But Falls Short
Another tournament has come and gone and once again Johnstown finds itself in a familiar place watching another team celebrate the AAABA championship on their home field. Although falling short, Johnstown was impressive finishing 4-2 overall and pushing the Orioles in a close 4-0 championship game. Johnstown made it’s fifth appearance in the tournament championship, their third since 2001 (1956, 1995, 2001, 2003, 2010).
Delweld got strong starting pitching throughout the tournament but it was evident early on that hitting would be their Achilles heel. With the exception of George Roberts and Drew Westover, hits were far and few in between. Delweld brought one of the most experienced entries in years into the tournament largely because Delweld has played in the previous four AAABA tournaments. While not as talented overall as previous years, Delweld’s experience and competitiveness clearly propelled them to the championship round. Congratulations to the players and coaches on a terrific season, Johnstown is proud of your accomplishments! OK, I have to say it…….“maybe next year”
Delsignore Fuels Delweld’s Success
Delweld Manager Chris Delsignore gives Johnstowners a reason to believe. Shhhh….don’t tell Delsignore that Johnstown hasn’t won this tournament in sixty-six tries. Don’t tell him that most locals are thrilled if Johnstown wins two or more games. Don’t tell him that everyone in the stands expected to lose to Baltimore…he doesn’t want to hear it! Despite history and expectations, Delsignore wants to win and expects to win.
After losing to Baltimore on Saturday, Delsignore said “There are no moral victories with me, personally, we were below the line today. There’s a lot of disappointment going on. We weren’t happy to just be here.”
Delsignore’s attitude and confidence in his players is clearly what fuels Delweld’s recent success. His attitude is refreshing, and he has (perhaps) finally set the bar much higher for future Johnstown entries.
“We made a solid showing here,” he said. “I hope the city was proud of our performance and what we were able to put out there, but I’m not going to rest until we bring this one home. We’re going to continue to work and bring good, quality men into this dugout and keep Delweld strong.” Delsignore, still a young man, may one day bring home that elusive AAABA title to his hometown. I think it’s safe to say that Johnstowners will always be proud of their tournament representative, whether they win one game or four, as long as they give their best effort, respect the game, and play to win…..and Delweld always does. Good Luck Chris, we are rooting for you!
Delweld Players Impress
While hitting wasn’t the strength of this year’s Delweld team, you wouldn’t know it by looking at George Roberts’ and Drew Westover’s statistics. Westover went 11-for-27 (.407) in Delweld’s six games while Roberts was 10-for-25 (.400). Westover drove in 10 runs and scored six times while Roberts had seven RBIs and six runs accounting for the majority of Delweld’s offense. Roberts and Westover made consistent contact, finding a way to put the ball in play and get on base. Neither player was an easy out for any pitcher they faced. For their impressive play, the two players shared the Tribune-Democrat Award as Johnstown’s Most Valuable Player in the tournament. When asked about the task of replacing Roberts and Westover (both 20 years old), Manager Chris Delsignore responded: “Those two guys, they leave very, very big shoes to fill for next year, we’re going to miss them. They’ve really been a big part of our club. You don’t find two ballplayers like that every day.”
Starting pitchers Bobby Carbaugh and Carter Lehman gave solid performances throughout the week-long tournament. Facing Livonia on Tuesday evening, Carbaugh kept his team in the game going seven strong innings. Delweld would eventually rally to pick up the win. Carbaugh would then be called on again Saturday to hold off Baltimore in the championship round. Although solid throughout, giving up just eight hits and four runs throwing a complete game, Delweld’s lack of timely hitting would lead to their demise.
Carter Lehman, the opening night starter, went 4 2/3 innings and left with a 10-3 lead against Cleveland (he would end up with a no-decision). With a trip to the title game on the line Friday evening, Lehman would then face a feisty 3-1 Philadelphia team. Lehman would not disappoint going six innings and leaving with an 11-4 lead and earning a victory. Carter Lehman was 9-0 during the regular season and local playoffs earning him a share of the Pete Vuckovich Award given to the league’s top pitcher.
Delweld pitcher Nate Plummer provided quality relief innings throughout Delweld’s tournament run. Plummer appeared in relief against Livonia, Buffalo, and Philadelphia.
Facing elimination after suffering their first loss of the tournament (against Baltimore), Delweld got the shutdown pitching performance they desperately needed Thursday evening. Veteran right-hander Matt Skoner tossed seven-plus strong innings and limited Buffalo New Era to one run. Skoner allowed five hits while striking out one and walking one batter. He induced 13 ground-ball outs.
We must also give a hat tip to Matt Donaldson. The veteran AAABA player always plays the game with hustle and enthusiasm. This year, Matt earned his way onto the Delweld team as a pickup player from Principle Development. I don’t know his stat line for the tournament but Matt played solid in the field and was a tough out at the plate. Donaldson’s key moment came in a tight game against Livonia Tuesday night at the Point. Trailing 4-2 in the bottom of the eighth inning, Delweld rallied to tie the game. With only one out, Spencer White was intentionally walked to load the bases. Delsignore called on Donaldson to pinch hit and he would answer in a big way. On the first pitch he saw, Donaldson hooked the ball into right field allowing catcher Matt Corneti to score the go ahead run. Donaldson rode his emotions to second base, jubilantly pumping his fist into the air as soon as the ball left his bat. The large crowd was on its feet with the hometown team now in control of the game. "I was sitting for a fastball, and he put one up in the zone. It's one of those situations you think about your whole life, and when you see the ball go through, it's crazy. The atmosphere was overwhelming." Way to go Matt! Congratulations on a fine tournament.
Philadelphia Strong Again
In recent years, the Philadelphia franchise has shown some life. In the 1970’s and 80’s, Philadelphia churned out quite a few solid Major League players including John Marzano, Jack Armstrong, Len Barker, and Ruben Amaro among others. While Philadelphia has never won the AAABA title they have appeared in the championship game twice in recent history (1986 and 1998). Since 2007, the franchise has collected 10 wins in Johnstown (2007: 3-2; 2008: 4-2; 2009: 0-2; 2010: 3-2).
NORD Find Ways to Win
New Orleans lays claim to the second most AAABA national titles trailing only Baltimore. After an opening day 5-4 loss to New Brunswick in 2009, the NORD reeled off six consecutive victories leading to their thirteenth overall title. 2010 would start off much the same way with a 6-4 loss to Toledo on opening day however 2010 would not end like 2009. New Orleans opportunity to defend their title would end with a 5-4 loss to Baltimore Friday afternoon. The NORD started off quickly against Youse’s Orioles putting up four runs in the first inning but Baltimore would eventually battle back for a close 5-4 victory. New Orleans finishes with a 3-2 tournament record. Much like Johnstown, New Orleans had trouble producing offense and timely hitting but the pitching was solid throughout. Since 2005, the NORD boast an impressive 23-11 tournament record. I’m sure the franchise will be back strong again in 2011. Win or lose, New Orleans is a first class organization.
Where Have They Gone?
Over the years many AAABA franchise cities have come and gone. This year lead me to ponder what franchises I would most like to see back in the tourney or potential growth areas for expansion. I suppose the first and most obvious answers would be Detroit and Washington DC. Detroit dominated the 60’s and 70’s with loads of talent winning seven AAABA titles from 1964 to 1978. Players such as Steve Garvey, Orel Hershiser, Jim Abbott, Barry Larkin, Bob Welch, Jim Leyritz, and Chris Sabo were just a few of the many big leaguers to play for Detroit’s Adray Appliance. Detroit last appeared in the AAABA tournament in 1994. Washington DC has been a force in AAABA tournaments since the early days but recent turmoil and other circumstances have prevented the franchise from coming to Johnstown the past few years. DC always brought in high level talent and was a championship contender every year. Current major league rosters are peppered with former DC AAABA players such as Jon Papelbon, John Maine, Mark Teixeira, and Joe Saunders. It would not surprise me at all if the AAABA and the DC franchise can eventually mend their relationship and return to Johnstown. Milford Town Team, where have you gone?? Another talented franchise that was always competitive and remains absent is Milford, Massachusetts. To my knowledge, Milford still has its franchise and pays its dues but the league is now defunct. The Milford franchise won the AAABA national title in 1958 and has finished runners up on four other occasions. Such players as “The Bird” Mark Fidrych, knuckle-baller Wilbur Wood, and long time major league pitchers Mike Remlinger and Tony Fossas all played in Johnstown. Milford, we miss you!
Waterbury, Connecticut came and went without much fanfare in the early 1990’s despite performing well in the tournament and having several players advance to the major leagues. I believe Waterbury participated in two tournaments and has not been back in nearly twenty years. Waterbury finished second in 1989, losing in the championship round to Baltimore.
Birmingham Alabama finished second three times in the national tournament but hasn’t appeared in the tournament in over thirty years. The Birmingham franchise filled in a much needed gap in AAABA geography covering the southeastern region of the United States. The civil war is over, we welcome the south back to Pennsylvania!
And finally, although this team never played in Johnstown, many locals are eager to see the new Miami franchise. The self proclaimed “Nation’s Winningest Program this Decade” was all set to make it’s first appearance in Johnstown before being knocked out of the Altoona Regional by a tough Philadelphia team. The Bombers, primarily an 18 and under team, boast a 466-97-5 record, 11 national championships, and 36 other championships. Perhaps next year they will have a better sense of the competition and make their way to Johnstown. Florida is a hot bed of baseball talent and would be a terrific addition to the tournament.
Expansion…..just my thoughts on some geographical locations that I would like to see land a AAABA franchise. California: there were some talks in the 1990’s of a California franchise but that apparently fizzled. Texas: Much like Florida and California, Texas has a ton of baseball talent and baseball is a year round sport in the Texas climate. Midwest: where is the breadbasket of America? It would be interesting to see Oklahoma, Iowa, Nebraska, or Missouri participate. These states have terrific college programs and could provide a great breeding ground for AAABA baseball. And finally, how about the Carolinas? North and South Carolina are a great geographic fit.
Johnstown, Part II
For the second consecutive year and third time in AAABA history, Johnstown had two entries in the national tournament. Martella’s Pharmacy participated in 2009 when Washington DC pulled out the day before the tournament and landed a spot in 2010 by winning the local AAABA league regular season. Although the Oldtimers voted to allow Johnstown two entries, the locals clearly are against it (at least that’s what I’ve gathered). Local managers Chris Delsignore and Tony Joseph (AAABA Hall of Famer Class of 2010) were also vocal in opposing two Johnstown entries.
The primary argument against two Johnstown teams is that overall it weakens Johnstown’s performance by not allowing the League Champion to pick up any players from the second best team. Imagine the offensive spark Delweld may have got from a Sam Watkins or Mike Leviseur? …unfortunately we’ll never know. Secondly, the AAABA tournament should be the top prize for the league’s best team, not the two best teams. Finally, having two Johnstown entries means that one less team from another city gets to make the trip to Johnstown and showcase their talent. I really think the Oldtimers will, and need to, reconsider their position on this but only time will tell.
There have also been some rumblings of changes to the Regional Tournaments and the possibility of expanding the 16 team field. With regard to regional play, some are proposing to eliminate the regionals all together. Others are proposing some changes to the regional process. For teams like New Orleans and Miami (among others), the Regionals are financial monsters. These teams must travel to the Regional the week before the national tournament …..and travel isn’t cheap these days. Furthermore, what happens if these teams win the Regional? The winners are then forced to stick around for a week waiting for the national tournament to begin. A week of food, lodging, and some form of entertainment all come at a price. I’ve never understood the concept of regional hosts getting a bye into the tournament? If this is how it’s going to be, spread the wealth around rather than having Altoona and Zanesville automatically qualify every year simply by hosting their Regional. I think its clear that changes are needed.
I Heard a Pin Drop
Since when did Johnstowners get so quiet?? As someone who’s watched the last 30 tournaments, I couldn’t help but notice the absolute lack of crowd noise and enthusiasm. I vividly remember the old Point Stadium packed to the rafters for every Johnstown game and the crowds were loud and quite intimidating to any visiting team. That is hardy the case these days. The crowds were so quiet, almost comatose, that you could hear a conversation over at the By George Inn. What is going on???? I know Johnstowners have almost come to expect Johnstown to win their first two games but this is really pathetic. Thank god for the occasional bomb squad blast to keep some from actually dozing off. The home crowd advantage is huge for our local kids and sadly it just isn’t there anymore. Now in defense of the fans, the music is absolutely horrible. Not that I am against polka or a good blue grass tune but come on…it’s a baseball game not a bible retreat. What happened to “We Will Rock You” , “Thunderstruck”, “Enter Sandman”, even a little Gary Glitter, something, anything!!!! And I guess “Take Me out the Ballgame” is banned to??? How about some classic baseball music??....”Centerfield”, “Willie, Mickey, and the Duke”, “Joltin Joe Dimaggio”, “Glory Days”, Come on guys, get your act together, this year was pathetic to be kind. Contact me, I’ll get you a CD.
Awards
OK, now that I got that out of my system, let’s finish on a high note. The following players and teams received AAABA Awards:
National Champions
Baltimore Youse’s Orioles
National Runner-Up
Johnstown Delweld
Sportsmanship Award
Maryland State
Tribune Democrat Award
George Roberts (Johnstown Delweld)
Drew Westover (Johnstown Delweld)
Batting Champion
Neil Schroth (Altoona) - .583
Most Valuable Player
Francis Brooke (Baltimore)
Congratulations to all of the teams, players, and coaches for a competitive tournament and all of your efforts to get to Johnstown!
August 3, 2010
The following teams will participate in the 2010 AAABA:
1.) Johnstown (Delweld)
2.) Johnstown (Martellas)
3.) Altoona, PA
4.) Baltimore, MD
5.) Buffalo, NY
6.) Chicago, IL
7.) Cleveland, OH
8.) Columbus, OH
9.) Maryland State
10.) New Orleans, LA
11.) New York
12.) Toledo, OH
13.) Zanesville, OH
14.) New Brunswick, NJ
15.) Livonia, MI
16.) Philadelphia, PA
July 26, 2010
The 2010 AAABA Hall of Fame class has been announced:
As provided by the Johnstown Tribune Democrat:
Tony Joseph, who still manages in the local Johnstown AAABA League, and former pitcher Ray Rizzo will be inducted into the hall for their contributions as members of the Johnstown franchise. They will join Maryland State administrator Charles Blackburn in the class.
Joseph manages Principle Development in the local AAABA League. Previously Joseph managed the former Varsity Shop , Whalley’s and Franco’s franchises in the Johnstown Junior League in the 1980s and 1990s. He started managing in 1964 and made it to the AAABA Tournament with Kiwanis Club. Three years later, Joseph took a record-breaking Kiwanis team into the 1967 AAABA Tournament. He managed Kiwanis from 1964-71.
One of the more colorful and bluntly outspoken managers in league history, Joseph perhaps is best remembered for his role on the AAABA Tournament national runner-up Hahn Packing team in 1956. He was a third baseman and pitcher on a Hahn team that advanced to the final round before losing to Washington D.C. in what still is one of the most-talked-about AAABA games in local lore.
Like Joseph, Rizzo also made a huge impact early in the AAABA Tournament.
A right-handed pitcher, Rizzo played in the third AAABA Tournament as a pick-up with Johnstown’s 1947 Prospect AC team. He was only 15 at the time. Rizzo returned to the tournament as a pick-up with Kiwanis in 1948 and as a member of Lincoln Street Garage in 1950.
As a 16-year-old, Rizzo pitched a 3-0 shutout over Pittsburgh in 1948 on a 1-2 Johnstown team.
In 1950, he shut out Binghamton 6-0 in a Thursday morning game and was the winner in Lincoln Street Garage’s 15-1 victory over Maryland State on a Friday night. In that second game, Rizzo retired the first 13 batters and faced only 34 in the game while allowing an unearned run.
That lone run prevented Rizzo from becoming the first pitcher in tournament history to throw three consecutive shutouts, including the one he tossed in 1948.
As if that was not impressive enough, Rizzo started Saturday afternoon against Washington D.C. and threw another complete game. This time he was on the wrong end of a no-hitter thrown by Washington lefty Hugh Waln – the first no-no in tourney history. Lincoln Street lost that game 1-0 and finished 3-2 in the tournament.
OTHER TOURNAMENT NEWS
Former members of the Pittsburgh Pirates 1960 World Series championship team Vern Law and Dick Groat will be the featured speakers at the Aug. 7 banquet at the Frank J. Pasquerilla Conference Center.
Tournament officers: Zanesville’s Bob Wolfe will be national chairman of the AAABA Tournament, which begins on Aug. 9. Altoona’s John Austin and Zanesville’s Jim Wright are committee members who will assist Wolfe in his duties. George Arcurio III is the president of the Johnstown Oldtimers, sponsor of the tournament.
