Talk about a Field of Dreams. Not to mention a great day of baseball. The one-day tournament at the Brooklyn Cyclones stadium to benefit former Met Ron Hunt was a rousing success July 14. Four 40+ teams (three from Long Island leagues) each got to play two games at the magnificent turf field at MCU Park. A fun time was had by all the players and umpires. So much so, that just about all are ready to return again in 2015 and beyond. Can hardly wait. The tournament champion was the Yankees, a group of players from New York and New Jersey wood bat leagues. They rallied for the 6-5 victory in the Championship Game over the Indians, undefeated in their Long Island league. Yankees catcher Tony Canino ripped a 2-run double in the bottom of the 8th to overcome a 5-4 deficit. Bill Steele told Tony before the at bat, You are going to get a hit. Loved his confidence. Bill pumped up the entire team with his positive comments before the start of the rally. Henry Hackel picked up the save in pitching the scoreless 9th. He induced a double play after a lead-off single, while the final batter lined out to Jim Matthews at short for the final out. George Lanfranchi, appropriately nicknamed Bird, picked up the vulture win. He was solid in two innings of work. Not too shabby. It was Georges first pitching appearance in more than 15 years. This All Star Squad was full of good players and great guys. The best team that money can buy. Not even player-manager Tom Dixon could mess up this juggernaut. The Yankees held on to win the first game of the day 6-4 over the White Sox to get to the title tilt. Mark van Overloop tossed a 9-inning complete game gem. With a solid defense behind him, the side armer baffled the batters with an array of pitches. Mark got the final out on a fly ball to center with a runner on first and the tying run at the plate. The hidden ball trick was pulled off to end a scoring threat in the bottom of the 6th. With one run in to cut the score to 4-2, first baseman George Lanfranchi tagged the runner at first base for the third out. George, an umpire, told Mark to stand off the mound while he walked over to first with the ball that was thrown in from the outfield following an RBI single. Bird waited for the runner to step off first base then got him. Since Mark stood behind the rubber, no balk. Huge out. The Yankees got offensive contributions from up and down the lineup. Bill Steele smashed two doubles and drove in a 1st inning run in Game 1. Catcher Tom Dixon went 3-3 in the opener. His RBI single provided an insurance run in the top of the 8th after a single and stolen base by Eric Zabarkus. Then Pat Fierro followed with a run-scoring single for a 6-2 lead. It was Pats second hit of the game. Tom, also the event organizer, finished the tourney 4-5 with the RBI and a HBP. (A fastball in the back right between the numbers late in Game 2. Ouch. But he sprinted to first base after getting up from his knees. Ron Hunt would be proud.) In an emergency start, Tom opened on the hill in the title game. Blame the brief 2-inning stint on tired legs from catching all 9 innings in Game 1. But the move also allowed the use of five pitchers. In Game 2, the Yankees scored two in the bottom of the 1st to counter the Indians solo run in the top of the frame. Henry and his son, Robert, both walked with the bases loaded. Their fine base running was a big part of Tonys game-winning double in the 8th. Robert made a great read on the gaper in right center to score all the way from first. The Yanks took a 4-2 lead over the Indians on a pair of runs in the 4th. Ken Waldron notched an RBI double while Bill Steele brought home the second run on a sacrifice fly. Bill added a single in the 8th inning rally. He finished 3-6 with 2 RBI in the twin bill to go along with great scoops while playing first base to save errors. Ken Waldon went 2-3 in the nightcap with the run batted in while getting a single and stolen base in Game 1. He also made some stellar plays at shortstop. Infielder Jim Matthews singled and walked with two runs scored in Game 2 to go with a single in the opener. Jim also made a great turn at shortstop on the twin killing in the top of the 9th. Along with stellar plays he made at second and third base throughout the double-header. Kudos also must go to Greg Amari. In Game 1 he smacked a double on which he scored from second after a wild throw from the outfield as well as a single. He also was a star on defense. Greg tracked down many fly balls in center field. Then Greg turned in nice plays at shortstop and second base, including starting a double play from second late in Game 2. Gerry Camhy had two singles and a walk in the nightcap along with a single and a stolen base in the opener. He finished 3-5 in the twin bill. Joe D provided steady defense in the outfield and at third base. Eric Zabarkus provided two important innings of relief in the second game. Not only a solid outing. It was his first appearance on the mound in two decades. Bill Steele followed with two innings on the hill to keep the Yankees in the game. The Orioles and White Sox played to a 1-1 tie in the final game of the day. The tying run scored on a one-out sacrifice fly in the bottom of the final inning. The pitchers duel was a joy to watch. Both teams made some fine plays in the field. The Orioles and Indians played their league game in the second contest of the day. The Tribe pulled out an 8-4 win. The stadium is slightly better than the field our teams play on. Thanks I so much to the great hospitality of the Cyclones. The proceeds from the event go to fund the baseball program of Ron Hunt. Through his Eagles non-profit organization, Ron provides free baseball clinics around the country. Ron also plans to donate of a portion of the money to the Wounded Warriors fund near him in St. Louis. A good cause for a full day of baseball. Great deal. We got the chance to feel like professional baseball players for a brief moment. The event was held for the first time in six years due to various reasons. The games were held at Shea Stadium for many years until moving to Brooklyn 10 years ago. So the hope is that these games become an annual tradition. Wait until next year.
Posted on: Wed, 16 Jul 2014 02:37:59 +0000
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