What do Andres Gallaraga, Lou Brock, & Sandy Alomar have in common?

They share today June 18th as their birthday.  Not to mention that each was a major league baseball star . Also note that today is the anniversary of the death of Edward Carl Gaedel  American baseball player, midget (3 foot, 7 inches tall), he was a pinch hitter for the St. Louis Browns. He was walked on his only time at bat (1951). 

Servicemaster Field

Hot, hot, hot that's what summer softball is for us Winter Haven Senior Softball players.  Not to mention hot again but this was one hot game with the outcome  not decided until the bottom of the 9th.

The Visitors coached by Ken Ota included  Kurt Coffman, Ron Butler, Frank Jacobs, Jimmy Lafoon, Bob Zelazny, Mike Wiltshire, Steve Hill, Richie marino, and Larry Wells.

The Home Squad Managed by Denny Holder had Freddy Gonzalez, Larry Grabb, Don Witmer, Chuck Duff, Fred Dampier, Tom Wise, Eddie Diaz, Larry Powell and Bob Reagan.

The Visitors started off with a pair but gave up 5 on defense.  In the second they managed 3 to tie things up and held the Home boys to a goose-egg. The Visitors plated one in the third on a homer by Mike Wiltshire to take the lead but then went scoreless in the 4th while allowing the Home team another 5 run inning in the 4th highlighted by a Fred Gonzalez homer and a Chuck Duff double.

After 5 the Home team was leading with the score 11-13.

The Visitors took the lead again in the 6th with a 3 run rally but then gave up 2 runs and the lead in the bottom of the inning. It was looking like a back and forth affair with neither team able to close things out. 

In the 7th the visitors plated 4 and the homers only 3 to leave things knotted at 18.  

In the 8th, the home team won the inning on a triple by Duff (his second of the day) and a homer by Grabb.  Going into the 9th the score was 20-21 in favor of the Home squad.

The Visitors plated 4 in the ninth and then loaded the bases with only one out, looking to put the game on ice ... ice would have been nice.  But that's where inning ended as the Home squad came up with the defense to stifle the scoring.  The Visitors left the bases loaded for the second time in the game.

Then it was the Home boys turn needing 3 runs to tie and 4 to win.They managed two runs with nobody out but then a double play and a looping fly ball ended the game with the Visitors victorious.

Final score 24-23 Visitors.

Leading Hitters:
Visitors
   Butler 5 for 7 - 3 doubles
   Lafoon 5 for 6 - walk
   Zelazny 5 for 7
   Wiltshire 5 for 7 - HR
   Wells 4 for 6

Home
  Gonzalez 5 for 7 - HR
  Grabb 5 for 7 - double, HR
  Witmer 6 for 6 - double
  Duff 5 for 6  - double, 2 triples

Submitted by Ron Butler

 

 Golds Gym Field

We were fortunate enough to field four teams today. We combined the 14 National League players and 8 players from the American League to form two very competitive teams on Golds Gym Field. Richie Moots managed the visitors team comprised of himself, Mundy, Schapler  Borowicz, Fulton, Baker, Hearn, Mohan, Byrd, Leggett, and LoPiccolo. He was opposed by the team managed by Jeff Simon. His lineup read like the 27 Yankees with himself, Chrest, King, Duff Hill, Bess, Barnes, Nichols, Sullivan, Merritt, and Sessnik.

The first inning resulted in a one all tie as the only runs scored were by the second batter for each team. The second inning was scoreless for both teams as pitching and fielding shut down the offenses.. Team Moots broke out with 5 runs in the third before sitting down with only one out and two runners on base. Team Simon got one back off a triple by Larry Chrest. In the fourth, John Byrds triple helped Team Moots score four more to build a substantial  (but not surmountable) lead. Unfortunately for Team Simon they went three and out.

The fifth inning saw the fortunes change as Team Simon out scored team Moots in the next four innings. John Fulton lead off and scored for the visitors for their only run.  Meanwhile Jeff Simon's team pushed across four on Duff Hill's home run. Team Moots scored their last in the 6th inning and were shut out the rest of the way. Jeffs team, meanwhile scored in each of the last four innings. Along the way Larry Chrest hit a home run and John Merrit nailed a triple. Unfortunately, Team Simons fell just short in their comeback as they fell 12 to 11.

Key Performances include:

Wayne Mundy    3 for 5

John Fulton        4 for 5

John Byrd            4 for 4 with a double

 Larry Chrest        3 for 5 with a double and home run

Russ King            3 for 4

Duff Hill                2 for 4 with a home run

Dick Sessnik        winning pitcher

 Submitted by Bob Zelazny