Winter Haven Senior Softball

World Series Trivia and WHSS, AL Report, 10/24

 

Since we are still embroiled in a struggle for baseball’s 2014 World Championship, I thought it appropriate to stay with the World Series theme in respect to the game action at the Diamond Plex, on 10/24. Though not a World Series game the WHSS, American League game was intense, a barn burner, a rip snort’n, throwdown. When commissioner, Donnie Witmer, left the field he called it “a great game”, he got no argument from anyone who played in it, this one was a classic.

 

The three teams that played today, in the AL, WHSS league are named after three previous AL, WS, Champions, the Orioles, Angels and Tigers. I want you the reader to step up to the plate; I am going to toss you seven World Series trivia questions, mixed throughout the article.  Can you go 7/ 7 and get them all right? Even if you can knock one or two questions out of the park, that would be a good thing. Come out swinging.

 

Hitting team, Orioles: Rivera, Laffoon, Toro, Bush, Jacobson, JD, Poke, Reagen and Kallaster.

Sitting team, Angels: Gonzalez Edwards, Keller, Doerbaum, Witmer, Scarbrough, Wells and Fabian.

Fielding team, Tigers: Herb O, D’Herin, Duff, DeRidder, Alumbaugh, Pepin, Matta, Pinnick and Ayers.

 

Trivia 1: When was the first World Series night game played?

A. 1969.  

B. 1970.

C. 1971.

D. 1972.

 

We did not have anything that resembled a night game on out field at Winter Haven today; it was so bright it was like there were two suns. The sun was so intense; it was like we were playing ball on the planet Mercury, instead of Earth. For the first few innings batters had a hard time finding the ball after it left the pitchers hand. The scoreboard reflected the sun’s effect on the batters, 0-1-0 was the score, after the 1^st inning of play.

 

Trivia 2: Which pitcher struck out a WS record, 17 batters?

A. Bob Gibson

B. Steve Pinnick

C. Christy Mathewson

D. Nolan Ryan

 

The Hitting team, Orioles and the Sitting team, Angels, still saw a big black spot in the 2^nd inning, when they tried to hit the ball coming out of the sun. The Fielding team, Tigers, adjusted their peepers and hit the ball well. During their at bat, in the bottom of the 2^nd inning, Alumbaugh and Pepin started things out with singles.  Matta then ripped a double into center field, to drive in both base runners. Pinnick walked and Ayers followed up with a double of his own, to drive in another run. With no outs and runners on 2^nd  and 3^rd, it looked like a 5 run inning would go into the books. Some things are not as easy as they look, the next three batters did not get the ball out of the infield and the Tigers were caged.

 

The score after two innings of play, Orioles: 0- Angels: 1- Tigers: 3.

 

Trivia 3: This question is a bit tricky, which manager won a World Series in both the American and National league?

A. Jim Leyland.

B. Sparky Anderson.

C. Dick Williams.

D. Tony LaRussa.

 

The bible say’s “the first shall be last and the last shall be first”, Mathew 20:16. I am sure preacher, Freddy Gonzalez, could do a whole sermon on this topic and I would love to hear it. For now, it’s sufficient to say that the small lead the Tigers held in the 2nd, dissolved quickly in the 3rd. The Orioles, who were last jumped to first place, with a 5 run inning. Kallister, Rivera, Laffoon, Toro and Bush had softball’s equivalent of a revival meeting. They scored 5 runs without making an out. Brian Bush preached a softball message of his own, “thou shalt not cheat in on me”. He hit a homerun, deep, over the right fielders head.

 

Trivia 4: The Cubs have gone 105 years without winning a World Series, which American League team had the longest streak without a world championship?

A. Boston Red Sox

B. Cleveland Indians

C. Chicago White Sox

D. The Bad News Bears

 

The Hitting teams lead, (Orioles), would not be safe, it wouldn’t even last for an inning. The Sitting team came up and scored five runs off of the efforts of the following players: Gonzalez, Edwards, Keller, Doerbaum, Witmer, Scarbrough and Coffman. The Angels sent 7 guys up to the plate and all 7 reached base safely.

 

After 3 innings the score was Orioles: 5- Angels: 6 – Tigers: 4.

 

Trivia 5:  Name the only two brothers in World Series History to start and win all 4 games they pitched? Hint they played for the “Gashouse Gang”.

 

The next big inning came in the 5^th, the Tigers clawed out 4 runs, to tie the game. Singles by DeRidder and Alumbaugh got the Tigers started, Pepin and Matta then followed with back to back doubles to drive in three runs. Ayers then singled in Matta for the final score that inning. Matta also had a great defensive play earlier in the inning, when he went up high and grabbed a sizzling line drive that JD smoked down the first base line. The ball sounded like bacon on the grill as it came toward me, consequently my hand felt like it was burnt on a grill after I caught the ball. (My hand still hurts).

 

After 5 innings the score was Orioles: 8- Angels: 7 - Tigers: 8

 

Trivia 6: Which player is the youngest player to ever hit a HR in the World Series?

A. Joe DeForge.

B. Andruw Jones.

C. Jim Pagliaroni.

D. Jimmie Foxx.

 

If you thought the game could not get any closer, you would be wrong. In the 6^th inning all three teams scored, the Orioles scored once, as did the Tigers. The Angels scored twice, to tie the game. The bottom of the Angels line up came to life and scored the two runs needed, to make it a three way tie. Credit Coffman, Wells and Fabian for a job well done.

 

After 6 innings the score was Orioles: 9- Angels: 9- Tigers: 9.

 

That set up a dramatic 7^th inning. One team needed a Mazeroski type effort to win it, or at least give them a chance to win it. The Orioles, Les Jacobson was up for the task. He started off the inning with a double to right-center field. However, Tigers Pitcher, Bobby Ayers closed the door on the next three batters and the O’s put up an 0.  Credit Joe D’Herin and Nick Matta on a good fielding play that retired Bob Reagen for the last out.

 

Next up, the Angels, Donny Witmer was determined to start a rally for his team. He singled to open the inning for the Halo’s. Donny Scarbrough wasted no time in smacking a triple, to knock in Witmer with the lead run. After hitting that triple with no outs on the board, you would think that Scarbrough would score, you would be wrong.  Scarbrough would never cross the plate, the next two batters were retired in a row. Then Fabian walked and Gonzalez hit a ground ball and forced him out at 2^nd base to end the inning. Would one run be enough?

 

Not today, the Tigers scratched and clawed their way to a victory. Singles by Pinnick, Ayers, Herb O and Duff gave the Tigers a win. Chuck Duff had the winning hit and Ron Pepin won in his debut as manager.

 

Trivia 7: Here are four players with World Series rings, put them in order from most rings to least: Joe DiMaggio, Yogi Berra, Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig.

 

Leading Hitters:

Rivera: 3/ 4.

Jacobson: 4/4 with two doubles.

Kallaster: 2/3.

Keller: 4/ 4.

Herb O: 3/ 5.

Alumbaugh: 4/4 with a double.

Matta: 3/ 4 with two doubles.

Ayers: 4/ 4 with a double.

 

WP: Ayers.

 

Answers:

1. 1971, Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh.

2.  Bob Gibson, 17. (Against Detroit).

3. Both Sparky Anderson and Tony LaRussa won championships in the NL and AL. If you guessed either one you were correct. You get extra credit if you selected both managers.

4. The Chicago White Sox waited 87 years for a championship, the Red Sox, 85 years.

5. The Dean brothers, Dizzy and Paul. Steve Pinnick pitches for WHSS.

6. Andruw Jones, Braves, age 19.  Joe DeForge played WHSS until he was 90.

7. Berra (10), DiMaggio (9), Gehrig (8), Ruth (7).