Conference hbahba::cam_sports

    I played in the Parkway Little League from Roslindale/West Roxbury.
    We made it to the state quarterfinals and were beaten by Swampscott
    in extra innings 3-1 when some big fat kid hit a pinch hit 2-run homer
    in the top of the 7th.  In the bottom of the 7th we got guys on 2nd and
    3rd with nobody out, then Ralphie Henderson popped out and Nat Butler
    stuck out.  Ron Bevilaqua came up and I was on deck.  Ronnie worked the
    count to 3-0, and he swung at the 3-0 pitch!!!  He popped out, and I
    was left on deck, never to bat in Little League again.  I never cried
    so hard in my life!  I knew I woulda been the hero!!!
    
    BTW, my dad was General Manager of Parkway for several years before he
    died in 1977.  In fact, his name adorns the league championship trophy.
    Still makes my mom proud.
    
    The guy coaching Parkway today coached against my dad 30 years ago!
    
    NAZZ
    

    I would say I remember Nazz, but I wasn't around at the time...
    

    
    Nazz you crybaby!
    
    ;^)
    

  Sounds like Bevilacqua realized who was up after him and figured it was
 now or never.

    Eastern Regional
    
    Connellsville, Penn. 10......Auburn, Me. 0
    Southington, Conn. 6.........Orchard Park, NY 3
    Bedford, N.H. 8..............Brattleboro, Vt. 2
    Elkton, Md. 4................Pawtucket, RI 0

>    Southington, Conn. 6.........Orchard Park, NY 3


This was a helluva game, and there was a beautiful two-run homer by
a kid from Southington in the late innings.   It cleared the fence
and went deep into the woods at the field in NY.

When our local sportscaster interviewed him, he sounded so cool and
so "pro":


	TV3:	You got a hold of that one
	kid:	Yeah, it was a hangin' curve.  They'd been pitchin'
		me curves all day and I finally got a hold of one good.
	TV3:	I'll say.  It was a nice stroke too.  Who taught you to
		hit like that?
	Kid:	My dad.


I was waiting for one of the obligatory "Bull Durham" baseball cliches,
but I guess the kid has to be a couple of years older for that.....


'Saw

    You guys are tough, but unfortunately for me, that was the highlight of 
    my athletic career!
    
    Nat Butler and Ralphie Henderson have both long since passed away.
    Nat got hit by a car when he was 20, Ralph died of a drug overdose when
    he was 23.  That stinkin' Ronnie Bevilacqua went away to college
    (somewhere in Pennsylvania or Ohio, I think) and was never heard
    from again.  I'm sure he lives a hollow life, every day thinking of
    that fateful swing on the 3-0 pitch.  LIVE WITH YOUR SHAME RONNIE!!!!
    
    NAZZ

>    from again.  I'm sure he lives a hollow life, every day thinking of
>    that fateful swing on the 3-0 pitch.  LIVE WITH YOUR SHAME RONNIE!!!!
    
He's probably rich, married a hot babe, and has a kid pitching AA ball
right now....


8^) 8^) 8^)


'Saw

    Now that REALLY hurt!!!
    
    NAZZ

    Naz, we (Leominster Americans) lost the '70 Mass states to Parkway. 
    Ronnie Perry played for them that year and the tourney was in Oxford.
    
    Were you attending?
    
    Mark.

    
    As a matter of fact, my brother was on that team!  I didn't get to
    see all of those games, though.  Had to work two summer jobs to get
    through college.  :-(
    
    My brother was a decent hitter with power who couldn't field all
    that well.  He was a substitute/pinch hitter for most of the
    tournament.  Ronnie Perry was the shortstop and pitcher.  He
    was a tremendous athlete and a nice kid.  I was pissed he went
    to CM though, being a Xaverian grad!
    
    NAZZ

    I still gots the program...I'll look up l'il Nazz over the weekend.
    
    Mark.

    You won't find him.  A called by brother lasted night to reminisce
    and he proceeded to remind me that he was on the 1969 team with Perry,
    (when Ronnie was 11), and that they lost in the first game of the 
    states after winning the regional finals, the same as my team.  He
    reminded me how pleased I was that his team didn't go farther than
    mine.  Funny the things that stick with you - I had totally forgot
    about that, but I'm sure back then it was important to both of us!
    
    As for this year's tourney, Parkway National is out, losing to
    Orchard Park NY 5-4, on two runs in the sixth.  Other results from
    yesterday:
    
    Hamilton Square NJ 22, Pawtucket 3 (Pawtucket eliminated)
    Auburn ME 7, Seaford Del 3 (Seaford eliminated)
    
    Still undefeated are teams from CT, PA, MD (all 1-0), and NH (2-0).
    Teams from ME, NY, and NJ are 1-1; the team from VT is 0-1.
    
    I imagine the four team with one loss play each other today, and the
    four undefeated teams play each other.  That would leave one game
    between undefeated teams tomorrow, and two loser's bracket games to get
    down to a final four.  WHat they do after that, I have no clue.
    
    NAZZ

	According to the Manchester paper Bedford, NH, is playing Elkton,MD,
	at 5pm today.  It's on WGIR (610 AM) in case you're intested.


	billl

    The lads from Bedford, NH, put a woopin' on the boys from Elkton, MD,
    last night to the tune of 11-1.  They will play the other unbeaten
    team, from Connellsville, PA, today at 2pm.
    
    
    
    billl

	Bedford, NH, advanced one step closer to a World Series slot by
	beating Connellsville, PA, 7-6.  Championship game for the Eastern
	Region will be held tomorrow at 5pm in Bristol, CN.



	billl

	Due to a rain delay Tuesday's game was played yesterday between
	(Bedford)NH and (Southington)Conn.  NH won by the score of 1-0.
	They now advance to a spot in the Little League World Series in
	Williamsport, PA starting Monday.



	billl

    
    >	Due to a rain delay Tuesday's game was played yesterday between
    >	(Bedford)NH and (Southington)Conn.  NH won by the score of 1-0.
    >	They now advance to a spot in the Little League World Series in
    >	Williamsport, PA starting Monday.
    
    Amazing.  This must be the most storied accomplishment in the history
    of NH youth baseball.
    
    As I understand it, both Little League powers Taiwan and the Dominican
    Republic were given the heave-ho for this season for cheaty team-rigging
    tactics, no?  It could be wide open this year...
    
    glenn
     

    
  >> Amazing.  This must be the most storied accomplishment in the history
  >> of NH youth baseball.
    
     What would even be a close (or even distant) second?

>	Due to a rain delay Tuesday's game was played yesterday between
>	(Bedford)NH and (Southington)Conn.  NH won by the score of 1-0.


8^( 8^( 8^( 8^( 8^(



Congrats, all you New Hampshirites....


8^( 8^( 8^( 8^( 8^(

'Saw

Yea Tawian and the other guys got tossed for drawing players from too
large an area for the talent pool...

mike

    Wasn't last year the year that Taiwan actually won the game, but had the
    title taken away at a later date because one of the pitcher's was 14? 
    By default the title went to one of the American teams, or something
    like that...
    
    					Steve
    

The Philipians won last year and had the title stripped. SI had an article on
the whole thing this past year..

Metz

    Didn't St. Paul write an Epistle to the Philipians?
    Or was it the Thessalonians?
    
    8^)
    MikeL
    

If people from the land of Emelda Marcos are called Filipinos then that's what
I meant...


Metz

    Mike, it's Philippians and he wrote to both.

    NH won the Eastern regional, advancing to the LL Worls Series next week
    in PA.
    
    Redmen Phil
     

    Psst, Phil....
    
    seen .17 yet?
    
    ;^)
    
    I remain,
    I remain,
    
    deja-vu
    Kev
    

     Why not do a three-peat
    
     No I ain't paying Pat Riles either.

	A team from Virginia defeated the Sandy Plains, Georgia, team
	for the second straight night to win the U.S.South LL WS spot.

	I'm not sure how the tournament works once it reaches Williamsport,
	but it would seen that the 4 US teams play a round robin amongst
	themselves with the two best teams playing for the US championship
	in a one game playoff.

	The 4 international team do the same.  The winner of the international
	bracket playing the winner of the US bracket for the Little League
	World Series Final.


	billl

>	I'm not sure how the tournament works once it reaches Williamsport,
>	but it would seen that the 4 US teams play a round robin amongst
>	themselves with the two best teams playing for the US championship
>	in a one game playoff.

        No, this is a single elimination tournament.  The 4 US teams are
        in one bracket, and the 4 international teams are in the other
	bracket.

  I think, Bill Long has it right because Richmond, Va has lost to both 
 Bedford, NH and Long Beach in this round. Bedford goes up against Long
 Beach for the title. I think the two seperate divisions for US and Inter-
 nationals teams stinks. It's only purpose is to ensure that there's a US
 team in the final because most years there wouldn't be.

	Here's the scores from yesterday's games in Williamsport, PA.

	Panama	4		Canada	8
	Saipan	1		Germany	1

	West (Long Beach CA) 12	  East (Bedford NH)   1
	South (Richmond VA)   8   North (Hamilton OH) 0 

	With their second losses Richmond VA and Hamilton OH were eliminated.
	Long Beach, CA, plays Bedford, NH, today in a meaningless game.  That's 
	meaningless because they both have already qualified to play in the
	US championship game to be televised on ESPN Thursday at 4:30 Thursday.

	Other games today are Panama vs Germany and Canada vs Saipan.


	billl

	Here's an update on today's game:

	after 4 innings, Long Beach 14 Bedford NH 1



	billl

  How "meaningless" is today's game really? Given the ass-whupping that Long 
 Beach is laying on Bedford, this game could have a lot of meaning especially 
 to kids at that age level. It's could mean a whole lot of confidence on one
 side and a whole lot of doubts on the other. From what I understand, Long
 Beach was heavily favored anyways, now Bedford really got to feel like they're
 up against it. 

I dunno.  We usually expound that there is no substitute for a 
champeenship in here, but in this case, I'd have to say that being 
one of the four best LL teams in the world is quite an accomplishemnt
for Bedford, NH.  This is particularly true when yo compare the size 
of Bedford with the size of Long Beach.  On top of that, the international 
teams have an entire (granted, often small) country to select from.

That said, I hope thye put today behind them, and go get 'em next time.

=Bob=

    
    I don't know where 131.35 got his information, but according to 
    the Boston Globe, The AP Newswire and WMUR tv, the final score was
    Bedford 1	Long Beach 0
    
    So BEDFORD IS IN THE FINALS!!!!!
    
    					Jim

>                               -< Whoa Nellie! >-


Put some Mustard on that one!  She's gone!

    
>    So BEDFORD IS IN THE FINALS!!!!!
    

Well, I got to tell ya, they beat CT, but they're still part of New England,
so baby, I'm rootin' the Bedford....


Besides, let those California folks stick to things like surfin' and goin'
to the Galleria...8^) 8^) 8^)


'Saw

	final   Long Beach CA   21
		Bedford NH	 1


	Tommy,  as far as the standings go and as far as advancing to the 
	next round, this game was indeed "meaningless".  BUT, as far as 
	what a severe woopin' like this will do the kids' psyche... we'll
	find out tomorrow.

	As far as the population size goes,  Little League rules require 
	that a town must have a population of less than 20,000 in order
	to have just one representative allstar team.  Therefore even a
	town as small as Merrimack, NH (pop ~21,000) has to have two 
	seperate allstar teams.

	My point is that I'm sure this is one of many Little League allstar
	teams from Long Beach, CA.  This is the one that emerged as District/
	State/Region champs through a series of playoffs that start in mid
	June.

	The same thing follows for the international team.  It is not as 
	though the Germany team is the ONLY Little League allstar team in
	Germany.

	Now that's not to say that rules are not ignored by some, but when
	they are caught, like the Phillipines were last year, teams are
	eliminated.


	billl

 re .38

  I think you're referring to yesterady's game. I seriously doubt that
 today's game is already in the Globe. Bedford is in the finals and to-
 day's game is, more or less, a formality.

Well, then he was wrong and I was wrong....

But those Long Beach kids will still get the job done -- if they can keep
them off the beach and out of the malls....


8^)


'Saw

    Just make sure everyone gets a shirt...
    

 >>   Just make sure everyone gets a shirt...


	huh?

>> These kids have all the advan-
>> tages over Long Beach. They live in a hick ass town in a hick ass 
>> state with absolutley nothing better to do than play baseball and
>> fantasize about the day when they're gonna marry their first cousin.

	Spoken like a true urban-bigot.  


	billl

Actually, I've only been to Bedford once or twice, but it seemed like Yuppy 
Central.  Lots of Volvo wagons and garrison colonials.

    Re. 131.46 - hilarious!!!!!!!  My exact vision of Bedford, after
    having taught 2nd grade for three years at neighboring Reeds Ferry
    School in Merrimack back when Gerlad Ford and Jimmy Carter were
    taking their respective turns in the White House.
    
    As for the 21-1 shellacking this morning, I would wager that neither
    of the two pitchers that hurled shutouts MOnday and Tuesday pitched
    for Bedford today.  Since they were guaranteed of facing this team
    tomorrow, the coach probably used his lesser pitchers, saving his
    top two for the American Championship tomorrow, and if they advance,
    the World Series on Saturday.
    
    Still, 21-1 is a serious thumpin'.
    
    NAZZ

    
    >they live in a hick ass town in a hick ass state...
    
    You know it is stupid, unknowledgable entries like this one that push me
    ever closer to thinking that closing the notes files from 9-5 is a good
    thing.  At least it will keep slanderous remarks like that out.
    
    May your system disk suffer a horrible crash.
    
    Marc
    

>    >they live in a hick ass town in a hick ass state...
>    
>    You know it is stupid, unknowledgable entries like this one that push me
>    ever closer to thinking that closing the notes files from 9-5 is a good
>    thing.  At least it will keep slanderous remarks like that out.

Easy killer, you got to know Tommy before you can assume anythinga bout
what he says....

    
>    May your system disk suffer a horrible crash.
    
I hope you don't mean CAM's system disk.  We just lost our page and
swap file disk last week.  We don't need any more aggravation....


'Saw    

  Nazz, you're probably right about the pitching even so Bedford hasn't
 really mustered much of an offense so far in the series. They can't
 expect to win 1-0 tomorrow.

  

  As to my potentially offensive remarks, it's a NH vs. Mass thing.
 They call us Taxachusetts and we remind them that they're hicks and
 that NH is just Mass' playground.

Of course Tommy could solve all these problems by using smileys.

I know I know, NEVER.

The Crazy Met

   You know, Craze this is one instance where I kind of wish
  I did. Not that I will the next time mind you.

>>Awe, the smiley was implied...

	I knew that.  I was just givin' it back to him.  



	billl

  ESPN is televising the national championship game live today at 4:30.
 I may actually tune in and watch the hicks get their butts whipped when
 I get home today.

	Long Beach, CA beat Bedford, NH 11-0.  The pitcher for Long Beach,
	<mumble> Burroughs pitched a no hitter while putting two over the
	fences himself.  Radio I was listening to said his father, who happens
	to be one of the coaches, was an MVP in the American League.

	They had the gun on this kid in the first and he was firing at 74mph.
	At that distance it's supposed to be equivalant to a 94mph fastball
	in the bigs.

	Long Beach will play the winner of the International bracket.  Anyone
	catch who that was?


	billl

    
    
    Panama.
    
    
       They beat Germany 5-0.
    
    
    Chappy

  Despite what I may have said earlier, Bedford did themselves proud. Just
 getting to the national championship game is something 99.9% of all Little
 Leaguers never experience. As for Long Beach, that Burroughs kid is an ox.
 A cocky ox at that with all the mannerisms of a major leaguer. I haven't
 seen Panama but word is that Long Beach's second pitcher is a big step down
 from Burroughs so Long Beach may have made a strategical error by pitching
 Burroughs yesterday. Then again, the next kid could be a big step down from
 Burroughs and still be pretty damned good for a Little Leaguer. 

    Burroughs had a nasty curve to go along with the 74mph heater.  The
    kid's a stud right now, but he's gonna have to do the Jenny Craig thing
    pretty soon if he doesn't cut down on the double stuffed Twinkies.
    
    Bedford, N.H. certainly did themselves proud.  
    
    					Steve 

    re: Bedford, N.H.
    
    What is it about this team from Bedford, NH that makes us all feel the
    need to say they "did themselves proud"?  I mean, exactly what did
    *they* do that any other team that made it into the Series *didn't* do,
    'sept for get blown out in two (2) games by a combined score of 31-1?
    
    Seems to me they did themselves quite an embarassment.
    
    
    - ACC Chris

	I think I'll stockpile away 131.64 for the next time UNH hoops 
	team makes it to the Final Four and gets beat!


	billl

    Or UNC...
    
    Hey, Bedford was the #2 team in the US this year.  That's not anything
    to be proud of?  If that's true, Heiser would be tucked away about the
    Suns...  they lost to the defending champions... I'd take that...
    

  Ack knows of what he speaks, having played in numerous Little League
 national championships himself. 

	Yeah, that's what I meant.

	If UNH makes it to the tounament I'd be impressed.



	billl

    > I think I'll stockpile away 131.64 for the next time UNH hoops
    > team makes it to the Final Four and gets beat!
    
    The *NEXT* time?!  Haw haw!!  If not for Providence College, the last
    team from New England to reach the Final 4 was back in the *40's*!
    (And it weren't New Hampshire, that's for sure.)
    
    
    - ACC Chris

    Kirland Washington won the LL World Series in 1981.  Like Long Beach,
    the team had a stud pitcher, similar in ability to Burroughs. He was
    bigger and stronger than his peers.  He was the winning pitcher and
    set the still standing record for lenght in a home run (310').
    His name is Cody Webster.
    
    But Cody ate himself out of baseball.  He was a decent high
    school/Legion player.  Cody was OK in college ball.  But because
    he is fat and out of ball now.  
    
    Hope Burroughs does not follow suit.

    re-.1
    
    It was tainted.  THe coach of the winning team figgered out real early
    what the signs were fer the Panamanian teams pitchers, and therefore
    devised a system where each batter could know what pitch he was
    getting, and ~where it would be.
    
    Make the kids play on sandlots from now on with no uniforms and no
    coaches are allowed with a mile and a half of the field.
    
    Kids game, not anymore.
    
    JaKe
    

That's the first I've ever heard of that, jake. Got any proof?

the local rag out here did a piece on Cody Webster on the xx anniversery of the
championship. He coaches youth ball now and isn't bitter about early success
with no followup. 

They went over what much of the world series team is doing now and if they ever
get back together...

Metz (Kirkland resident..) real nice ballpark downtown near the lake and
surrounded by fun stuff to do...

    It was in the papers here today saying something about it.
    
    
    JaKe
    

Stealing signs is part of baseball.

If a Little League team is using signs, they should be smart enough to
change 'em up now and again.

'Saw

    
>>    It was tainted.  THe coach of the winning team figgered out real early
>>    what the signs were fer the Panamanian teams pitchers, and therefore
>>    devised a system where each batter could know what pitch he was
>>    getting, and ~where it would be.
    
	I hate to have to be the one to tell ya JaKe, but you're soundin'
	like a certain "whiner" we all know.

	They may very well have been able to come up with what kind of 
	pitch was going to be thrown,  but until he turns it loose, not
	even the pitcher is absolutly sure of the location.

	The 'Sawmain hit the nail on the head.  If'n yunz are gonna use
	signs, be smart enough to realize that the other team might pick
	them up.  So you better be ready to change them if you think that
	has happened.

	Stealin' signs is a part of baseball that we even did playing 
	sandlot.  Get the loosing team a box of Kleenex and tell them to
	stop moaning.

	billl

    	Gee, maybe somebody should tell Cecil Fielder 'cuz he ain't got the
    20 Minute Workout sissy body type that he shouldn't be such an awesome
    hitter...
    
    				/Don

	Cecil playing Little League now??????


	cornfused,
	billl

    billl and Saw
    
    DO ME!!!!
    
    I gots a sign fer ya, and ya don't have to steal it.
    
    (8^)
    
    JaKe
    

>>    DO ME!!!!
	Not a chance!  Even with that lovely "Dick Radditz" wig!

	Ain't we da touchie one today!


	billl

>>>    DO ME!!!!
>	Not a chance!  Even with that lovely "Dick Radditz" wig!

Ditto for me too.....


'Saw

    Any District goings-on out there?
    
    LL District Champions have to be crowned by Sunday......
    
    I'm an Assistant District Administrator on Long Island.  Our District
    (NY 32) Championship game is Tuesday evening; Central Nassau LL vs.
    Bethpage LL.
    
    Redmen Phil
    

    Went up to Oxford yesterday to watch the Mass. Little League State
    Championship.  Middleboro had beaten Pittsfield and Lowell had
    beaten West Roxbury/Roslindale to earn their way to the final game
    of the Final Four, which was played on Saturday.
    
    Middleboro won 3-1 in a terrific game.  Both teams were using their #2
    pitchers after going with their aces on Saturday.  Middleboro had a set
    of identical twins that pitched and played shortstop.  Outstanding
    players.  The pitcher hit a line drive homer about 240' that appeared 
    to take less than a second to leave the park.  I saw 3 balls hit harder 
    than I've ever seen by kids that age, all by Middleboro.  They had no 
    weakness in the batting order.  They had another kid hit a line driver
    homer down the line in left, that never got higher than 10' off the
    ground.  It'll be interesting to see how this team does in the New
    England's this week.  Lowell's run was a result of a homer hit by the 
    catcher. 
    
    In the consolation game, West Roxbury/Roslindale beat Pittsfield 4-0.  
    They foolishly didn't pitch their ace on Saturday and lost to Lowell as a
    result.
    
    
    					Steve

    Massapequa Int'l LL won the LI Championship over Cental Nassau by a
    score of 17-3; Massapequa is loaded.  However, I don't know how they
    did in the NY State Tourney.
    
    Redmen Phil