Great baseball memories

I have a couple of memories....all involving my time in little league

My first homerun came when I was 11 years old and I hit it off of a left handed pitcher, why i say left handed, I hit left handed. The only surprise was that i wasnt going crazy like most kids do when they hit their first homerun

When I was 12, my team was playing against a pretty good team and I had been struggling at the plate for the first half of the year. This game I had a triple, double and ground out to the second baseman when I came up in the bottom of the 6th down 1 run with a runner on second. The first pitch I saw from the pitcher was turned around for a line drive homerun to right centerfield. The pitcher I hit it off of just happened to be one of my really good friends when I got to high school and we debated that moment all the time.

And my final moment would be in 2005 when I was actually a coach. I coached a 15-16 year old All-Star team. Many people around the league didnt really give our team a chance to go much past the district or even win the district. We won the district using the mercy-rule in everygame except our first game. We went to states and won our first game and then we played a team from Myers Park. They killed us, outplayed us in everyway possible (16-5). We talked to our kids after the game in a cornfield behind the field and the next night they came out with a desire I have never seen from them. This game featured Kenny Swab hitting a homerun in the first inning and fourth inning and two of our kids hitting their first homeruns ever! After winning this game, we were matched up with Myers Park yet again. This time it was a different story. We defeated Myers Park 10-5 and had to play them yet again. The start of this game we found ourselves down 3-1 and we had 1st and 2nd with our number 9 man at the plate. Well the number 9 man hits his very first homerun ever and puts us up 4-3 and the rest is history from there because we went on to win the State Championship 8-5 with my little brother pitching from the 2nd inning on. I remember the last 3 outs like it was yesterday and seeing that last pitch I remember laying down my clipboard, jumping the fence and running straight to my brother because it was his first State Championship (my dad and I each had one already), but what topped it off was that I was dunked by the cooler. I saw it coming all the way and thought it was for my dad and bam I have the cooler on my head! Great Memories

 

High School and J Tomanchek

My fondest memory was in high school. My team had just won the western championship game to put us in the state finals. As a team, we made the bus driver take us to Coach Tomanchek's house; Joe was ill and couldn't attend the games anymore, but still coached from the bed. Unbeknownst to us at the time, Joe was dying. I'll never forget seeing the first tear I'd ever known this man to shed fall from his eye as he told us thanks for the game ball. We should have never been this far in the playoffs, let alone be representing the western part of the state in the finals; we won because of Joe, we wanted it for him. We didn't deliver the state championship, but we did deliver him some pride and happiness in the last months of his life. Joe died the following October and to this day, I am proud to have played on the last team at Garinger for this great coach and man and think of him often as I teach my boys the game. We played that year as he taught us and continue to live our lives based on what we learned from him that year. Not meant to be sad, but just the opposite as I continue to this day to celebrate one of the best coaches and men with which I've ever been associated.

 

Coach T...

My uncle played for Coach T in HS with at Garinger and he ALWAYS talks about him and the influence he had on him that resulted in him being drafted by the Cleveland Indians...As for me I have SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO many fond memories of this game it would do them all an injustice to mention one over the other as I "reflect". It is the game of life!!!!!

 

State Games

Mine would have to be last year at the State Games. When region 5 played region 7. And I remember Coach Hardin telling the entire team that all the scouts and other coaches said we didnt have a shot to beat region 7... They had Bumgarner, Poovey, Rothlin, Patrick Johnson, Merrifield, Epley and plenty more. That team was stacked w/ talent. But playing for region 5 was one of the best experiences I have ever had. We ended up beating region 7... 13 to 2 and winning the Gold. One of my best experiences.

 

Ditto...

as coach of Region 5 in 99 we went 4-0 had the best tourney runs scored and held ooponents to fewest best in the state games history!

 

For me, being an old man, I have a lot of great memories. But here are a few that have recently occurred that stay in my mind.

I will always remember attending the tough, intense ND vs South Caldwell series this year. Either team could have won each game and neither team was going to make it easy for the other. But as fascinating as this series was, it was not the actual games that made this memorable. It was after the hard fought series that the players and coaches on both sides came out to circle the pitching diamond area, mixing amongst each other, holding hands and praying for 10 minutes. It was one of the most amazing things I have ever seen at any level of sports.

In 2003, Perfect Game WWB World Series in Jupiter was a much smaller tournament than it is now. I believe there were only 54 teams and to get an invitation to this tournament was very difficult. Many of the teams were loaded. Baseball America fielded a team with all drafted players. Florida Bombers were incredible and the Ohio Warhawks did not have a single player from Ohio. Many of these teams participating were what are called a “National team”; they recruited players from across the nation. Yet, here was a team, On Deck, which had their roster filled with local Charlotte and surrounding area players. On Deck set a pitching record that still stands. They went 25 straight innings without giving up a run…25 straight innings…in what is regarded as the most talented group of players at any tournament. Ben Buchanan (UNC-A), AJ Mason (Florida), Morgan Tyson (Tusculem) and Tom Porter (Elon) were involved in the scoreless streak. It was an amazing run that resulted with On Deck finishing 3rd in the tournament. This was at a time when the so called “baseball people” weren’t sure that NC even played summer baseball. I left Jupiter that year with my chest out far and pride for our state.

My last memory is a personal one. It involved my son’s 1st Varsity game and his last Varsity game.

His 1st game, he was called up to the Varsity as a 14 yo to pitch against Myers Park. Myers Park was led by Robert Woodard, Rob Davis, Rob Wilson, Logan Smith, Paul Dover, etc. (a team that would eventually play for the State Championship). It was his first night game, it was away and in front of a boisterous crowd. For a freshman the kid had a ton of poise, but I believe it was the 2nd inning when my son was called for two balks. He called time and went over to talk to the umpire. You could see them having a friendly discussion because they were both laughing. After the game I asked him what he said to the ump. He said, “ Jeez…you got to quit calling those balks on me. My knees are already shaking…don’t make it worse” The kid went on to throw a complete game 2 hit shutout.

His last game was very emotional. It was against West Forsyth for the opportunity to advance to the State Championship. He was recovering from arm surgery and was told that he probably wouldn’t be able to pitch his senior year. And if he did, there would be games that he felt strong and games that he wouldn’t. The Dr suggested that he take the school season off. But this was his senior year and this was a very talented team. The kid was rated by Baseball America the #2 pitcher in the state at one time and in his own mind was watching his baseball future drown while he was riding the bench. He never complained and was always the 1st person out of the dugout to congratulate his teammates. But he wanted the ball and kept reminding Bagwell not to forget about him. Well, he got his chance. And he finished his career the way he started…a complete game 2 hit shutout to lead his team to the State Championship. I will never forget that

 

me neither.... he threw a great game. and with class on top of that. got to hate it . just kidding. you know i wish him the best of luck in his future

 

so many as a player and a coach... hitting the first homerun at 11 (my uncle not following up on his promise he always made to me about buying me a horse if i hit one) first grand slam in high school, and walk off homerun. finding out i could actually play with the big boys in college. coaching in the state championship (even though we got waxed) coaching in the final four and having a go ahead homerun nullified by the ump saying he missed first. coaching in the state games, the list continues... but the biggest one might be everytime a former player comes back to visit,,, and especially when they tell me they want to coach and teach.

 

That has to be the best feeling.

I had a friend of yours tell me yesterday that you were a great catcher in college...could hit the cover off the ball; stromg arm. But when it came to running; let's just say you should have had some more triples.

 

Yup!...

This is a fact and reinforced even moreso by my former team mate Cal today!