Recently I attended the CDMSBL winter meetings and was sad to hear that two teams (the Cubs and Orioles) would not make it back next season in the 28+ division. Both teams had long successful runs and rank in my opinion as two of the best teams ever assembled in the CDMSBL.
The Cubs were around for 17 years, wow! Over the last 10 years they appeared in the semi finals 9 times, the finals 5 times and won 4 championships. Led by managers Rich Garbarino and Jim Mcquade and players like Mike Girard, Tom Maney, Jim Ansel Ted Martin, Jon Martin, Andy Hoyle, Ted Poleto, Phil Gadomski and Randy Craft you can see why they won so often. In one three year stretch from 1997-1999 they were 51-9 during the regular season. I know I am leaving someone off the list of players but perhaps Jim McQuade or John Reel can add more. Congratulations on a successful run guys!
The Orioles run didn't last quite as long just 9 years. From 2001-2005 the Orioles appeared in the semi finals all five years, the finals 3 times and won two championships. From 2003-2005 the Orioles were 48-11 in the regular season. John Pologa, Mark Lenox, Mark Dabney, Dennis Walters, Mario Arduini, Mike Hicks, Tony Nardacci, Paul Scutieri, Bob Bolt, Al Dudla and Dennis Buckley were the core of those teams. Again I know I am leaving someone off but the memory is not as good as it use to be.
Congratulations to both teams and I all look forward to seeing you on the field in 2007.
it seems to me that dick's comments suggest the need for a virtual hall of fame to exist on our website.
i know the idea's been batted about. folks have said that if we ever get a new website the hall would be part of it - so i'm suggesting here the hope we do something like that soon, before the fellows who would be candidates, and who have stories of great teams, head for the florida sunshine league, and thereafter, the great league in the sky.
such a hall, of course, might have not only the league's top players inducted and hanging on the web space's "walls," but it could also include histories of each season, stats of the players, how each team finished, remarkable moments and quotes from each season. there could be photos and videos, too.
that way, fellows who are not elected hall-of-famers, may still find their names and images somewhere in the league's histories, and many could then say to their grandkids, "see? see? your grandad wasn't always this creaky."
Thanks for the kind words Dick.it is hard to believe how quickly the years go by. We (The Cubs) have had a great ride and now are looking forward to next year with the hope of joining the 37+ division and starting a new phase in our teams history. Congratulations to the Orioles as well for their success over the years as one of the elite teams in the history of the 28+ division, as well as their recent success in the 37+ division.
Our team was actually started by Artie G. back in the day and we struggled mightily for several years. Rich Garbarino and I endured some lean years but still had fun and played with some great players like Larry Lawson and Billy Blake. In 1996 the Gods shined down upon us and we were able to pick up free agents Tom and Tim Maney, who forever changed the destiny of our team. Tom became the heart and soul of our team and after picking up Jim Ansel the following year, we went 18-2 in the regular season. The last pieces to the puzzle were added in 1998 when we picked up Ted Martin and Phil Gadomski and we went on to win our first Championship. In 1999 we again went 18-2 in the regular season but lost to the Tigers in the finals. The following year we added Teds brother Jonny and Toms younger brother Shawn along with Andy Hoyle who together solidified our team and we went on to win back-to back Championships. In 2004 we were lucky enough to win our final Championship with key contributions from guys like Mike Girard, Ted Poleto, Keith Jacques, and Jim Walter. Other great players who contributed to our success over the years were guys like Phil Simpson, Paul Madison, Randy Craft, Dave Mitchell and even Jim Jordan joined us for a year and was able to celebrate a Championship with us. As with most winning teams pitching was our true key to success and we rode the backs of Ansel, Gadomski, and the Martin brothers who carried us each and every year.
We take with us great memories, too countless to list, of games, rivalries and parking lot cooler sessions and look forward to creating new memories in the 37+ division. Our team will be forever grateful to John Reel and Kevin Jackson for all they have done in allowing us to play this great game. We are also grateful for guys like John Kalinski, Dick Stark, Joe Fitzgerald, and Quentin Jensen who have done so much over the years for our division.
I personally also want to echo Mike Harts wish for all to have a healthy and happy holiday season and look forward to seeing you all on the fieldopening day is only about 130+ days away!!
Thanks for your comments, guys. Your contributions to what was accomplished over the years are noted.
Like the Celtics and Lakers of the eighties, the Cubs and Orioles had each other to knock heads with and challenge each other to go to that next level of baseball. It was a pleasure to have competition of the caliber of the Orioles and a privilege to play them. There were great games, hotly contested playoffs, and had some outstanding seasons. It is testimony to the quality of our league that it provided the opportunity for us to play ball at that level at our age, and with our unique characteristics. (Insert video of Ansel throwing helmet here).
Kudos to the coaches and the officials of the league. They deserve the real credit. It is not easy to host knuckleheads like us as we try to be tenacious, yet good-natured and leave the field happy with ourselves and with another tough team that we either beat or lost to. I am proud of the Cubs, and of the Orioles, and of the league. I am most proud of the fun we had while we were competing so intensely. It was a great run. There should be a record of what we accomplished as a league, perhaps as well the teams' and players' accomplishments on the field of play.
Good Holidays to the good people of the league whom I have been fortunate enough to play with and against over the years.
I have alot of respect for the teams that just keep on going. through persistence and hard work and usually a manager that works hard not only during the season but more importantly during the off-season to take stock, rebuild and recruit and then re-energize his team. Dick and Jim were perhaps the best at doing this year in and year out. And teams like this by neccecity span a generation. and then you have the extra task of mixing experience with youth. These two teams have always been on top . Did I say "always".... it isn't that easy . the O's were indeed a quality team from early on , having that core of talent assembled gets you out of the blocks fast. but the Cubs, or Avis Car Rental, as they were first named took a few years. Art started this team from scratch, Like my own franchise then we took a list of names and called up our guys. That season back in 1991 had us split our match -ups and win only one more game. We both finished 2-12. Art gave way to Rich Garbarino. I think he got the job because he spoke some Spanish. And Art had recruited some talent that didn't speak English but did bring a nice picnic lunch to all the games. A few name changes later,... homages to carpet, pizza, beer and strippers....they had built up a nice squad. a good .500 team. after one more name change they seemed to switch gears , and started winning big. I have to say I always admired that they never changed the picnic and its after game comraderie.. though the menu went from rice and chimichangas to Doritos and Heinekens. All kidding aside it was pretty much their identity to play hard and laugh later. There was nothiing like getting your ass kicked by them and then getting invited over to share their laughter and well, beers. and they laughed about themselves mostly... usually only the empties cleared them out, or when Maney told the same joke again hours later ....and they all recognized he had. Tom I still want to hear the one about the Monkey at the bar. Now that the Cubs have moved on and the O's have proceeded them to the 37+ divsion. My 1991 Belmonts Cafe franchise lives on in the 25+ div. in the "Nationals". but hey , long live the O's and long live the Cubs. Bravo to the players and to the managers of both these storied teams.
