For the first time in Fall Classic history, two teams from one league made it to the finals! The Humminbirds pounded the Attorney Hotline 8-1 in the semi-finals, and the Albany Marlins beat the Colorado Blues 4-3 in a thriller. This set the stage for an all CDMSBL Finals!!! Are you kidding!!! A Marlins-Humminbirds game on the national stage. The Marlins core team added CDMSBL players Ed Class, Danny Maguire, Pete Geanellis, Jim McQuade, the Martin boys, Mike Lacoture, Ron Massaroni, and Kevin Jackson. The Hummers core team added 6 or 7 players from Connecticut and Florida. Much of the time the championship games can be lop-sided affairs as one team or the other is out of pitching by the time they make the finals. Not this time. This game was very representative of a Marlins-Hummers game at Gruner or New Scotland. The game was Hummers - 3 Marlins - 1 entering the ninth inning. Instead of packing their bags for home, the Marlins showed tremendous heart and rallied for three in the top of the ninth to take a 4-3 lead. Any other opponent and that would have broken their spirit. Not this tournament-tested veteran club! The Hummers got the equalizer on a double with two outs and got a walk-off double to take the trophy!!! While we were extemely proud of our effort and our league, it was still heart-breaking to lose out on the celebration that would have followed had we been able to hold on to the ninth inning lead. I will give a more detailed account of the two playoff games and their heroes, when I have the book and have recovered from the disappointment of coming so close, but leaving empty-handed.
We all were feeling your pain after that posting, Mike. You guys did Albany proud once again. Way to go down there. It's a tournament of attrition . Who's left standing. Sounds like you guys battled to the final strike. The sign of a true champion.
Heartbreak could not even figure into this historic equation. All of you guys are the best players in the country in your division. Now I don't feel so bad getting my ass kicked all year long in my rookie year. Playing with great players shows us that we gotta pick our game up if we wanna step on the field with the big boys. Hardball ain't no joke. You guys made history and we're gonna see if Mayor Jennings does the ticker tape thing in the Albany Canyon of Heroes.
Thanks for the kind words Ralph! We really could have used you down there! It just wasn't the same without Florida regulars: Caputo, Scorsone, and Treece!!! If we had just one of you guys, it might have been enough!!! We talked about that all week...how much defensive and pitching flexability you gave us. I'm sure your ears were burning. Well, there is always next year!!! It is just going to be tough sleeping for a couple of months. Every time I have a quiet moment, I go over how I could have done something different to help us win that final game! Anyway ... tell Sue we missed you guys. You are going to have to stop by the new place someday soon. We are still less than a half a mile away.
we had a wonderful time....didn't get the tourney ring but have alot of good memories....the mexican restaurant.....so glad we were able to go:) we didn't win....but there is always next year! the weather was beautiful!
Brian touched on something I've said all along. There is no better MSBL chapter in the nation to prepare us for Florida. We don't realize the level of competitiion we play against every year till we get to Florida. Over the years, we've beaten team from Puerto Rico, Pensacola, San Antonio, St. Louis, Detroit, New Jersey/Pa., etc.
While the Hummers had players from Conn. and one from Fla., it's still the core guys who play in CDMSBL and the all-CD Marlins who validate that perspective year-after-year.
I HAD A HARD TIME FINDING THE RANDOM TEAM PICS. FOR THE OFFICIAL TEAM PIC, GO TO THE WEBSITE WWW.HARDBALL.PHOTOREFLECT.COM AND SELECT MABL & WOODBAT OFFICIAL TEAM PHOTOS...THERE YOU WILL SEE THE ALBANY MARLINS TEAM PHOTO. IF YOU WANT TO SEE THE ACTUAL PICS THAT THEY TOOK, WHICH ARE INDIVIDUAL "ACTION" SHOTS, YOU NEED TO SELECT 2008 CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES, AND FROM THERE YOU SELECT ULSTER HUM BIRDS - ALBANY MARLINS AND YOU WILL SEE ALOT MORE INDIVIDUAL PICS. ENJOY!
Pete, I have some great photos that my wife took. I will e-mail them out in the next week or so. The ones on the website are only of the championship game. Martina took some at all the games. Mike Girard
thanks lori,i found the website. i will say that i was completely underwhelmed by the quality of those game photos. most of them looked like they were taken by a 10 year old kid. i would hate to think anyone would actually pay for that mess. i have no doubt that the pictures taken by yourself and martina will be better. As far as my hat is concerned,you only wish you could rock that bad boy like daddy does.
