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Post Info TOPIC: Albany reps in 70+ Hobbs , wins championship


Grand Poobah

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Albany reps in 70+ Hobbs , wins championship


I don't know many details, but 4 CDMSBL'ers hooked up with the Philly Mustangs that just took the 70+ Hobbs championship this afternoon.
Bob Hiller, Brad Buchan, Don Wixon, and Fred Pidgeon all contributed mightily. Wixon in particular caught the majority of the prelim games innings as he was the only catcher. and then he caught 9 yesterday and 18 in today's semi and final . All this while recovering from his late season collision while playing first base for the Black Sox. Of which when he left he said he was not fully healed and would see how things went.....well I guess pretty good!?...
Im sure these guys will fill in the details once they come off the ceiling and out of the hot tub.
Just another example of the quality ball we are capable of here in Albany. Proud of this group. way to go.
JReel

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DP


Senior Member

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Old guys rule.....Nice job to you guys and all our national tournament participants.

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Senior Member

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Congrats fellas!!!!
Awesome job!
You guys are amazing.
That Wixon dude is a stud to catch all those innings.
Well done!

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Senior Member

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Way to go you four young bucks. The 18 innings of catching by Wixon is an inspiration to all of us, but not all that surprising if you know the original Donnie baseball like we do. Come on Brad, add some kindling to the hot stove and share some details to help us get through these dreary winter months.

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Hall of Famer

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Sa-weeeet, you guys! Wix, whatever you do to stay in shape to play at this level, pass on the recipe!
Awesome! Can't wait to see your rings. Gotta be a great incentive for us who keep coming up a tad short in the finals!
jk

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Guru

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Finally got the laptop operating, so here goes a recap of our time in Fort Myers. (Do not expect a Girard recap, I certainly cannot recall the details of a game as Mike does.)
Sunday we play our first game and come out on top 5-2 beating Team America. A guy by the name of Jerry "Doc" (a bona fide one) Barsky at the young age of 74 pitched a complete game (9 innings), not allowing an earned run. Said he was pleased to throw to me. Easy to catch, since about 90% of his pitches hit the target. Freddie P. had a couple of knocks and drove in a run or two and played a solid first base, which continued throughout the tourney. Bob Hiller had a hit and played a solid second base, which he did throughout the tournament. Brad played infield, outfield. Hot and humid but the game lasted less than 2 hours. Monday, our pitcher had a live fastball and devastating curve, unfortunately very few of them caught the plate. The Minnesota Saints team mercied us after 7 innings 16-3, and the weather, even hotter and more humid nearly mercied me but thanks to Freddy stepping up, or more precisely squatting down, relieved me for the last 3 innings behind the plate. Thank you Freddy. Tuesday, again unseasonably hot and humid, and we played the Potomac Senators winning 7-1 behind a complete game from Larry Grohn. The ump had a pretty generous strike zone throughout the game, and one at bat that Fred had, he was called out on strikes on a pitch that couldn't in the best of circumstances be considered in the strike zone. When I came out for the next inning the ump says "I had a brain fart" and asked me to apologize to Fred. I suggested he tell Fred himself. Anyway in a tight game I came to bat with the bases loaded and the pitcher was kind enough to throw a wild pitch scoring a run and moving runners to 2nd and 3rd. With my only consequential hit of the tourney I turned a double over the centerfielders head into a single but 2 runs scored and broke open the game. Wednesday we played our stadium game at Century Link Park (Minnesota Twins). Our opponent was the NJ Wonderboys of which many guys on my team, Philadelphia Mustangs, knew and had played with or against them over the years. It was suppose to be a win for us. We started the same pitcher from our Monday game. We scored 2 in the top of the first and felt pretty good but left the bases loaded. Their first batter was down in the count 0-2 and the next pitch hit him. The next guy walked and I was scrambling to keep the ball in front of me as the control problems he had in the first game were still with him. Finally the inning is over, but not until they had scored 3 runs. I was signaling the manager to warm someone up but to no avail. We went down in order in the top of the 2nd and then the parade of runs began as the Wonderboys plated 7 runs. Finally a pitching change. We kept getting guys on base but just couldn't get the key hit to have a big inning until the 7th or 8th when we plated 5 runs, with the final 12-8. So Thursday, the day or the night more precisely, that they rank your team for the playoffs, we were suppose to play at 10 in the morning but it rained Wednesday night into Thursday morning, and our game was pushed back to 1:30. Due to the delay all teams would play 7 inning games. I was pleased that the weather had cooled off. We played a very strong team, the Detrroit 70's, and they beat us 11-1. Brad started and threw remarkably well for somebody who hadn't thrown from the mound in 2 years. Again, Fred so generously told me to sit down after 3 innings and he caught the final 4. I told him thank you muchly, now I can prepare my mind for what I hope will be 3 more games. So we are placed in the 2A division for the playoffs. Friday morning is upon us and I feel rested and ready to go. We are the number 2 seed. 'Doc' takes the mound and twirls another complete game gem and we win 8-0. There were many outstanding defensive plays made by the Mustangs to keep Toledo McGuire Insurance off the board, and the final out was made by 2 Albany guys as I picked up a dribbler down the first base line and threw to Fred for the final out. Saturday morning arises and I feel strong. We find out the number 1 seed is eliminated so we will be home team for the semi's. Off we go to Jet Blue Ballpark. Larry takes the mound for us against the Minnesota Saints, the team that mercied us in our second game. Larry wasn't as sharp as in his first outing but he has a 'bulldog' mentality and I knew we could ride him for a complete game. The score went back and forth and finally we had a big inning to put some distance between us, thanks mainly to our 3rd baseman who went 4 for 5 with 3 runs scored and 4 rbi. Finally the last out with a 13-10 victory in our pocket. Now to the finals, and the question on all our minds is 'who will be on the bump'? Team America got to the field first and took the shaded dugout on the 3rd baseline. 'Let's not waste any energy about that fellas', let's get on the field and show them." Still the question lingers, 'who is pitching?' Jack, the manager, finally tells me 'Doc' is starting. "You need to warm up 'Doc'?" "No, I only have so many pitches left in this arm." Top of the first with 2 on and 2 out their batter rips one to centerfield, the lead runner rounds 3rd base and the throw is coming, it is a bit up the line I secure the ball in the webbing and dive tagging the runner just before he reaches the plate. We proceed to score 5 runs in the bottom of the first, with Brad running for Fred, scoring one of the runs. 'Doc' keeps grinding with hits and runs coming from each side but we maintain the lead, with it getting as close as 2 runs. In the 7th inning Team America has a couple of runners on base and 'Doc' walks the next batter, his 2nd walk after 25 innings, and he says "that's it." "'Doc' you got this" I say, and then our rightfielder shouts " 'Doc' you only need one more out." So 'Doc' takes the ball throws a pitch and it is a line drive out caught by Bobby Hiller at 2nd base. 'Doc' has had an uncanny ability of getting an out by the first batter of each inning. He must have done it about 90% of the time. This is the m.o. that plays out in the top of the 9th. Then a hit, a wild pitch and the guy is in scoring position, but we are up by 4 runs, so his possible run is not concerning me. The next batter, a quick guy who beat out a bunt earlier in the game, with a 1-1 count sees, as I do, a pitch heading for his knee, jumps back and i catch the ball on the black of the inside corner for strike 2. I was amazed as much as the hitter as 'Doc' broke off an amazing curve when I was expecting a fastball. I was admiring the pitch as the runner stole 3rd. On the next pitch a slow grounder to third, he checks the runner and throws to Fred at 1st base which draws Fred into the runners path resulting in a collision but Fred holds onto to the ball. OUT! 2 down 1 to go. 1 run in. Score 9-6. The next batter hit a low line drive that Bobby Hiller snatches off his shoetop. CHAMPIONS! The tournament photog takes a team picture and all the players have their champioship hats on except one idiot who is kneeling with his catchers helmet on. The manager comes up to me as we are packing our gear and asks me who I would vote for for MVP. He said at the moment 'Doc' and I had the same amount of votes. A no-brainer I said, 'Doc'. 27 innings, 3 victories, 2 walks, 10 runs, 3 earned, all in the last game. Pitching, pitching, pitching.

What a great experience and it is even better sharing it with 3 of my compadres from CDMSBL. Plus Brad played the week before and won the championship in the 75 division.

dbwixon

-- Edited by dbwixon on Tuesday 27th of November 2018 04:03:10 PM

-- Edited by dbwixon on Tuesday 27th of November 2018 04:15:11 PM

-- Edited by dbwixon on Tuesday 27th of November 2018 04:16:45 PM

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Grand Poobah

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catching catching catching....
Nice job boys and double that for Brad on his 75 medal.
Bobby, Don , Brad and Freddy ( and few more who didn't make this trip ) are full and present evidence not only of the ability to play baseball at their age but at this high level.

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