Game 2 was billed as a pitchers duel as Ron Massaroni took the mound for the Cubs and Bob Bolt for the Whiz Kids. The Whiz Kids were able to score early. In the bottom half of the 1st lead off batter Dave Sirani hit a single and proceeded to steal second. Shawn Martin hit a single, which moved Sirani to 3rd. Martin the stole 2nd giving the Whiz Kids runners on 2nd and 3rd. A wild pitch scored Sirani. Gene Hallenbeck hit a double that plated Martin. Mike Kane hit a single that moved Hallenbeck to 3rd. Kane stole second base on the next pitch. Paul Graziano hit a triple down the right field line that scored Hallenbeck and Kane. The Whiz Kids ended the 1st inning with a 4-0 lead. Bolt was able to hold the Cubs hit less until the top of the 3rd. With 2 outs, Ron McCarthy was able to record the 1st base hit. Bolt was able to regroup and record the 3rd out against the next batter, thus ending the threat. The Whiz Kids added another run in the bottom of the 3rd when Hallenbeck hit a double. Joe Burns hit a single, moving Hallenbeck to 3rd. With runners at the corners and Burns threatening to steal second, the pitcher threw over to 1st and Hallenbeck was able to take advantage of the 1st basemanīs arm injury, stealing home. The Whiz Kids had a 5-0 lead after 3. The Whiz Kids added another run in the 4th. Jan Friedman reached on a walk, singles by Sirani and Martin plated Friedman to increase the lead to 6-0. The Whiz Kids plated another run in the bottom of the 5th. Burns led off the inning with a double and Graziano hit a single that plated Burns. The Whiz Kids led 7-0 after 5 innings. The Cubs were able to score in the top of the 6th. McCarthy led off with his 2nd single of the game. Mike Girard hit a single, giving the Cubs runners on 1st and 2nd with 1 out. Mike Reutter hit a ball to the infield. The Whiz Kids attempted a double play getting the runner out at 2nd, but a fielding error by the 1st baseman allowed a pass ball that went through an open gate that allowed McCarthy to score the Cubs 1st run of the game. Mike Girard came on in relief for the Cubs in the bottom of the 6th. The Whiz Kids were able to score two more runs in the bottom of the 6th. Sirani and Jeff Friedman reached base on consecutive singles. Martin plated the final 2 runs with a double down the left field line. The score after the 6th inning was now 9-1 and ended up being the final score of the game. Bob Bolt pitched a complete game gem, allowing 4 hits, 1K, 2 BB.
Whiz Kids left no doubt who the better team was in the Finals and are very deserving champions. Congrats to all of these guys, who played exceptional baseball in both games, especially on the mound. Both Mike Kane and Bob Bolt were spot on with their control, and kept the Cubs off balance throughout. Both pitchers field their position at Gold Glove level. The team speed advantage was displayed throughout, as they always took the extra base and stole bases by the handful.
A great exhibition on how to win games. A tip of the cap to the better team, and congratulations all around!
A hearty congratulations to the Whiz Kids and manager Jim Porter on what I believe is their first championship win. Not surprised to see Bobby Bolt continue his mastery on the mound. He was downright nasty against our Yankees in semifinals, and carried it over to finals. Great competitor.
Old man Porter put together a star-studded lineup with unmatched pitching, speed and defense that deserves a tip of the cap. I'm willing to bet that if they can pick up a few more guys this winter to fill some of the glaring holes, there will be more titles to come (insert tongue in cheek).
Also, kudos to the warrior Cubbies. They battled a rash of unfortunate injuries that decimated their lineup throughout the season, but still managed to win a league title and make it to the finals.
Congrats to the Whiz! It's guys like Bolt who will drive me into early retirement. Happy for former teammates Pete G. and Jan F.! Kudos to some of my league favorites Joe Burns and Mike Kane. When you sweep through the playoffs, you know you are good. Cubs - great season! See you next spring!
Congratulations to the Whiz ! An overwhelmingly dominant achievement in every aspect of both games by a very deserving and classy team. Savor it my friends.
Belated, but heart-felt (and Hart-felt) congratulations to the Whiz and manager Jim Porter.
For too many seasons that I'm certain you'd care to count, you came up one or two games short.
Not this year.
You all kept coming back. And back. And you finally won the whole shebang. Post-game celebrations can't match all you did. No matter. That "all" is not just a title win but a grand season. Actually, more than one. The memories are permanent.
And if every once in a while you feel like breaking into a little jig, do it. Onlookers may be puzzled, but you'll know.
I want to thank my WhizKids teammates for a fantastic season, culminating in the 2021 championship. They are outstanding gentlemen, as well as being exceptional ball players. There is not an easy out in the batting lineup. The team speed and defense is second to none. The pitching is lights out. The versatility is amazing, with every position being at least two deep. Their baseball knowledge is off the charts. So, how do you keep everyone happy? To a man, they all said that they would put the team first, ahead of any personal agenda. They were focused on winning a championship, and would take on any role that was asked of them. Even when the playoffs began and the lineup was compressed, there was no backlash. Everyone stayed ready to contribute when called upon. A managers dream.
When you look at the team photo, I want you to be able to place a name with the faces, although many of you already know them.
Front row: Jan Friedman, Bob Bolt, Joe Burns, Gene Hallenbeck, Dave Sirani, Paul Graziano
Back row: Bob Homer Holmes, Jeff Friedman, Shawn Martin, Pete Geanellis, Greg Mangione, Mike Kane
The team voted Mike Kane and Bob Bolt as Co-MVPs. Well deserved!
A fitting swan song, as you notified your guys that this was it for you as Whiz manager before the finals. Enjoy your time in the 62's, it was great sharing the field with you and your team always. This was a well deserved championship! Enjoy the glow!
-- Edited by mgirard11 on Wednesday 29th of September 2021 11:45:54 AM
Yes, earned and well-deserved. A long-time coming for the Whiz. And kudos to the Cubs who had won the previous two titles - a feat not easily attained. jk
