CYAN YELLOW MAGENTA BLACK
THE WEEK IN SPORTS ** Russell Road/ Willoughby** Games 2 and 3 Featured
THE CLINT FACTOR FACTOR MANUFACTURES TWO RUNS IN SEVENTH
Russell Road “Kings” Grab 6th Crown; Skid Past Willoughby Road in Thriller
By DAVID B. CORBIN
Specially Written for The Westfield Leader and The Times
Wow! It turned out to be a game of inches indeed when Russell Road grabbed its sixthstraight Fanwood
Old Men’s Softball Association crown by skidding past Willoughby Road, 31, at LaGrande Park in Fanwood on August 25. Russell hitter Clint Factor ripped a tworun double in the top of
the seventh to make the difference. An inch could have made a difference in the bottom of the first inning when Russell shortstop Tim Walsh stretched as far as he could to his
right to grasp a grounder off the bat of Matt DePalma. Walsh recovered just in time to throw DePalma out at first. Directly afterward, Ralph Russo crashed a double into the left field screen, then Matt Mahoney rapped an RBI double to rightcenter to give Willoughby a 10 lead.
The “inch” factor came up again in the top of the second. Mahoney, the Willoughby shortstop, made a diving leap to knock down a grounder, but Russell batter Dave Buchwald barely legged out the infield single. Two plays later, third baseman Chris McAlindin initiated a fine secondtofirst double play to close the inning.
Russell Road tied the game in the third but “inches” came into play once again. Mike Wechstein whacked a double to left field, then DePalma robbed Kurt Staeudle of at least a single by making a great diving snag in left. Next, Wechstein scampered to third on a passed ball then scored on Dennis O’Connor’s looping single to shallow right. The inning concluded when Maloney initiated a secondtofirst double play.
Russell Road pitcher Tom Culinane hushed Willoughby in the bottom of the third and Willoughby pitcher Fred Walz silenced the Russell Road “Crew” in the fourth.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 10
THE 1999 ALL CORBIN TEAM
11 2 12
3 13
4 14
5 10
1 15
8 17
6 16
7 9
21 19
18 20 22
23
The 1999 All Corbin Team: The All Corbin Team is dedicated to all of the players in all of the seven softball leagues which have been covered this summer. Special thanks is given to these players who had been so gracious, so competitive and so entertaining. The selections were made on a variety of photos only! Special consideration is given to John Madden who originated the concept of the All Madden Team.
1. Most Easily Influenced Umpire and Most Diplomatic St. Bart’s League Player? (All in Jest!) Umpire Mark Kaplan and Player Ed Hayeck
2. Most Valuable Umpire Who is Wondering What #1 is Doing. Bob Brelinsky (Fanwood Old Men’s Softball League)
3. Most Neatly Assembled Fans. (St. Bart’s League at Jerseyland Field in Scotch Plains)
4. Most Crucial Out in a St. Bart’s League Game. Catcher Bill Lawrence of the St. James “Gang” and Pat Luongo of St. Patrick
5. Most Terrorizing Expression While Using the “Thunder Stick.” Dave Rothenberg ( St. Joseph of the St. Bart’s League)
6. Best Point of Contact. Eric Weiss of Red Thunder (JCC League) 7. Most Concerned Expressions from the Bench. Comcast Cablevision of the Union County 50+ League
8. Most Definite Out Call at Home. Umpire Bob Brelinsky, Poplar Catcher Carlos Vasquez and Jordan Scher of Russell Road (Fanwood League)
9. Most Gentle Touch of Home Plate. Brian Wanat of the Depth Chargers (Scotch Plains League)
10. Most Overt Slide at Home and Overt Attempt to Make the AllCorbin Team. Old Star Ronnie Brachman (JCC League)
11. Most Frequently Photographed Home Run Trot. Tim Walsh of the Mattress Factory (Westfield Men’s League)
12. Wildest Windup and Rawley Fingers Impersonation. Tony Cedola of A. J. Jersey (Westfield League)
13. Most Photogenic Delivery and Follow Through. Danny Pasquariello of Sun Valley (Fanwood League) 14. Longest Stretch at First to Record the Out. Ron Shovlin of the Mattress Factory (Westfield League)
15. Neatest Expression by a First Baseman After a Rare Slide. First Baseman Paul Gosdick of J. M. Quick With Mike Petersen of Ferraro’s Auto Body (Scotch Plains League)
16. Best Defensive Player During Height of Drought. Jerry Lipshitz of A. J. Jersey (Westfield League) 17. Absolutely the Cleanest Uniform in All of Softball.* Joe Walsh of the Mattress Factory (Westfield League) *Walsh Always finished With a Dirty Uniform. 18. Most Amount of Dust Consumed. Jay White of A. J. Jersey (Westfield League)
19. Most Definitely Out! Out! at Third. Slider Doug Heintz of Chrone’s Tavern and Dan Lemorges of the Unit (Mountainside League)
20. Most Definitely Relaxed Fans. Rooting Section for J. M. Quick (Scotch Plains League) 21. Coolest Stumble. Howie Jones of St. Joseph (St. Bart’s League)
22. Most Easily Distracted Fans. Taken Between Innings (St. Bart’s League) 23. Most Exhausted Fan and Sponsor. Mattress Factory Logo After Thriller With Checchio Chiropractic (Westfield League)
David B. Corbin for The Westfield Leader and The Times SIX CHAMPIONSHIPS IN A ROW… Pictured, left to right, are: front row; Dennis O’Connor, Rob Rowland, Tim Walsh, Tom Culinane, Eric Birnbaum, Kurt Staeudle and Don Weber; back row, Paul LaMastra, Mike Wechstein, Jordan Scher, Dave Buchwald, Chris Masterson, Clint Factor and Bob Pikarsky. Missing is Joe Walsh.
| www.goleader.com | press@goleader.com | Copyright |