Teams scheduled to come:
Warning track power (WTP) -Norwalk
Raymar -Santa Ana
Chicanos- Corona
Hit & Run -Corona
Bad Medicine -Pala
Kickin Chicken- Ridgecrest
S & R Painting- N. Hills
Coyotes -Beaumont
Dirt Bags – Colton
Rebels – Corona
First games at 8:00am
Butterfield Park, Corona
Thank you
Ernie Marez
Corona Rebels
The California A’s are hosting a 3 team round robin tournament at Dave Frye Field on Saturday August 1st. 4 game guarantee. A team dropped out late so there is a spot open. Cost will be $180 which pays for the umpires and field reservation.
Any additional details, please contact David Weldin, DavidW (at) sequoiains.com, or Ron Guzman, rguzman (at) gtplogistics.com
[(Yarkon Sports Complex, Petach Tikvah, Israel] – Maccabi USA Men’s (35 Over) Master’s Fastpitch Softball team won the Gold Medal at the 18th World Maccabiah Games. Team USA defeated Maccabi Canada Masters 9-1 in the Gold Medal Game. Dave Blackburn got the starting pitching assignment for team USA, and David Strauss got the starting assignment for Canada. It was Blackburn’s 4th World Maccabiah Games Gold Medal, a record for Softball players.
Maccabi USA was coached by Southern Californian and former Vista Bomber and Long Beach Painter catcher Kenny Schwartz. Schwartz was assisted by Barry Schoenbrun, who has successfully organized and run the Los Angeles Synagogue Softball League for 14 seasons.
Maccabi Canada Masters were coached by ISC Hall of Famer Larry Lynch (you don’t have to be Jewish to coach in the games) who was making his first trip to Israel.
Other Californians on the Maccabi USA Master’s team were:
Larry Silfen (SCIFL, San Diego Prime Time)
Mark Weinstock (Burbank, Cowboys)
Larry Lorin (Burbank, Dominators)
Brett Reisner (Burbank, Dominators)
Michael Feldman (SCIFL, San Diego Prime Time)
Corey Angel (Burbank, Yankees)
Two time ISC All World outfielder Steve Schucker was named MVP and the leading hitter of the 18th Maccabiah Games Master’s Fastpitch Softball Tournament. Schucker sported a .706 Batting Average, and a big 2-Run Home Run in the first inning of the Gold Medal Game. Lead off man, and shortstop Jeremy Spear also provided great offensive spark for team USA throughout the Tournament. Spear is well known in Fastball circles as the film maker whose award winning documentary film “Fastpitchâ€, introduced many people to the pageantry of the ISC World Tournament.
At the Softball Awards Ceremony, Dave Blackburn was inducted in the International Player Category to the Israel Softball Hall of Fame, along with Pitchers Mark Bendahan of Canada, and Ricky Landau of Venezuela.
In the Men’s Open (no age restriction) fastpitch Tournament, Maccabi Canada edged Maccabi USA 2-1 in a hard fought Gold Medal Game, leaving the USA with a silver medal. Maccabi Canada’s Tom Berube, got 14 K’s in the pitching victory over Maccabi USA’s young up and coming pitcher Jason Gluckman, who threw the best game of his short pitching career, in almost stopping the Canadians. Maccabi Canada’s Mike Smulevitch’s RBI base hit in the bottom of the 7th inning spelled the difference, and delivered Maccabi Canada the Open Softball Gold Medal.
Maccabi USA’s Josh Persell (SCIFL, Long beach Black Sox) was the leading hitter of the Open Tournament. Besides Gluckman and Persell, other Californians on Maccabi USA included:
Daniel Cosgrove (Burbank Dominators)
Andrew Kirsh (Burbank Dominators)
Dan Winters (Burbank Dominators)
Dan Winnick (Bay Area Pirates)
Over 8,000 Jewish athletes, competing in 32 sports, from over 60 countries gathered for two weeks in Israel, making the 18th World Maccabiah Games the 3rd Largest Sporting Event in the world, next to the Olympics, and the World University Games. Maccabi Canada’s Masters Softball Second Baseman Lorne Swartz was given the honor of leading the entire Canadian delegation by carrying the Canadian Flag into Ramat Gan Stadium for the Opening Ceremonies in front of 55,000 spectators.
Maccabi USA and Beijing Olympics swimming phenom Jason Lezak was given the honor of lighting the Maccabiah torch at the festive 18th Maccabiah Games Opening Ceremonies.
(Click logo for official SCIFL website)
Click here for Santa Fe Springs V page.
The # 20 ranked California A’s will open the 2009 ISC World Tournament against the # 10 ranked Midland Explorers, of Midland, Michigan on Saturday afternoon, August 15, at 1:00 p.m. CDT, 11:00 a.m. PDT/West coast time.
The California squad is comprised of a nucleus of players from last year’s ISC II Tournament of Champion California Lumberkings, as well as the So Cal Bombers, who finished 6th out of a field of 32 teams with a 4-2 record in the ISC World tournament. Midland finished 21st, with a 2-2 record last year. The Explorers are one of the longest running programs in the ISC and will be the host for next year’s ISC World Tournament.
The winner will advance in the double elimination tournament to face the # 7 ranked Vancouver Grey Sox, B.C. on Sunday night, August 16, at 6:00 p.m.
The loser will drop into the loser’s bracket to play the loser of game 11, on Monday morning at 11:00 a.m. CDT, 9:00 a.m. PDT, a second round game between the winner of Dominican Republic/Winterset and # 6 Jarvis, Ontario, Canada.
(click logo for original news story)
By Al Hamnik
Times Columnist
When fastpitch softball legend Ernie Blackburn rocked back and delivered, it was like staring into the face of an F-4 tornado. His heat had three speeds: mach 1, 2 and “Oh, my God. If he hits me, it’ll leave a hole!”
In my college days, I faced Blackburn a few times while playing in summer leagues. A foul tip was a moral victory, a deep fly reason to brag, and any kind of hit led to a souvenir ball with his autograph.
At 6 feet, 3 inches tall and 300 pounds, the 1949 Hammond grad was a frightening figure up on that hill, like Godzilla standing in Tokyo Harbor, so it was no surprise most opponents tried bunting on him.
Ernie passed away in April 20, 1997, due to complications from Parkinson’s Syndrome, and Region sports fans shed a tear that day. He was 67.
And now we have another fastpitch star in the spotlight, not far from the family tree.
Calumet City native Dave Blackburn, Ernie’s son, is heading to Israel for the 18th World Maccabiah Games featuring more than 8,000 athletes from 60 countries. This marks his sixth trip with the Macabbi USA Men’s Fastpitch Softball team, for whom he was the winning pitcher in the gold medal games of the 12th, 13th and 17th World Maccabiah fastpitch tournaments.
His six appearances are a record for American athletes.
Ernie would be very proud.
This international Jewish athletic event, similar to the Olympics, is held every four years. In softball, there is a Masters Division, in which Dave will compete, and an Open Division with no age restrictions.
“My dad was a tremendous influence,” he said. “I grew up traveling with him and the family, watching him play ball and getting a chance to be exposed to a high level of the sport. He never pushed me into it, but I really loved the game and just couldn’t get enough of it as a kid.”
He still can’t, at age 49, already having thrown 70 no-hitters and pitching nearly 1,700 games since making his debut at Hammond’s Riverside Park — alongside Ernie — in 1976.
The father-son duo played briefly together for Hammond-based Cataldi’s Restaurant/Bar in 1977 and Bob The Tarp Man in ’81.
In 1987, Ernie Blackburn was inducted into the Lake County Softball Hall of Fame. Two years later, the Hammond Sports Hall of Fame welcomed him in. Must’ve been his 99 no-hitters during a 42-year career and that 1973 state championship with Hammond’s Cobra Industries.
Old-timers still talk about the day he threw three no-hitters and one one-hitter in three different cities. America had The King and His Court. We were blessed with Ernie Blackburn, one-time Chicago Golden Gloves heavyweight champ.
“There was nothing like watching the attention and admiration my dad got when he pitched,” said Dave, whose 6-3, 275-pound frame reminds many of Ernie. “The (fastpitch) game solely evolves around the pitcher and that was another one of the hooks that drew me to pitching.”
Dave lives in Los Angeles now, where he works for a company that creates motion capture systems for Hollywood’s animation studios. He still finds times to pitch in night leagues around the Burbank and Los Angeles areas.
“I got no plans to quit in the future but I’m also a realist and know this won’t go on forever,” Dave said.
Not to put added pressure on him, but the United States got its butt kicked at the 17th World Maccabiah Games with a distant-second 71 gold medals to 227 for host Israel.
Time to bring it, like Ernie did.
This column solely represents the writer’s opinion. Reach him at al.hamnik@nwi.com.
(Click logo for official SCIFL website)
From the official SCIFL website:
SANTA FE SPRINGS III
Long Beach Black Sox take the long way and win their fourth Championship of the year over San Diego Primetime, 8-4. More info to follow shortly.
Click here to view a YouTube video clip of Fred Hanker doubling in their second game Sunday against the Caribbean. I was making the rounds of all three games underway mid-morning Sunday and stopped to shoot a little video as the Black Sox were batting in the 3rd inning. Fred Hanker led off the inning with the double shown in the video clip. Todd Budke followed, reaching base when hit by a pitch, and the rest of the Black Sox squad followed by sending 11 men to the plate in the inning, including Hanker and Budke twice each, plating five runs before the inning was over. Hanker and Budke made the second and third outs, in their second at bats of the inning, Hanker’s a long fly out to deep left and Budke’s on a hard smash to second base. The Black Sox struggled on Saturday, going 0-3, including a 7-0 loss to San Diego, but bounced back Sunday with a morning win over Flor de Cana, the win over the Caribbean, another win, and then beat San Diego for the weekend title.
(Click logo for official SCIFL website)
Click here for Santa Fe Springs III page.
Click here for Saturday schedule of Games.
Click here for PDF bracket for Single Elimination Sunday.
I ran across this post on the blog of Kevin Nishinaga, who was picked up by the Bay Area (Team Pape) Pirates to play in the Best of the West tournament over the weekend. Kevin had signed on to get our Twitter feeds, and I discovered his blog. I think you will enjoy it, as I did, and perhaps recall that feeling you got when invited to travel out of town and play in your first tournament at the “next” level.
Click here to view the original blog post, dubbed “Real Pitchers”. The blog is “The Chronicles of Nishiro”
REAL pitchers
I went to my first softball tournament of 2009 this weekend, in Santa Barbara. Turns out it was a really high-level tournament, almost out of my league. This was the Best of the West tourney , featuring some of the top teams in the Western US. The pitching was amazing.
The team that picked me up for the weekend, the Bay Area Pirates:
I’ve been playing with and against a lot of these guys in Hayward and in travel league, so they picked me up as an extra player for this weekend. Another guy they picked up just for the weekend was BJ Hunhoff, a 20-yr-old out of South Dakota. He’s a nephew of one of our other pitchers (who couldn’t make it out this weekend due to a work emergency), and he pitched for Team USA in 2007 (maybe currently as well?).Our first game, we played the Black Sox of Long Beach, and won 8-0. I was the designated runner. It’s a special rule in fastpitch, where a single player is allowed to pinch-run once EVERY INNING. It’s a pretty cool position, cuz I get to steal and run the bases a lot. I’d rather play in the field and hit, but DR is the next best thing for sure. I stole 2 bases and scored like 3 runs in game 1. [edit] Our catcher Ricky was HOT with the bat, so I kinda turned into his personal baserunner this weekend. [end edit]
Second game, I DRed again, against the Columbia River Rockers (out of Portland) and we won again 9-0. BJ no-hit them. That was kind of ridiculous, cuz they’re a good team, I think.
Third game, I got to play the field against Santa Cecelia from Mexico. the manager told me that the pitcher had a good down ball, which would play into my strengths (slap ground balls and beat them out), but he didn’t tell me that the pitcher was ex-Mexican national team pitcher Panfilo Valdez. That guy’s up and down movement was ridiculous. I struck out 3x (couldn’t even get close on bunt attempts), and we got shut out. We lost on 2 unearned runs. I got to make 2 plays at short.
But overall, day 1 was great. we scored 17 runs and only gave up 2 in our 2-1 day, so we picked up the #2 seed in the day 2 single elimination bracket. Great showing for a team making its first appearance at a big tournament like this.
Day 2 was exciting the whole way. We faced the Black Sox again in the first game, and won a nailbiter. They got ahead early, but we battled back to pull ahead with 2 dramatic solo home runs in the late innings by Josh and Ryan, and we won 6-5. I was 1 for 2 in stolen base attempts (DRed again).
In the second game of Day 2, we faced Innovative Communications of Utah, and we got down early again, but we battled back to tie, and were tied when time ran out (90 mins), so we went into the International Tiebreaker rules (start extra innings with runner on second base). Unfortunately BJ had to catch his flight home to SD, so we had to pitch our second pitcher Keith (who was quite good). Keith pitched well, and Jabari threw out the lead run at the plate, but eventually some minor miscues led to a 4-run inning for Innovative, and we lost 8-5. I was unable to steal any bases in this game because the catcher was an ex-minor league baseball player and had a rocket arm.
All in all, we were very happy with our showing in the tournament. Due to scheduling miscues, the champion was crowned in a really awkward way — only 1 out of the top 4 remaining teams was able to stay (the rest had to catch flights home to Utah, Colorado, and Oregon), so Taylor Farms of California was declared the champion.
It was a great experience, to see some of the best pitchers in the world, live. Got to watch Jeremy Manley do his thing. Hopefully someday soon I’ll be able to compete at that level. Until then, I’ll keep plugging away in rec league.
Kevin also has a good size set of photos posted on his facebook page, including this one of young Kevin himself.
Have any info that is missing from this report? Please email to jim (at) fastpitchwest (dot) com.
Saturday May 30
Game 1 @ Elings Park Field 1 – 8:30 AM
Taylor Farms Athletics vs. Pueblo Bandits
Bandits 2, Taylor Farms1
WP-Manley
LP-Drotzmann
Manley struck out 14 and had the game winning triple in the last inning. Shawn Vanduvall homered and Nick Santos was 1-2 with the other RBI
Game 2 @ Elings Park Field 2 – 8:30 AM
CR Rockers Vs Rude Pac
Portland Rockers4, Rude Pac 2
WP-Mark Bennett, in relief of Lee Cose
LP-Doug Sleep, with relief from Gerald Pyle in the last inning
Rob Penticoff was 2-2 with 2 RBI. Ricky Martin was 2-3 with 2 RBI
Game 3 @ Elings Park Field 3 – 8:30 AM
SoCal Tribes Vs Silver Hawks
Silverhawks4, So Cal Tribes 0
WP-Todd Winkworth
LP-Sonny Perkins
Sean Barker was 2-3 while Chris McGehee drove in a run.
Game 4 @ Pershing Park – 8:30 AM
Tri-County Vs Coyotes
Tri County 10, Coyotes 7
WP-Rodgers
LP-Smalling
Game 5 @ Elings Park Field 1 – 10:15 AM
Santa Cecelia Vs Innovative Communications
Innovative Communications 5
Santa Cecelia 3
WP-Webb
LP-Valdez
Game 6 @ Elings Park Field 2 – 10:15 AM
Black Sox Vs Team Pape Pirates
Pirates 7, Black Sox 0
WP-BJ Hunhoff
LP-Randy Clay
HR- none
BJ Hunhoff went the distance, a 3 hit, 5 strikeout shutouf.
Game 7 @ Elings Park Field 3 – 10:15 AM
Maccabi USAVs Young Bucks
Young Bucks 7, Maccabi 6
LP-Rockwood, in relief of Glucksman
Eric Smalling of the Young Bucks with game winning walk off triple
Game 8 @ Pershing Park – 10:15 AM
Hostilez Vs Tri-County
Hostilez 7, Tri County 6
WP-n/a
LP-n/a
Game 9 @ Elings Park Field 1 – 12:00 Noon
Santa Cecilia Vs Pueblo Bandits
Pueblo Bandits 1, Santa Cecelia 0, 9 innings
WP-Jeremy Manley
LP-Panfilo Valdez
Game 10 @ Elings Park – Field 2 – 12:00Noon
Black Sox vs Taylor Farms
Taylor Farms 6, Black Sox 2
WP-Mike Egerdeen
LP-Ron Rupp (8 K’s in the losss)
HR-none
Jason Porto had two doubles.
Game 11 @ Elings Park – Field 3 – 12:00Noon
Maccabi USAVs SoCal Tribes
So Cal Tribes 3, Maccabi USA 1
WP-Sonny Perkins
LP-Dave Blackburn
HR-Nordie (Tribes).
The Tribes led the entire game, with Maccabi’s run coming in the 5th. They threatened in the final inning, but the game ended on a line drive out off the bat of Cory Angel, with the bases loaded, caught by the Tribes shortstop.
Game 12 @ Pershing Park – 12:00 Noon
Silver Hawks Vs Hostilez
Hostilez 7, Silverhawks 6
WP-Anthony Loza
LP-Todd Winkworth
Jason Caragoza 3-4 with 2 RBI.
Game 13 @ Elings Park Field 1 – 1:45 PM
Team Pape Pirates Vs CR Rockers
Team Pape Bay Area Pirates 9, Portland CR Rockers 0
WP-BJ Hunhoff ** no-hitter **
LP-Mark Bennett
Game 14 @ Elings Park Field 2 – 1:45 PM
Rude Pac Vs Innovative Communications
Innovative Communications, UT 6, Rude Pac 5
WP-Steve Morgan
LP-Matt Barnes
Game 15 @ Elings Park Field 3 – 1:45 PM
Young Bucks Vs Coyotes
Coyotes 7, Santa Barbara Young Bucks 5
WP-Will Oldham
LP-Ceclio Smalling
HR-Jacob Venzer (to lead off the game)
Coyotes Will Oldham was 3-3, with 5 RBI; Buddy Armijo was also 3-3, as was Jacob Venzer. The Coyotes George Valdivia and Rudy Soriano were 1-2 with a walk a piece.
Game 16 @ Pershing Park – 1:45 PM
Silver Hawks Vs Tri-County
Bakersfield Silverhawks 12, Tri County 1
WP-Todd Winkworth
LP-Jeremy Rodgers
Game 17 @ Elings Park Field 1 – 3:30 PM
CR Rockers Vs Bandits
Pueblo Bandits 4, Portland CR Rockers 0
WP-Jeremy Manley
LP-n/a
Game 18 @ Elings Park Field 2 – 3:30 PM
Taylor Farms Athletics Vs Innovative Communications
Taylor Farms California Athletics 4, Innovative Communications, UT 1
WP-Travis Price
LP-Randy Frame
Game 19 @ Elings Park Field 3 – 3:30 PM
Rude Pac vs Black Sox
Rude Pac 1, LB Black Sox 0
WP-Ed Gaspar
LP-Todd Budke
Game 20 @ Pershing Park – 3:30 PM
Maccabi USAVs Hostilez
Maccabi USA 9, Hostilez 8,
WP-Bob Rockwood
LP-Howie Diaz
Maccabi led 4-1, was overcome by 7 runs in the 6th, and then down 8-4 going into the final inning, rallied for five of their own, including three on Jason Gluckman’s dramatic 3 run walk off home run.
Game 21 @ Elings Park Field 1 – 5:15 PM
Santa Cecelia Vs Team Pape Pirates
Santa Cecelia, Mexical, Mexico 2, Bay Area Team Pape Pirates 0
WP-Panfilo Valdez
LP-Keith Frey (BJ Hunhoff relieved in 6th)
Game 22 @ Pershing Park – 5:15 PM
So CalTribes Vs Coyotes
So Cal Tribes 6, Beaumont Coyotes 1
WP-n/a
LP-Cecilio Smalling
Sunday Playoff Scoreboard
FIRST ROUND
Game 23 8:00 AM @ Elings Park Field 1 – 4th Place Vs 13th Place
So Cal Tribes vs. Tri County Santa Barbara
So Cal Tribes 6, Tri County Santa Barbara 1
Game 24 8:00 AM @ Elings Park Field 2 – 7th Place Vs 10th Place
Morongo Hostilez v. Portland CR Rockers
Portland CR Rockers 10, Hostilez 1
WP-Spud Barker
LP-n/a
Ryan Dailey hit an inside the park home run for Portland.
Game 25 8:00 AM @ Elings Park Field 3 – 8th Place Vs 9th Place
Santa Cecelia Mexical, Mexico v. A-1 Rude Pac
Mexicali 1, Rude Pac 0
WP-Panfilo Valdez
LP-Doug Sleep
Game 26 8:00 AM @ Pershing Park – 6th Place Vs 11th Place
Innovative Communications UT vs. Maccabi USA
Innovative Communications UT 4, Maccabi USA 2
WP-Ryan Webb
LP-Jason Gluckman
Jason Gluckman was 2-3 with 2 RBI
Tommy Gray hit a 2 run HR for Innovative
Innovative advances to the second round, while Maccabi is eliminated
Game 27 9:45 AM @ Elings Park Field 2 – 2nd Place Vs 15th Place
Bay Area Pirates v. Long Beach Black Sox
Pirates beat the Black Sox
Game 28 9:45 AM @ Elings Park Field 3 – 3rd Place Vs 14th Place
Taylor Farms Calfornia Athletics v. Santa Barbara Young Bucks
Taylor Farms 4, Santa Barbara Young Bucks 0
WP-Dave Drotzmann, with relief from Mike Egerdeen
LP-n/a
Game 29 9:45 AM @ Pershing Park – 5th Place Vs 12th Place
Bakersfield Silverhawks v. Beaumont Coyotes
Bakersfield Silverhawks beat the Beaumont Coyotes
SECOND ROUND
Game 30 9:45 AM @ Elings Park Field 1 – (Quarterfinal) W Game 23 Vs W Game 24
Portland beat So Cal Tribes
Game 31 11:30 AM @ Elings Park Field 2(Quarter-Final) W Game 27 Vs W Game 26
Bay Area Pirates v. Innovative Communications
Innovative Communications, UT 9, Bay Area Pirates 4
WP-Russ Chadwick in relief of Steve Morgan
LP-Keith Frey in relief of BJ Hunhoff
HR-Canyon Vance of Innovative; Ron Brannin (also for Innovative)
Canyon Vance 3 RBI.
Game 32 11:30 AM @ Elings Park Field 1 (Quarter-Final) 1st Place Vs W Game 25
Pueblo Bandits 4, Mexicali 0
WP-Jeremy Manley
LP-Panfilo Valdez
Game 33 11:30 AM @ Elings Park Field 3 (Quarter-Final) W Game 28 Vs W Game 29
Taylor Farms California Athletics 5, Bakersfield Silverhawks 1
WP-Mike Egerdeen, with Travis Price in relief
LP-Todd Winkworth
THIRD ROUND – SEMI-FINALS
Game 34 1:15 PM @ Elings Park Field 2 (SemiFinals) W Game 30 Vs W Game 31
Portland CR Rockers v. Innovative Communications, UT
Portland CR Rockers 9, Innovative Communications 2
WP-Lee Cose
LP-Randy Frame
Game 35 1:15 PM @ Elings Park Field 1 (Semi-Finals) W Game 32 Vs W Game 33
Pueblo Bandits v. Taylor Farms
Taylor Farms 7, Pueblo Bandits 0
(forfeit, Pueblo had to leave to catch flights)
2009 BEST OF THE WEST CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
Game 36 3:00 PM @ Elings Park Field 1 (Championship) W Game 34 vs W Game 35
Taylor Farms California Athletics 7, Portland CR Rockers 0
(forfeit, Portland had to catch flights)