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Thunder get four home runs, top Harrisburg
Jul 03, 2010
By JAY DUNN
Staff Writer
TRENTON — Thunder manager Tony Franklin knows what holiday we’re celebrating today.
“It’s not December,” he said last night after his team defeated Harrisburg, 6-4. “But I’m happy about Christmas.”
Ho, ho, ho.
The Thunder got four homers, none from players who have ever been accused of being power hitters. And he got a brilliant relief effort from lefty Wilkins Arias, who entered the game with none out in the seventh and the potential tying run at third — and managed to leave it stranded there.
“We just got bonuses all night,” Franklin said, with a little bit of amazement on his face.
As big as the homers were, Arias’ pitching might have been bigger.
The visitors had opened the seventh with a single and triple (a single misplayed into a triple by an overly aggressive outfielder) and had closed the gap to 5-4. Arias came on in relief of starter D.J. Mitchell and promptly fanned Michael Martinez and pinch hitter Adam Fox before getting Danny Espinosa on an infield grounder.
“I wasn’t looking for the strike out. I just wanted to get those guys out, no matter how,” Arias said through interpreter Jose Gil.
“The strike outs were a bonus,” Franklin said. “I was just hoping he could get batters out. If they scored the run, we were still tied.”
With 6,458 fans looking forward to a postgame fireworks show, the Thunder batters put on their own pyrotechnical display.
Gil, who has feasted on left-handed pitching lately, started it with a two-run shot in the second inning that might have left a dent on an advertising sign. He hit off southpaw Aaron Thompson, who had the dubious distinction of becoming the Eastern League’s first 10-game loser.
“During all my career I’ve hit good against left-handers,” Gil said.
An inning later Austin Romine produced a two-run blast that snapped a 2-2 tie. He picked a different advertising sign, but otherwise his clout was similar to Gil’s.
Before the night was over, Daniel Brewer and Luis Nunez each authored solo homers.
That was enough margin for Tim Norton, who pitched the last two innings for the save.
Then it was time for more fireworks.
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Rollins, Howard help Phils demolish Bucs
Jul 03, 2010
By RYAN LAWRENCE
Journal Register News Service
PITTSBURGH – The Phillies were noticeably quiet Friday night – and not just at the plate.
Following their second straight loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates and their eighth shutout of the season, the Phillies quietly showered, dressed and exited the visiting clubhouse. A week that began with losing both Chase Utley and Placido Polanco to injuries wasn’t getting any better as the holiday weekend began.
“Sometimes you have to give the others guy credit,” shortstop Jimmy Rollins, the only hitter talking after the game said. “But to get shut out that many times, you have to start looking at yourself.”
Rollins apparently got tired of looking at himself in the mirror. After three straight losses where the offense let the starting pitching down, the leadoff hitter led the charge in a 12-4 win at PNC Park last night.
Rollins was a triple away from the cycle. He went 3-for-4 with a home run, a walk, three RBIs and three runs scored.
Rollins reached base in each of his first two at-bats – in the first and third innings – when the Phillies bounced Pirates starter Paul Maholm from the game with seven runs.
The seven runs the Phils scored in the first three innings Saturday surpassed their output in the previous three games, when they scored a total of five runs.
The victory snapped a three-game losing streak and helped the Phillies avoid heading into this afternoon trying to avoid what could have been a disastrous four-game sweep to the lowly Pirates. After finishing the series today, the Phils return home for three straight against the National League East leading Atlanta Braves.
The third-place Phils remain five games back of the Braves.
After being blanked over nine innings Friday – and for 13 straight innings dating back to Thursday in Cincinnati – the Phils were on the scoreboard after five pitches from Maholm Saturday. Rollins ripped a single to left and Victorino followed with a triple to right-center.
Ryan Howard added a single to center two batters later to collect his first RBI in a week and put the Phils up 2-0.
They wouldn’t need much more, but tacked on 10 more runs anyway.
Rollins again ignited the offense, beginning a five-run third inning with a walk. He was the first of eight straight batters to reach off Maholm in the inning.
Howard collected two more RBIs in the inning, with his second single in as many at-bats, while understudies-turned-starters Wilson Valdez (single), Cody Ransom (single), and Dane Sardinha (double) all chipped in, too.
As if the 7-1 lead after three innings wasn’t enough, the Phils scored at least one run in each of the next four frames, too, highlighted by home runs from Rollins and Francisco. Francisco’s solo shot to left in the sixth inning was his first of the season.
While the offense has been M.I.A. often in the last two months and throughout the week with both Utley and Polanco gone, the starting pitching hasn’t been an issue on the current road trip. Kyle Kendrick continued that trend Saturday.
Kendrick collected the first complete game of his career. With a dozen runs of support, Kendrick coasted to his fifth win of the season.
He held the Pirates to four runs – two on solo home runs – on 10 hits in nine innings. Saturday marked the sixth time this season Kendrick has pitched seven or more innings and allowed three or fewer runs.
Kendrick is 3-1 with a 3.88 ERA in his last eight games, dating back to May 22.
In the starting rotation’s last turn, they have a 3.58 ERA. But Kendrick’s was the only win in that turn, no thanks to an offense than only first showed up Saturday night at PNC Park.
K-Rod gets KOed
Jul 03, 2010
By JOSH NORRIS
Staff Writer
WASHINGTON – Adam Dunn hit a tie-breaking double off the top of the center field wall, and Ivan Rodriguez slapped an offering from closer Francisco Rodriguez into right field to give the Nationals a 6-5 walk-off win against the Mets yesterday at Nationals Park.
The dramatics overshadowed what was easily the least impressive start from Washington wunderkind Stephen Strasburg, who allowed two earned runs on four hits and three walks. He struck out five. As was the case in his last start, the Nationals offense failed to score for their budding ace.
Still, the late fireworks off of Rodriguez were the story.
Had Dunn’s ball flown a few inches further, there would have been no need for Rodriguez’s single.
With the bases loaded and Washington trailing by a pair, 5-3, Dunn drove the Mets’ closer’s pitch to deep center field, where it bounced off the top of the wall. Once he hit second, Dunn protested, believing he had just hit a walk-off grand slam. A quick review by the umpires proved the original call correct.
Rodriguez then intentionally passed Josh Willingham before letting up the game-winner to Rodriguez.
Rose leads at Aronimink
Jul 03, 2010
By NEIL GEOGHEGAN
Staff Writer
NEWTOWN SQUARE, Pa. – Justin Rose is doing and saying all of the right things.
The 29-year-old Londoner is on the cusp of notching the second PGA Tour victory of his up-and-down career heading into the final round of the AT&T National, which wraps up today at Aronimink Golf Club. His game sure appears rock solid and his mental approach is realistic and healthy. The only hurdle, it seems, is overcoming his past.
At 10-under-par 200, Rose holds a commanding 4-stroke lead through 54 holes following another impressive round on the challenging greens of Aronimink. His 3-under 67 on Saturday was tied for the second lowest effort of the day, he is now one of just two players in the field to have three rounds in the 60s, and nobody in golf is on a roll quite like Rose. He’s held at least a share of the lead in seven of his last 11 rounds.
The problem is that Rose has been here before, and the end results have been disappointing.
“I felt a couple times I’ve been unlucky, that I felt like I’ve gone out and done a good job, and it just hasn’t happened,” Rose acknowledged. “But again, a couple times I haven’t been ready if I’m honest. I think that’s true, too.”
His 1-shot lead midway through this tournament marked the eighth time in Rose’s career that he held at least a share of the 36-hole lead. But the fact that he has just one career victory – at this year’s Memorial Tournament – is an indication that Rose has had trouble closing the deal.
“At the end of the day, it’s a game, it’s a golf course,” Rose said. “If you can break it down to that simple level, it makes the game easier. Obviously we play to win, but the challenge of winning is keeping it down to only the things you can control and doing it better than everybody else.”
Rose has been in this exact position five previous times and is 0-for-5. And one of those misses came last Sunday when Rose held a 3-stroke lead through 54 holes of the Travelers Championship near Hartford, Conn., but fell all the way to ninth place after a sloppy 75.
“That’s why a golf tournament is 72 holes,” Rose said. “The lead really doesn’t mean much until you close it out.
“I just know that (today) I have a great opportunity once again, but I’m more excited about the opportunity of putting into play the lessons I’ve learned in Hartford than actually going out and winning the golf tournament.
“I think the attitude at the moment is not how many golf tournaments can I win but how good can I get, and whether that means winning once this year only or whether that means winning five times this year, I don’t know.”
With birdies at Nos. 1, 5 and 13, Rose extended his lead to three and became the first player in the field to reach 10-under. He promptly stumbled for the only time on Saturday at the par-3 14th to end a streak of 32 bogey-free holes dating back to the first round.
“I thought the key moment of the day actually was a bogey I made on 14,” Rose said. “I probably hit the wrong club there and I was in a wicked lie, long left. I tried to actually play safe to get it on the green, couldn’t even hit the green and then got even a worse lie. I managed to chop it to 4 feet and made the putt. That was probably the only little bit of emotion I showed all day with a fist pump.”
But Rose bounced back with another lengthy birdie at the difficult 17th, this time from about 17 feet, to get back to 10-under at a time when just about everybody was faltering on U.S. Open-type conditions.
There were also more and a few important par saves, but none was bigger than at the par-5 9th, where he overcame an errant drive and a near sideways second shot by getting up and down from about 94 yards, sinking a 7-foot putt.
And now, just 18 solid holes stand between Rose from his second victory in a month. Now he needs to learn from the lessons of the past.
“I think it’s just about not brushing stuff under the carpet, facing up to what did I do well, what did I do badly (and) how can I do something better going forward,” Rose explained.
“It’s just taking the time to do it, to get over the disappointment and thinking, okay, how can I learn. It’s not rocket science. I’m not like asking myself Einstein-type questions, it’s just maybe putting aside ten minutes to go through it and think, okay, what can I learn, how can I do better and how can I play it.
“That to me is the exciting thing about tomorrow is can I play what I’ve learned.”
Super Saturday: Serena wins Wimbledon; World Cup down to four; Wade and LeBron mull futures
Jul 03, 2010
WIMBLEDON, England — With a 6-3, 6-2 dusting of Vera Zvonareva yesterday, Serena Williams captured her fourth Wimbledon title and 13th overall Grand Slam singles crown. That total makes her leader among active and moves her into a tie for sixth place with Billie Jean King. Williams was so dominant, in fact, that she did not drop a set during the two-week tournament, held at the All England Club.
Her win over Zvonareva took just 67 minutes. She said she prepared for the match by watching the popular television show “Desperate Housewives.”
WORLD CUP: Germany stuns Argentina
CAPE TOWN, South Africa — Miroslav Klose scored twice — bringing his total to 14 for the Cup — as Germany sent heavily favored, including superstar Lionel Messi and coach Diego Maradona, packing from the tournament yesterday with a 4-0 win. Klose’s goals tie him with Gerd Mueller for the German World Cup record.
Thomas Mueller’s late tap-in goal put the icing on the cake for Germany, which will meet Spain in the semifinals on Thursday.
Spain edges Paraguay
CAPE TOWN, South Africa – David Villa’s shot with 7 minutes left banked off the right post, then dribbled over the goal line to give Spain all the scoring it needed to oust Paraguay and move on to the semifinals, where it will meet Germany on Thursday.
Pedro Rodriguez’s shot banked off the crossbar but rebounded directly to Villa, who stutter-stepped before depositing the ball past Paraguay’s keeper.
NBA: Cavaliers stress home cooking to LeBron
CLEVELAND – In their latest pitch to keep basketball’s biggest star in their grasp, the Cleveland Cavaliers stressed the comforts and familiarities of playing in front of the same crowds that have adored him since he made his debut seven seasons ago.
“We had a very good meeting with LeBron and his group,” Cavs general manager Chris Grant told reporters yesterday. “We had fun and it was very interactive. We know LeBron well. I would characterize it as positive.”
Fans stood outside IMG Headquarters, where the meeting was held, holding signs imploring their hometown hero to re-up with the Cavaliers. They also threw powder in the air, as James does before every game.
Wade will make his decision next week
CHICAGO — Dwyane Wade, one of the premier targets in a star-studded class of free agents, will decide on a new address next week, he told reporters yesterday.
“I’ve got a decision to make, and I’ve got a weekend to think about it,” Wade told Chicago’s NBC-Channel 5 outside a downtown hotel. “Hopefully, at the beginning of next week sometime, I’ll make that decision.”
Wade, who is joined by LeBron James, Chris Bosh and Amar’e Stoudemire in the free-agent pool, has met with the Bulls, Knicks and Nets thus far.
Eagles deny report they are considering cutting Vick
Jul 03, 2010
The Eagles don’t deny there was a shooting at Michael Vick’s 30th birthday party or that they are continuing to investigate the latest episode in the always entertai
ning world of their backup quarterback.
But the Eagles felt it was important Saturday to categorically deny an Associated Press report stating they were “strongly considering releasing Vick.”
The statement was interesting in that it assailed the source of the AP piece; i.e. “a person familiar with the team’s thinking.” Vick still isn’t a lock to be on the opening-day 53-man roster. It didn’t attack what looks a lot like a justifiable parting with Vick, who returned to the NFL with the Eagles last year on condition he walked the straight and narrow on and off the field.
“Under normal circumstances, we would not issue a public statement regarding a matter still under investigation,” the statement read. “However, due to the intense speculation that exists, we believe it is important to make a statement this afternoon regarding Michael Vick.
“Following the incident that occurred in Virginia on the morning of June 25, Michael and his representatives promptly contacted law enforcement agencies, the Philadelphia Eagles and the NFL. The Eagles were provided with very detailed information during that discussion as to what took place at the event. Those details have not changed in any way over the course of the last week. Our investigation to this point has confirmed and has been consistent with the information that was originally communicated to us.
“Furthermore, any report or speculation that suggests the Eagles are considering releasing Vick are not true. We will continue to gather information and monitor the situation and we will not have any further comment until that process is complete.”
Vick told authorities and the Eagles he left his party before Quanis Phillips was shot in the leg while the party was breaking up at a Virginia Beach, Va. establish,ent. Phillips was a co-defendant who worked with Vick in the notorious dogfighting case that landed both in prison. Both are on parole. Convicted felons aren’t allowed to associate unless permitted by their parole officers.
Vick has said he had nothing to do with the shooting. His mentor, Tony Dungy, said the quarterback was guilty only of using “bad judgment.”
At the same time, Vick spent a chunk of his off-the-field time this past season speaking to school students about making the right decisions. Being in the same zip code with another convicted felon, not to mention a shooting, are difficult to defend.
Vick is entering his second season with the Eagles. He’s a part-time threat, not the three-time Pro Bowl pick who terrorized the NFL with the Atlanta Falcons.
While head coach Andy Reid applauded the offseason of Vick, it was obvious Vick still doesn’t fit the offense and is no threat to unseat starter Kevin Kolb, who has taken over after the trade of Donovan McNabb.
If the Eagles are serious about their risk-reward philosophy, it could be difficult to defend keeping Vick at a salary of $5.2 million in the wake of this latest episode.
The Eagles were heavily criticized by animal rights activists and fans for signing Vick last summer less than a month after he finished serving 18 months in federal prison for his role in a dogfighting operation.
Team owner Jeffrey Lurie called Vick’s actions “horrific” and “despicable.” He said he did serious “soul-searching” before agreeing to sign him.
Though Vick was popular among his teammates, who voted him winner of the Ed Block Courage Award, he made it clear after the season that he wanted another chance to start. There wasn’t enough interest around the league to make a deal, though, and it’s unlikely there will be a market after the latest issue.
Just the idea of issuing an emergency statement starting with “under normal circumstances” is a pretty good idea of the extra maintenance it takes to have Vick on the roster.
Nationally Vick was voted the most disliked player in sports for the second straight years in a poll commissioned by Forbes. He topped Ben Roethlisberger and Tiger Woods, among notorious others.
For now, Vick is an Eagle. It’s not a lock that will be the case when training camp starts the last week of July.
Coaching Duo: Husband & Wife loved coaching little league
Jul 03, 2010
By BILLY THARP
For The Trentonian
If you ask around about the state of baseball in Trenton, many coaches will say that there needs to be more parental involvement. Twenty-five years ago that wasn’t a problem – thanks in part to my aunt and uncle.
In the early 80s, Gerry and Joe Skrajewski began coaching their children and relatives. Gerry, my aunt, loved to play softball and basketball. She had already coached before as she coached her sister, my mom, in basketball, but her biggest impact was as a baseball coach, when she became the first woman to manage a team in the District 12 Little League tournament.
My aunt and uncle started talking about coaching together when my cousin, Joey was coached by another husband- wife duo in tee-ball. The Skrajewskis asked around and discovered that 6-11 Little League was a co-ed league, and Gerry and Joe would both get to coach.
When they began coaching, the Skrajewskis were able to coach Joey and their nephews Brian and Raymond Goeke. For the rest of their coaching days, there could be a combination of three relatives on a team that included son and daughter, Joey and Michelle, and niece and nephews Megan, Brian, and Raymond.
“Not only was 6-11 like a second family to us,” Gerry says. “Our family, our parents, brother, and sisters would be there cheering us on. It was great.”
Gerry and Joe coached All Stars for the first time when their son was 10 – a season that produced wheat Gerry considers who most memorable moment as a coach, when 6-11 won the 10-year-old District 12 tournament.
“We had such a talented group of youngsters, and it was a thrill to see all their hard work pay off,” Gerry says.
Two years later – in 1982 — the boys were ready for their final season of Little League as 12-year-old All-Stars.
Gerry and Joe worked as a tandem, with Gerry managing the team and Joe serving as her top assistant, keeping stats and keeping the kids involved. Six-Eleven had the toughest draw possible in its opener: A Sunnybrae team that included Kevin Barry, who went on to play in the major leagues.
The ensuing upset win was one of Gerry’s proudest moments as a manager.
“My son was the winning pitcher,” she recalls. “It as 90 degrees out – hot and humid. We even got stopped running the game for a thunderstorm. He pitched a great game and we were very proud of him and our team for playing such a gutsy game.”
After Six-Eleven won two games in the tournament, the Skrajewskis followed Joey to Babe Ruth League the following year, but stayed involved in Little League to coach Michelle.
After Babe Ruth, the Skrajewskis’ coaching careers ended, but they said they would do it again for any grandchildren. Years after coaching, Gerry still misses a lot about Little League.
“I miss the atmosphere of the Little League,” Gerry says. “I miss the players and coaches who we spent so much time with over the years. It’s cool when I run into former players. I’ll hear someone say “Coach”, and I turn around and see a young fella who used to be one of my players and now he’s a man. Hopefully he has great memories of playing for us, and that’s the ultimate satisfaction for us.”
Gerry and Joe both say that they would coach again with minimal regrets from the past. “Yes, we would definitely do it again,” Gerry says. “We would worry less about losing and concentrate more on doing our best and trying to win and have fun. Also, we would give all the players more of an opportunity to play different positions and improve themselves.
Lastly, we would love to help coach our grandchildren one day, too.”
Trenton leagues are now struggling to build rosters, in part because of a lack of parental involvement. The 6-11 league, for instance, has been forced to merge its all-star team with the one from West End for the past two seasons.
Gerry, though, still believes good coaching can go a long way.
“I would just encourage the coaches to bring their love of the game to the field every day and share their knowledge and passion for baseball with the youngsters that do come and play,” she says. “You can’t worry about the children that aren’t there. Just make it a wonderful experience for the ones who are.”
Trenton’s Major League Alumni
Jul 03, 2010
TRENTON-BORN MAJOR LEAGUERS
Steve Braun (1971-1985)
-Minnesota Twins
-Seattle Mariners
-Kansas City Royals
-Toronto Blue Jays
-St. Louis Cardinals
Accrued a .271 batting average and a .371 on-base percentage over a 15-season career, and hit three homers off of both Ferguson Jenkins and Catfish Hunter. He also reached Dennis Martinez, Goose Gossage and Vida Blue.
Joe Burns (1924)
-Chicago White Sox
His first major league hit came on April 18, 1924, off of Browns hurler Ray Kolp. In the lineup that day with Burns were future Hall of Famers Eddie Collins and Harry Hooper.
George Case (1937-1947)
-Washington Senators
-Cleveland Indians
This Peddie School alumnus led the majors in stolen bases from 1939-43, and led the American League in 1946. He also led the MLB in plate appearances in 1940 and 1941, and topped the junior circuit in runs in 1943.
Gerry Davis (1983, 1985)
-San Diego Padres
Although he had just 73 at-bats over two non-consecutive seasons, Davis did rub elbows with greatness. In the lineup on the day he got his first major league hit, a double, were Tony Gwynn, Garry Templeton and Bruce Bochy.
Bill Dillman (1967, 1970)
-Baltimore Orioles
-Montreal Expos
The highlight of this two-season major league veteran’s career has to be the seven-inning shutout he tossed at the Cleveland Indians on July 2, 1967. He fanned four that day and held future Hall of Famer Rocky Colavito without a hit.
Al Downing (1961-1977)
-New York Yankees
-Oakland Athletics
-Milwaukee Brewers
-Los Angeles Dodgers
While Downing will always be best known for surrendering Hank Aaron’s 715th home run, the Rider alumnus tossed 2,268 1/3 innings over 17 big league seasons. His quintet of shutouts was good enough to lead the National League in 1971.
John Easton (1955-1959)
-Philadelphia Phillies
This Princeton graduate signed with the Phillies in 1955 and appeared in just one game, a 1-0 win over the Cubs in the first game of a doubleheader on June 19. In the lineup with him that day was future Hall of Famer Richie Ashburn and All-Star infielder Granny Hamner.
Dave Gallagher (1987-1995)
-Cleveland Indians
-Chicago White Sox
-Baltimore Orioles
-California Angels
-New York Mets
-Atlanta Braves
-Philadelphia Phillies
Gallagher’s nine-season MLB career including longballs off of such noted names as Pedro Astacio, Bob Welch, Mike Harkey and Danny Jackson. His first big league hit came off of Tony Arnold on April 19, 1987.
Charlie Hargreaves (1923-1930)
-Brooklyn Robins
-Pittsburgh Pirates
Although he hit just four home runs in his career, he was able to victimize some big-time talent. He hit a longball apiece off of future Hall of Famers Eppa Rixey and Carl Hubbell.
Jim Hoey (2006-present)
-Baltimore Orioles
He compiled a 3-5 record over two major league seasons, and is currently working his way back to the top in the Orioles system.
Teddy Kearns (1920-1925)
-Philadelphia Athletics
-Chicago Cubs
He got his first big league hit on Sept. 18, 1924 for the Cubs. That day, Kearns was batting eighth, one spot behind Hall of Famer Gabby Hartnett.
Wayne Krenchicki (1979-1986)
-Baltimore Orioles
-Cincinnati Reds
-Detroit Tigers
-Montreal Expos
His first big league home run, a three-run blast off of Kent Tekulve, scored Johnny Bench and untied what had been a 3-3 game. He added 14 more home runs over an eight-season career.
Ed Leip (1939-1942)
-Washington Senators
-Pittsburgh Pirates
On the same team with fellow Trentonite George Case, Leip collected his first MLB hit on Sept. 17, 1939 against Dizzy Trout. He had 17 hits in 62 at-bats over four professional seasons.
Bob Milacki (1988-1996)
-Baltimore Orioles
-Cleveland Indians
-Kansas City Royals
-Seattle Mariners
He started an AL-best 36 games for the 1989 Orioles, and won 39 games over an eight-season major league career. He threw five shutouts in his career.
Jim Morris (1884)
-Baltimore Monumentals
Morris got into one game with the Monumentals, going 0-for-3.
Chris Pittaro (1985-1987)
-Detroit Tigers
-Minnesota Twins
This Steinert grad’s best season came in 1985, when he collected all of his seven career RBIs. He’s made a much bigger impact after he hung up the spikes, however. He now serves as the Director of Professional Scouting for the Oakland Athletics.
Rusty Saunders (1927)
-Philadelphia Athletics
In his lone major league season, Saunders notched two hits and two RBIs and in 15 at-bats.
Joe Schaffernoth (1959-1961)
-Chicago Cubs
-Cleveland Indians
In four seasons, Schaffernoth racked up three big league wins. His first came on May 2, 1959, when the Cubs topped the Phillies, 4-3. He worked three scoreless innings in relief of Dave Hillman that day.
Bob Terlecki (1972)
-Philadelphia Phillies
Terlecki pitched one season for the Fightin’s, fanning five and walking 10 while racking up a 4.73 ERA. He allowed homers to Al Oliver and Tony Perez in his short career.
Mike Tiernan (1887-1899)
-New York Giants
Tiernan led the National League in runs in 1947, and topped the circuit in longball in 1890 and 1891. He had a league-leading 13 homers in 1890, and topped the NL again in 1891, this time socking 16 longballs.
Remembering a Trenton dad who made his mark in the big leagues
Jul 03, 2010
By GEORGE CASE III
In 1994, I had the pleasure of consulting with the city of Trenton for an exhibit at the Trenton City Museum titled “When Trenton Baseball Roared Like Thunder, The History of Baseball in Trenton NJ.”_ This exhibit coincided with the opening of beautiful Waterfront Park and the birth of the Thunder, after 44 years without professional baseball in New Jersey’s capital city.
Trenton baseball has long had a special place in my heart. My dad, George Case Jr., is one of only two players to have been born in Trenton, played minor league baseball in Trenton and gone on to the major leagues._ Eddie Leip was the other.
Of course, there have been other Trenton players who have gone on to successful major league careers, Al Downing probably the most famous, though he didn’t play minor league baseball here.
I’m happy to provide a glimpse of what baseball used to be like in the city.
For many years, probably beginning in the early 1900s, Trenton was one of America’s great baseball towns.
Many great players, teams and playing fields filled the city and provided countless hours of recreation and fun for many generations of Trenton residents.
My father was born in Trenton in 1915, attended elementary school in Trenton, attended Junior Three, and played basketball and baseball at Trenton High School before graduating in 1934._ My dad then went on to Peddie School in Hightstown and signed a professional contract with the Washington Senators._ As luck would have it, Cliff Case, my dad’s half brother and a former player himself, would become the owner of the Trenton Senators, moving the team from York Pa. to Trenton because of the drawing power of a local Trenton boy – George Case.
Following a two-year stint in Trenton, my dad was brought up to the major leagues in September 1937 and embarked on a very successful major league career – leading the major leagues in stolen bases 5 consecutive years, 1939-43 and leading the American League in stolen bases 6 times._ My dad was a life-time .282 hitter and was on four American League All-Star teams – 1939, ‘43,’44,’45._ Several of the highlights of my dad’s career, while a member of the Cleveland Indians was his 1946 race against the legendary Jesse Owens and his race against Washington’s Gil Coan in front of future President Dwight Eisenhower, just back from leading the allies to victory in Europe as Supreme Commander.
My dad retired in 1947 due to a back injury and opened a sporting goods store in downtown Trenton while at the same time coaching baseball at Rutgers University, leading the Scarlet Knights to their only College World Series appearance finishing third in the country in 1950.
_
I know it may be difficult today to understand how significant baseball was in the lives of Trenton residents – the Trenton Schroth’s won the 1948 American Legion world championship, the Trenton Babe Ruth League team won the 1956 World Championship behind the pitching of future major leaguer, Al Downing, Willie Mays was the centerfielder for the 1950 Trenton Giants and when Willie left, Trenton baseball also left the city until 1994, an absence of 44 years!
_
The wonderful playing fields of yesterday in Trenton are probably just a memory – Hetzel Field, Cadwalader Park and Wetzel Field which hosted several notable events including the “barnstorming” tour of Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig (The “Bustin Babes” vs the “Larrupin Lou’s”) and a baseball game featuring future Hall of Famer Jimmie Foxx against an all-star team of Trenton players, including my father in 1934.
_
Baseball had always been played at the highest level in the Trenton area – the Trenton Schroth’s Post # 93, one of the country’s finest teams, the 1955 Morrisville Little League World Series champions and the 1960 Levittown Little League World Series Champions.
_
I know that my dad always loved Trenton – it was his hometown and provided him with the baseball experience to become a successful major league ballplayer._ My dad passed away in 1989 in Trenton and was inducted into The Trenton Thunder Hall of Fame in 1994 as well as later being inducted into the Trenton Central HS Hall of Fame.
_
George Case III
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Ed. Note: For anyone interested, there is a DVD titled “Around the League 1939-46” featuring 8mm COLOR “home movies” taken by George Case Jr. during his major league career – please go to www.timelessbaseball.com for ordering information.
Yankees top Jays on Gardner’s grand slam
Jul 03, 2010
By JOSH NORRIS
Staff Writer
NEW YORK – Brett Gardner’s grand slam off of Ricky Romero highlighted an 11-run third inning, and the Yankees coasted to victory yesterday over the Toronto Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium, 11-3.
For New York, the outburst represented the team’s biggest offensive output over the last week. In fact, since June 29 against Seattle, the Yankees had scored just nine runs total over four games, including a two-hit shutout against Mariners ace Felix Hernandez.
After working themselves into a 2-0 hole over the first two innings against Romero, who entered the afternoon with 6-4 record, the third frame started innocently enough, with a single from Gardner. When Derek Jeter followed with a walk, however, and Nick Swisher loaded the bags with a single, things started looking grim.
Mark Teixeira started the comeback with a double to left, evening the score at 2-all.
Two runs and two outs later, the bags were packed again for Gardner, who pumped a 3-2 offering from Romero well into the right-field bleachers.
” I told somebody that I’ve never hit a grand slam before – Little League, high school, college,” Gardner told reporters afterward. ” I don’t hit a lot of home runs.”
Romero got the hook after that, leaving the ball in the hands of reliever Brian Tallet, who provided his team little relief.
Tallet walked Jeter, Swisher and Teixeira before giving up a three-run double to Alex Rodriguez that left fielder John McDonald lost in the high sun.
“I saw it the whole way, until the very end,” McDonald said. “It was frustrating because I stayed with it the whole way and then lost it.”
Lost in the high-powered offense was the effort provided by Andy Pettitte, who joins teammates CC Sabathia and Phil Hughes as a member of the 10-win club. The lefty scattered five hits over six innings of three-run ball.”
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