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Celebrating Fathers Day

This past weekend, as happens every year in mid-June, “Fathers Day” was celebrated across the USA.

For me, I was truly blessed to have not only a great Dad, but a great Father-in-Law as well. Both of these wonderful men taught me so much in the game of life, that it would be impossible to ever attempt to give back to them all that they gave to me. In so many different ways, they didn’t talk a good game, they led by example.

All that I can do, is to try to lead by example, and to make my 3 sons a reflection of all that my Dad & Father-in-law did for me.

What are the keys to producing that reflection of the excellence that was shown me? As my youngest son Ethan so eloquently pointed out to me a few years back when he was very sick at Riley Children’s Hospital, our lives are built around Faith, Family, and Friendship.

I’m proud to say that while the boys were growing up, Maureen & I always attended church with them each and every week. Our family developed a strong spiritual bond that can only help to enhance a solid set of morals, as well as work ethic.

We would do a lot of things together, as a family. Even when money was tight, we would find ways to travel, to experience different things, do things that would help to expand your mind and make you think.

We read together, played together, worked together, grew together, and most importantly, prayed together.

If and when my boys would start a family, I only hope that they can pass along some of the same life’s lessons that were passed to me, and that Maureen & I have hopefully instilled in them.

To me, the greatest gift in all of this, is for your kids to grow up, and to become good, solid, moralistic contributing members of society.

Happy Fathers Day to my “Dads,” Ben Prebynski & Joe Pecko. Happy Fathers Day as well to my Joey, my Brandon, and my Ethan. You all have truly blessed my life, and made me very happy.

Note: I will be traveling out of town this week. My next article will appear Tuesday, 7/3. Thanks! – Bernie

America’s Past-time on “The Rock”

In a previous post, I talked about being in San Francisco a few weeks back and being able to see Norwell’s Jarrod Parker almost throw a no-hitter.

While in “the City by the bay,” I had the opportunity to see the game of baseball from a different perspective, and what it meant to a certain group of people in our not so long ago past.

One of my personal “bucket list” items was the chance to visit the old Alcatraz Prison that sits on an island in the middle of San Francisco bay. We made the arrangement for tickets a few weeks ahead of time, because if you don’t, there’s a good chance you will get shut out of going out to the island on a certain day.

Once you get out to “The Rock,” if you enjoy history, you will be immediately mesmerized by the whole atmosphere of what went on in the past, as well as its current state.

It is a self guided tour, and you can take as much time on the island as you like. When you get to the cell block, where the prisoners were kept, you are given headphones to listen to someone guide you through what went on in every nook and cranny of the prisoner’s quarters.

When the “guide” led you out into the “recreation area” of the yard, I was particularly enthralled. Even though it is now dirt, dusty, weedy, and most of all lonely, you can picture how it was from 1934 until it closed in 1963 for the prisoners when trying to pass their time.

The favorite way to pass time, and get a little bit of exercise as well, was to play the great game of baseball. You can still see how the “diamond” was lined up, and where the hitters and pitchers did their thing. There were a number of prison teams back then, and from the way it was described, some pretty good players to boot.

As you can see from the picture, due to space constrictions, it wasn’t that long of a shot to hit one over the center field fence. I’d guess about 250 feet. We were told that if you hit it over the fence, that it was an automatic out.

Only on weekends were you allowed to play baseball in the recreation area. Two and a half hours on Saturday, and two and a half hours on Sunday, and may I say, the time had to be earned.

It was truly a learning experience, and something that I will not soon forget.

Brown & Brown, Little League Champions

I was working at my office yesterday when I realized that the date of June 14th had some special meaning for me. It was 8 years ago to the day that my Major Little League team had won the Auburn City Championship.

Brown & Brown, 2004 Auburn Little League Champions

There are obviously special moments or times in all of our lives. But that night was truly magical for a number of young men who worked tremendously hard to accomplish a sports related goal that at one time seemed so far off and impossible to get to.

Just two short years before, my first year of coaching this team, we went 0-19. At that age, do you think that this group of kids didn’t take a lot of heckling from some of their peers at school?

But you know what, that year’s 12 year old group continued to work hard, and the 10 & 11 year old’s stayed focused and worked hard as well, and the team started to develop a “vibe.” We might not have won any games, but we had fun, and we learned the game of baseball – together.

During the Winter, the kids & I would get together on Sunday’s, at the old McIntosh gym, and we would do baseball related stuff, and we further developed that team “vibe.”

That next Summer, led by our now 12 year old’s Nathan Haley, Taylor Ladd, Phil Michlow, Kevin Laher, Adam Middleton, and Kyle Wehr, Brown & Brown promptly lost their first 2 games of the season.

Then it started to click, and the hard work started to pay off. A 13 game winning streak followed, and Brown & Brown was sitting atop the standings. They would finish 14-3, which was the best record in the league. A championship game loss to Jim Tremble’s Elks team still did not dampen what this team had accomplished in the course of a year.

We would continue our workouts over the ensuing Winter, and when the 2004 season started, Brown & Brown was on a mission. The team once again finished 14-3, which was good for overall 1st place.

After a semi-final win over Auburn Motors, Brown & Brown would face Wible’s in the championship game.

Wible’s got out to an early 2 run lead thanks to a Scott Baker home run. But then in the first 2 innings, Brown & Brown would put 10 runs on the board, keyed by a Shea Parrish grand slam home run, and Brown & Brown never looked back. They would win the game 11-7, and they will always have on their resume the 2004 Auburn City Little League Championship.

I am forever grateful, and will always have a special place in my heart for Ethan Prebynski, Casey Weaver, Shea Parrish, Zach Vance, Karl Scattergood, Jake Hammel, Landon Emenhiser, Tyson Stewart, Sean McGuiggen, Nate Hinrichsen, and Andrew Davis.

Also, to my coaches throughout those 3 years, Dan Middleton, Bill Weaver, and Ernie Vance, thank you as well.

As a side note, Prebynski, Weaver, Parrish, Vance, & Emenhiser all went on to play high school baseball for Dekalb, and Davis was a team manager.

Thanks again, and God bless all of you!

Dekalb’s Boys of Summer

Over the years, Dekalb High School has been the “breeding ground” for many baseball players who have gone on to play at the collegiate level, as well as the professional level.

Currently, Jarrett Grube, class of 2000, is playing at the AAA level with the Seattle Mariners. Since Jarrett graduated from Dekalb, there have been a number of players who have made their mark playing college baseball.

Some who come to mind from the 2000’s include Troy Krider, Scott Hartman, Kevin Carper, Joey Prebynski, Chris Hansen, Jimmy Long, Kyle Beckman, Lyndon Coleman, Adam Sanborn, Caleb Ehmke, Colton Miller, Jonathon Knowles, and Skyler Rottger to name a few.

On Tuesday night down in Fort Wayne, 4 ex-Dekalb players, all currently playing at the college level, found themselves competing in a game in the Fort Wayne over 18 Summer League.

Logan Sparkman, Zach Pfafman, Ethan Prebynski, & Jarrod Forrest

Zach Pfafman, who plays at Evansville, Logan Sparkman, playing at Oakland, and Ethan Prebynski, playing for Trine were playing on one team, while Jarrod Forrest, who plays at Bellarmine, was on the other team.

It was a good game that had some good pitching, some timely hits, and for the most part, some good defense.

It was just a lot of fun watching these guys compete, who for so many years I watched grow up and become solid baseball players, as well as good young men.

You know what the best part is? This Sunday, these same 2 teams hook up in a doubleheader up at Trine University in Angola, and I’ll have the opportunity to watch them compete not just for one game, but for two.

As the umpire likes to say, “PLAY BALL!!”

Norwell’s Jarrod Parker, Oh So Close to a No-No

Last Monday night, I had the pleasure of being at the Oakland Coliseum to watch a baseball game that presented quite a bit of intrigue for me.

Parker Warming Up Early in the Game vs. Texas

Jarrod Parker, from Norwell High School is Ossian, Indiana (NHC Conference Member), was going to be going to be pitching against my beloved Texas Rangers.

If you recall, it was back in 2007 that Parker led Norwell to the state championship, who had an unblemished 35-0 record. He was then drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the first round (top ten) of the amateur draft. Arizona traded him to Oakland this past off season.

Parker was dominant from the get-go. He was in total command, as he had the Rangers off balance and hitless through the first seven innings.

Going into that seventh inning, Parker had thrown 103 pitches. He had three innings to go, and not a lot of pitches left if he was going to throw a no-hitter. Manager Bob Melvin had to be squirming on the Oakland bench as he probably knew that Parker most likely wouldn’t be able to finish the game, whether the no-no was intact or not.

When Parker got through the seventh inning by retiring Texas on only 4 pitches, the door was still cracked, if only slightly, that Parker might be able to finish the game.

The Athletics certainly have to be very careful with the health of Parker’s valuable right arm. He has already had “Tommy John” surgery, and they certainly can’t take any chances by stretching him out any further than need be.

So with having thrown 107 pitches, the 8th inning got under way. One of the best contact hitters in the game, Michael Young, led off for the Rangers. On the first pitch, Young shot a hard grounder up the middle for a clean single. In the blink of an eye, the no hitter was gone.

Oakland won the game 12-1. Parker got the win. (Melvin took him out shortly after the Young base hit).

It was a performance to remember by “one of our own” from NE Indiana. Happy to say, I was one of the one’s there to be able to enjoy it in person.

Little League Cathedrals

During my life, I’ve had the true honor of being able to be part of Little League Baseball at 2 very different, but very unique baseball facilities.

One, Hamlin Field in Akron, Ohio, where I played in the mid 1960’s. And two, Thomas Park here in Auburn, In., where I coached for many years during the 90’s & 2000’s.

Speaking nostalgically about my youth, it was truly a different time and place. From early Spring, to late Summer, the world revolved around Hamlin field. At that time, there were 6 “major league” teams. You had to try out. Unfortunately, many kids were cut, something that you don’t see today. I was cut the first time that I tried out after my third grade year in school. I was so devastated, that I didn’t try out the next year. Then after my fifth grade year of school, I tried out again, made the Dodgers, and played 2 years in the “majors.”

Even though the Dodgers had two sixth place finishes, some of my best memories from childhood focused on those 2 years of Little League baseball.

Visitors Dugout at Thomas Park Along 3rd Base Line

When my sons started playing here in Auburn, I got involved in coaching. I derived just as much enjoyment, if not more, from coaching as I did playing. I certainly look back with a sense of accomplishment on how many young lives that I hope to have touched in even a small, positive way.

Unfortunately, they stopped playing baseball at Hamlin Field in Akron many years ago. It’s now just a weedy, grown over field sitting next to the Hamlin Steel Co. Part of it is also a parking lot.

With the new Rieke Park in Auburn, Little League Baseball moved away from Thomas Park a few years ago. Some teams still practice there, but I’m sure that in a few years, it will go the way of Hamlin Field in Akron.

So many great memories, so many great times. Rest in peace Hamlin & Thomas.

A Very Rough Night at the OK Corral (Dekalb Baseball Sectional)

For one brief moment after the game started on Monday afternoon, you might have thought to yourself that the Dekalb Barons were going to knock off the Columbia city Eagles in the semi-finals of the Class 4A baseball sectional.

Senior Ty Rottger had launched a 2 run moon shot in the top of the first inning to give Dekalb the early lead, some confidence, and the momentum.

In the mere blink of an eye, as it so often happens in America’s pastime, the Eagles got their first 2 aboard in the bottom of the first. Then pitcher and 3 hole hitter Connor Slavich unloaded a lunar shot of his own, and Columbia City never looked back as they defeated the Barons 13-2 in a game shortened to 5 innings due to the 10 run rule.

Dekalb could only muster 4 hits in the game, and they continually shot themselves in the foot when they did have the chance to do some damage.

Coach Chris Rhodes will lose a number of talented seniors from this years squad, including Nick McDonald, who could not play in the game against the Eagles as he sustained a broken wrist in practice on Friday.

In the championship game on Monday night, columbia City ran into a buzz-saw known as the Carroll Chargers, and were defeated by the same 13-2 score. With the win, Carroll has now won the sectional 3 years in a row.

The Greatest Play in NBA History

It is so hard to believe how time flies. Two days ago, on May 25th, marked the 25 year anniversary of the day that “Larry stole the ball” against the Detroit Pistons to win the pivotal game five of the 1987 playoffs at the old Boston Garden for the Boston Celtics.

The win gave the Celtics a 3-2 series lead, and they would go on to win the hard fought battle in 7 games.

Sports Illustrated Cover from March 1986 that Larry signed

If you were an NBA basketball fan in what I consider the “Golden Age” of the NBA, this game, and that play were seminal moments that you just don’t forget. I remember exactly what I was doing, and where I was at when “the play” happened.

My wife, and 2 oldest sons, who were only 5 & 3 at the time, were on a vacation in Myrtle Beach. They had gone to bed by the time that the second half was in play, and I had settled in to hopefully somehow will my beloved Celtics to victory. My “circle of buddies,” Gary, Jim, and Chris, were watching in Ohio trying to do the same thing.

It was a great game throughout, that included Celtic center Robert Parrish dropping the Pistons Bill Laimbeer to the floor with a couple of well-timed punches that somehow the officials did not see.

The game came down to the final 20 seconds or so, when with time running out on the shot clock, Isaiah Thomas hit a jumper from the left elbow to give Detroit a one point lead.

I believe there were 13 seconds or so left as the Celtics called timeout. Everyone in the house, as well as those watching, knew the ball was going to be in the hands of “Larry Legend.”

After the T.O., DJ (Dennis Johnson), got the ball to Larry well out on the left wing. Larry hesitated momentarily, looking at the defense that the Pistons had set up. Suddenly, Bird drove hard to the bucket from the left, only to be met by what seemed like the entire Detroit squad. The shot was blocked, it headed toward the out of bounds on the side, and Larry was knocked to the floor in the process. The Celtics Jerry Schichting tried to save the ball, but the refs signaled Piston ball.

If you ever get the chance to watch this entire sequence, stop the tape right here, and watch and notice what everyone is doing. The fans & Schichting argue briefly that it went off of a Detroit player. Dennis Rodman is signaling Piston ball (as well as seemingly gloating). There is a shot of the Detroit bench as they are hooting & hollering. There are 5 seconds left, and the strategy begs for Coach Chuck Daly to call timeout to advance the ball to center court.

While the tape is stopped, focus on Bird. After getting knocked to the floor, does he mope or cry for a foul call? No, while on the floor, he is already calculating the situation. In what still cannot be explained to this day, Thomas hurriedly looks to get the ball from the official to try to inbound it to Laimbeer without calling the timeout.

Over the years, I have only seen this camera shot once, but it is a shot of DJ somehow contorting his body to reverse his path down the court to play defense, to heading for the Boston basket as he realizes Larry is about to create history.

Bird comes up off the floor, and drifts towards Laimbeer so as to not alert Thomas to what he is doing. Thomas lobs the ball over Schichting, and with a perfectly timed “interception move,” he steals the pass. If you look closely, as he turns to pass the ball to DJ, he is standing on his tip-toes so as not to step on the end-line. As he steals it, he is able to stop on a dime, pivot, and throw a perfect pass to a streaking DJ who lays it in with exactly one second on the clock, and the Celtics lead by one. Game over!

Seeing Bill Walton high-fiving his teammates on the bench also sticks out in my mind.

If you put everything into perspective, and realize all that Larry had to “think about” in those few short seconds, it is just evidence that in my opinion, it was the greatest play in NBA history, and it was performed by the greatest player in NBA history.

Unsung Heroes Lead Barons to First Game Sectional Victory

On Thursday night, the Dekalb Barons, playing in their Dekalb Class 4A sectional baseball opener, came from 3 runs down to rally and overtake the Northrop Bruins, and win by a score of 7-6.

Dekalb fell behind by 3 runs after the first inning, and things weren’t looking good. The Barons were possibly flashing back to their regular season game with the Northrop, a game that the Bruins won 10-0.

With the win, the Barons will move into semi-final play on Monday, where they will be taking on the Columbia City Eagles at 12:30 pm. The Eagles won their first game over FW Snider by a score of 6-4.

But then, starting in the second inning, Dekalb had a number of unsung heroes step up, and when it was all said and done, the Barons were moving on in sectional play.

In that second inning, Ty Rottger got things going with a double, and that hit was his first of three on the evening. Dekalb plated 2 runs in that inning, and they trailed by 1 going to the third. Northrop added 2 more runs in the second, and the Barons trailed by 3 once again 5-2.

Dekalb then came to bat in the pivotal third inning. After Bayley Coleman scored to cut the lead to 2, junior second baseman Logan Schilling stepped to the plate and launched a three-run blast to left field that gave the Barons a lead they would not relinquish.

Senior shortstop Scott Day drilled a solo shot of his own in the top of the sixth inning to make it 7-5. It was a very important insurance run, as Northrop scored in the bottom of the sixth to make it a one run game, but they would get no closer.

Kudos must also go out to junior pitcher for Dekalb, Dylan Cagle. After giving up those 5 early runs, he settled down nicely and pitched a complete game.

If the Barons can get the win against Columbia City, they will play in the championship game on Monday night at 7:00 pm against the winner of Carroll and East Noble.

Can Dekalb Win Baseball Sectional?

Tonight at 6:00 pm, the Class 4A baseball sectional starts at Dekalb High School. East Noble will be taking on FW North in the only game this evening.

The Dekalb Barons will start play tomorrow night when they will take on FW Northrop at 5:00 pm. The second game tomorrow will pit Columbia City vs FW Snider right after the Baron’s game. On Monday at 10:00 am, Carroll will take on the winner of Wednesday’s game, and then Thursdays winners will play the second game on Monday, with those winners then playing for the championship on Monday night at 7:00 pm.

The question for all of us Dekalb fans is, can the Barons win this thing?

After seeing Dekalb play numerous times throughout the season, watching them evolve as a team, and most importantly, having healthy pitching, my opinion is yes, they can take this thing and move on to regional play.

Carter Stafford, Dylan Cagle, Jacob Dickey, Phil Bassett, and Will Vadney are all poised and ready to take the “bump” and do their jobs. All have had moments this year when they have been very good.

The thing about this years sectional is that there is no clear-cut favorite. Anyone could rise up, get hot, and take home the hardware. I liken it quite a bit to 5 or 6 years ago when before the sectional I thought the only team that couldn’t win it was Columbia City, and then the Eagles went out and took care of business, and moved on in the tourney.

If Dekalb gets solid pitching from the above mentioned quintet, and they can get the timely hitting from senior leaders Bayley Coleman, Nick McDonald, and Ty Rottger, throw in the defense staying stay sharp and tight, who says this team couldn’t take it all?