It was business as usual at the 63rd AAABA baseball tournament as the Big Three – Baltimore, Washington and New Orleans – found themselves to be the last three teams in contention for this year’s title.
And, as has been the Johnstown tradition, once the local entry exited the tournament, attendance went down as well.
Several hundred fans were in the stands Sunday for the doubleheader which determined the champion.
Also, there was no undefeated team in this year’s tournament.
“We’ve never been undefeated in five years,” Baltimore manager Dean Albany said. “We’re 24-0 in elimination games. You’d think we’d have screwed up at least once.”
Baltimore catcher Joe Velleggia was selected the tournament MVP, producing 10 hits, scoring six runs and driving in four while hitting .415.
“I was a little surprised,” Velleggia said about the honor. “We had a lot of people that had great tournaments. I felt I did good, but it could have gone to a lot of good people on the team.”
Philadelphia’s center fielder John Malloy was the batting champion (12 of 20) and New Orleans’ first baseman Jerad Comarda had the most RBIs with 13.
Zanesville received the sportsmanship trophy.
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n Familiar sight: Rick Matsko was at Point Stadium for several games this week in his role as a full-time scout for the Texas Rangers.
The Conemaugh Township High graduate pitched opening night for Sani-Dairy in the 1997 tournament and was on the Dairy’s 1995 national runner-up squad.
n A year later: Former Principle Development ace Chuck Boring also was at several Delweld tournament games.
Last year Boring won in the official opener for Principle. The former Pete Vuckovich Award winner began this season with Principle but joined the Great Lakes Collegiate League and was named the wooden bat league’s top closer.
n Baseball melody: The Tribune-Democrat received multiple reports of former Philadelphia manager Harry Startzell’s entertaining people at the Holiday Inn lounge by playing his flute.
Startzell, 83, a 2003 inductee to the AAABA Hall of Fame, had a series of medical problems over the last year, current Philadelphia manager Mike Gossner said.
An accomplished musician, Startzell is known for impromptu performances in Johnstown.
“This tournament and the flute playing have rejuvenated him,” Gossner said.
Tribune-Democrat sports writer Mike Mastovich contributed to this report.
Cory Isenberg is a sports writer for The Tribune-Democrat.
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Cory Isenberg | AAABA: Big 3 there at the end
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