THE INSIDE PITCH WEEK 4 CLASSICS TIMELESS NOV. 19 th Paarlberg s short pro career included a Mr. Cub home run By GLENN MILLER Roy Hobbs Baseball Bob Paarlberg was seemingly on his way to Wrigley Field, to the big leagues and a spot on the Chicago Cubs pitching staff when the legendary Leo Durocher managed the team. He was invited to spring training with the team in 1966. The 6-foot-4, 190-pound right-hander had been 8-6 with a 2.45 ERA in 3 minor-league stops in 1965. So there he was at 20 in spring training with the Cubs, with Ernie Banks, Ron Santo, Billy Williams, Randy Hundley and Fergie Jenkins. The coaching staff included former All-Star Pete Reiser and Negro League legend Buck O Neill. Paarlberg, who never made the majors, now plays for the St. Louis Dodgers in the Roy Hobbs World Series. He still recalls an intra-squad game when he pitched against Banks, his boyhood idol. As Paarlberg, 70, sat in the third base dugout at Hammond Stadium on Sunday before a game against the Nova Scotia Monarchs, his thoughts flashed back nearly half a century to facing Mr. Cub. All I could see were his hands and his fingers rolling, Paarlberg said, referring to Banks distinctive rolling of his fingers at the bat. Paarlberg was just a bit nervous. OK, more than a bit nervous. I almost hit the guy on-deck, Paarlberg said. He recalls getting ahead of Banks 0-2 and then fired a fastball photo by Jack Eckhard. a bit outside. But Banks reached out and flicked those wrists and hands and fingers and walloped a homer over the left-field wall. Another vivid memory of that spring training was watching Billy Williams, who had one of the most fluid and beautiful swings in baseball history. Oh, the speed of his bat, Paarlberg said. He recalls veteran pitcher Ernie Broglio helped him. Taught me that slow curve ball of his, Paarlberg said. Paarlberg s catcher in that intra-squad game was Hundley. Then, amazingly, he bumped into Hundley a few days ago in the Roy Hobbs World Series. He joked with Hundley that if they became a battery again they could use the same signals they used in that game in 1966. Paarlberg said Hundley assured him that he remembered Paarlberg from 1966 spring training. Either that or he was really kind, Paarlberg said. Hundley went on to play 14 years in the majors, most of them with the Cubs. Paarlberg s page on www.baseball-reference.com shows that he last pitched professionally in 1967, going 0-1 with a 7.80 ERA in seven games for Lodi in the Class A California League. The great potential he had shown at age 19 was gone. Paarlberg said he tore a shoulder muscle and lost 25 mph on his fastball. He was done as a professional pitcher at the age of 21. He s now the CEO of a company called AGIntelligence. That s a significant achievement, of course, but how many CEO s pitched against Ernie Banks?
2 CLASSICS/TIMELESS RESULTS Wednesday Classics 60+ Dupage Lugnuts 12 Baltimore Baseball 6 New England Red Sox starting pitcher vs. the Boston Braves 70 s Asheville Sox 7 Cecil s Margin Service 4 Toledo MudDogs/Dan Rodgers 4 Team Sport Pro 2 Nova Scotia Monarchs 12 Philadelphia Cutters 11 Youngstown Astros 10 Bronx Cardinals 4 Washington Titans 19 Midwest Nine 8 DC Mets 18 Kent Mudhens 8 NorCal Giants 8 Kansas City Blues 5 MidAtlantic Nationals 15 Long Island Braves 8 Atlanta Heat 21 St. Louis Dodgers 9 Massachusetts Chiefs 5 DC Dodgers 4 Ohio Classics 13 Livingston Dodgers 2 photo by Greg Wagner Blues Classics 7 Philadelphia Brewers 4 Minnesota Goats 8 Classic Thunder 3 Some pictures are worth a thousand words. Others just leave you speechless. Minnesota Bees 21 Wrinkles 4 Comox Valley Cubs 5 Long Island Yankees 4 All Star Baseball Academy 11 Michigan Stars 1 Bahama Breeze Bandits 13 Cincinnati Colt 45s 3 Cleveland Spiders 14 Tampa Sharks 9 Wednesday Timeless 70+ Boston Braves 7 New England Red Sox 2 Chicago Spirit 5 American National Wildcats 3 National Spirit 12 Terre Haute Volkers Group 1 New Jersey Wonderboys 7 Toledo Dan Rodgers Sports 4 Avengers 19 Key West All Stars 1 At Sanibel Arms West Condominium, you ve parked yourself smack in the middle of paradise that s 500 pristine, private feet of Gulf of Mexico beachfront. Plus with fully equipped two-bedroom and two-bath condos, you can enjoy a few days, a week, a month or never leave. See you soon. SanibelArmsWest.com 800.950.1138 Rooms from $114 per night. Roy Hobbs Tournament. Good through November 20, 2015.
3 CLASSICS/TIMELESS STANDINGS Classics Division Team Win Loss PCT RA NorCal Giants 4 0 1.000 6 All Star Baseball Academy 4 0 1.000 11 Youngstown Astros 4 0 1.000 17 Toledo Mud Dogs/Dan Rodgers 4 0 1.000 18 Minnesota Bees 4 0 1.000 19 Bahama Breeze Bandits 4 0 1.000 19 DC Mets 4 0 1.000 21 Blues Classics 3 1 0.750 15 Ohio Classics 3 1 0.750 15 Atlanta Heat 3 1 0.750 18 Tampa Sharks 2 2 0.500 40 Kent Mudhens 2 2 0.500 42 Team Sports Pro 1 3 0.250 20 Baltimore Baseball Club 1 3 0.250 35 DuPage Lugnuts 1 3 0.250 38 Michigan Stars 1 3 0.250 39 Rhode Island Rockies 1 3 0.250 41 Cecil s Margin Service 1 3 0.250 43 Long Island Braves 1 3 0.250 45 Livingston Dodgers 1 3 0.250 47 see CLASSICS/TIMELESS STANDINGS on page 4 San Antonio Texans 3 1 0.750 21 Massachusetts Chiefs 3 1 0.750 23 Asheville Sox 3 1 0.750 24 Midatlantic Nationals 3 1 0.750 32 Comox Valley Cubs 3 1 0.750 36 Houston Colt.45s 2 2 0.500 18 Philadelphia Brewers 2 2 0.500 25 Washington Titans 2 2 0.500 28 DC Dodgers 2 2 0.500 29 Kansas City Blues 2 2 0.500 29 Nova Scotia Monarchs 2 2 0.500 30 Long Island Yankees 2 2 0.500 31 Minnesota Goats 2 2 0.500 31 Cincinnati Colt.45s 2 2 0.500 39
4 CLASSICS/TIMELESS STANDINGS continued from page 3 Team Win Loss PCT RA Cleveland Spiders 1 3 0.250 48 Philadelphia Cutters 1 3 0.250 49 Massachusetts Chiefs pitcher throws a knuckleball vs. the Washington Titans PSOF Rangers 1 3 0.250 49 St Louis Dodgers 1 3 0.250 54 Bronx Cardinals 0 4 0.000 40 Kenmore Eastern Brewers 0 4 0.000 43 Classic Thunder 0 4 0.000 44 Midwest Nine 0 4 0.000 51 Wrinkles 0 4 0.000 53 photo by Greg Wagner Timeless Division Team W L PCT RA Avengers 4 0 1.000 8 The Only Thing We Overlook Is The Beach South Dakota Rushmores 4 0 1.000 14 San Diego Padres 3 1 0.750 11 All Beachfront Studios & Suites National Spirit 3 1 0.750 14 Toledo Dan Rodgers 2 2 0.500 28 New Jersey Wonderboys 2 2 0.500 34 Key West All Stars 2 2 0.500 45 Boston Braves 2 2 0.500 47 American National Wildcats 1 3 0.250 26 Chicago Spirit 1 3 0.250 37 Minnesota Saints 1 3 0.250 38 Over 1/4 Mile of Sugar-White Sands on 12 Acres PINK SHELL BEACH RESORT & MARINA WELCOMES The Roy Hobbs Baseball World Series SPECIAL ROY HOBBS BASEBALL WORLD SERIES DISCOUNT ROOM RATES Sanibel View Studio $149 White Sand One Bedroom $189 White Sand Two Bedroom $279 Beach Watersports Captiva Villa One Bedroom $189 Captiva Villa One Bedroom $239 Deluxe with Hot Tub Pink Shell Beach Resort & Marina welcomes Roy Hobbs Baseball World Series participants to enjoy a memorable experience at the premier resort on Fort Myers Beach. Terre Haute Volkers 1 3 0.250 46 New England Red Sox 0 4 0.000 50 BEACH RESORT & MARINA 275 Estero Boulevard Fort Myers Beach, Florida 1-866-628-0433 PinkShell.com
5 CLASSICS/TIMELESS SCHEDULE Thursday Classics 60+ Flip For Home Time Site Minnesota Bees San Antonio Texans 10:00 AM CP-S MidAtlantic Nationals NorCal Giants 10:00 AM JB-S Classic Thunder PSOF Rangers 10:00 AM JB2 Midwest Nine St Louis Dodgers 10:00 AM JB6 Comox Valley Cubs Houston Colt.45s 10:00 AM LC-S Asheville Sox Youngstown Astros 10:00 AM LC3 All Star Baseball Academy Kenmore Eastern Brewers Atlanta Heat 10:00 AM LC4 Philadelphia Cutters 10:00 AM PDC1 Bronx Cardinals Cleveland Spiders 10:00 AM PDC3 Baltimore Baseball Club Cecil s Margin Service 10:00 AM PDC4 Cincinnati Colt.45s DC Dodgers 01:30 PM JB-S Long Island Braves Team Sports Pro 01:30 PM JB3 DuPage Lugnuts Livingston Dodgers 01:30 PM JB4 Massachusetts Chiefs Toledo MudDogs/Dan Rodgers 01:30 PM JB5 Bahama Breeze Bandits Blues Classics 01:30 PM LC-S Long Island Yankees Nova Scotia Monarchs 01:30 PM LC3 Michigan Stars Rhode Island Rockies 01:30 PM LC4 Tampa Sharks Washington Titans 01:30 PM LC6 DC Mets Ohio Classics 01:30 PM PDC3 Kent Mudhens Philadelphia Brewers 01:30 PM PDC4 Kansas City Blues Minnesota Goats 01:30 PM PDC5 see CLASSICS/TIMELESS SCHEDULE on page 6
6 CLASSICS/TIMELESS SCHEDULE continued from page 5 Thursday Timeless 70+ Flip For Home Time Site Key West All Stars New Jersey Wonderboys 10:00 AM JB3 Minnesota Saints Terre Haute Volkers 10:00 AM JB4 Boston Braves Toledo Dan Rodgers 10:00 AM JB5 American National Wildcats Chicago Spirit 10:00 AM LC2 Avengers San Diego Padres 10:00 AM PDC2 National Spirit South Dakota Rushmores 10:00 AM PDC5 Crossover Switch Pitchers Wrinkles (60s) New England Red Sox (70s) 10:00 AM LC6 photo by Greg Wagner Boston Braves first baseman and manager Dick Hill grabs a New England Red Sox popup.
7 Classics Division and Timeless Division Playoff Pairings Announced Tonight The party will start at 7 p.m., with finger foods and a cash bar. Roy Hobbs will be putting on a raffle with numerous prizes and giveaways along with announcing the playoff pairings for Friday. The pairings will be announced about 8 p.m. then posted by 9 p.m. at the World Series Headquarters, the Player Development Complex, on royhobbs.com and on the message line (239-533- 7694)... Classics 60+ The Friday pairings for the Legends Divisions playoffs will be announced Thursday night at the Pairings Party, which will be held at Bahama Breeze, located near the corner of Six Mile Cypress and 41 at 14701 S. Tamiami Tr. All players from 60s teams are welcome. Timeless 70+ The Friday pairings for the Vintage Divisions playoff will be announced Thursday night at the Pairings Party, which will be held at Tony Sacco s Coal Oven Pizza, located on US 41 at 14261 S. Tamiami Tr. All players from 70s teams are welcome to attend. NOTEBOOK RH Committee Meets Thursday to Determine AAAA Playoffs The Roy Hobbs Classics Division Advisory Committee will meet at 5 p.m. Thursday at Roy Hobbs World Series headquarters to determine the set up and seeding for the Classics AAAA Division, which will be announced at the Playoff Pairing Party at Bahama Breeze. Any interested managers are welcome to come and be involved. Anyone interested in attending should contact Tom Giffen at World Series Headquarters. Picking up T-shirts The tournament T-shirt is available through Friday only for all registered players outside the Roy Hobbs Store in the screened in patio at the Player Development Complex. No Shirts will be given out on Saturdays. Hours to pick up the Tournament T-shirt are from Noon to 6 p.m. With the shirt, each player will get a tournament patch. Players will need their RHWS ID card to get their shirts, no exceptions No drivers licenses needed. see NOTEBOOK on page 8
8 NOTEBOOK continued from page 7 50/50 raffle 50/50 raffle tickets, to benefit the Roy Hobbs Foundation, are available each day at the Player Development Complex. Tickets are $1 apiece or 6 for $5. The drawing will be held in the patio area at the Player Development Complex at 5 PM Friday. The Roy Hobbs Foundation was established to raise monies for research on finding a cure for Leukemia and to assist our Challenged Athlete friends. Results corrections Please check the posted results and standings each day. Managers should contact Rob at the Tournament Headquarters (239.533.7694) with corrections to scores. That s the best way to make sure that playoff seedings and pairings are as accurate as we can make them. Pitching For the record, here is a recap on the rules on pitching eligibility for the playoffs. Roy Hobbs requirement is that all pitchers who will be starters or closers in save situations (3-run or less difference in the 8 th and 9 th innings) qualify for the playoffs by pitching at least 2 innings 6 outs or 10 hitters during pool play. This is a reminder to all managers that all pitching statistics need to be updated through the first 4 games by noon Thursday. Finally, in the playoffs, those non-qualified middle-inning pitchers will come to the mound from their normal defensive positions where they started the game. That is as important as the spirit of the rule that these non-qualified pitchers who are used as inning-eaters are players who ordinarily are playing other positions. DC Mets 18, Kent MudHens 8 Wednesday at Terry Park. MudHens Batting Highlights: Jon Catalano 3-3 3R 2B SB BB, Jeff Wellington 2-4 R, John Berger 1-3 2B SF 3RBI; Pitching Highlights: Steve Masten 8 IP CG. MidAtlantic Nationals 11, Kenmore Brewers 8 Tuesday at City of Palms. Nationals Batting Highlights: Randay Cihlar, Bill Shields, Jonn Entwhistle multi hit game. Pitching Highlights: Dan Larson 7 innings 4 ER, Steve Hostetter 6 out save. Nat l Spirit 18, Boston Braves 3 Tuesday at Terry Park. Spirit Batting Highlights: Jorge Fuentes hit 5 of 5; Fielding Highlights: Team let Rocky/GM play 1B for one inning. Toledo Mud Dogs 11, Nova Scotia Monarchs 7 Tuesday at Terry Park. Monarchs Batting Highlights: Mike MacDougall 2-3, Gary Vigneault 2-4, Dick Morris 2-4, Bill Digout 2-4. Atlanta Heat 17, Kenmore Eastern Brewers 60 s 2 Tuesday at the PDC. Brewers Batting Highlights: Dave Sechler 2-2, Dave Fox 1-2 R, Ken Breyley 1-2 RBI. Key West All Stars 12, Terra Haute Volkers 10 Monday at Jet Blue Park. Batting Highlights: Larry Kight HR 3RBI. HIGHLIGHTS photo by Greg Wagner Kent Mudhens baserunner steals 2nd vs. the Comox Valley Cubs Ohio Classics 60s 13, Livingston Dodgers 2 Wednesday at Terry Park. Classics Batting Highlights: Arnie Degenhardt 3-4 2BB 4RBI 2R, Stan Lederman 3-4 3RBI, Rick Boyer 2-3 R, Greg Rowland 2-4 3R; Pitching Highlights: Rick Boyer 5IP R 4H, 3K. Minnesota Goats 9, MidAtlantic Nationals 1 Monday at Terry Park. Nationals Pitching Highlights: Randy Cihlar 8IP 2ER, Richard Anderson 1IP no runs. Kent MudHens 60s 10, PSOF Rangers 2 Monday at City of Palms. MudHens Batting Highlights: John Berger 2-4 3 RBI, Aden Weaver 2-3 2R BB, Steve Masten 3-4 R RBI. Pitching Highlights: Bill Russo 9IP CG 2ER 5K. Nova Scotia Monarchs 12, Philadelphia Cutters 11 Wednesday at Jet Blue Park. Monarchs Batting Highlights: Albert Slaunwhite 3-5, Dick Morse 2-5 triple and double, Bob Blackler 2-2. Comox Valley Cubs 17, Kent MudHens 60s 11 Tuesday at Terry Park. MudHens Batting Highlights: Jeff Wellington 2-2 2R 2RBI BB, Bennie Woodall 2-4 R RBI. Pitching Highlights: Jim Hostler 3IP ER.