About Tim

In the summer of 1839, a young man named Abner Doubleday invented the game of baseball in Cooperstown, New York.  This unorganized game was played in sandlots and unkempt fields until 1846, when a firefighter named Alexander Cartwright organized the New York Knickerbocker Baseball Club and they challenged the New York Baseball Club to a contest that was played on a diamond in Hoboken, New Jersey, on June 19, 1846.  The Knickerbockers were defeated, 23-1, in four innings.  Many historians consider this to be the first baseball game ever played.

Over the next 200 years, we have experienced war, racial injustice, economic strife, political uncertainty, and a world-wide pandemic. Through it all, baseball was played.  

Why?

Because of games like tonight’s playoff contest between the Tigers and the Rockies. 

Here at Tobin field in West Cambridge, in front of the largest crowd ever to bear witness to a minor league playoff game in the history of WCLBL, these boys teleported every person in attendance back to their youth. They reminded us that life is simple and precious. They showed us that if you just pull for the person next to you in the dugout, anything is possible.  In these boys, we see better versions of ourselves. We see hope for the future.

The Tigers and the Rockies were worthy opponents.  Both teams played the game with passion, class, and sportsmanship.  This game was played the way Abner Doubleday and Alexander Cartwright hoped it would be played. The right way. It was a game that neither team deserved to lose.  

And neither did. 

True, in the end, the Rockies scored one more run than the Tigers. But the deeper truth is that every player in this fantastic display of little league baseball won tonight.  Each player rose to the occasion, in pressure-packed situations, while performing athletic feats to the best of their ability sometimes with a degree of difficulty equal to that of a trapeze artist.  Each of these players reached into the repository of their soul and competed with courage.  Every single player who competed in tonight’s game emerged from this contest just a little bit better than they were when it began a few hours earlier.  Every single one. 

This game was exactly how little league baseball is meant to be played.

With the Tigers at bat first, Nico LaRosa set the tone by smashing a single on the first pitch of the game.  The Tigers were here to compete.  With the bases loaded and the Tigers threatening to blow the top off early, the Rockies starter settled down and barely retired 3rd baseman Timothy Flaherty on a cut fastball that dived at the last second.  Flaherty, and the entire Tiger line-up, showed fierce determination and battled through every pitch of every at-bat.  Admirable effort.  Likewise, in the bottom half of the frame, the Rockies loaded the bases.  Once trouble appeared, Tiger ace William Joyce, he of the mystifying “now you see it, now you don’t” lefty delivery, dug deep and struck out the side.  Barnburner simply does not do justice to describe the fire that was now raging.

In the top of the second Owen Price reached on a single.  Then, with two outs, catcher LaRosa was up.  Some may have looked at his frame before tonight’s game and not realized the power that lurks within this fellow, but that mistake will not be repeated after his daunting display of brute force.  With one swing of the bat, followed by some aggressive baserunning, LaRosa propelled the Tigers to a 2-run lead on a classic little league homerun. Hustle wins championships.

During the middle innings, the Rockies threatened, but the stellar play of defensive wizard Ben Smolenski smothered any potential surge. Throughout the season, Smolenski has led the Tiger defense and tonight was no exception. Twice he snuffed out a potential rally by single-handedly forcing runners at second base. If there is a better short-stop in the West minors, show him to me. His baseball presence is other-worldly. And the rest of the Tigers defensive corps, including Josh Moore in right, Michael Joyce at second, Flaherty at 3rd, Eli Epstein in left and behind the plate, and Price in center, all played exceptionally well.  Super-subs Cameron Stone in right, and Davey Bentley in left, also played error-free, heads-up, all-around solid defense.  

In the top of the 3rd inning, Epstein reached after having been beaned by a pitch and Price drew a walk that forced in another run. Tigers, 3-0.  But then, in the bottom half of the inning, old friend misfortune paid a visit to the Tigers. Lefty ace William Joyce, who until that moment was unhittable, was struck by an errant baseball on his throwing arm.  The injury forced him off the mound.  With that, Joyce prematurely moved to 1st base, and young Dylan Flynn assumed the bump. The drama was just beginning to unfold.

With young Flynn on the mound, and the meat of the Rockies order coming to bat in a win-or-go-home playoff game, whispers traveled through the standing room only crowd. Can a 6-year-old handle this pressure?  Will this recent St. Peter’s kindergarten graduate (today) be able to compete against boys 3 and 4 years older than him? Let the record show that Flynn answered those whispers with a lion’s roar. He immediately fielded a hard “come-backer” to the mound and flipped it to Joyce for an out. The whispers were drowned out by cheers. 

The Rockies, who had earlier this season beaten the undefeated Cubs, were not about to quit.  They scratched and clawed their way to manufacture two runs and pull the score to 3-2.  But the Tigers also never quit.  The favor was returned with a heart-warming display of teamwork and determination.  The Tiger rally started with Josh Moore earning a walk.  Next up, Michael Joyce.  After making a furious swipe at a pitch, which spun him around like a top and caused his collarbone to collide with the bat, Davey Bentley replaced the injured Michael at bat with two strikes already against him.  Davey worked the at-bat until he got a pitch he could handle and reached safely on a base-hit. A heroic effort indeed. The Tiger line was now in motion and even a brick wall was not going to stop it.  With the bases loaded, and two outs, William Joyce delivered a gigantic hit.  Josh Moore broke for the plate in full sprint and expertly executed a perfect hook slide.  4-2, aggressive base-running.  The Tiger trademark.

But still, the Rockies were not done.  Their relief pitcher had come on and was throwing heat. And then in his turn at the bat, he struck paydirt with a classic little league homerun of his own. There is a measure of justice in that.  After hitting a ground ball that was fired into foul territory, this over-sized pitcher ran the bases hard.  He benefited from the Tiger miscues behind him and suddenly the score tightened at 4-3.  With no outs and the bases loaded in a one-run playoff game, the whispers returned to the grandstands. Can young Flynn handle the pressure? 

After a brief mound visit during which Tiger management learned that Flynn hopes Santa will bring him a batting cage this Christmas, the crowd received its answer.  Three batters, three strikeouts.  Pressure? Stop the nonsense. Any more questions?

And now it was the 6th inning.  The Tigers failed to score in the top half, but with the score at 4-3, they now needed only 3 outs to make history.  An impromptu team meeting was hurriedly assembled outside the dugout and the boys discussed the situation.  Once the Tigers realized that young Flynn was at 82 pitches (90 is max per league rules), it was determined that the math says 3 strikeouts requires 9 pitches.  Well then, let ‘em hit it and see what happens.  But, in a cruel twist of fate, the Rockies lead-off batter in the 6th happens to have excellent hand-eye coordination and he fouled off several pitches in route to earning a walk after a full count.  Exit Flynn, stage right.  In another cruel twist of fate, minor league rules do not allow a pitcher who has previously pitched in the game to return to the mound after recovering from an injury.  Scratch Joyce.

Faced with this impossibly precarious predicament, the Tigers turned to their insurance policy player.  Without hesitation, Ben “The Wizard” Smolenski, the defensive MVP of the West minor league division, accepted the challenge.  Without exhibiting the slightest sign of nerves, Smolenski took the ball, the game, and the Tiger season, into his able hands.  There is no other player in the West minors that has done more, or played more admirably, for his team than this young man.  We salute him.

By this late hour, the crowd had swelled far beyond the usual legions of faithful Tiger fans, and dogs, to include every spectator from each of West Cambridge’s three little league fields.  All the games had concluded by this time and now all eyes were on Smolenski.  It would be understandable if he wilted under the scrutiny or turned away from the glare.  Many men have succumbed to less.  But not our Wizard.  

As the sun began to set, a common refrain played out once more. The strike zone disappeared, and a batter walked.  Was the umpire intimidated by the pressure? Next batter produced the first out after Joyce handled a ground ball on an excellent play at first, but then the following batter walked.  The next Rockies batter closed his eyes and swung wildly but he somehow made weak contact that unjustly produced the tying run.  The tension, which was already palpable, became unbearable.  And now, with the bases still loaded, only one out and the score tied at 4-4, the next batter in the Rockies line-up just happens to be their best.  As if on cue, he hits a rocket line-drive straight back to the mound which Smolenski, in his ever graceful, take-your-breath-away style, effortlessly snares.  Suddenly, in the confusion of the moment, a Rockies base runner frantically realizes he must return to second base before he is the victim of a double play.  With a deft pivot and a flick of his wrist, Smolesnki delivered the ball to the bag an instant after the runner’s toe reached safely.  Had the Tigers just missed their only chance to force extra innings?  

And just then, without warning, foreboding storm clouds appeared on the horizon. Until this moment, the skies had been clear and blue. The crowd, which had earlier been buzzing with excitement, inexplicably became still.  Even the constant sound of dribbling basketballs disappeared.  It was as if time just stopped.  In the silence of that moment, a cool summer breeze that emanated from somewhere far beyond Fresh Pond traveled across the diamond, and with it, the Baseball Gods returned to torment the Tigers.

There is a pitch, followed by a classic little league swinging bunt, and a desperate try for a desperate play at the plate. 

This game, and this season, ended abruptly for the Tigers tonight.  But their story will be told forever.  At this time in history, during this season of uncertainty, this never-say-die team, the Tigers of the West Cambridge minor league division, reminded us that the simple things in life are the most precious.  This is baseball.  And in baseball, just like in life, we learn more from defeat than victory. Hopefully, these boys have learned that when they stick together, they are equal to any task.  

Just wait until next year.

After the Memorial Day holiday weekend, no one would have been surprised if both the Tigers and Mets showed signs of rust, but tonight, in front of a standing room only crowd packed full of throngs of the frantic Tiger faithful, these two teams played an exceptional baseball game. Each team displayed excellent defense, timely hitting and aggressive baserunning. But the Tigers, fast becoming America’s most beloved baseball team, had just a little more spunk in the trunk when it mattered the most.

Under blue skies and in comfortable Spring temperature, the Russian Math School almost caused the Tigers to play with only eight players since She-Who-Must-Be-Obeyed once again detained Timothy Flaherty. However, the visiting Tigers started the game just as Eli (1) Epstein arrived and leadoff hitter Dylan Flynn adding another double to his division-leading total. But the Mets starting pitcher refused to allow the tide to turn so easily, and struck out the remaining top of the order including 1st baseman Nico LaRosa, shortstop Eli (2) Sidman, and centerfielder/strongman Mayes Pisha, preventing any additional traffic on the basepaths. 

In the bottom of the frame, Flynn took the mound and held serve, striking out the Mets side with effective and efficient use of fastball. This game continued at a brisk pace through the first two innings with each team having little success at bat, until catcher Mighty Michael Joyce finally received his turn. His defensive prowess and pitch-calling wizardry has received much attention. But away from the spotlight, Mighty Joyce has spent countless hours in the batting cage with his father, Coach Matt Joyce, perfecting his swing. Tonight, all the arduous work paid off. After looking over a few pitches, Mighty Joyce chose a fastball and unleashed a picture-perfect swing that produced a laser-show line drive into rightfield that jump-started the Tiger offensive engine. 3rd baseman Christian Ratcliffe and DH Narain Tanwar earned walks that ultimately produced a 2-run lead for the Tigers, courtesy of another Flynn base hit. Again, not to be out done, the Mets scored 4 runs on two prodigious moonshots in the bottom of the 3rd inning to seize the lead.

But the narrative of the 3rd inning cannot be complete without a description of the tremendous defensive play by the Tigers, highlighted by the effort of Eli 2 at shortstop. His back-handed stab of a well-hit one hopper to his left, followed by delivering a rifle-shot strike across the diamond to 1st baseman LaRosa, combined the footwork of a ballet dancer with the power of a lumberjack. This was web-gem truly worthy of consideration for robbery of the year. In addition, 3rd baseman Ratcliffe made a tremendous stop to save a run, and left fielder Jack Verner prevented several more runs from scoring by knocking down a screeching line drive and quickly firing to the cut-off man. In addition, Flynn reacted quickly on a comebacker to the mound and fired to LaRosa for another put-out.

Faced with a deficit despite producing a series of defensive plays of the season, some in attendance feared the Tigers would run out of steam. But the Tigers have simply come too far this season to fold like the Brooklyn Nets, the Milwaukee Bucks, and the Miami Heat. The Tigers play to win. And in the top of the 4th, the Tigers stormed back to tie the game. Strong at-bats by Tomasso Tallarita and Jack Verner were followed by a walk earned by Eli (1) Epstein, the personification of intimidation. His warm-up swings are so violent that the cap of the Mets 3rd baseman was knocked off his head by the breeze produced from Epstein getting loose in the on-deck circle. Ultimately, Eli 2 came to the plate and with a newfound confidence, struck for an RBI single which was followed by another RBI fielder’s choice by strongman Pisha. 

Flynn, intent on finishing the game, returned to the mound and faced the meat of the Mets order. This club is well-coached and competes with the same intensity that drives the Tigers dugout. They started the inning with a hard smash to the left of 2nd baseman Tanwar, who showed exactly why he is a late inning defensive replacement. With the reflexes of a jungle cat, Tanwar knocked down the speeding bullet and calmly collected it, firing to LaRosa ahead of the runner for yet another put-out. Put this play right next to Eli 2’s earlier web-gem when the voting takes place for robbery of the year. And then, once again, Flynn reacts on pure instinct to snatch another well-hit comebacker to the mound that was earmarked for centerfield. A third web-gem to be considered for robbery of the year. Down to the final out of the inning, the Mets responded. A deep drive to right was tracked down with hustle and grit by Gus O’Malley, but the relay from the cut-off man was just one step behind the runner as he crossed home plate. A series of hits produced a second run and before the final out was recorded, the Mets had retaken another 2-run lead. 

In the top of the 6th, the Tigers approached this deficit with the steely determination of the generations of veterans who have valiantly defended our country’s freedom for centuries, and for whom we paused to remember and celebrate just one day ago. These Tigers fear no foe, accept any challenge, and overcome all obstacles. With courage and defiance, the top of the order faced the Mets closer and went to battle. Within a just a few moments passing, Flynn, LaRosa and Eli 2 had reached base. Then Pisha and Joyce struck gold and produced a run. With runners on, and Coach Tom Flynn sending every Tiger baserunner charging to the plate, Verner, Tanwar, and Eli 1 aggressively pushed across 2 more runs to seize a 1-run lead. With two outs, and young Gus O’Malley at the plate, the Mets saw their chance to end the inning. But O’Malley, in true County Mayo fashion, took the fight to the larger and more experienced foe. Despite being half the size of the Mets pitcher, O’Malley courageously stood in the batter’s box and furiously defended against a barrage of missiles to work the count full. The giant Mets closer reared back and threw his nastiest fastball of the night, intent on finishing off O’Malley with a flourish. Not so fast. O’Malley, armed with the famed Pumpkin bat, turned on the fastball and hit a comebacker to the mound. A furious scramble followed and a toss to first ended the inning just before LaRosa crossed the plate to expand the lead. No blood, but once more, respect was earned.

Flynn returned to the mound and submitted another superb defensive play on a strongly hit comebacker to the mound. He finished off the Mets with an excellent final frame of pitching, relying exclusively on his fastball and repeatedly pounding the strike zone, and the Mets, into submission. 

This was an extremely well-played little league baseball game that neither team deserved to lose. But the Tigers simply refused to lose. These Tigers do not go gentle into that good night, but rather burn and rave at the close of day; rage, rage against the dying of the light. 

PART 1

Over the past week and a half, the tenacious Tigers have battled the strength of the division. After a suffering an unexpected and lopsided loss on Friday night to the not-so cuddly Cubs by the score of 15-3, the Tigers roared back on Tuesday from a late-inning, 4-run deficit against the Pirates by staging a furious rally to win, 7-6. This rebound was followed by another surprising defeat at the hands of the surging Rockies, who scored 8 runs to the Tigers 6. The raging Rockies are demonstrating with their victory over the Tigers and an earlier-season beatdown of those feral Cubs, that true parity exists in the West. The losses, to the feral Cubs and raging Rockies, while noteworthy, do not merit further mention here beyond standing as a monument to the concept that on any given day, any team can win.

But in the cage-match, bare-knuckle, free-for-all against the Pirates, wherein the Tigers snatched victory from the jaws of defeat, several courageous players distinguished themselves. There was Nico LaRosa, again submitting 3 strong innings of starting pitching, followed by the insertion of late-arriving Eli Epstein, who was right on time to stop the bleeding, and then Dyl Pickle Flynn, who came on to slam the door shut, and in so doing, gave the Tiger bats a chance to come alive. LaRosa’s effort included heroics at the bat, where he plated to 2 early RBIs to keep the Tigers in the match. But it was the back-breaking, game-changing, 3 run single produced by the sweet swing of Narain “The Bubblegum Burglar” Tanwar, that turned the tide. As in life, these events do not happen in a bubble, but rather, are the cumulation of the efforts of others. Without big hits from rookie Xavier Mazzotta, the previously referenced Epstein, and Strongman Mayes Pisha, the Bubble the Bubblegum Burglar would never have had the chance to strike with such fury. This comeback of comebacks was not only due to the offensive output; the Tigers also flashed the leather. Defensively, Pisha and Apple Jack Verner were stand-outs. Each of them, positioned at SS and 3B respectively, snared seething line drives on consecutive plays that saved several runs. Combined with the contributions of Tomasso Tallarita, Irish Jack Dwyer, Detroit Jack Gaughen and rookie Ryan Woods, who this week produced his first career hit, the Tigers produced a true team effort win that revealed the intestinal fortitude of a championship contender. 

Yet after last week’s top-turvy rollercoaster ride, which included several Tigers, namely Eli Epstein, Mayes Pisha, Michael Joyce, Nico LaRosa, and Dylan Flynn, leading their All-Star Team to victory, questions abound. According to several sources, a whisper campaign has infiltrated the minds of the West Cambridge baseball viewing public. The common refrain overheard from the mouths of the name-less, face-less, pundits and prognosticators, the negative nay-sayers and the beholden boo-birds, is this;

These Tigers don’t have what it takes to rise to the top of the West division. 

And then Monday night happened.

What, pray tell, do those talking heads who lurk in the shadows of Fresh Pond have to say now?

PART 2

TIGERS RIGHT SMACK DAB IN THE THICK OF PENNANT RACE AFTER SMASHING CUBS, 10-1

On Monday night at Glacken Field, scores of friends, family members, scouts, and interested parties crammed every available seat the grandstands and stood 4 deep along the fences to witness the penultimate rubber match between the feral Cubs and the tenacious Tigers. The tension was thick as the Tigers stormed from their dugout and seized the diamond with the precision and force of a Navy SEAL Team. They knew what was at stake, were prepared to meet any challenge, and collectively, were of the mindset that they were simply not going to be denied. The Tigers realized that they needed to apply pressure right out of the gate, and pressure they applied.

Going for broke, Tigers management sent Dylan Flynn to the bump with instructions to go as long and as hard as he could. With that, the gas pedal was floored and the brakes were never so much as tapped. Dyl Pickle took center stage and set the tone by pounding the strike zone with fastball after fastball, each offering biting even harder than the last. He also flashed the leather with a web-gem snare of a comebacker to the mound. True to form, Steady stalwart 1B Nico LaRosa caught everything except the flu on his side of the infield. And with Mighty Michael Joyce behind the plate, these All-Star batterymates controlled the contest. And Joyce, who has excelled all season handling the Tigers staff with intelligence and precision, displayed his cat-like reflexes when he caught a foul tip from the bat of a Cubs player for the third out on a swing and almost miss.

From start to finish the Tigers dominated the game, each player grinding away during each at-bat, forcing the opposition to throw strikes. The Tigers also ran the bases with reckless abandon, sprinting from bag to bag as if it were the last day of school and the start of summer vacation was at 3rd base. The offensive output was equal to the task with Twin Towers of Power Mayes Pisha and Eli Epstein spraying rockets all over the field, and none other than Ryan Woods, the much-heralded rookie, putting the ball in play when his turn came round. Rookie Xavier Mazzotta produced a hard-earned hit by pitch and is gaining ground on Detroit Jack Gaughen for the lead in that category. Once again, with the production from the entire roster including Apple Jack Verner, Irish Jack Dwyer, Tomasso Tallarita and Brother Bo Pisha, the Tigers delivered a resounding team victory.

Most satisfying, perhaps, was the moment when a Cubs batter was ruled out after swinging through a strike that came in contact with his body. Clearly out, Cubs management instructed their soldier to take his base. But not so fast, said Coach Matt Joyce, who wisely called for a review and declaratory judgment. The Tigers prevailed, the threat was eliminated, the inning ended, and the not-so-cuddly Cubs staff was left speechless. Note to Cubs management: the rules apply equally to everyone.

When the dust settled, the Tigers had regained respectability and retained their spot in the race to grasp the slippery Mayor’s Cup. The naysayers and boo-birds have vacated the premises. And in the past week and a half of the 2023 season, America’s Team has not only distinguished itself with its fine play, but with their effort, their camaraderie, and their sportsmanship. Tigers management has never been prouder of this team. When a “Get-Well-Soon” card, signed by every player, was delivered to the bedside of an Old Warrior by She Who Must Be Obeyed, the Baseball Gods smiled. And in turn, the Old Warrior smiled too. In fact, to see his face was to witness pure joy. 

Thanks boys. The best is yet to come. 

After Monday night’s loss to the Cubs, the common refrain among casual observers of West Cambridge baseball was that the Tigers team morale would be depleted, that their enthusiasm would be low, and that they would suffer a massive letdown in the first round of the playoffs leading to an early exit at the hands of those pesky Mets. But those of us who are faithful Tiger followers know nothing could be further from the truth. And yesterday at 4:30 p.m., a supermajority of the Tiger roster was seen frolicking around the diamond at Glacken Field, the Cathedral of West Cambridge, filling the air with shrieks of delight produced only by little league baseball players who love nothing more than being on the field with their pals. The standing room only crowd had not yet filled the stands, but those in attendance will forever remember watching these boys horsing around with absolute joy, enjoying each other’s company tremendously, and experiencing pure happiness. Little League baseball is magic. 

Speaking of magic, just before game time, catcher Mighty Michael Joyce decided to exorcise the demons from the Tigers dugout. The stalwart backstop produced a tiny, gold, 4-leaf clover from his back pocket and summarily instructed every member of the roster to touch it. The stalwart backstop, the heart and soul of the Tigers, the most reliable player on the club, the fellow that wears the gear and gets in the crouch for every single pitch of the season, literally took matters into his own hands and delivered an electric current through the team that jump-started the Tiger playoff engine. Play Ball!

Tomasso Tallarita fiercely lobbied for the start and took the hill with determination. He began cleanly, hitting Mighty Joyce’s mitt with a first pitch fastball for a called strike. The pesky Mets proved pesky once again, however, and refused to roll over and play dead. Instead, their lineup rallied early and scored 3 runs in the first. With runners on first and second, the Mets cleanup hitter drove a ball deep down the 3rd base line, and despite the fantastic relay throw from left fielder Xavier Mazzotta to 3rd baseman Eli Epstein, the ump deemed the runner to have beaten Joyce’s expert tag at the plate. The Mets had clearly come to play.

In the bottom of the inning, the Tigers wasted little time putting together a rally of their own. Strongman Mayes Pisha, Dyl Pickle Flynn, Nico LaRosa and Eli Epstein all scored to give the Tigers the lead 4-3. And on this night, there would be no letdown. Flynn replaced Tallarita on the hill and began systematically retiring the Mets lineup by relentlessly pounding the strike zone. Flynn was not only flinging fastballs that flummoxed the Mets, but he was also serving a full menu slippery sliders and curvaceous curveballs. In a word, he was overpowering.

As efficiently as Flynn pitched, his efforts were outshined by the offensive outburst produced by the tenacious Tiger lineup. Outlined against an early summer powder blue sky, the Four Horsemen rode again. In dramatic lore they as known as Famine, Pestilence, Destruction and Death. These are only aliases. Their real names are Mayes, Flynn, LaRosa and Epstein. They form the crest of the Tiger cyclone that swept through the Mets defense. Each of these bots produced multiple extra base hits and all of them played brilliantly. Yet none swung the wood with as much determination or power as Epstein, who in his final at-bat of this contest, unleashed a Herculean swing that sent the white leather sphere to the base of the fence in the deepest part of left field. This was not just a home run; it was the hardest hit ball of the season and was an athletic feat to behold.

The balance of the Tiger lineup made an equal contribution to the fireworks display. Mighty Michael Joyce banged out singles, Tomasso Tallarita ripped a double, Narain “the Bubble Gum Burglar” Tanwar and Apple Jack Verner reach base safely several times, rookies Irish Jack Dwyer and Ryan Woods also scored runs, and rookie Xavier Mazzotta earned a game ball for his heady at-bat where he worked a 0-2 count into a walk. Finally, Detroit Jack Gaughen, who seems to get better when the pressure becomes greater, delivered a two-strike, two-out hit in his final at-bat. When it was all said and done, the scorekeeper was exhausted from keeping the book.

The Tigers once again showed the world that baseball is meant to be fun, and there is nothing more fun than being in a dugout with other like-minded ball players who play this game for one simple reason: they love it. Winning isn’t really the point of all this, but the Tigers are undefeated in the most important category. This team has won the hearts of every single person who has been lucky enough to see them play. 

Because the Pirates vs. Rockies game was suspended due to rain in the bottom of the 4th, their game will resume at 5 pm tomorrow and we will play the winner immediately after. See you tomorrow for our final game.

When the Rockies came to play a baseball game tonight at The Cathedral of Baseball, they fully expected to blaze a path right through the Tigers all the way to the Mayor’s Cup. The Rockies have excellent coaching, an outstanding roster that is peppered with multiple All-Stars, an elite pitching rotation, and they have maybe the best power hitter in the division right in the middle of their order. The Rockies have been sitting at the top of the standings of the West Minors Division with good reason. And tonight, with a win over the Tigers, they would take control of the division and simultaneously eliminate their opponents’ chances.

The sun-drenched home dugout, however, was occupied by a tiny band of courageous competitors who have the audacity to believe in themselves. They are fueled by disrespect and the mocking of the Tiger blue. By the first pitch, when the home team could only field 8 available players, the standing-room-only, full-capacity crowd of baseball fanatics collectively wondered how a short-staffed team could ever stand a fighting chance against the mighty Rockies. 

The answer is here: the Tigers, America’s most beloved team, had HISTORY on their side tonight. The FUTURE is NOW. 

After methodical mathematical analysis, Tigers management gave the start in this win-or-go-home game to the man of steel, flame-throwing Tommaso Tallarita. He stood atop the dusty mound and delivered strike after strike, holding the formidable Rockies scoreless through 3 and 1/3 innings. Temperatures were uncomfortably high, and the humidity was draining. He ran into some trouble, courtesy of the inclement weather and the selective tightening of the umpire’s strike zone, but Tallarita overcame his exhaustion and benefitted from a double-play made by Dylan Flynn at 1st base to end the 3rd inning. Tallarita clawed his way through the Rockies line-up and gave his team a chance to win. That is the mark of an ace.

In the bottom of the 3rd inning, after suffering an automatic out each time the 9th batter rolled through the order, time was beginning to run out on the Tigers. The score remained tied at 0-0, and Apple Jack Verner had seen enough. This young man has been an RBI machine this entire season, but when he strode to the plate, the bases were clear. No matter. Apple Jack turned on a four-seam fastball and hustled down the line to beat out an infield single, but when the first baseman bungled the ball, Jack began a mad dash around the bases. The right fielder backed up the errant throw, and cleanly hit the cut-off man just as Apple Jack was rounding 3rd base. Despite the utter pandemonium and sound-wave level cheering, every person in the park heard the resounding command from the Tiger’s Hall of Fame third-base coach, Doc Flynn: “Go Home, Apple Jack!! Go Home!!”

And in an instant, after a perfect hook slide and in a mound of dust, the Tigers led 1-0.

In the 4th, Dylan Flynn came on in relief of Tallarita who reported to 1st base. With shocking velocity, the side was retired. Again, the Tigers fought at the plate, only to be denied again. The Rockies have excellent pitching and solid defense, and it showed tonight. But Beau Pisha, Xavier Mazzotta, Ryan Woods, and Irish Jack Dwyer all submitted incredibly competitive at-bats. These players have developed over the course of this season and their hard work is taking shape. It is just a matter of time before the results show up in the stats sheet.

The Tigers took the 1-0 lead into the top of the 6th, but the Rockies had their murderer’s row coming up. With much effort, and a combination of slurves, fastballs, and changeups, Flynn earned 2 outs. But now the golden-haired Ariel, she of All-Star game distinction where she nearly hit a baseball into Fresh Pond, took her turn at bat. The Tigers put on a shift, sending CF Beau Pisha deep, moving RF Ryan Woods into the gap, and dropping 3B Irish Jack Dwyer into short left field, but it made no discernible difference. This young lady took a mighty swing at a fastball that caused the leather sphere to reach the fence on a single hop. By the time the ball was on its way to the plate, she had already safely reached the visitor’s dugout and secured her team in a tie, 1-1.

And now here the Tigers find themselves. Tied 1-1, with three outs left to either make or break their season. These moments are made for rally-caps and the Tigers honored the Baseball Gods by turning theirs inside out, and in the process, becoming an even more connected team. Once again, Apple Jack reaches safely. Tension builds. Dylan Flynn barely legs out an infield single and Apple Jack smartly advances to 3rd base. Tension heightens. Mazzotta puts forth a highly competitive at-bat, but goes down swinging, one out. Tension unbearable.

Now batting, Number 1, the second baseman, Rookie Big Al “The Future” Curtis. Second baseman, Curtis.

These are the moments that make little league baseball the greatest activity known to human existence. A rookie at the plate with the season on the line. Because Tigers’ management passionately believes that you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take, the strategy in this situation was clear. This was a time for Safety Squeeze. And it was also time for THE FUTURE to be NOW.

The Rockies drew the infield in, and on cue, the attention of every set of eyes in West Cambridge was trained on Big Al. This might be a daunting moment for some, but you have got to be loose if you want to win the pennant, and Big Al is loose. On the first pitch, an offer to bunt is made. Strike One. After a ball, and then another, a full hack is taken without contact. Two and Two. This is where the Rockies may have thought there is not a chance in H E double hockey sticks that anyone would ever attempt to bunt with two strikes on the batter because the degree of difficulty of executing this extremely complicated play just increased exponentially. 

But these are the Tigers. And the Tigers play to win.

Suddenly, all became quiet at Glacken Field. The birds were silent, the traffic on Huron Ave stopped, and the clouds above were still. And at that moment, a cool breeze of fresh air traveled across the diamond from Fresh Pond, carrying the blessings of the Baseball Gods and enveloping THE FUTURE with a single message: The time is NOW.

Next pitch, a perfectly executed bunt is laid down the 1st base line, and on contact, Apple Jack Verner sprints down the line and slides across the plate. Tigers win!

This is why you play baseball.

You don’t beat the Pirates, the Rockies, and the Cubs in back-to-back-to-back games unless you have a deep team full of championship-caliber players with a collective winning spirit. The Tigers, America’s most beloved team, are exactly that type of baseball club.

After putting forth an elite defensive effort in blanking the Pirates, 4-0, the Tigers bats came alive and produced 12 runs in a dominant win over the Rockies. Tommaso Tallarita once again shined on the bump and went 5 strong innings. Narain “The Bubble Gum Bandit” Tanwar finished off the Rockies with a gritty effort despite being touched for a few runs in the final frame. 

In the Rockies victory, the bottom half of the line-up broke through with timely walks, excellent baserunning, and all-around heads-up baseball play. Big Al “The Future” Curtis, Beau Pisha, Irish Jack Dwyer, Xavier Mazzotta, Ryan Woods, Gus O’Malley, and brother Marcel, all reached base and scored. At the top of the order, Dylan Flynn, Apple Jack Verner and the aforementioned Tallarita and Tanwar, continued to generate RBIs with the well-oiled machinery of a Ford Motor Car assembly line. This was a true team effort. The Rockies never had a chance.

And on Saturday, with the first pitch scheduled for 4:30 p.m., the Cubs arrived early and went through their peacock warm-ups planning to punch their ticket to the Mayor’s Cup. The Cubs practice more than any team in the league. They drill incessantly and their players sometimes show the strain. By contrast, Tigers management runs a strength and conditioning program that allows their players to stay loose. There is a reason for this.

On September 28, 1941, the Boston Red Sox split a Sunday doubleheader with Connie Mack’s Athletics on the final day of the season. Both teams were out of the pennant race, and the games were meaningless in the standings. But there was something else at stake.

Young Ted Williams, who had only just turned 23, woke up that morning hitting .39955 on the year, just .00045 below the hallowed .400 mark.

Williams was batting cleanup and he led off the top of the second. Let Ted Williams himself tell the story: “Bill McGowan was the plate umpire, and I’ll never forget it,” the greatest hitter of all time recalled. “Just as I stepped in, he called time and slowly walked around the plate, bent over, and began dusting it off. Without looking up, he said, “To hit .400 a batter has got to be loose. He has got to be loose.”

By the end of the day, after going 6-for-8, Ted Willams had hit .406 for the season. The last man in history to hit .400. 

You got to be loose.

The spectators at Saturday’s matinee were treated to another spectacular pitching performance by Dylan Flynn who went the distance for the 6-1 win. And again, the Tigers entire bench contributed, each man passing the baton as the hits, walks and aggressive baserunning continued. But for a singular instance of throwing the ball around the diamond in the first inning which led to the Cubs only run (and several more gray hairs appearing on  coach’s head), the Tigers played excellent defense once again.

And now we are here in the backstretch of the season. The Tigers are in the hunt with games against the Rockies and Pirates in this final week, with two potential make-ups against the Mets that will be played if needed in the standings. No animal in the jungle hunts like a Tiger. America’s most beloved team has a chance to shock West Cambridge and win the pennant. But it will not come easy. Each player must concentrate during each at-bat and remain focused on defense while in the field. 

This is when the fun begins. 

You got to be loose.

Tonight, in front of an enormous crowd comprised of mothers and fathers, siblings and cousins, neighbors and friends, the Tigers claimed the championship of the West Cambridge minor’s division. Their foes, the prideful Pirates, were outstanding. All season long these two teams battled back and forth, and in the process, they both won each other’s respect. But tonight, the Tigers simply had a little more gas left in the tank and outlasted their rivals for the coveted playoff trophy.

How much more can be said or written about Dylan Flynn? The Tiger ace returned to the mound tonight and submitted a full game in which he recorded 18 strikeouts. You read that correctly. After surrendering a single run in the first inning, courtesy of a triple from the most prolific Pirate, dangerous Mateo, every single out that the Tigers recorded came from a Flynn strikeout.

To put Flynn’s season in historical perspective, it must need be noted that the game of baseball was invented in the summer of 1839, when a young man named Abner Doubleday from Cooperstown, New York imagined the diamond and gave us this game. What a gift. Over the past two centuries, there have been tens of thousands of little league, amateur, collegiate, and professional baseball players who have traversed the diamonds across the city of Cambridge, Massachusetts, and thousands of pitchers who have stood bravely atop the many pitcher’s mounds and threw with all their might.

But only one pitcher has thrown three no-hitters in a single season. And that one pitcher is Dylan Flynn.

After the Pirates scored, Mateo took the mound and summarily retired the top of the Tigers order. This was an unwelcome occurrence and the Tigers dugout, while remaining confident, began to tighten under the pressure. The game continued and the outs were recorded in rapid succession. Each Tiger who stood in the box was met with heavy resistance. Narain “The Bubble Gum Bandit” Tanwar put the ball in play on multiple occasions, yet despite his hustle down the line, the Pirates forced him at first. All through the lineup, from Tomasso Tallarita to Beau Pisha, Mateo was in control. Every single other Tiger, including Dylan Flynn, Apple Jack Verner, Xavier Mazzota, Ryan Daniels, Gus O’Malley, Marcel O’Malley, and Irish Jack Dwyer, was sent back to the dugout in defeat. The entire lineup was quiet. 

Until the 5th inning.

Patience is a virtue. As the Tigers fought at each at bat, they whittled away at the imposing Mateo. They didn’t just simply swing at every offering and chase bad pitches out of the strike zone. To the contrary, to a man, they were patient and selective. And in the process, they wore out the Mighty Mateo. After he submitted repeated walks, the Pirates manager, who doubles as Mateo’s father, replaced him on the mound. He rightfully received a well-deserved standing ovation from all in attendance, including the entire Tiger team. There is no substitute for good sportsmanship.

With the top of the order coming to bat, Irish Jack started the rally with a walk. Next, the Bubble Gum Bandit blooped a single into left field. A walk to Tomasso loaded the bases. With Flynn at the plate the relief pitcher lost his composure and walked in the tying run. Now the Tigers had momentum. Another pitching change, and two more walks put the Tigers on top with a 3-1 lead.

With a mere mortal on the mound, a two-run lead doesn’t seem insurmountable. But with fireballer Flynn, it is more likely that the ghost of Abner Doubleday would appear at Glacken Field than this lead would evaporate.

In the final frame of his stellar Tiger career, Flynn struck out the side, expertly pounding the strike zone by cleanly hitting the well-placed target of his accomplished battery mate, catcher Tallarita, with one fastball after another. Although the outcome may have seemed predetermined by that point, the Tigers have been on the receiving end of painful losses this season, so the tension was high. With two outs and two strikes on the final batter, Flynn reared back one final time. And with his next offering, he set off a delirious celebration of Tigers that ended with a pig pile on the mound. The only downside to this victory was that Big Al “The Future” Curtis was not able to attend and share in the joy.

In baseball, just like in life, you are presented with opportunities. Sometimes we succeed, and sometimes we fail. The true champions in baseball, and in life, face success and failure with class, grace, and dignity. The Tigers did that this year, and each man should be immensely proud of all that he has accomplished. 

Congratulations Tigers!