June 2006 News Archive

June 9th - The heat and humidity is running full scale now, which may have accounted for the lack of ballplayers today.  A total of 18 dedicated guys braved the heat to play an abbreviated seven inning game. Dick Sessink was victorious against opposing pitcher Larry Powell as the home team walloped the visiting team 20-10.  At one brief moment in the game, the visiting team took a 7-6 lead, but the home team answered with 4 runs of their own & continued to breeze through the innings for the victory. Don Witmer pounded out the only homer of the game, a three run line drive down the left field line.  Don also connected for a triple way over the head of leftfielder Freddy Gonzalez. Dick Sessink drove a ball over right centerfielder & fill-in player Jim Margolin for a triple.  Another long hit was produced by Freddy Gonzalez, who burned leftfielder Fred Dampier. A patient man at the plate, Morris Rosenhack walked twice in four trips to the plate & worked the count full before he grounded to shortstop Jim Laffoon, who threw to first baseman Joel Freedman for the out.  Billy Spring got a nice hit to the opposite field.  Rightfielder Shannon Steinmetz had to retrieve the hit & relay it into 2nd baseman Jack Valliere. There was only one defensive play that stood out among the rest & it was a gem.  With a runner on first base, second baseman Jack Valliere fielded a hard grounder to his left that was hit by Don Witmer.  After stopping the ball, Jack quickly turned & fired to shortstop Jim Laffoon covering 2nd base to get baserunner Reg Barnes out by three steps.  Great play Jack. Two players on the injured list took batting practice today.  Doug Chamlee hopes to return to the playing field in September & has continued to umpire our games.  Jim Margolin filled in occasionally in today's game but will wait until the middle of July before committing himself to playing full time again. A new ballplayer joined the Winter Haven Senior Softball Club.  Ron Butler is retired & hails from Massachusetts, although he has lived in Florida for the past 20 or so years.  Welcome aboard, Ron.

May 2006