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inside pitch THE WEEK 4 NOV. 1 2th CLASSICS TIMELESS photo by Greg Wagner Blue Ridge Rangers and Kent Mudhens participating in a salute to American Veterans before their game at City of Palms Stadium Monday. All teams at all fields celebrated Veterans Day Monday in similar fashion in an Roy Hobbs’ Veterans Day tradition photo by Meg Giffen Gary Foran, a man on a mission for Nova Scotia baseball. BY GLENN MILLER Roy Hobbs Baseball The origins of the Nova Scotia Monarchs can be traced to a chat over beer in a place called the Capital Sports Bar on Lady Hammond Road in Halifax. Gary Foran is now, for lack of a better term, the Godfather of Monarchs baseball, which has 6 teams playing in the 2019 Roy Hobbs World Series. In 2009, before the Monarchs blossomed into a mini-empire of amateur adult baseball, Foran played in his first World Series. It was for another team. He returned to Halifax, the province’s capital, and that bar on Lady Hammond Road. “I was telling everybody how beautiful this place was,” Foran said Sunday afternoon at JetBlue after his 70s team lost a heartbreaker to the New Jersey Wonderboys. ”They heard so much about it over a beer and said, “You get the team going and we’ll find the ballplayers.’” Have they ever. What started with one team in 2010 has blossomed into a six-pack of teams this year, playing in the 45s, 53s, 60, 65 and 70 divisions. The list includes two teams in the 53s. Every year, the number of Nova Scotia ballplayers and teams at RHWS grows. Each year as more players come down and play on major- league spring-training fields, they go back to Nova Scotia and spread the word. Foran calls these players “ambassadors.” They represent the Roy Hobbs World Series in their home province in eastern Canada. If Foran is the Godfather of Monarchs baseball his players are essentially going around and making an offer that can’t be refused. Go to Florida. … In the fall. … When it’s already cold in Nova Scotia, which, by the way, means New Scotland in Latin … Play on fields used by big-leaguers. … Who can refuse such an offer? “You got to come here to believe it,” Foran tells folks back home. “Because we play on rock fields and we don’t have very many baseball diamonds and we got everybody else trying to compete (for fields).” But they find a place to play and that helps keep them in trim - all 6 teams - for their annual pilgrimage to Fort Myers. Sunday’s first game was a tough one for the Monarchs’ 70-year-old team. They lost 18-14 to the Wonderboys in a game that lasted nearly three and a half hours and went into a shootout. What a story that game is likely to make the next time the Monarchs sit down for beers in the Capital Sports Bar on Lady Hammond Road in Halifax. Foran’s Nova Scotia Hobbs ‘empire’ grows every year

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    pitch

    T H EW E E K 4

    N O V. 12th

    CLASSICSTIMELESS

    photo by Greg WagnerBlue Ridge Rangers and Kent Mudhens participating in a salute to American Veterans before their game at City of Palms Stadium Monday. All teams at all fields

    celebrated Veterans Day Monday in similar fashion in an Roy Hobbs’ Veterans Day tradition

    photo by Meg GiffenGary Foran, a man on a mission

    for Nova Scotia baseball.

    BY GLENN MILLERRoy Hobbs Baseball 

    The origins of the Nova Scotia Monarchs can be traced to a chat over beer in a place called the Capital Sports Bar on Lady Hammond Road in Halifax.

    Gary Foran is now, for lack of a better term, the Godfather of Monarchs baseball, which has 6 teams playing in the 2019 Roy Hobbs World Series.

    In 2009, before the Monarchs blossomed into a mini-empire of amateur adult baseball, Foran played in his first World Series. It was for another team. He returned to Halifax, the province’s capital, and that bar on Lady Hammond Road.

    “I was telling everybody how beautiful this place was,” Foran said Sunday afternoon at JetBlue after his 70s team lost a heartbreaker to the New Jersey Wonderboys. ”They heard so much about it over a beer and said, “You get the team going and we’ll find the ballplayers.’”

    Have they ever.What started with one team in 2010 has blossomed into a

    six-pack of teams this year, playing in the 45s, 53s, 60, 65 and 70 divisions. The list includes two teams in the 53s. Every year, the number of Nova Scotia ballplayers and teams at RHWS grows.

    Each year as more players come down and play on major-league spring-training fields, they go back to Nova Scotia and spread the word.

    Foran calls these players “ambassadors.”  They represent the Roy Hobbs World Series in their home province in eastern Canada. If Foran is the Godfather of Monarchs baseball his players are essentially going around and making an offer that can’t be refused.

    Go to Florida. …In the fall. …When it’s already cold in Nova Scotia, which,

    by the way, means New Scotland in Latin …Play on fields used by big-leaguers. …Who can refuse such an offer?“You got to come here to believe it,” Foran

    tells folks back home. “Because we play on rock fields and we don’t have very many baseball diamonds and we got everybody else trying to compete (for fields).”

    But they find a place to play and that helps keep them in trim - all 6 teams - for their annual pilgrimage to Fort Myers.

    Sunday’s first game was a tough one for the Monarchs’ 70-year-old team. They lost 18-14 to the Wonderboys in a game that lasted nearly three and a half hours and went into a shootout.

    What a story that game is likely to make the next time the Monarchs sit down for beers in the Capital Sports Bar on Lady Hammond Road in Halifax.

    Foran’s Nova Scotia Hobbs ‘empire’ grows every year

  • 2

    It must be Tuesday: 4A seeding; Pool Game 5 matchups ready about 7 pm

    Hey, it’s Tuesday … a really busy day at the Roy Hobbs World Series each week. It’s day 4 of pool play. AAAA Managers meet at 2 p.m. to determine the teams

    advancing to double-elimination layoffs on Thursday. The schedule for Wednesday Pool Game 5 matchups in

    the Classics Division will be announced approximately 7 p.m.

    By the close of play Tuesday, all Classics teams will have played 4 games. The first order of business will be to determine which teams will advance to the AAAA double-elimination playoffs. Eight teams started in that division and will be paired to 4 or 6, depending on a vote of the managers and Roy Hobbs officials. Those teams will take Wednesday off and start their sprint to the finish line on Thursday. Teams that are not included will be dropped into the AAA-AA ranks for pool game 5.

    Matchups for Pool Game 5 will be posted on the schedule page at royhobbs.com/world-series no later than 7:30 p.m.

    For the record, after Wednesday’s games, all teams in the general pool will take Thursday off and move to single-elimination playoffs on Friday. AAA and AA will be 16-team divisions, with no byes, and the A Division may be as well.

    The AAA-AA-A playoff brackets will be announced Thursday evening at the Players’ Pairings Party at Sidelines Sports Grill at the corner of Colonial Blvd. and Veronica Shoemaker. Party starts at 6 pm, pairings before 7 pm, and those pairings will be uploaded to royhobbs.com by 7:45 p.m. Thursday.

    Playoffs are set up by ranking all the teams by record and runs allowed in best 4 games; top 16 are AAA, regardless of record; AA is the next 16 (teams 17-32), and the remaining teams with at least 1 win are in the A Division. Adjustments are made for AAAA teams dropping down, teams that are mandated to move up and adjusting to avoid rematches from earlier in the week.

    The seeding and scheduling for Wednesday’s games and the AAAA playoff games will be posted at World Series Headquarters at the Player Development Complex and be available on royhobbs.com/world-series.

    Timeless Thursday gamesTimeless teams are basically scheduled through Thursday,

    although Thursday’s matchups will be based on first 4 games.All 70s teams that played double-headers will be OFF

    Thursday; the remaining teams will be scheduled for that day. But, since there are an odd number of 70s teams, at least 1 70s team will get a bye on Thursday. That bye generally goes to the team that has given up the most runs.

    Those games will be announced as soon as possible Wednesday afternoon after all games involving those teams are completed, and Roy Hobbs will contact managers individually

  • 3

    STANDINGSClassics 60+AAAA Team W L PCT RABorder City Brewers 3 0 1.000 6Washington Titans 3 0 1.000 10Massachusetts Chiefs 2 1 0.667 19Philadelphia Cutters 2 1 0.667 21Minnesota Bees 1 2 0.333 33Puerto Rico Orioles 1 2 0.333 35Youngstown A2Z 0 3 0.000 28Michigan Stars 0 3 0.000 45

    Team W L PCT RANova Scotia Monarchs 3 0 1.000 6Bergen Yankees 3 0 1.000 7Minnesota Goats 2 0 1.000 8Oakville Golden A’s 2 0 1.000 10Philadelphia Athletics 3 0 1.000 11DuPage Lugnuts 3 0 1.000 12Livingston Dodgers 3 0 1.000 12Long Island Express 2 0 1.000 14Minnesota Bandits 3 0 1.000 19Bronx Cardinals 3 0 1.000 21Wolfdogs 2 0 1.000 24Houston Colts 2.5 0.5 0.833 6Huntsville Stars 2 1 0.667 15Orlando Wrinkles 2 1 0.667 18Windy City White Sox 2 1 0.667 33Midwest Nine 1 1 0.500 10Toledo McGuire Ins 1 1 0.500 12San Antonio Texans 1 1 0.500 15DC Mets 1 1 0.500 19JD’s Jaguars 1.5 1.5 0.500 21Atlanta Astros 1 1 0.500 23Kent Mudhens 1 1 0.500 23Long Island Braves 1 1 0.500 23Cecil’s Margin Service 1 1 0.500 28Kennebec Cubs 1 1 0.500 35Atlanta Heat 1 2 0.333 16

    South Chicago Yaquis 1 2 0.333 26Midwest Pirates 1 2 0.333 31Americans Baseball Club 1 2 0.333 32Rhode Island Rockies 1 2 0.333 32Stay Thirsty My Friend 1 2 0.333 37Baltimore Orioles 0 2 0.000 16Tidewater Drillers 0 2 0.000 20St Louis Patriots 0 3 0.000 21Carolina Rockies 0 2 0.000 21Bahama Breeze Bandits 0 2 0.000 22Richmond Riverdogs 0 3 0.000 28Blue Ridge Rangers 0 2 0.000 36St Louis Dodgers 0 3 0.000 40Pensacola Salt Bandits 0 3 0.000 48Tampa Bay Sharks 0 3 0.000 50Cleveland Spiders 0 3 0.000 54

    Timeless 70+Team W L PCT RASan Diego Padres 2 0 1.000 5Midwest Nine 2 0 1.000 8Washington Titans 2 0 1.000 12New England Bo Sox 2.5 0.5 0.833 22San Antonio Texans 1.5 0.5 0.750 12Philadelphia Mustangs 2 1 0.667 11Minnesota Saints 2 1 0.667 22New Jersey Wonderboys 2 1 0.667 32Sacramento Solons 1 1 0.500 6Potomac Senators 1 1 0.500 15Detroit 70s 1 1 0.500 16Terre Haute Volkers Grp 1 1 0.500 21Team America 1 1 0.500 24New England Red Sox 1 1 0.500 24Kent Mudhens 0 2 0.000 17Toledo McGuire Ins 0 2 0.000 30Silver Foxes 0 2 0.000 32Maine Woods Baseball 0 3 0.000 40Nova Scotia Monarchs 0 3 0.000 44

  • 4

    RESULTS

    photo by Greg Wagner

    Windy City White Sox right fielder Jen Yuvan gets a 2-out rally started vs. the Tampa Bay Sharks on Sunday with a single to right

    60s ResultsMondayBergen Yankees 12, Pensacola Salt Bandits 2Bergen Yankees 4, Atlanta HeatBorder City Brewers 10, Youngstown A2Z 0Bronx Cardinals 11, St. Louis Patriots 4Bronx Cardinals 18, Midwest Pirates 12Cecil’s Margin Service 14, Bahama Breeze Islanders 11DuPage Lugnuts 10, Midwest Pirates 7DuPage Lugnuts 5, St. Louis Patriots 4Houston Colts 11, Tampa Bay Sharks 1Huntsville Stars 25, Pensacola Salt Bandits 5Huntsville Stars 7, Atlanta Heat 5Kent Mudhens 60s 22, Blue Ridge Rangers 10Livingston Dodgers 5, South Chicago Yaquis 4Long Island Braves 8, Toledo McGuire Insurance 7Long Island Express 12, Tidewater Drillers 7Massachusetts Chiefs 12, Philadelphia Cutters 9Midwest Nine 7, Baltimore Orioles 2Minnesota Bandits 17, Americans Baseball Club 0Minnesota Bees 19, Puerto Rico Orioles 13Minnesota Goats 11, Atlanta Astros 5Nova Scotia Monarchs 9, Richmond Riverdogs 3Oakville Golden A’s 14, Carolina Rockies 6Orlando Wrinkles 18, Cleveland Spiders 4Philadelphia Athletics 14, St Louis Dodgers 4 Philadelphia Cutters 10, Michigan Stars 7Puerto Rico Orioles 14, Youngstown A2Z 9Rhode Island Rockies 24, Stay Thirsty My Friends 13San Antonio Texans 12, DC Mets 7Washington Titans 19, Michigan Stars 2Washington Titans 8, Massachusetts Chiefs 5Windy City white Sox 13, JD’s Jaguars 3Wolfdogs 22, Kennebec Cubs 20

    70s ResultsMondayDetroit 70s 13, Terre Haute Volkers Group 6Midwest Nine 5, Sacramento Solons 3Minnesota Saints 10, Maine Woods Baseball 2Minnesota Saints 14, New Jersey Wonderboys 0New England Bo Sox 16, Nova Scotia Monarchs 4New England Red Sox 14, Toledo McGuire Insurance 12Philadelphia Mustangs 10, Nova Scotia Monarchs 0Potomac Senators 14, Silver Foxes 6San Antonio Texans 11, Maine Woods Baseball 1Washington Titans 15, Team America 2

  • 5

    SCHEDULEUmpire Jeff Williams discusses a balk issue with Tampa Sharks pitcher Chuck Lavines on Sunday

    Classics DivisionTuesday 9:30 AMMinnesota Bandits @ JD’s Jaguars CP-S10:00 AMMichigan Stars @ Minnesota Bees CL-SSouth Chicago Yaquis@ Richmond Riverdogs CL2Carolina Rockies @ Bahama Breeze Bandits CL4Long Island Express @ DC Mets CL6Youngstown A2Z @ Massachusetts Chiefs JB-SMidwest Nine@ Atlanta Astros JB2Blue Ridge Rangers @ Long Island Braves JB3Wolfdogs @ Baltimore Orioles JB4Kent Mudhens @ Minnesota Goats JB5Kennebec Cubs @ Toledo McGuire Insurance JB6Tidewater Drillers @ San Antonio Texans PDC1Oakville Golden A’s @ Cecil’s Margin Service PDC5Puerto Rico Orioles @ Philadelphia Cutters TP3Washington Titans @ Border City Brewers TP412:45 PMWindy City White Sox @ Stay Thirsty My Friends CP-S1:45 PMHouston Colts @ Americans Baseball Club CL-SBahama Breeze Bandits @ Long Island Express CL2DC Mets @ Carolina Rockies CL3Midwest Pirates @ Bergen Yankees CL4Huntsville Stars @ St. Louis Patriots CL6Toledo McGuire Insurance @ Blue Ridge Rangers JB-SCleveland Spiders @ St. Louis Dodgers JB1Long Island Braves @ Kent Mudhens JB2Atlanta Astros @ Wolfdogs JB3Baltimore Orioles @ Kennebec Cubs JB5Minnesota Goats @ Midwest Nine JB6Nova Scotia Monarchs @ Orlando Wrinkles PDC1San Antonio Texans @ Oakville Golden A’s PDC2

    Cecil’s Margin Service @ Tidewater Drillers PDC4Philadelphia Athletics@ Livingston Dodgers PDC5Rhode Island Rockies@ Tampa Bay Sharks TP-SAtlanta Heat @ DuPage Lugnuts TP3Bronx Cardinals @ Pensacola Salt Bandits TP4

    Timeless DivisionTuesday10:00 AMWashington Titans @ Terre Haute Volkers Group CL3Silver Foxes @ Team America JB1New England Bo Sox @ Maine Woods Baseball PDC2Philadelphia Mustangs @ San Antonio Texans PDC3Sacramento Solons @ Kent Mudhens PDC4Minnesota Saints @ Nova Scotia Monarchs TP-SSan Diego Padres @New England Red Sox TP2Toledo McGuire Insurance @ Midwest Nine JB4New Jersey Wonderboys @ San Antonio Texans PDC3Potomac Senators @ Detroit 70s TP2

    photo by Greg Wagner

  • 6

    NOTEBOOK

    photo by Greg WagnerRoy Hobbs concessionaire Frank Massaro works

    with patrons at Terry Park

    Results correctionsPlease check the posted results and

    standings each day.Managers should contact Rob at

    the Tournament Headquarters ([email protected]) 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.

    vvv

    Highlights and StatisticsWe do all of our highlight submissions

    online now. The link to submit game highlights to e printed in the Inside pitches and on our website can be found on the Schedules page of the World Series website. The managers should have also received a link via email on the first day.

    As for the end of tournament stats, every manager will be sent an Excel file and a PDF of the stats that we will be collecting after the whole tournament is done. It is not required. Teams may submit as much or as little as they want. Around the first part of January I will begin to combine all the stats I have and begin to sort out

    the Top Performances of the tournament. If you want to be in the running for a top performer spot, make sure your manager keeps good stats.

    vvv

    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 Saturday.

    Hours to pick up the Tournament T-shirt are from Noon to 6 p.m. With the shirt, each player will also get a tournament patch.

    Players will need their RHWS ID card to get their shirts in person, no exceptions. No driver’s licenses needed.

    vvv

    50/50 raffle50/50 raffle tickets, to benefit the Roy Hobbs Foundation,

    are available each day at the Player Development Complex. Tickets are $1 a piece or 6 for $5. The drawing will be held in the patio area at the Player Development Complex around 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.

    Revenues from the 2018 RHWS 50/50 led to nearly $5,000 in contributions to MD Anderson Cancer Center, St. Jude Hospital in Memphis and to Southern Florida Challenger Athletes.

    vvv

    Admission, $1 a game Admission continues at the Roy Hobbs World Series.Admission is $1 per day or $5 for a tournament pass.

    Players will pay their $1 at check-in for their player ID card that guarantees them access to all games in which they are not playing. Spectators will pay $1 for entrance into each complex and are good for one day.

    The $5 tournament pass is available at RH Headquarters or from the Site Concierges at each security table; there is no family pass. The tournament pass is a plastic card that guarantees admission for that person for the duration of the RHWS. A loop comes with the tournament pass card for easy attachment to purses, belt loops, etc.

    vvv

    Please help with dugoutsRoy Hobbs Baseball and the grounds crews need your help

    in the dugouts.When your games are over and you are leaving the dugout,

    please police it for trash and cups, etc. Your assistance in cleaning up the dugouts each day will be greatly appreciated.

  • 7

    HIGHLIGHTSClassics 60+Atlanta Astros 13, Kent Mudhens 60s 12: (Mudhens) Hitting: Bill Reed- 3/4, 2 2b, 4 RBI; John Berger- 3/4, RBI; Pat Bussey-2/4; Bruno Settimio-2/4, 3b; Bob Lay- 2/3; Scott Ruhe-1/4, 3 RBI; Denny Bloom-1/3, 2 RBI

    Bronx Cardinals 7, Carolina Rockies 5: (Cardinals) Hitting: John Street: 2 for 4, 1 triple, 3 RBI’s. JJ Johnson: 2 for 4, 1 Run scored. Mike BaileyL 2 for 4. Rick Peszlo: 2 for 4, 1 Rbi. John Johnson: 2 for 4, 1 RBI.Mark Ethridge: 1 for 1.

    DuPage Lugnuts 5, Huntsville Stars 1: (Stars) Pitching: Marty Sargent - 7.1IP, 5H, 5 ER, 2Ks, 3BB, 2HBP: Hitting: Hosea Williams 1/3, G Jacobs1/2, T Kitko 1/3,K Whisenant 1/3, C.Dahl 1/2, Run

    Kennebec Cubs 14, Blue Ridge Rangers 13: (Cubs) Top hitters: SCOTT KEMPF JOHN JONES JOHN OECORA: Game notes: come from behind win---cubs had 5 straight hits to lead off the top of the ninth with a five run deficit. Ended up tying game when janice halls scored on a clutch hit by eddie mayer to force a shoot-out

    Oakville Golden A’s 5, St. Louis Patriots 4: (A’s) Pitching:

    STEVE HARRISON 7 INNINGS 2 RUNS /0 EARNED 4 WALKS 3 K’S: Hitting: BRENT BAILEY 2 HITS / WALK / 2 RBIS - DAVE SORICHETTI 2 HTIS

    Philadelphia Cutters 4, Youngstown A2Z 2: (A2Z) Pitching: Jack Hay. 5 IP, 8 Hs, 1 R, 1ER, 1 BB. Dave Smercansky. 4 IP. 5 H. 3 Rs, 0ER: Hitting: Rick Filush 2/4, 1 2B 1SB. Larry Kelly 2/3, 1 2B

    Timeless 70+Midwest Nine 6, Kent Mudhens 70s 5: (Mudhens) Pitching: Dave Vowles - 6 IP, 1 run: Hitting: Jim Wilson-2/3, BB, run; John Damsma-1/2, BB, RBI; Phil Ketterling-1/2, Run; Alex Dimuro-1/3.

    Sacramento Solons 12, N.E. Red Sox 1: (Solons) Pitching: Irv Scott five innings, no earned runs allowed: Hitting: Mike Spratt 2x3-R-rbi, Lanny Ropke 2x3-2RBI, Bob Levine 2x2-4R, Al Lugar 1x1-3B, Irv Scott 2x2-1R-RBIKen Adams 2x4-R-RBI

    Terre Haute Volkers, Potomac Senators 1: (Volkers) Pitching: Wayne Faas was the winning pitcher, and Bobby Bartlett saved the game. Hitting: Jim Kitzler 2b, 1b.

  • 8

    photos by Greg WagnerThe Manager Reception and Mike Murphey Book Launch party at PDC gave a rousing sendoff to “Conman,” a novelistic approach to the baseball life of former

    major-leaguer Keith Comstock, who appeared at the gathering via Skype from Phoenix. Murphey read excerpts from the book, and Comstock commented throughout the presentation, much to the enjoyment of the full house. And the evening ended with a book-signing and lots of baseball socialization. Kudos to Murphey and

    Comstock and thanks to all who participated.