The stars came out to shine in Sabaskong last Thursday night—the Rainy River District Fastball League’s all-stars, that is.
A solid effort by Team One led to a 12-10 victory, thwarting a potential comeback by Team Two.
The story wasn’t how the “visiting” Team Two made a 12-8 game close in the final inning, but the rash of home runs Team One hit in the bottom of the first to make the RRDFL’s annual all-star game seem more like a home run derby.
Vaughn Wilson, Bob Andy, and Kevin Gemmell went back-to-back-to-back with three-consecutive dingers—quite a feat considering the tall walls of the Sabaskong outfield.
“The home runs at [the] first were pretty awesome,” Team One manager George Oltsher said after the game.
While the sluggers all were quick to thank a wind blowing out early in the game, Oltsher, who also pitched, representing the Barwick Blue Knights, still was impressed.
“Wind or no wind, it was still pretty good. You still got to hit the ball,” he remarked.
The home runs came amid six-consecutive hits against Team Two pitcher Murray Armstrong to start the game.
When he finally got an out against fellow Rainy River player Jim Chorney, he turned around to his teammates—raising his arms in mock victory.
Trailing 4-1 after one, Team Two (made up of the runners-up in voting for Team One by players throughout the RRDFL) was quick to respond, notching six hits—three for extra bases—and a walk against pitcher Bob Andy (Sight & Sound).
Marcel Pagee, another member of the Wolves, then belted a home run, laughing at fellow Sight & Sound player Cole Kaemingh as he rounded second base, to give the visitors a 7-4 lead.
The production from the top of Team One’s batting order proved itself once again in the bottom half, however, when lead-off hitter and RRDFL home run leader Jessie Tom started things with a double.
Wilson followed with a triple, Andy with another home run, and then Gemmell also with another dinger—this one an impressive line drive over the fence—to put Team One back on top 8-7.
While Armstrong admitted the all-star game is always fun, his personal experience was “not very good.”
“Give up five dingers, not very good,” he laughed.
With Wilson having hit a homer and a triple in his first two at-bats, there was plenty of chatter—and pressure—for the shortstop to complete the cycle with the easier single and double.
He grounded into a fielder’s choice in the third, but ran hard in the fifth to earn a very close RBI single—debatably a gift on a close out—that produced Team One’s final run.
Wilson was left on deck—needing only a double—when Tom popped out to end the bottom of the sixth.
“That’s all I was thinking about,” Wilson admitted later. “If Jessie would’ve got on in the last inning, I would’ve gone for the double, for sure.
“Would’ve saved me the heckling from my defence.”
Wilson made a few scattered plays that fell short of the level he’s played for Barwick this season that earned him the nod as the top shortstop in the RRDFL, including a seeing-eye single by Will Derkson that got away in the top of the sixth that drew jeers even from the field announcer.
“You can write that I made three errors,” Wilson shrugged.
A handful of last-minute replacements had to be made, including the naming of Big Island Husky Roy Tom—father of Jessie—to Team One as catcher.
“My first one,” the elder Tom smiled after the game. “It was fun, fun playing with these guys. Good experience.”
Armstrong, despite a pitching performance that fell short of his personal best, still gave a thumbs up to Sabaskong’s hosting of the game.
“They put on a good show with the fish fry, and the crowd here was great,” he said of the meal offered and the dozens of locals who turned out to watch from behind the backstop.
Team One first baseman Charlie Kelly, the lone Sabaskong Cub on the winning team, said the win was “pretty good, especially with the crowd here.”
He hoped the turnout, including numerous Onegaming youth, was a sign of good things in years to come.
“They’re starting the pitching [training] now on the reserves with the kids,” he noted.
“Hopefully the league’s still around” when they’re old enough to play for teams like the Cubs, Kelly added.
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
