Preview: Finals Memories Finally to be Made Again at McLane
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
June 15, 2021
The wait to return to Michigan State University and McLane Baseball Stadium for MHSAA Semifinals and Finals finally will come to an end this weekend. And what a return it will be.
The 16-team field is headlined by two of the most star-studded in recent memory in Orchard Lake St. Mary’s and Portage Central. Six contenders will be playing to reach the final day of the season for the first time. And nine teams will be pursuing their first championships – with a guaranteed first-time title winner in Division 4.
Division 1 - Thursday
Midland Dow vs. Portage Central - 9 a.m.
Grand Blanc vs. Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice - 11:30 a.m.
Division 2 - Friday
New Boston Huron vs. Orchard Lake St. Mary's - 9 a.m.
Stevensville Lakeshore vs. Gladwin - 11:30 a.m.
Division 3 - Thursday
Traverse City St. Francis vs. Richmond - 2:30 p.m.
Buchanan vs. Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett - 5 p.m.
Division 4 - Friday
Kalamazoo Hackett Catholic Prep vs. Marlette - 2:30 p.m.
Maple City Glen Lake vs. Marine City Cardinal Mooney - 5 p.m.
FINALS - June 19
Division 1 - 9 a.m.
Division 2 - 2:30 p.m.
Division 3 - 11:30 a.m.
Division 4 - 5 p.m.
Tickets cost $9.40 and may be purchased online only at GoFan. One ticket is good for all baseball, softball and girls soccer games at MSU’s Old College Field that day. All Semifinals and Finals will be broadcast and available with subscription from MHSAA.tv, with free audio broadcasts on the MHSAA Network.
Below is a glance at all 16 teams taking the field:
Division 1
BLOOMFIELD HILLS BROTHER RICE
Record/rank: 29-10, unranked
Coach: Bob Riker, 23rd season (633-226-4)
League finish: Second in Detroit Catholic League Central
Championship history: Three MHSAA titles (most recent 2008), three runner-up finishes.
Players to watch: Will Shannon, sr. C (.372, 14 2B, 43 RBI); Alfredo Velazquez, soph. OF (.360, 11 2B, 29 RBI, 29 R); Brayden Dowd, soph. OF (.286, 5 HR, 23 RBI, 31 R); John Locker, sr. P (2.14 ERA, 77 K/39 1/3 IP).
Outlook: This will be the team’s third-straight trip to the Semifinals. The Warriors defeated No. 5 Livonia Stevenson and No. 13 Brownstown Woodhaven during their Regional run, after finishing runner-up in their league to St. Mary’s and ahead of four more teams that won at least District titles (and U-D Jesuit reached the Quarterfinals before losing to the Warriors). Rice did so with Shannon the only senior (non-pitcher) in the starting lineup, although Locker is expected to start on the mound Thursday and senior Blaise Wilcenski (1.57 ERA, 58 K/35 2/3 IP) is another key arm.
GRAND BLANC
Record/rank: 31-11, unranked
Coach: Kevin Hubbs, fifth season (98-93)
League finish: Second in Saginaw Valley League
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Players to watch: Jonah Meleski, sr. OF (.435, 44 R, 34 RBI, 36 SB); David Lally, jr. P/IF (.414, 38 R, 6 HR, 47 RBI, 10-3 pitching, 0.95 ERA 78 K/57 2/3 IP); Nate Helms, jr. P/IF (.337, 6 HR, 32 RBI, 5-2 pitching, 2.20 ERA); Hunter Ames, jr. C/IF (.371, 32 R, 22 RBI).
Outlook: Grand Blanc followed up its first Regional championship by earning its first trip the Semifinals, holding its five postseason opponents to a combined three runs including a shutout of No. 15 Utica Ford. The Bobcats finished second in their league only to No. 17 Midland. The team as a whole is hitting .309 and can create havoc on the bases having stolen 136 this season while getting caught only 16 times. Senior Tim Welsh is another big bat hitting .358 over 21 games and slated to start the Semifinal at first base. Lally has committed to sign with Notre Dame.
MIDLAND DOW
Record/rank: 27-14, unranked
Coach: Rich Juday, fifth season (97-53)
League finish: Tied for fifth in Saginaw Valley League
Championship history: Class A runner-up 1983 and 1987.
Players to watch: Trent Johnson, sr. P/UTY (.344, 13 2B, 24 RBI, 9-2 pitching, 2.01 ERA 66 K/73 IP); Logan McCoy, sr. P/IF (.495, 39 R, 14 2B, 46 RBI, 4 saves pitching); Jack Bakus, soph. P/IF (.405, 31 R, 13 2B, 7 HR, 37 RBI); Daniel Kowalczyk, jr. OF (.376, 25 RBI).
Outlook: Dow also has emerged from the competitive SVL and advanced to this weekend with a one-run Quarterfinal win over No. 9 Hudsonville. The Chargers have steadily upped their wins under Juday and with one more will have their most under the former Dow and Michigan State standout – who also has coached at MSU, Northwood and in the Oakland A’s minor league system. Total, eight regulars are hitting .338 or better, with senior Riley Nelson (.368, 10 SB) and junior Bill VanSumeren (.360, 11 2B) among those also standing out in multiple offensive categories.
PORTAGE CENTRAL
Record/rank: 34-4, No. 2
Coach: Cory DeGroote, third season (55-14)
League finish: First in Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference
Championship history: Division 1 champion 2002, Class A runner-up 1997.
Players to watch: Luke Leto, sr. IF/P (.495, 71 R, 13 2B, 10 HR, 34 RBI, 31 SB); Nick Ford, sr. IF (.411, 37 RBI, 4 saves pitching); Zach MacDonald, sr. OF (.521, 63 R, 16 2B, 15 HR, 60 RBI, 18 SB); Gavin Brasosky, sr. P/IF (.358 10 HR, 41 RBI, 9-0 pitching, 0.82 ERA, 117 K/59 2/3 IP).
Outlook: Portage Central is making its first trip to the Semifinals since 2011 led by a star-loaded lineup. Leto is slated to play next at Louisiana State, Brasosky at Tennessee and MacDonald at Miami (Ohio), and the team as a whole is hitting .353 with those three and Ford packing the first four spots in the lineup. The Mustangs have defeated top-ranked Grand Ledge and No. 14 Battle Creek Lakeview during a tournament run that has seen them outscore five opponents by a combined 51-14. Seniors Ryan Dotson (7-2, 1.95 ERA) and Cody Stewart (7-0) also are among a number of reliable arms.
Division 2
GLADWIN
Record/rank: 25-9-1, unranked
Coach: Troy Gary, ninth season (148-98-5)
League finish: Fourth in Jack Pine Conference
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Players to watch: Lucas Mead, soph. OF (.457, 46 R, 31 SB); Ian Graves, sr. P (9-1, 1.84 ERA, 60 K/65 1/3 IP); Ethan Shea, sr. 1B (.333, 33 RBI, 4-3 pitching); Lincoln McKinnon, soph. 3B (.381, 11 2B, 26 RBI).
Outlook: Gladwin won its first Regional title since 2014 and second all-time, and this will be the program’s first trip to the Semifinals. The Flying G’s have won three of their five tournament games by one run, including a 4-3 Regional Semifinal victory over No. 8 Bay City John Glenn. The team has only four seniors but seven sophomores including four who start. Sophomore shortstop Connor Dee (.319, 28 RBI) and junior catcher Aaron Kozlow (.353, 14 SB) provide more offensive punch, and senior second baseman/pitcher Hunter Williams has stolen 27 bases without being caught and also has a 1.48 ERA.
NEW BOSTON HURON
Record/rank: 26-7, No. 4
Coach: Philip Yancey, sixth season (94-54)
League finish: First in Huron League
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Players to watch: Rickey Emelian, sr. CF/P (.340, 29 RBI, 13 SB, 3-0 pitching, 0.74 ERA, 3 saves); Mathew Williams, jr. RF (.381, 43 R, 32 SB); Chase Molnar, sr. P/SS (.375, 10 SB, 8-0 pitching, 1.67 ERA, 56 K/51 IP, 3 saves); Ethan Webb, sr. C/1B (.365, 5 HR, 39 RBI).
Outlook: This will be the program’s first appearance at the Semifinals, and Huron has been building toward a run like this over Yancey’s tenure reaching 20 wins in 2018 and winning a District title in 2019. The Chiefs downed No. 6 Trenton 7-5 in the Quarterfinal after splitting a pair with the Trojans in early April, and four of their seven losses came over two doubleheaders to ranked Division 1 teams. Eight hitters are batting .338 or better on the season, and senior Thomas McSwain (5-0, 1.46 ERA) and junior Cole Grunwald (4-0) also are undefeated on the mound.
ORCHARD LAKE ST. MARY’S
Record/rank: 41-1, No. 1
Coach: Matt Petry, 11th season (252-142-2)
League finish: First in Detroit Catholic League Central
Championship history: Four MHSAA titles (most recent 2019), three runner-up finishes.
Players to watch: Alex Mooney, sr. SS (.462, 67 R, 9 HR, 54 RBI); Brock Porter, jr. P (11-0, 0.50 ERA, 115 K/55 2/3 IP); Jake Dresselhouse, jr. OF (.413, 70 R, 14 HR, 60 RBI); Ike Irish, jr. C (.432, 48 R, 12 2B, 12 HR, 53 RBI).
Outlook: St. Mary’s has been recognized all season as one of the top high school teams in the nation, with its only defeat this spring 2-1 to Division 1 No. 16 Saline. The roster is loaded with future college players who have signed or committed to do so, including Alex Mooney (Duke), Porter (Clemson), Irish (Auburn), juniors Jack Crighton and Nolan Schubart and sophomore Jasen Oliver (Michigan), junior Jake Dresselhouse (Michigan State) and sophomore Ryan Mooney (Notre Dame). Senior Tommy Allman (Jacksonville) is another top thrower at 10-0 with a 1.27 ERA, while Schubart (.416, 9 HR, 53 RBI) and Crighton (.440, 37 R, 37 RBI) are among other big bats. Alex Mooney made the all-state first team in 2019, and Schubart made the second team.
STEVENSVILLE LAKESHORE
Record/rank: 27-11, No. 16
Coach: Mark Nate, 16th season (384-177-1)
League finish: Fifth in Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference
Championship history: Division 2 champions 2017 and 2018, Class B champion 1990.
Players to watch: Ryan Kolessar, jr. OF (.383, 19 SB); Zach Warren, soph. IF/P (.345, 30 R, 22 SB, 8-1 pitching, 2.63 ERA); Trevor Griffiths, soph. OF (.385, 32 R, 28 SB); Grant Ruddell, sr. UTY (.359, 27 RBI, 17 SB).
Outlook: Lakeshore has won 18 of its last 20 games while adding a fourth-straight Regional title and earning a third Semifinals berth over those four seasons with postseason victories over No. 7 Edwardsburg and No. 9 Grand Rapids Christian. Ruddell and left fielder/pitcher Riley Adams (.349, 27 RBI, 19 SB, 3.26 ERA) are the team’s only seniors, and junior Vaughn Hurdle (5-1, 1.94) and freshman Noah Chase (8-2, 2.92 ERA) join Warren as part of a pitching staff that has gained valuable experience while shining this spring against a loaded schedule. Lakeshore has defeated three ranked Division 1 teams.
Division 3
BUCHANAN
Record/rank: 34-2, No. 1
Coach: Jim Brawley, third season (57-11)
League finish: First in Berrien-Cass-St. Joseph Conference Red
Championship history: Class C champion 1985, three runner-up finishes.
Players to watch: Jack Branch, sr. P/IF/OF (.467, 40 R, 42 RBI, 11-0 pitching, 0.95 ERA, 74 K/66 1/3 IP); Matthew Hoover, jr. P/IF (.463, 44 R, 11 2B, 37 RBI, 14 SB, 9-1 pitching, 0.26 ERA, 110 K/55 IP); Drew Glavin, jr. P/IF/OF (.445, 47 R, 31 SB, 5-0 pitching, 0.75 ERA); Macoy West, jr. P/IF/OF (.390, 31 R, 13 2B, 50 RBI, 6-1 pitching, 0.36 ERA, 56 K/39 IP).
Outlook: Buchanan is headed to the Semifinals for the first time since finishing Division 3 runner-up in 2015, and after outscoring five playoff opponents by a combined 41-4. The Bucks have defeated No. 7 Pewamo-Westphalia, No. 11 North Muskegon and No. 15 Niles Brandywine during the tournament run, and their only losses this spring came by a run to Division 1 semifinalist Portage Central and during a split with Division 2 semifinalist Lakeshore. Four more regulars hit at least .311, and the team has only four seniors – including only two among its top six hitters and one among its top four pitchers.
GROSSE POINTE WOODS UNIVERSITY LIGGETT
Record/rank: 29-5, No. 2
Coach: Dan Cimini, 17th season (468-105)
League finish: First in Detroit Catholic League AA
Championship history: Five MHSAA titles (most recent 2016), three runner-up finishes.
Players to watch: Kurt Barr, jr. P/IF (.338, 11-1 pitching, 0.90 ERA, 110 K/69 1/3 IP); Matthew Greene, sr. CF (.400, 32 R, 10 2B, 32 RBI); Jack Jones, soph. P/OF (.365, 30 RBI, 10 SB, 8-1 pitching, 0.84 ERA, 57 K/57 IP); Jarren Purify, soph. SS (.411, 50 R, 11 2B, 34 SB).
Outlook: This will be Liggett’s eighth Semifinals appearance over the last 10 seasons, and the Knights were Division 3 runners-up in 2019. They played a loaded schedule and all five losses came to Division 1 or 2 teams including two to St. Mary’s, while the postseason has included wins over No. 3 Detroit Edison and No. 6 Blissfield. This is another team built to continue contending, with only two seniors in the starting lineup but also five sophomores and two freshmen. Sophomore Joey Randozzo (.388, 17 SB) tops four more regulars hitting at least .317, and junior Matthew Belcrest (5-0, 0.95 ERA, 54 K/36 2/3 IP) provides another solid option on the mound,
RICHMOND
Record/rank: 30-5, No. 5
Coach: Scott Evans, 10th season (237-72)
League finish: Third in Blue Water Area Conference
Championship history: Division 2 runner-up 2013 and 2014.
Players to watch: Bennett Hitzelberger, jr. P/1B (.322, 32 R, 29 RBI, 10-0 pitching, 1.28 ERA, 91 K/60 IP); Reese Rinna, sr. RF (.468, 13 2B, 34 RBI); Joe Parinello, jr. C/P (.449, 32 R, 35 RBI); Carson Gee, sr. 3B (.371, 47 R, 11 2B, 25 SB).
Outlook: Richmond is headed back to the Semifinals for the first time since its back-to-back runner-up finishes. The Blue Devils have outscored their four postseason opponents by a combined 44-8, with wins over the last two weeks over No. 8 New Lothrop and No. 10 Algonac – the latter an 8-3 victory avenging two league losses. Richmond also split in league play with Division 2 No. 20 Croswell-Lexington. Sophomore Jackson Jones (.382, 11 2B, 27 RBI), junior Denny Salagan (.366, 20 SB) and senior Mitch Dobbelaer (.346) bolster the lineup, and junior Hudson Davenport (7-3, 1.40 ERA) is another top thrower and committed to Eastern Michigan.
TRAVERSE CITY ST. FRANCIS
Record/rank: 27-9, No. 14
Coach: Tom Passinault, seventh season (196-49)
League finish: First in Lake Michigan Conference
Championship history: Class D champion 1990, Division 3 runner-up 2017.
Players to watch: Charlie Peterson, jr. P/IB (.478, 45 R 16 2B, 6 HR, 56 RBI, 9-2 pitching, 1.94 ERA, 85 K/61 1/3 IP); Cody Richards, jr. IF/P (.429, 10 2B, 29 RBI); Aidan Schmuckal, sr. C (.477, 55 R, 28 RBI); Josh Groves, jr. OF (.371, 33 R).
Outlook: St. Francis has won 13 of its last 14 games, with just a split against No. 13 Boyne City during that time. Although this is an entirely different crew of players bringing the Gladiators back to the Semifinals, there is some relatable experience on the biggest stage – Peterson, Schmuckal and Groves all scored during the Division 7 football championship game in January. Seniors Jack Hitchens (5-2, 2.75 ERA), Corbin Domres (.315) and Jimmy Muzljakovich (30 R) also are among key contributors.
Division 4
KALAMAZOO HACKETT CATHOLIC PREP
Record/rank: 29-9, No. 5
Coach: Smiley Verduzco, first season (29-9)
League finish: Second in Southwestern Athletic Conference Lakeshore
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Players to watch: Brenden Collins, jr. CF/P (.554, 35 R, 17 2B, 56 RBI, 28 SB, 4-2 pitching); Stephen Kwapis, sr. 3B (.490, 61 R, 15 2B, 11 HR, 59 RBI, 29 SB); Nick Verduzco, soph. SS (.423, 53 R, 13 2B, 36 RBI, 15 SB); Steven Widger, sr. C (.472, 45 R, 10 2B, 34 RBI, 37 SB).
Outlook: Hackett is making its first trip to the Semifinals on the strength of a lineup hitting a combined .385 and averaging 9.2 runs per game. The postseason run has included wins by scores of 9-8 (over No. 18 Kalamazoo Christian) and 8-7 as the Irish have scored 51 runs total over five playoff games. Senior Sam Shea (9-2, 2.22 ERA, 72 K/63 IP) is slated to take the mound in the Semifinal, and he’s also one of eight in the lineup hitting .300 or better. Sophomore Patrick Ogrin (.424) is among five over .400, and junior Isaac Backman (.356, 20 SB) and freshman Eli Backman (.337, 10 SB) are among seven hitters who have stolen at least 10 bases. Kwapis has signed with Notre Dame.
MAPLE CITY GLEN LAKE
Record/rank: 27-7, No. 8
Coach: Kris Herman, 17th season (392-217-6)
League finish: Second in Northwest Conference
Championship history: Class D runner-up 1984.
Players to watch: Mateo Gokey, jr. SS/P (.363, 29 R, 27 RBI, 10 SB, 4-0 pitching); Jon Popp, sr. 3B/P (.350, 26 R, 28 RBI, 11 SB, 5-1 pitching, 3.37 ERA, 75 K/43 2/3 IP); Ryan Flores, sr. 1B/P (.354, 32 R, 9-3 pitching, 3.16 ERA, 95/62 IP); Sean Galla, soph. OF/C (.382, 22 RBI).
Outlook: Glen Lake is returning to the Semifinals for the first time since 2014 and charging into the weekend having scored at least 10 runs in six of its last nine games. The team is hitting a combined .319 with seven regulars at .313 or better – seniors Drew Barber (.382) and Jackson Ciolek (.322, 30 RBI) and junior Connor Ciolek (.313, 33 R, 21 SB) also are among contributors on that list. The 15-6 Quarterfinal win over No. 17 Gaylord St. Mary avenged a regular-season defeat.
MARINE CITY CARDINAL MOONEY
Record/rank: 27-6, No. 2
Coach: Mike Rice, fourth season (83-44)
League finish: First in Detroit Catholic League Intersectional
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Players to watch: Rocco Comito, sr. IF (.459, 34 RBI, 12 SB); Thomas Gill, sr. P (9-0, 0.60 ERA, 67 K/58 2/3 IP); Trent Rice, soph. P/OF (.495, 40 R, 12 2B, 44 SB, 2-0 pitching, 0.75 ERA); Blake Lutzky, soph. P/IF (.405, 13 SB, 6-1 pitching, 0.97 ERA, 70 K/50 2/3 IP).
Outlook: Cardinal Mooney has gone from struggling to fill the roster when Mike Rice first took over the program to winning its third Regional title all-time and making the Semifinals for the first time. Cardinal Mooney has outscored is five playoff opponents by a combined 59-6. Comito made the Division 4 all-state first team in 2019, and he, Gill and leadoff hitter Anthony DiGiuseppe (.369, 10 SB) are the lone seniors. Six regulars are hitting .325 or better, also including sophomore Ryan Trombley (.325), and junior Nathan Super is a super sub at .362 and 3-0 with a 2.83 ERA on the mound.
MARLETTE
Record/rank: 22-9, No. 11
Coach: Dave Hayden, sixth season (71-75-2)
League finish: First in Greater Thumb Conference East
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Players to watch: Gavin Gage, sr. IF/P (.409, 29 R, 24 RBI, 2.14 ERA pitching); Travis Fuller, jr. C/P (.387, 38 R, 17 SB); Cody Hayden, sr. IF/P (.495, 33 RBI, 14 SB, 10-2 pitching, 1.21 ERA, 74 K/57 2/3 IP); Ethan Marshall, jr. IF/P (.309, 7-1 pitching, 1.13 ERA, 95 K/56 IP).
Outlook: Marlette is one of the great turnaround stories in the state over the last five seasons, with the next chapter its first Semifinal appearance. Led by also-soccer coach Dave Hayden, the Red Raiders have put together a combined 45-20-1 record with two league and two District titles over this spring and 2019 after going a combined 27-57-1 over the previous three seasons. Marlette downed No. 13 Muskegon Catholic Central for the Regional title and then defeated Saginaw Michigan Lutheran Seminary in a second one-run win Saturday. Senior Logan Clark (.371, 21 SB) is another catalyst for a team hitting a combined .316, and junior Grant Roberson (1.40 ERA) provides another reliable arm.
PHOTO: Midland Dow’s Jack Bakus begins to step into a pitch against Bullock Creek during a game at Loons Stadium this spring. (Click for more from High School Sports Scene.)
Over MLB Draft's History, Michigan High Schools Graduate 25 1st-Round Picks
By
Ron Pesch
MHSAA historian
May 6, 2022
Long before today’s travel ball captivated the scene, recreation sandlot baseball programs – often sponsored by local businesses and guided by volunteer coaches – sparked the dreams of countless kids, instilling a love of the game and a hope they might, one day, grace a bubble-gum card.
Hundreds of thousands of prep ballgames have been played since Major League Baseball instituted the amateur draft in 1965. Since that time, 25 Michigan high school ballplayers have been chosen in the first round of the league’s annual draft. Without a doubt, Derek Jeter, who played for Kalamazoo Central and spent 20 seasons with the New York Yankees, stands as the most accomplished. Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice’s Nick Plummer is the most recent to join the list. Selected by St. Louis in 2015, the outfielder spent seven seasons in the minors before making his debut this spring with the New York Mets. He is the 13th on the list to see time in the Majors.
The Draft
“Prior to the implementation of the First-Year Player Draft, amateurs were free to sign with any Major League team that offered them a contract,” notes the Baseball Almanac detailing the process’s history. “As a result, wealthier teams such as the New York Yankees and St. Louis Cardinals were able to stockpile young talent, while poorer clubs were left to sign less desirable prospects.
“Originally, three separate drafts were held each year. The June draft, which was by far the largest, involved new high school graduates, as well as college seniors who had just finished their seasons. … A second draft was held in January for high school and college players who graduated in the winter.”
The January draft lasted until 1986. For just the initial two seasons, a draft for players participating in amateur summer leagues also took place.
Navigating the Basepaths
Baseball was a favorite pastime in cities and small towns all across the state years before the turn of the 20th century.
Depending on the time and place where they grew up, the way kids were introduced to playing the game differed.
The Detroit Amateur Baseball Federation (DABF), started in 1915 and active into the 1970s, was a well-organized sandlot program. Split across age groups and classifications, games were played on diamonds spread around the city. Detroit Tigers legend Willie Horton was just one of the sandlot legends to emerge from the DABF, with stories of his performances carving space in Detroit newspapers.
For many others, baseball sponsored by local American Legion posts served as their introduction to organized ball. First proposed at a Legion convention in 1925 in South Dakota, and introduced a year later, Legion baseball had expanded across the nation by 1929.
Little League baseball, famously first organized in 1939 in Williamsport, Pa., targeted boys under 12. By 1950, it had spread to 37 states.
The Babe Ruth League – originally organized as the “Little Bigger League” in 1951 in Hamilton Township, near Trenton, N.J., was for boys ages 13-15.
NABF (Started 1914)
The DABF was a member of the National Baseball Federation, established in Louisville, Ky., in 1914. Later renamed the National Amateur Baseball Federation, the organization required membership by league instead of team, governed sandlot baseball in a dozen cities across the United States, and sponsored tournaments designed to name national champions. In 1922, the NABF barred member teams from paying players to play.
From 1914 through 1943, a single NABF national champion was named, and winning the tournament was a source of great civic pride during the heydays of the game. In 1944, the tournament was split into two, with a “Major Division” designated for players of any age, and a “Senior Division” for players 18 and younger. In 1962, a Junior Division was added for those 16 and younger.
From 1960 through 1973, the Detroit Metro area won nine of 14 Senior championships, while Michigan teams won nine of the 11 Junior titles between the inception of the division through the 1972 tournament. The NABF is still in operation today, and since 2014 Battle Creek has hosted the Major Division World Series at the city’s John W. Bailey Park.
AABC (Started 1935)
The American Amateur Baseball Congress began organizing amateur baseball when it was founded in Chicago in March 1935 with approximately 450 teams from 10 states, including Michigan. In March 1937, under the guidance of Cooper Othniel ‘C. O.’ Brown (the AABC’s first and only president until his passing in 1966) the AABC found a long-term home for its annual National Championship Tournament in Battle Creek.
The all-ages tournament quickly became a regular stop for big-league scouts looking to sign talent. In 1951, hosting the finals for an organization with well over 2,000 teams in 33 states and Cuba, Battle Creek was known as the “Amateur Baseball Capital of the World.” That year, the organization split play into two divisions – a Major Division for those over 18 and a Minor Division for ballplayers 18 and younger. Niles served as home for the Minor Tournament in the initial years. Following the 1954 season, the Minor Division was renamed the “Connie Mack” league, in honor of the “Grand Old Man of Baseball” who had celebrated his 92nd birthday in December. In 1963, Stan Musial lent his name to the Major Division. The Cereal City continued to play host to the “Stan Musial World Series” until 2005.
Corralling Amateur Baseball
In 1954, at the urging of MLB commissioner Ford Frick, the National Committee for Amateur Baseball was formed to corral and coordinate the country’s wide assortment of amateur baseball programs. The organization was comprised of Vince Williams of the Babe Ruth League, C. O. Brown of the AABC, Lou Brissie of the Junior American Legion program, Colgate University’s Eppy Barnes, secretary of the National Association of College Baseball Coaches; Henry Van Arsdale Porter, president of the National Federation of State High School Athletic Associations; Vern Hernlund, head of the National Park Executives; Clarence Brewer, president of the National Recreation Association; and Pete Moser, president of the American Recreation Society.
The group quickly worked to standardize cutoff birthday dates for eligibility within the various national junior leagues, and rules for participation in state or national competitions.
These organized baseball programs gave kids summertime activities and groomed them on the intricacies of the national pastime. Showcasing their skills on high school ballfields, in summer-league games, and in national tournaments, multiple players caught the eyes of scouts representing Major League ballclubs.
Bernie Carbo of Livonia Franklin was the state’s first first-round draft pick, plucked from the list of candidates at No. 16 by Cincinnati in 1965. He spent 12 years in the big leagues, playing in 1,010 games and logging time with six teams.
Not All Picks Reach the Majors
Two Michigan players were selected in the opening round of the 1966 draft. Jim DeNeff, a star in American Legion ball and an all-around athlete at Holland High School, played shortstop at Indiana University. Standing 6-foot-1, the 190-pound DeNeff led the Hoosiers in a host of categories and earned second-team All-America honors in 1966 before he was selected by California with the eighth pick of the draft. He spent six years in the minors, including two in Triple-A ball, before retiring.
Richard ‘Rick’ Konik, a 6-foot-1 18-year-old, chosen six slots later, is perhaps, the most intriguing of Michigan’s first-round picks.
A pitcher and all-purpose player, Konik was playing for American Legion Thomas A. Edison Post No. 187 when he impressively became the first to earn the Michigan Legion’s Hazen ‘Ki-Ki’ Cuyler plaque in successive years – 1964 and 1965.
“Cuyler came out of Harrisville, 21 miles south of Alpena, to play 18 seasons in the National League. He was elected to Baseball’s Hall of Fame in 1968,” wrote Hal Schram of the Detroit Free Press, recalling the player and the origins of the award first presented in 1929.
“For the past 45 years, the walnut-based bronze plaque has been awarded each season to the American Legion player judged the most valuable to his team in the annual state championships.”
Future MLB players Mike Tresh (1930), Hal Newhouser (1937), and Milt Pappas (1956), all from Detroit, Neil Berry (1939) from Kalamazoo, Merv Rettenmund (1961) from Flint, and Dick Lange (1967) from Midland were all winners of the award.
The 1964 Edison Post team won the American Legion state tournament, then advanced to the semifinals of the Legion’s Junior World Series played in Little Rock, Ark., before being defeated by Charlotte, N.C., Post 9. The Edison boys repeated as Michigan’s Legion champs in 1965, and advanced to the Regional finals before elimination by Arlington Heights, Ill., in 11 innings. Konik was named MVP of that Regional tournament.
From his sophomore year, Konik’s star shone on the basketball court and baseball diamond at Detroit St. Andrew.
“(I)t’s a rare year when the Flyers aren’t led by a boy who could be even a bigger star at a larger high school,” said the Free Press in May of 1966. “Rick Konik is the top Flyer this year. An (All West, Second Division) All-Catholic basketball player, Konik is drawing even more attention as a pitcher. … He scored the winning run and pitched a no-hitter Thursday to give St. Andrew a 2-0 victory over Our Lady of Sorrows. It was his fifth straight shutout. Konik struck out 15 batters in the seven inning game.”
In June 1966, Konik was picked by the Detroit Tigers in the opening round of the Major League draft at No. 14.
“… Konik of St. Andrew High has been called the best local player wooed by the Tigers since they signed Bill Freehan off the University of Michigan campus,” noted the Free Press following the draft.
According to the Washington, D.C., Evening Star, “the Tigers went as high as $20,000” in their attempt to sign Konik following the draft in ‘66, but Konik rejected the offer.
In January 1967, Konik was a student at Schoolcraft College, when he was drafted for the second time, when the Kansas City Athletics selected the left-handed-hitting infielder in the first round of the Secondary draft. Once again, he couldn’t come to terms and went unsigned.
Konik was drafted yet again, this time by the Washington Senators in the fifth round of the Special Phase draft, in June 1967. Still, they could not come to terms.
In the summers of 1966 and 1967, Konik could be found playing amateur ball in the Free Press Baseball League with A&B Brokers, then was picked up by Detroit Harper Sports for the ‘67 National Baseball Congress (NBC) tournament. Playing first and hitting .500, he was one of 16 players selected to the NBC all-star squad named by the tournament committee in August.
He then enrolled at Eastern Michigan University, where he earned varsity baseball letters in 1968 and 1970. Under head coach Ron Oestrike, the Hurons posted a 41-11 record in 1970, emerging from the District 23 National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics playoffs to advance to the NAIA National Tournament in Phoenix, Ariz. In the championship game, EMU won five straight in double-elimination play, downing Northeast Louisiana State College, 1-0, to win the 14th Annual NAIA College World Series.
While the numbers may be greater thanks to today’s analytic-driven league, a 2012 report by Mike Rosenbaum for Bleacher Report stated, “Only 66 percent of first-round draft picks play in the major leagues.” According to the online database Baseball-Reference, Konik never played professionally.
Big Leaguers
The 1967 draft included a pair of three-sport stars picked in the first round. Detroit Northwestern’s big first baseman, John Mayberry, was taken at No. 6 by Houston, followed by Southfield catcher Ted Simmons by St. Louis at No. 10. An All-City basketball selection, the 6-foot-3, 214-pound Mayberry signed a tender in May to play at the University of Michigan, but few expected him to see the court in Ann Arbor.
“Every team in the major leagues came to see Mayberry,” said Fred Snowden, his coach at Northwestern, to the Free Press. Mayberry had posted a .487 average with three home runs and batted in 21 runs. As a pitcher, he gave up only one hit across 11 2/3 innings in relief. “Mayberry was simply too good a hitter to use as a pitcher, so I had him play first base to capitalize on his bat in every game,” added Snowden.
The Colts were still in the thick of the prep baseball season at the time of the draft. Northwestern ultimately downed Detroit Denby, 9-2, to win the City League championship in a game played at Tiger Stadium. It was their first city title since 1959. (In that ’59 league championship game, Willie Horton, then a sophomore, and teammate Matt Snorton, a junior, both smacked tape-measure home runs into the stands at the stadium, located at Michigan and Trumbull. Snorton would later play pro football for the Denver Broncos.)
A starter at first base, Mayberry was called in to relieve in the title game, allowing just a single hit in 5 1/3 innings, as well as ripping a single and a 415-foot triple “to the screen in deep right center.”
Simmons had played ball with Konik on the A&B Brokers team in the summer of 1966. A switch hitter, in 1967 he was hitting at a .490 clip across 18 games at Southfield. The Blue Jays had wrapped up their prep season with a 19-2 record when he was selected by St. Louis. Simmons spent 21 seasons in MLB – including 13 with the Cardinals – and was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y. – along with Jeter – in 2020.
Like his father Frank Richard, who had starred at Detroit St. Andrew in the early 1950s, Frank Daryl Tanana excelled in basketball and baseball. The 6-foot-2 left-handed pitcher had posted a 23-1 mark entering his senior year at Detroit Catholic Central. That past summer he pitched the Larco’s Inn team to the National Amateur Baseball Federation Senior Division championship, played in Cincinnati.
As a high school senior, he had upped his prep mark to 32-1, boasting a sparkling 0.30 ERA, with an average of two strikeouts per inning.
“Tanana started on the mound for Catholic Central,” in a 4-0 loss to Holy Redeemer in the Catholic League First Division baseball championship, played at Tiger Stadium at the beginning of June, “but shifted to first base with a sore arm after pitching hitless ball and striking out eight in four innings.”
The issue was enough for the Tigers – holding the No. 11 pick– to pass over the hometown southpaw in the 1971 MLB draft a week later.
Instead, Tanana was chosen by California. He debuted in the majors in 1973 and spent eight years with the Angels, posting a 102-78 record with a 3.08 ERA during the span. In 1974 – his first full season in the league – he was the team’s No. 2 starter behind Nolan Ryan. He spent 21 years in the majors – including eight in Detroit from 1985 to 1992 – before hanging up the cleats following the 1993 season.
Others from the list of Michigan first-rounders who reached MLB include Chris Knapp from St. Joseph (selected at No. 11) in 1975, Detroit Cody’s Bob Owchinko (5) in 1976, and Waterford Kettering’s Kirk Gibson (12) in 1978.
Rick Leach (13) from Flint Southwestern and Steve Howe (16) from Clarkston advanced to the Big Leagues out of the 1979 draft. Four Michigan players were selected in the opening round that year– the most ever in a single draft.
Steve Avery from Taylor Kennedy at No. 3 – the highest selection among the 25 – and Jim Abbott from Flint Central at No. 8 were both picked in 1988.
Jeter was the sixth pick in 1992, while Plummer was the 23rd player selected in 2015.
The 2022 MLB draft kicks off July 17. MLB.com currently projects Orchard Lake St. Mary's pitcher Brock Porter as the 13th-best prospect eligible for selection.
Ron Pesch has taken an active role in researching the history of MHSAA events since 1985 and began writing for MHSAA Finals programs in 1986, adding additional features and "flashbacks" in 1992. He inherited the title of MHSAA historian from the late Dick Kishpaugh following the 1993-94 school year, and resides in Muskegon. Contact him at [email protected] with ideas for historical articles.
PHOTOS (Top) Clockwise from left: Detroit Northwestern’s John Mayberry, Northwestern’s Willie Horton (a three-year player who, as noted in his senior high school yearbook, “During this entire time in all the league games, he never struck out at bat.”), Livonia Franklin’s Bernie Carbo, and the 1971 Detroit Catholic Central team with Frank Tanana standing second from right. (Middle) Bob Sobditch, left, and Rick Konik, American Legion Edison Post teammates. (Photos collected by Ron Pesch.)