Published: August 04, 2009 11:51 pm      

Four to enter AAABA hall

JOHNSTOWN — The AAABA Hall of Fame will welcome four new members in the Class of 2009 that includes one of Johnstown’s top all-around athletes, a manager who led Baltimore to six consecutive titles, a beloved and successful manager of the Buffalo franchise, and a longtime Tribune-Democrat sports writer.

The banquet will be held at the Pasquerilla Conference Center on Saturday. Sharing the podium as featured speakers will be former Pittsburgh Pirates pitchers Grant Jackson, who was the winner in relief during Game 7 of the 1979 World Series, and reliever Kent Tekulve, who recorded the final out against the Baltimore Orioles.

The Class of 2009:

n Dean Albany, Baltimore: Albany played for Baltimore in the AAABA Tournament in 1980 and 1981, and his team won the championship both years. He was signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1982 but his brief pro career as a right-handed pitcher was halted by an arm injury.

Albany began coaching in 1985 and has been coaching amateur baseball for 24 years. He started the Maryland Orioles program in 1991 and in 2003 he renamed his summer team after legendary scout and longtime Baltimore AAABA general manager Walter Youse.

Youse’s Maryland Orioles won six consecutive AAABA Tournament titles under Albany from 2003 through 2008. Albany stepped down as a field manager but remains involved with the program that has captured a tournament record 26 championships. The major league Baltimore Orioles named Albany their northeast supervisor for the Mid-Atlantic Region in September.

Among Albany’s former AAABA Tournament players who advanced to the major leagues are Kevin Hart (2003 AAABA Tournament MVP) of the Pittsburgh Pirates; Gavin Floyd of the Chicago White Sox; and the late Nick Adenhart, formerly of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

n John P. James, Johnstown: James was a Johnstown Tribune-Democrat sports writer from 1966-91. During that time, he covered numerous tournament games and documented many highlights and milestones in the AAABA.

His uncle, Hugh McCloskey was the first president of the Johnstown Oldtimers Association that sponsors the tournament.

Among his most memorable AAABA Tournament moments were: Johnstown Monte Carlo pitcher Gene Pentz’s win over New Orleans at Price Field in 1970; the play of Detroit Adray’s Steve Garvey in 1967; Johnstown Kiwanis’ Barry Schellhammer’s relief performance in a 6-3 win over Detroit in 1967; Pete Vuckovich’s five-hitter in a Monte Carlo win over Baltimore in 1971; Johnstown Coca-Cola’s Randy Romagna’s 18-strikeout win over Altoona in 1981; Johnstown Ramada Inn’s Shawn Hillegas’ three-hit, 10-strikeout win over Cincinnati in 1983; Johnstown’s having two teams in the 1989 tournament during the Flood Centennial; and Johnstown’s Knickerbockers’ 13-hit, no-error effort in a tough loss to New Orleans in 1991.

James’ listed his most memorable interviews of future major leaguers as those with Joe Torre, Garvey and Bob Welch. His most memorable AAABA managers included Johnstown’s Dee Dee Osborne, New Orleans’ Rags Scheuermann, Johnstown’s Forrest Mazey and Johnstown’s Ken Keiper.

n Bob Linkner, Buffalo: From the 1950s through the 1970s Linkner fielded competitive Al Maroone Ford teams in the AAABA Tournament as a manager or general manager. In 1956, he managed his first team in the AAABA Tournament, the Amherst Elks, who won the Buffalo championship and advanced to Johnstown. Linkner and Al Maroone Ford teamed a few years later and his teams routinely won the Buffalo league.

His 1964 team advanced to the AAABA Tournament championship game, falling 3-1 to Detroit. Shortstop Jim Monin was named MVP of the tournament and is a member of the AAABA Hall of Fame.

Linkner also took teams to Johnstown in 1961, 1962, 1964, 1970 and 1973. He and his wife, Mil, went to Johnstown regularly, even if his team didn’t advance to the tournament. He died in April 1975. His family had “AAABA” engraved on his tombstone because of his love for the tournament and Johnstown. After his death, an award named in Linkner’s honor was presented to the Most Valuable Player in the Buffalo AAABA League, an honor that continues today.

n Thomas Yewcic, Johnstown: Yewcic is known as one of the most gifted athletes from the region in the 1950’s. He played for the Westmont AC team that went 1-2 in the 1951 AAABA Tournament, collecting one hit in 11 at-bats as a catcher. The East Conemaugh athlete was the starting quarterback on Michigan State’s national championship team in 1952 and was an All-American. He played for the Spartans from 1950-54.

Yewcic also was on the Spartans baseball team and he was MVP while playing in the College World Series as a senior catcher with Michigan State. Magnifying his performance was the fact he earned MVP even though Michigan State didn’t make the championship game.

Yewcic signed with the Detroit Tigers and eventually played in one major league game in June 1957.

He also played pro football, quarterbacking and punting for the Boston Patriots in the former American Football League. The team was the forerunner of the current New England Patriots. Yewcic and Tom Brady are the only Patriot players who have punted, thrown a TD pass, caught a pass and run for a TD.

The Conemaugh Valley High School football field is named in honor of Yewcic, who currently resides in Arlington, Mass.