By MIKE MASTOVICH
The Tribune-Democrat
August 08, 2008 09:48 pm
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The week-long All American Amateur Baseball Association Tournament traditionally brings 16 teams from along the East Coast and as far away as Ohio, Michigan and New Orleans to Johnstown, where top-notch baseball is played at Point Stadium, Roxbury Park and various fields in the surrounding communities.
But baseball is only part of the August tradition.
The AAABA Tournament has been held in Johnstown during all but two years since 1945. One year (1946) the tourney was relocated to Washington, and the other (1977) was played in Altoona after the third Johnstown Flood devastated downtown and Point Stadium.
Over the years, many AAABA Tournament “graduates” went on to star in the major leagues. Among those are Hall of Famers Al Kaline of the Maryland State franchise and Reggie Jackson of the Baltimore franchise. Brothers Frank and Joe Torre each played for Brooklyn in the tournament. Zany American League Rookie of the Year pitcher Mark “The Bird” Fidrych of Milford, NL Rookie of the Year Chris Sabo of Detroit, and Cy Young Award winners Orel Hershiser and Bob Welch of Detroit and John Smoltz of Lansing all were in the AAABA Tournament.
Big-league stars
This season, several former AAABA standout pitchers have had an impact in the major leagues. The Los Angeles Angels’ Joe Saunders led the majors with 14 wins through Aug. 4. Saunders played for Washington’s Arlington Senators in the 2000 AAABA Tournament.
The Chicago White Sox’s Gavin Floyd was 11-6 through late July and had flirted with a no-hitter for 8 1/3 innings in a win over Minnesota in May. Floyd pitched for Baltimore in the 2000 tournament.
Angels rookie Nick Adenhart had a 1-0 record in three appearances before being reassigned to the minors. Adenhart played for Baltimore in the AAABA Tournament. Chicago Cubs hurler Kevin Hart was 2-1 in 14 games before being reassigned. Hart was a AAABA Tournament MVP who pitched Baltimore’s title-clinching win over Johnstown’s Delweld in 2003.
Johnstown’s own Pete Vuckovich won the Cy Young Award in 1982 when he helped the Milwaukee Brewers advance to the World Series. Vuke appeared in four AAABA Tournaments.
The big right-hander joined other local players who made it to the big leagues such as Gene Pentz, Mike Holtz, Keith Williams, Joe Vitko, Frank Kostro, Ernie Oravetz, Shawn Hillegas and Tommy Yewcic.
When it comes to team honors, the Baltimore franchise has ruled the AAABA Tournament. Youse’s Maryland Orioles of Baltimore have captured five consecutive championships and Baltimore holds a AAABA-record of 25 titles as well as six runner-up finishes. Baltimore brings a 241-85 all-time tournament record and .739 winning percentage into this year’s event.
New Orleans is second with 12 championships, and Washington is third with 10.
The host Johnstown entry has an all-time 109-126 record with four national runner-up finishes (1956, 1995, 2001 and 2003).
Oldtimers and tradition
The allure of the AAABA Tournament extends beyond the statistics and future stars who got their starts here.
The tournament has survived and thrived through often difficult economic times because of fan support and dedicated sponsors in a sports-oriented region. The efforts of the Johnstown Oldtimers organization, which sponsors and hosts the event, have been the driving force in sustaining such a marquee event for more than six decades.
The Oldtimers work year-round to secure money to house, feed and transport players and coaches.
The group also holds two classy banquets each year, one to honor the AAABA Hall of Fame inductees and the other to welcome players and ambassadors.
The Hall of Fame banquet celebrates its 15th induction ceremony this year. The Hall of Fame Class of 2008 includes former Johnstown manager/General Manager Dee Dee Osborne, former New Orleans MVP Wayne Pietri and former Philadelphia standout Ruben Amaro Jr.
AAABA week has been credited with pumping an estimated $1.5 million into the region’s economy through a spin-off effect in which visitors spend money on hotels, food, gasoline, souvenirs and other forms of entertainment.
The tournament has evolved into a much-anticipated event with the brightest spotlight shining on the opening-night festivities. Over the years, the hoopla has included parades, fireworks, appearances by nationally known sports mascots, parachuting skydivers and even an emotional appearance by the “Miracle Nine” Quecreek Mine survivors in 2002.
People who never attend a sandlot game all summer purchase tickets in August and head to Point Stadium for the official tournament opener featuring the Johnstown representative.
Those casual observers sit next to diehard fans who have followed the local team since May. They go to the AAABA Tournament opener because it truly is an event, a rite of summer attended by between 3,000-6,000 people in the newly reconfigured stadium. In past years, crowds of 8,000 to 10,000 regularly filled the Point for opening night, and 1952 newspaper reports listed the standing-room-only attendance at 13,500 for Maryland State’s 8-5 opening night win over Johnstown’s Hahn Packing Company.
The seating capacity might be downsized in the more modern ballpark. But some things don’t change.
Fans still shuffle across the concrete walkways at the Point to be seen almost as much as they are there to see the action on the field. Some go because their parents took them to the games years ago. Some bring their own children. The cycle is a home run for Johnstown and the baseball-hungry region.
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