Published: August 13, 2008 12:31 am      

AAABA Notebook: ABCO makes history with ninth triple play

Nine times three.

Philadelphia ABCO turned the ninth triple play in AAABA Tournament history during the third inning of a 4-1 win over Brooklyn Tuesday at Johnstown Middle School’s Fichtner Field.

The most recent triple play prior to Tuesday was made by New Orleans in 1999.

The first triple play turned in tournament history was by Schenectady in 1955. The rest of the triple plays included Clifton, N.J. (1961); Pittsburgh (1965); Birmingham, Ala. (1975); Columbus (1980); Lansing (1985); and Altoona (1994).

On Tuesday, Brooklyn had runners on first and second to open the third. Roberto Duran Jr. hit a one-hopper to Philadelphia third baseman Frank Mercurio, who tagged out Juan Arroyo heading for the base.

Mercurio then threw to second baseman Garrett Rugg, who forced out Victor Aracena before firing to first baseman Ryan Murphy. The throw beat Duran by about a half step.

As triple plays go, this one was a bit more conventional than the one New Orleans completed against New York on Aug. 12, 1999. The play ended a 6-2 New Orleans win at Roxbury Park.

New York had runners on first and second in the ninth.

Leadoff hitter John Doyle drove a pitch to the fence in center. William Gordon, a defensive replacement in the eighth inning, made a lunging catch for the out.

Both runners were moving on what appeared to be a sure extra-base hit. New Orleans’ Steve Rowell sprinted from his shortstop position to relay Gordon’s throw to second baseman Michael Fontenot for one out, and Fontenot completed the triple play by throwing to first baseman Preston Hays.

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The Wright stuff: Last year, Zanesville’s Jim Wright missed his first AAABA Tournament in nearly 20 years.

“I had a pacemaker defibrillator put in, then I had hip surgery last year,” Wright said Sunday night at the pairings banquet. “They found out about the heart problem just before tournament time last year. I was kind of advised not to come to Johnstown until they checked me out.

“I’m happy to be back in Johnstown this year. You really miss it.”

Wright started coaching in Zanesville’s AAABA League in 1974, and started attending the annual meetings and coming to Johnstown. He made his first tournament committee appearance in 1983.

“I filled in for Bob Wolfe when he was at the Pan-American Games,” Wright said. “I filled in several times for (Buffalo’s) George Bulger and (Milford’s) Charlie Fitzgerald when they became ill.”

The three tournament committee members – Wright, Bob Wolfe of Zanesville and Altoona’s John Austin – have been together for 12 years.

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Making headlines: Former Tribune-Democrat writer Jim Siehl was a member of the Kiwanis Club team that traveled to Washington, D.C., for the second AAABA tournament in 1946.

Throughout his lengthy career at the newspaper, Siehl worked both in the sports and news departments before retiring in 1991.

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Generation Next: New Orleans continues to pass along the AAABA tradition from generation to generation.

Catcher Chris Waguespack is the son of Paul Waguespack, who was a teammate of Joe Scheuermann, the New Orleans franchise representative and Hall of Fame former manager and player.

Pitcher-infielder Joseph Zimmerman is the son of Paul Zimmerman, a pitcher on the 1971 national championship team. The elder Zimmerman tossed a seven-hitter in a 10-2 win over Zanesville on the second day in ’71.

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Taking the long road: Youse’s Maryland Orioles of Baltimore lost to Washington D.C.’s McLean Raiders 5-4 at Lilly on Tuesday. The five-time defending AAABA Tournament champions will be in familiar territory.

While winning those five consecutive crowns (2003-2007), the Baltimore entry dropped a game in either the first or second round of the tournament in four of those five years.

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NFL roots: Buffalo center fielder Jesse Kelso is the son of former Buffalo Bills free safety Mark Kelso.

The elder Kelso played for the NFL’s Bills from 1986 to 1993 and had 30 career interceptions. Jesse Kelso is among Buffalo manager Raymond Casco’s top players.

“Jesse is just 17. We hope to have him another three years,” Casco said. “He’s a great defensive center fielder and he’s a pretty good hitter.”