East Sectional Champions Face Spindle City of Fall River in Opening Game of Double-Elimination Tournament Following a Dominant 24-1 Zone Season
If consistency over a long period of time is a mark of greatness, the Norwood American Legion baseball team has more than reached the top of the mountain known as success. Starting tonight, the team representing Post 70 will once again seek the state title as it participates in the state tournament at Sargent Field in New Bedford. Norwood, capturing the East sectional championship, will shoot to defend the state crown it secured the previous year. The defense of the title starts at approximately 8:15 p.m., when the Norwood squad faces the Spindle City team from Fall River, winner of the South area title.
So far this season, Norwood—making its 15th trip to the playoffs—has encountered very little trouble dispatching opponents, finishing zone play with a stellar 24-1 record. Their first-round series against Peabody ended swiftly with a two-game sweep, setting up a sectional final matchup against a strong Lawrence squad where Norwood erupted for 19 runs and 28 hits across two lopsided victories. “I think that we’re ready for anything,” said Norwood manager Pete Wall. “We only lost three players from last year’s title team, so the kids are experienced. We haven’t scouted them [Spindle City] at all, so we don’t know what to expect. Even if you scout a team for 10 games, you’re not necessarily going to learn anything about them.”
Norwood’s offense has proven lethal, led by Mike Wall, who batted .500 with seven hits in nine at-bats during the Lawrence series, alongside Mike Generazo, who rapped out five hits and three RBIs, and catcher Derrick Ghostlaw, who drove in six runs in the sectional final. Pitching has been equally formidable, anchored by Bob Baxter (12-1), who fanned 13 Lawrence batters in a brilliant three-hitter, and Scott Generazo (8-0), who scattered eight hits to win the sectional title game. Manager Wall announced plans to start Baxter tonight, followed by Generazo tomorrow. Spindle City enters the double-elimination tournament with a 32-3 record after sweeping Braintree in the semifinals and rallying past Barnstable. Fall River manager Tom Arruda selected John Cipollini to start on the mound against Norwood, leading a pitching staff that has won 32 games utilizing finesse.
Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger
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Lou Gehrig League Debuts in Norwood-July 11, 1973
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Norwood Defeats Wellesley 4-1-July 10, 1973
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Joe Porcello Joins Norwood’s Lineage of All-Around Baseball Superstars-April 5, 1971
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Bill Travers Drafted by Milwaukee Brewers-June 5, 1970
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Norwood’s Loss Means Title Tie‑This Day In Norwood History‑May 28, 1969
The Norwood Mustangs entered their final Bay State League game of the 1969 season with a simple assignment: defeat a Dedham team sitting below .500 and claim the league championship outright. But baseball has a way of humbling even the strongest clubs, and after 11 tense innings, Norwood found itself on the wrong end of…
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Mustangs’ Coach lopes It Happens-May 22, 1969
On May 22, 1969, Norwood baseball fans were buzzing with anticipation. The Norwood High School Mustangs, already leading the Bay State League, were preparing for a marquee matchup against Walpole. But the real story was the lanky junior left‑hander who had become the talk of the town: Bill Travers. Travers, who had already compiled a…
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Pirates Rookie Richie Hebner On a Hot Streak-May 13, 1969
This Day In Norwood History-May 13, 1969-Pirates Rookie Richie Hebner On a Hot Streak
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Giampa, Hebner Boost Norwood-May 25, 1966
On May 23, 1966, the Norwood High School Mustangs traveled to Natick and delivered a gritty, late‑inning surge to secure a 4–2 Bay State League victory, powered by the steady arm of Joe Giampa and the explosive bat of Richie Hebner. Natick struck first, plating a run in the bottom of the opening inning. But…
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Norwood All-Star Baseball-August 5, 1965
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