Fresh off capturing Norwood’s first American Legion state championship since the summer of 1942 with a victory over Grafton Hill, Coach Pete Wall gave his squad a single day off before ramping up preparations for the Northeastern Regional Tournament at Muzzy Field in Bristol, Connecticut.
Opening play tomorrow at 1:05 p.m., a confident Norwood (31-5) is slated to face Rhode Island state champion Cumberland.
Unfazed by the program’s first trip to the regional stage, Wall maintained his straightforward philosophy: “We play our own game and don’t worry about anyone else. The kids will go up there swinging like they always do. They have a good attitude and they’re looking forward to winning a couple.” Hard-throwing right-hander Tim Cox (11-2)—fully recovered from the back stiffness that sidelined him the previous week—is slated to get the ball for the opener, with left-hander Bob Baxter likely taking the mound for Thursday’s matchup. While acknowledging that tournament success heavily favors depth in pitching staffs, and noting the absence of injured standout Dave McMullin (who went 8-0 during his senior season), Wall expressed confidence in arms like Scott Generazzo and Bob Ringler. “As long as we play heads-up ball and don’t make mental mistakes, we have as good a shot as anybody,” Wall said.
Cumberland (23-11-1), a program in only its third year of existence, earned its regional berth through a grueling battle, securing the clincher in a 13-inning marathon against Warwick’s Penalty Box. Coached by James Wright, the Rhode Island champions boast three left-handed pitchers—ace Jim “Tip” O’Neil (6-1), Brian Volpe (a college teammate of Norwood’s Andy French at the University of New Haven), and Tom Fay—which could pose a tactical challenge against Norwood’s left-handed heavy lineup featuring seven lefties. “There is no question that pitching is the most important thing,” Wright noted. “With the guys I have, I’m able to throw a kid four innings here, two innings there.” (Reporting by Mark Knowlton, The Patriot Ledger).
Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger
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