Norwood American Legion Primes for Northeast Regional Opener-August 25, 1987

Shortly after capturing an unprecedented third consecutive American Legion state baseball title, Norwood Coach Pete Wall quipped that “anything after this is gravy.” But anyone familiar with the hard-nosed veteran coach knows it was just a fleeting remark made in the glow of victory. As Norwood Post 70 prepares to face New Hampshire state champion Concord tomorrow evening in the opening round of the Northeast Regional tournament in Manchester, New Hampshire, Coach Wall will have his game face firmly on.

Entering the tournament with a stellar 36-5 record, Norwood appears to be peaking at precisely the right moment. The team’s explosive offensive capabilities were fully on display during a dominant 16-5 thrashing of Natick in the state championship game—a sobering thought for opposing pitchers in Manchester. “The last couple of days in practice they’ve just been hitting the hell out of the ball,” Wall said. “I can’t see anybody shutting us out.”

Pitching Depth and Tournament Outlook

While powerhouse hitting is essential, Coach Wall recognizes that deep pitching is the ultimate key to surviving regional competition. Norwood boasts a formidable and experienced rotation:

Bob Baxter: The left-handed ace and Harvard all-Ivy Leaguer finished the season with an impressive 15-1 record and is expected to get the starting nod against Concord.
Jim McCready: A right-hander and Xaverian High School alumnus who posted an 8-2 record, including a clutch 5-2 victory over Reading that propelled Norwood into the state finals.
Scott Generazo: Bringing valuable postseason experience to the mound with a 7-2 record, making his third appearance in a New England regional tournament.

“You need pitching in this tournament because you’re going to be facing good pitching in every single game,” Wall emphasized. “You’re not winning this tournament without pitching. I’d like to go up there and win the whole thing, and I have to say I like our chances.” (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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