Displaying both brilliant pitching and an overwhelming offensive onslaught, the Norwood American Legion baseball team opened the Northeastern Regional Tournament in New Bedford with an emphatic 15-6 victory over Portland, Maine.
Backed by Harvard-bound ace Bob Baxter and a relentless batting order that pounded out 15 runs on 14 hits against four different Portland pitchers, Norwood improved its stellar record to 32-1.
“There was no key to this game,” reflected Coach Pete Wall near the on-deck circle after the final out. “We just hit the hell out of the ball.” Norwood opened the scoring in the first inning capitalizing on walks to Chris Maloof and Kevin Igoe, a single by Bill Goonan, and a sacrifice fly from third baseman Mike Generazo. The floodgates blew open during a massive third-inning rally where Norwood batted around the order. Maloof lined a single to left, Mike Wall drove in a run to knock out Maine starting pitcher Mike Davis, Derek Ghostlaw launched a two-out, two-run triple to deep right field, and Jim Delbou crushed a two-run home run just left of the 370-foot marker in dead center.
Norwood extended its cushion to 10-0 in the fourth inning following walks to Baxter, Maloof, and Igoe, coupled with RBI singles from Wall, Ghostlaw, and Ted Decareau. Meanwhile, Baxter put on a pitching clinic, firing a complete-game four-hitter over seven innings while striking out 10 batters and lowering his earned run average below 1.80 against a potent Portland lineup that had entered the Maine state tournament boasting a .345 team batting average. Though Baxter surrendered three unearned runs in the fifth frame due to an outfield miscue and an opposite-field triple by Scott Dutton, and Norwood added five insurance runs in the eighth, the outcome was academic.
Outscoring its tournament opponents 25-4 over two rounds, the two-time state champion squad advances to face Sweeney’s Post of Manchester, New Hampshire, at Sargent Field. The New Hampshire titlist advanced by defeating Brattleboro, Vermont, 8-1, while New Jersey runner-up Irvington downed Cumberland, Rhode Island, 7-4, in tournament action.
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
Inaugural Season of the Lou Gehrig Baseball League On July 11, 1973, the newly formed Lou Gehrig League prepared to launch its inaugural teenage baseball season. ⠀ The debut was scheduled for a Thursday night under the lights at American Legion Stadium in Norwood, featuring two teams of 13 and 14-year-old local boys. Named in…
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Norwood Defeats Wellesley 4-1-July 10, 1973
Norwood vs. Wellesley American Legion Baseball On the evening of July 9, 1973, the Norwood American Legion baseball team traveled to Wellesley with aspirations of securing a lead in the Zone 6A standings. The team successfully achieved its goal, returning home with a 4-1 victory, which placed them just a half game ahead of Walpole…
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Norwood’s Upset Victory in Zone 6A American Legion Baseball-July 14, 1971
The Patriot Ledger’s coverage of the Zone 6A American Legion baseball games on July 13, 1971, revealed a series of thrilling matches that left fans on the edge of their seats. One of the most notable upsets occurred when Norwood defeated league leader Needham in a closely contested game. As the evening began, Needham’s Jack…
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Joe Porcello Joins Norwood’s Lineage of All-Around Baseball Superstars-April 5, 1971
Norwood High School has produced its share of standout athletes, and in 1971, Joe Porcello emerged as the latest “does‑it‑all” baseball star. Following in the footsteps of Richie Hebner and Bill Travers, Porcello earned praise for his versatility and dominance on the diamond.Porcello, a senior, excelled in hitting, fielding, and pitching, making him a rare…
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Bill Travers Drafted by Milwaukee Brewers-June 5, 1970
Fresh off setting the all-time Norwood High pitching record, 17-year-old lefty Bill Travers is heading to professional baseball after being drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers.
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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
This Day In Norwood History-August 4, 1965-Norwood All-Star Baseball
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