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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Norwood Junior Legion Baseball Squad-This Day In Norwood History-July 26, 1945
This Day In Norwood History-July 26, 1945-Norwood Junior Legion Baseball Squad Click to see the player names.
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Norwood’s Title Hopes Rest on Young Pitcher Ken Berkland-This Day In Norwood History-April 4, 1944
A 16‑year‑old pitcher steps into the spotlight — can Ken Berkland keep Norwood’s title hopes alive?
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Norwood High Bids for Title, Braves Will Sign Ray Martin After the Game-This Day in Norwood History-June 18, 1943
June 18, 1943-Norwood High Bids for Title, Braves Will Sign Ray Martin After the Game
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Ray Marting Pitches No Hitter-This Day In Norwood History-April 29, 1943
Coming off a unanimous All-Scholastic selection the previous year and a stint in the national spotlight with the State Championship Legion Junior nine, Martin proved he hadn’t lost an ounce of velocity during the off-season. In the history of Norwood High athletics, few individual performances have ever matched the sheer dominance displayed on this April…
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Norwood Youth Association Baseball Champions-This Day In Norwood History-October 7, 1939
The Norwood Press ball team will receive their jackets as champions of the N. Y. A. baseball league on Monday, the 16th. Jackets have been secured for the winners by the Norwood Loyal Order of Moose. Above, front row, left to right: Lou Parsons, p; Argo Bortilotti, lb; Ed Costello, 2b; Doc Thayer, ss; Ray…
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Marty Callaghan Holds World Baseball Record-This Day In Norwood History-June 1, 1923
This Day In Norwood History-June 1, 1923-Marty Callaghan Holds World Baseball Record
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Norwood High School Baseball Team-This Day In Norwood History-July 12, 1922
NORWOOD HIGH SCHOOL NINE DID WELL FOR ONE MADE UP OF NEW PLAYERS The Norwood High School baseball team in the past season won 11 and lost eight games. It faced the strongest teams in the State, which accounts for the larger number of upsets than in previous years. When the season opened, Coach Bennett…
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