The Norwood American Legion baseball team showcased a high-stakes brand of baseball on the evening of July 2, 1974, demonstrating a masterclass in the “suicide squeeze” play to secure an 8-4 interzone victory over Wellesley at Legion Field.
While the play is often considered a rarity in the modern game, Norwood coach Frank Wall has successfully integrated it into his team’s identity, utilizing it in three consecutive plate appearances during the pivotal sixth inning. This aggressive strategy followed a recent 9-8 triumph over Needham, where Norwood had utilized a pair of successful squeeze bunts to clinch the win. “So, that’s two in a row with the help of bunts,” Wall remarked following the game. “I see them practice it during the high school season, and I felt we’d be able to execute it, too, if we had to.“
The heroics of the sixth inning were a collective effort, as 13 Norwood batters stepped to the plate, completely erasing a 3-0 deficit created by Wellesley earlier in the frame. Second baseman Steve Lang, catcher Kevin Glynn, and pitcher Ken Kates each laid down successful bunts under immense pressure. Lang’s suicide squeeze bunt drove in Dave Steele to tie the game at 3-3. Subsequently, a successful bunt by Glynn, compounded by a Wellesley throwing error, allowed Tom Martin and Bob MacPhee to cross the plate, granting Norwood a 5-3 lead. Kates then bunted to score Lang, extending the lead to 6-3. An additional error by the visitors later in the inning brought in the final two runs.
A strange statistical oddity occurred during this eight-run onslaught: Norwood leadoff batter Gary DePietro reached base via catcher’s interference twice in the same inning. On both occasions, DePietro’s swing resulted in his bat connecting with the catcher’s glove. The victory maintained Norwood’s hold on the top spot in the Zone 6B standings with an 8-2 record, while Wellesley fell to 5-3 in Zone 6A.
On the mound, Ken Kates provided a stellar performance, pitching nearly the entire seven-inning duration. In the top of the seventh, with two outs and the bases loaded, Wall turned to right-hander Bill Breen to close the contest. Breen, a Norwood High School senior-to-be, responded by striking out the final batter to preserve the win. Breen had previously made headlines on Sunday night by striking out 20 batters in a 1-0, nine-inning victory over Westwood. With regular starter Larry Brown away for a five-week stint at the Ted Williams Camp, Breen has proven to be a vital asset to the pitching rotation. “Larry Brown has gone to the Ted Williams Camp for five weeks,” Wall explained, “so Breen got his chance. He throws real hard and he certainly did the job Sunday and again here back for the last two or three games.“
The win capped a grueling stretch for the squad, which had played on five consecutive days, recording a 4-1 record. Norwood looked forward to a well-earned break before returning to the field tomorrow night to face Walpole at 8:00 p.m., with Breen expected to get the starting nod.
Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger
-
Norwood Prevails Over Westwood in Hard-Fought American Legion Matchup-July 16, 1986
Despite a demanding schedule and early deficits, the reigning state champions maintained their momentum ahead of the upcoming playoff series.
-
Mustangs Punish Rebel Miscues in Tournament Opener-June 5, 1986
Capitalizing on nine defensive miscues by rival Walpole, Coach John Solomon’s Norwood Mustangs cruised to an 11-3 postseason opening statement.
-
Norwood Caps Dream Season, Captures First State American Legion Title Since 1942-August 15, 1985
Behind a stellar pitching performance from Bob Baxter and a clutch two-run triple by Ned Brigham, Norwood edged Grafton Hill 3-2 to win the state title.
-
Norwood American Legion Baseball Team Takes Control of State Finals- August 13, 1985
Undefeated at 2-0 in the state finals, Norwood defeated Braintree 11-2 behind Tim Cox’s complete-game pitching and six combined RBIs from Pete Jr. and Mike Wall.
-
Norwood American Legion Crushes Weymouth 12-4 in State Tournament Opener-August 14, 1978
Powered by home runs from Chris Collins, Dan Kennedy, and John Balerna alongside 15 hits, Norwood routed Weymouth 12-4 in the state tournament opener.
-
Norwood Dominates Needham in Zone 6A American Legion Baseball Playoffs-July 26, 1978
The sun was shining brightly on the baseball field as the Norwood team took to the field against their arch-nemesis, Needham. The stage was set for an epic battle between two of the top teams in Zone 6A American Legion Baseball playoffs. However, it became clear early on that Norwood had a distinct advantage over…
-
The John Balerna Show-June 3, 1978
Mustangs Blank Waltham in Tourney Opener In high school postseason baseball, you occasionally see an individual athlete put a team on his back and single-handedly dictate the outcome of a game. But what senior ace John Balerna did on Friday, June 2, 1978, went far beyond a standard standout performance. In the opening round of…
-
Surgery Helped Bill Travers Elbow His Way To Big League Heights-July 4, 1976
MILWAUKEE — Young Bill Travers likes to think of himself as a modern marvel of medicine, on sort of a low-budget scale. He is the $400 Bionic man. At least that’s how much an operation in 1973 that turned around his career cost. “One guy wrote that I go out and pitch each game with…
-
Mustangs Erupt for 21 Runs-June 4, 1975
An 8-inning rain delay brought mercy to Lynn Tech as Coach Pete Wall’s Norwood Mustangs ran wild in a massive 21-0 postseason routing.
-
Norwood Legion Team Masters the Suicide Squeeze-July 3, 1974
The Norwood American Legion baseball team showcased a high-stakes brand of baseball on the evening of July 2, 1974, demonstrating a masterclass in the “suicide squeeze” play to secure an 8-4 interzone victory over Wellesley at Legion Field. While the play is often considered a rarity in the modern game, Norwood coach Frank Wall has…
Discover more from Norwood Historical Society
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.