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 Recco was dominating the mound, having pitched a no-hit lead through five innings against Norwood. However, Norwood managed to tie the score at 1-1 after five innings. Despite allowing only three hits, Needham’s inability to contain Norwood’s offense proved costly in the end.
In the eighth inning, Joe Porcello tripled and was sent home on a wild pitch, securing Norwood’s victory with a final score of 2-1. This unexpected turn of events left fans stunned, as logic would have dictated that Needham emerge victorious given their strong performance throughout the game.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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.
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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…
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