Fricker's 70's team updates roster
with new "AA" SPA registration
FRICKER'S '70's team at Barberton, Ohio - Front row, l-r: Jim
Nickelsen, Mark Vonderembse, Dann Schlenbaker, Darrell Smock, and
John Radscheid.
Back row, l-r: Gary Meyer, Dick Block, Al Coates, Charlie Oberlin, Jim Fedor, Fred Triplett, Bill Green, and Fred Roberts.
Fricker’s Sports Bar Sylvania 70 Plays
Hard in Thee Buckeye Classic
After seven players from the 2017 team “graduated” to play in the 75+ age group, Gary Meyer recruited several players for the 2018 team. Based on the team’s performance in 2017 and a recommendation from SPA, the 2018 team appealed its AAA status. After a long process, SPA approved reclassification to AA two days before the Barberton Tournament. With the schedule set for Thee Buckeye Classic, Fricker’s 70 gritted its collective teeth and played well against AAA competition.
The team lost its first game to Lifeguard Financial but came back strong in the last two innings of the second game. Trailing Delaware Salvage 19-6 entering the top of the fifth, Fricker’s scored 5 runs and held Delaware scoreless, closing the gap to 8 runs. In the top of the sixth, which was the last inning of this time shortened game, Fricker’s sent 22 men to the plate and scored 19 runs to lead 29-19. The bottom 7 spots in the batting order went 10 for 11, scoring 10 runs. Delaware didn’t quit, scoring 8 runs in the bottom of the 6th. With the two men on and the winning run at bat, John Radscheid reached high to spear a screaming line drive headed for the right field corner. It was divine intervention that caused Coach Meyer to put John at first base in the bottom of the 6th.
The next day, Fricker’s beat Syracuse 70s by 11-6 but lost to Indy 26-24 in extra innings. Fricker’s was down 12-5 after 3, but rallied to tie the game at 16 in the bottom of the 7th. Indy scored 10 runs in the top of the 8th, but Fricker’s came back, once again led by the bottom of the order, scoring 8 runs with the tying run at the plate when the last out was made. On day 3, Fricker’s lost its first game and won the second by forfeit to finish a respectable 3 and 3. Radscheid led the team with a 842 BA and 2,263 OPS. He had plenty of support from Charlie Oberlin, Mark Vonderembse, Jim Fedor, and Gary Meyer with OPSs of 1,989, 1,542, 1,420, and 1,304, respectively.