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Sports Scope Archive

by | Aug 2, 2018 | Archives | 0 comments

The article below is one of the many articles written by Bud Walls over the years. In what year do you think this article was written? Tell us your guess.

The Sports Scope

by Bud Walls

As I write this the regular season is just about over for the Caroline County softball league and the second season, the league playoffs, are about to begin. I made my predictions back in May and I don’t intend to change anything now. I made my bed and I’ll lie in it, but I have to admit this season has been even more competitive than I pictured it.

In fact it would be safe to say that it is entirely possible that any one of the six teams could win the playoff championship, but realistically, Ridgely would be a 100 to one shot. The other five teams are all capable of winning it and only the Warriors could be classed as an upset special.

It’s been a good season I think – one that a fan could enjoy. There have been a lot of exciting ball games with home runs galore and many times the game went right down to the last out.

With the kind of ball these teams are playing, I think it’s a shame that they don’t have a banquet at the end of the season and give away a lot of trophies. Since they haven’t been doing this, I thought that, just for the fun of it, I’d see what I could do in the way of an awards ceremony. Let’s see:

Let’s start with the Most Valuable Player. I really didn’t have much trouble with that one. BARRY TRIBBITT has not only been a big help to Woodyard Products on the pitching mound, he’s also been one of their top offensive players. He’s my choice for MVP.

How about a Rookie of the Year. That’s a little toughter but I’ve got a choice. Ridgely hasn’t had a whole lot to brag about in their first season, but in my opinion, VINCENT MANSHIP has been their MVP, doing a little bit of everything for them. Vincent is my choice for rookie of the year.

Comeback Player of the Year? How about Mitchell’s DONNIE WALLS? They’ve been scoring a lot of runs but he’s been keeping them in the game long enough to get those big sticks to rattling and, all in all, he’s looked a lot like the pitcher he was several years ago.

The All Around Player of the Year? That’s a tough one but I think I came up with a winner. They don’t keep real close records in this league, but I bet my man’s right around the top in home runs, RBI’s and batting average. Plus, which I’ve seen nothing wrong about Mitchell’s center fielder BRIAN WOOD.

No banquet is complete without a Sportsmanship Award and once again this is an easy choice for me. Southern States’ second baseman ALLEN URRY is my choice for this prestigious honor.
How about in Unsung Hero? My choice: Smith Ford’s DAVID WARD who would be my nominee for MVP if Barry Tribbitt wasn’t having such a heck of a season.

The Top Pitcher? Well if this league has a Cy Young award, my choice would probably surprise a lot of people. The pitcher I would choose would be DAVID SPENCER. Spencer has improved every year since he started pitching and this season he seems to be coming into his own.Win or lose he keeps things under control and gives his team a chance to win with some grutty pitching. He’s my choice as top pitcher for the regular season.

Now then, we come to an award for which I couldn’t make a decision. So what I did was select two winners. My choices as co-winners of the Manager of the Year are MIKE GARRETT and JOHNNY TRUITT. In his second year at the helm, Garrett has turned Mitchell’s into a first rate contender that would rate a lot of support as the potential playoff champs. Let’s face it. Nobody takes them lightly anymore.

The co-winner in my opinion is a man that took a team that was practically decimated, one that had more holes than swiss cheese, and brought them to more than just respectability. Johnny Truitt has Smith Ford almost peaking at just about the right time. This team has won some big games late in the season and could be giant killers during the playoffs. I think Johnny Truitt has done a heck of a job and he’s my choice as co-manager of the year.

Good night, ladies and gentlemen, and thank you for attending the first annual Bud Walls Softball Awards Banquet. This is just my saying thanks for the enjoyment the Caroline County Softball League gives me.

* * *

And finally: My congratulations to Tina Henry, who used to be Tina Wicks, for pitching a perfect game for Roy Seward’s unbeaten Merchants in the Women’s Softball League. The win also clinched the regular season championship for the Merchants. Congratulations!

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