This Week In (Monarch) Baseball

Due to a surge in reader interest in South Philadelphia based youth league baseball, as determined by a series of focus groups conducted by our in-house research team, Polled Pork, we have dispatched veteran baseball writer Specs Franklin to follow the Anderson Monarchs. The Monarchs are a program based at the Marian Anderson Recreation Center at 17th and Fitzwater Streets in Philadelphia. Specs will follow both the 8 year old Monarchs, for whom it is the first year of kid-pitch baseball, and the 11 year old team, which has been together for 3 years now and appears to be stocked to make a run for a city title. Both teams compete in the Northeast Conference of the Philadelphia Dept. of Rec. League, and they are the only team in the conference not from the Northeast (read: suburbs.) Specs' first report follows.

The 11 year old Anderson ballclub won 3 games this week to run their record to 4 and 0 in league play. On Monday the Mighty Monarchs faced a lackluster Somerton squad, and our boys left the Northeast Nine licking their wounds after a 9-3 walloping. Fox Rok was the next to be vanquished, 13-1, as hard-hitting catcher Mason Thomas led the way with a 2 run homer and bases loaded triple. Quirky young hurlers Gilbert Peralta and Kidanny Cumba combined for a one-hitter, and lead- off man Demetrius (Meech) Isaac, wreaked havoc on the base paths while providing his usual solid play at second base. With his hard-nosed style and quiet, no nonsense demeanor, Isaac reminds some long-time baseball observers of another 2nd baseman who wore navy and white: Charlie Gehringer. On Saturday, in the first game of a Big/Little double header, the boys went in to cruise control against an overmatched Holmesburg squad, garnering both a 10-5 victory and the ire of grizzled skipper Steve Bandura and scrappy young pitching coach Doc Huron.

The 8 year old Monarchs are a rapidly improving young squad that play the game with vim and vigor. After starting the season 0 and 3, they headed out to Bustleton this past Thursday still looking for a second pitcher to complement ace Victor Alicea. With Head Coach Bandura unable to make the road rip, and morale low, Doc Huron would have to pull out all the stops to avoid finishing the first quarter of the season winless. The starting pitcher for the Monarchs that day was Ramon. While his last name escapes this writer, his performance Thursday insured that he has entered the pantheon of one-name wonders: Mickey, Reggie, Ozzie, Cal, Ramon. After surrendering 4 first inning runs, the ponytailed young twirler settled down on the hill, glaring down the Bustleton bench as they burst into their high-pitched "Time to Get A Hit!" chant, and pumping his tiny fist as one batter after another fell victim to his herky jerky slowball style. Meanwhile, the Monarchs, as if working with one mind and 9 bodies, decided to start playing baseball. The bats woke up, as lead off man Justin and number 2 hitter John Washington each reached base 3 times. Victor hit the clubs' first home run ever, a lined shot to left, and even young Mateen, the only 7 year old on the squad, got into the act, scoring twice. On defense the infield shined, exemplified by the play of Nicolas Alicea, Victor's cousin and owner of the scampiest smile on the team. He made play after play at second base, including spearing a line drive and calmly flipping the ball to first, catching the Bustleton runner sleeping for Anderson's first double play of the year. After 5 innings, with the sun setting over center field, the umpire called the game and Anderson was victorious, 8 to 5. The players on the team who were aware of the score were very excited. The rest, when informed by Doc Huron that they had, in fact, won the game, burst into a spontaneous show of emotion that was enough to bring a tear to the eye of even this hardened scribe. And while the Monarchs came back down to earth on Saturday, losing 9-6 to a tenacious Rhawnhurst Raiders club, the team's future is as bright as their smiles.

- Specs Franklin

This week at The Yards: Both teams will be in action this Saturday for another Big/Little Doubleheader. The 11 year olds lead things off at 10 AM as they clash with Boyle, while the 8's will battle Crispin at 12:30. Unfortunately, heady young pitching coach and perpetual crowd favorite Doc Huron will not be with the team that day, as his better half is participating in what is sure to be a memorable wedding. However, come support the scrappy young baseballers from Anderson as they chase their dreams at The Yards.