06.04.15 Winter Garden Squeeze 2015 Season Preview

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Observer

WINTER GARDEN

SQUEEZE 2015 SEASON PREVIEW

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A SUPPLEMENT OF THE WEST ORANGE TIMES AND OBSERVER

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WINTER GARDEN SQUEEZE • WEST ORANGE TIMES & OBSERVER • THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015

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WINTER GARDEN

SQUEEZE 2015 SEASON W

inter Garden is a baseball town.

This holds true from the 4-year-old taking his or her first swings from the tee at the Roper YMCA to the 11-year-old hitting his or her first home run over the fence at Winter Garden Little League; and from the West Orange Warriors’ pitcher starting on the mound in his first high-school game to the fans filling the stands last summer for the first game of the inaugural Winter Garden Squeeze season.

ADAM Winter Garden is a BATES baseball town. We are a town that shows up for one another, a town built on a vision of lifting our community up and making it something the residents are proud to call home.

As general manager for the Winter Garden Squeeze — and a proud resident of Winter Garden — I get to experience firsthand this town’s love of baseball and community. Our fans have proven to be the best around, and it is with you in mind that we have made some fan enhancements for this 2015 season of the Winter Garden Squeeze, our second as members of the Florida Collegiate Summer League.

Some of these enhancements include: a schedule made up of mostly night games to get us out of the heat, expanded and healthier concession choices, more fan interactions including a VIP experience, an indoor facility for our youth camps, and

premium giveaways at Friday games.

Highlights of this summer’s schedule include eight funfilled Friday nights, community partner nights with local organizations including: Matthew’s Hope, Kiwanis Club of Winter Garden and Jimmy Crabtree Cancer Research Fund.

We even have added a new rival with the Altamonte Springs Boom — the league’s newest franchise — and have added pre-game clinics for our local youth.

As always, we are honored by the support of our local sponsors and excited about our expanded relationship with the Roper YMCA and Health Central Hospital.

Be on the lookout for our players, interns and our mascot, Crush, around town (and don’t be afraid to say “hello” when you see us). We plan on making our presence known in hopes of making every Winter Garden resident a fan of the Squeeze.

Additionally, go ahead and Like the Winter Garden Squeeze Facebook page and visit our official website (wintergardensqueeze.com) for updates throughout the summer.

Finally, thank you to the West Orange Times & Observer for continued coverage and support of our team.

We look forward to a fun and exciting season and, of course, #GoSqueeze.

Adam Bates is general manager of the Winter Garden Squeeze.

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June 12-13, 2015 - Town of Oakland 9th Annual Town of Oakland Arts and Music Festival June 12-13, 2015 - Town of Windermere ARTS in the Classroom presents Highwaymen RL Lewis Free Art Class September 19th 2015 - Rosen Shingle Creek Resort HAPCO GALA for the ARTS featuring the Legendary Count Basie Orchestra November 14th, 2015 - Orange Lake Golf Resort Kenneth R. Tolbert Annual Scholarship Golf Tournament February 6th, 2016 - Dr, Phillips Performing Arts Center SUNSHINE JAZZ FESTIVAL featuring Yamaha Artist Trombonist Wycliffe Gordon and The University of Florida Gator Jazz Band April 9th, 2016 - City of Winter Garden WINE & DINE FOR THE ARTS June 10-11, 2016 – Town of Oakland 10th Annual Town of Oakland Arts and Music Festival

Times& WEST ORANGE

Observer Publisher / Dawn Willis, dwillis@wotimes.com Executive Editor / Michael Eng, meng@wotimes.com Community Editor / Amy Quesinberry Rhode, aqrhode@wotimes.com Design Editor / Jessica Eng, jeng@yourobserver.com Sports Editor / Steven Ryzewski, sryzewski@wotimes.com Staff Writer / Zak Kerr, zkerr@wotimes.com Staff Writer / Catherine Sinclair, csinclair@wotimes.com Advertising Executive / Kim Edwards, kedwards@wotimes.com Advertising Executive / Cyndi Gustafson, cgustafson@wotimes.com Creative Services / Tony Trotti, ttrotti@wotimes.com Customer Service Representative / Sarah Felt, sfelt@wotimes.com

CONTACT US The West Orange Times & Observer is published once weekly, on Thursdays. It provides subscription home delivery.The West Orange Times also can be found in many commercial locations throughout West Orange County and at our office, 720 S. Dillard St., Winter Garden.

If you wish to subscribe to the West Orange Times, visit our website, WOTimes. com, call (407) 656-2121 or visit our office, 720 S. Dillard St., Winter Garden. © Copyright 2015 Observer Media Group All Rights Reserved

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WINTER GARDEN SQUEEZE • WEST ORANGE TIMES & OBSERVER • THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015

Squeeze roster full of potential role models for local youth pounds and unnaturally quick With the return of the and explosive — as is the case Winter Garden Squeeze this summer also comes the return with the former.

That’s not to say the ballof 26 college baseball players players here this summer from around the nation to our throughout Central Florida West Orange community for aren’t athletically gifted. But the next two months. relatively, these are Some of these athletes youngsters ballplayers have local roots, but some do can strive to emulate. not. And — much like They are high-school a season ago — there standouts who had to is a strong presence work to improve their from the southwest skills, overall athletic United States on the ability and academics roster. to qualify for colleThey have come giate play. from programs They’ve been ranging from Divithrough the process of STEVEN sion I powers such RYZEWSKI recruiting and finding as Auburn to junior a home for their colcolleges. Despite their varying lege careers. backgrounds, all the players There are names scattered are coming to Winter Garden across the roster — names for one thing: to get better. such as Brandon Murray, for Whether it’s to impress instance — who have played Major League Baseball scouts, in the same Little League, coaches at four-year programs travel-ball and high-school for those playing in junior-col- programs for which the West lege programs or even simOrange youths in the stand ply to impress the coaches will play one day. they already play for to earn The Florida Collegiate more playing time upon their Summer League prides itself return, everyone wants to on player accessibility and creimprove over this two-month ating a strong bond between season. its fans and its players. The What they also have in com- players are here to do more mon is that, for West Orange than improve as baseball playyouths with an interest in ers. They also are here to get baseball or softball — or any involved in the community. sport, really — these ballplaySo, in addition to bringing ers are relatable role models. the family out to a ballgame Kids look up to athletes. I this summer simply to enjoy know I did. our pastime, consider the imMostly, the inclination is to pact it could have on your own look up to pro athletes we see youngster. Kids are going to on television, and that’s fine. look up to college athletes, at The thing is, although all of which point you may just take those pros worked hard to get the opportunity to say to him where they are, some of them or her, “See that player over more or less hit the genetic there? He used to play Winter lottery and are less relatable Garden Little League — just — and less teachable — as a like you do now — and then result. he played right here at West You can tell your kid to imiOrange for the Warriors in tate the work ethic of a LeBron high school — just like you will James or Andrew Luck all you one day. Now he’s in college on want, but that’s not going to a scholarship.” make him or her 6-foot-8, 280 How’s that for a role model?

FACEBOOK: WOTO SPORTS TWITTER: @WOTO_SPORTS

Winter Garden Squeeze ready to start second season Five players return to the Squeeze from last year; nine players are local.

ZAK KERR

STAFF WRITER

Although the days of the Washington Senators using Winter Garden as their Spring Training home are long gone, a group of talented young ballplayers is carving a new legacy in the community’s rich baseball history.

For the second season of the Winter Garden Squeeze in the Florida College Summer League, everything is different in the community with a buzz around the team, General Manager Adam Bates said.

No longer is the Squeeze the new kid on the block — that distinction now belongs to the Altamonte Springs Boom — but a team with a growing fan base of locals that has gained perhaps as much experience with hosting the team as the players and staff gained while with the team in 2014.

“I would say it’s more established within the community because we’re an entity, a returning product,” Bates said.

“Be it within the Little League fields or our sponsors (such as) Health Central as a presenting

sponsor with us. Once the kids get here around June 1 for the first practice June 2, it won’t take them long to get amped up.

They’re college baseball players ready to go.”

Among those players preparing for the two-month schedule are some familiar faces, with five returners from 2014, a brother of a 2014 player and five from West Orange County among nine in the Orlando area. University of South Florida’s Brandon Murray, a pitcher from Ocoee and West Orange High alumnus, is the one returning player from the area.

He had a staff-low .188 batting average against before USF entered the NCAA Tournament May 29.

“Having coaches returning and some returning players and some younger brothers of former players is a big difference,” Bates said. “A very special first season last year is something to grow on. Excitement is in the coaching staff, support staff, and three or so of our interns are returning. We’re building on what we accomplished last year to make this year even better.”

The biggest difference may be 11-year Major League catcher and Windermere resident Eddie Taubensee taking over for inaugural manager Ruben Felix.

Returning assistant Tony Perez and pitching coach Daryl Walls will help with that transition.

No transition of sites for home games will be necessary — Heller Bros. Park of West Orange High School will be the Squeeze’s home field once again, which could be strange for alumni of West Orange and the Squeeze who now play elsewhere in the six-team FCSL. All six teams in this wooden-bat league showcasing possible MLB stars of the future are located around the Orlando area, making travel to away games less arduous than most other summer college baseball leagues and adding to a community feel.

“Give us a shot,” Bates said.

“Come out and enjoy it. We want to be a part of the community year-round and see it grow for the opportunities of our children and young families.

Being affordable family entertainment during the summer, being a partner and a friend — that’s where we are, and we’re going to continue to grow and be that partner.”

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THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015 • WEST ORANGE TIMES & OBSERVER • WINTER GARDEN SQUEEZE

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Be a part of this FUN

Get in the Game for

Fundraiser!

FREE!

Save the date

November 14, 2015

WE NEED YOUR HELP

TO KEEP OUR SHELVES STOCKED: Receive an empty bag of Blessings at any of these Winter Garden Squeeze home games: June 5, 8, 10, 12 (And June 6th at the WG Farmers’ Market); fill it up with your donations and bring it back to any Tuesday game during the season and receive FREE ADMISSION! (one free ticket per bag)

Stay tuned for further details about “Paint the Park Purple” night with the Winter Garden Squeeze and Matthew’s Hope on June 30!

Join our Fundraiser for Matthew’s Hope and enjoy the fun!

Sponsorship Opportunities Available Decorate your own theme-table!

Enjoy the live entertainment!

Invite your Friends!

Support Matthew’s Hope

www.wintergardensqueeze.com All home games held at Heller Bros.

Ballpark on the campus of W.O. High.

Game time 7:00 pm.

For more information on sponsorship or to purchase a table visit www.matthewshopeministries.org Follow us on Facebook (Facebook.com/matthewshopeministries)

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1460 Daniels Road Winter Garden FL 34787 407.905.9500

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WINTER GARDEN SQUEEZE • WEST ORANGE TIMES & OBSERVER • THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015

Former big-leaguer steps up to fill role as Squeeze manager

ASSISTANT COACHES

Windermere resident and former MLB catcher Ed Taubensee agreed to lead the ball club this summer after Ruben Felix, who coached the team in its inaugural season, learned he would be unable to return this year because of obligations with Ole Miss.

STEVEN RYZEWSKI

SPORTS EDITOR

An 11th-hour problem for the Winter Garden Squeeze was met by a home-run solution.

When Ruben Felix, the team’s head coach in its inaugural season who had been set to return for a second go-around at the helm, found out his obligations as an assistant coach with the Ole Miss softball program would prevent him from returning in the final week of May, things got a little stressful for Squeeze General Manager Adam Bates.

Fortunately, Bates was able to turn to someone who already had planned on being involved with the team as an assistant. Better yet, that someone comes with more than a decade of experience as player in the big leagues.

Bates and the Florida Collegiate Summer League announced the hiring of Ed Taubensee May 28.

Taubensee, a Central Florida native who played his high-school ball at Lake Howell in Casselberry and Maitland, spent 11 seasons in Major League Baseball as a catcher for the Cincinnati Reds, Houston Astros and Cleveland Indians.

“Duty calls,” Bates said, referring to the circumstances that prevented Felix from returning.

“This was a decision that was best for Ruben and his family. He definitely wanted to come back and had a bond here in the community, and he wanted to expand on that.”

Bates praised Felix for guiding the team through its first season — as a first-year coach, himself.

Bates also said Felix, who anticipates taking trips to recruit Central Florida for Ole Miss, plans to attend a couple of games while in town.

When the news came from Felix, Bates said they made just one call.

“Fortunately, we were blessed

TONY PEREZ

DARYL WALLS

Newly appointed Winter Garden Manager Ed Taubensee and other FCSL coaches observed players at an open tryout on May 30 in Winter Park.

Ed Taubensee, who spent 11 seasons in the big leagues, will coach the Squeeze this summer. with an opportunity because Eddie wanted to be more involved,” Bates said.

Taubensee, a Windermere resident, was known to make appearances around the ball club last summer and felt this was a logical next step.

“I’d hung out with the Squeeze last year a lot, just being around and doing a lot of stuff for them — and I enjoyed being around the kids and the coaches,” Taubensee

said. “This year, I was planning on being kind of an honorary (assistant) coach; just kind of being around as much as I was able. …

Things happened with Ruben, the situation opened up, and (Bates) asked if I could give the time to be the manager. … Looking at my schedule and talking to them, we agreed that it could be done.”

At an open tryout for the FCSL at Rollins College on the morning of May 30, the Texas native, who played in just under 1,000 games in MLB during his career, expressed excitement about helping some young players develop this summer.

“I’m excited to do it,” Taubensee said. “With my background and my 11 years in the big leagues, (I) just want to get them to continue to love the game of baseball and make them better — on the field and off the field.

Hopefully, I can get them back to their (college) coach better than when they came.”

2014 SEASON HEAD COACH

MEET THE SKIPPER ED TAUBENSEE BORN: Oct. 31, 1968 in Beeville, Texas DRAFTED BY: Cincinnati Reds MAJOR LEAGUE DEBUT: May18, 1991 (age 22) PLAYED FOR: Reds, Astros, Indians CAREER STATS: .273 BA, 419 RBI, 94 HR in 975 career games FINAL GAME: Oct. 7, 2001 (vs.

Toronto)

RUBEN FELIX

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WINTER GARDEN SQUEEZE • WEST ORANGE TIMES & OBSERVER • THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015

THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME

Heller Bros. Ballpark, the home for the West Orange High School baseball program, will serve as the home field for the Squeeze once again in 2015.

The Winter Garden Squeeze will begin its second season in the Florida Collegiate Summer League June 5 against the Altamonte Springs Boom. It also will be the franchise’s second season at the recently renamed Heller Bros. Ballpark.

The baseball facility on the campus of West Orange High School, whose naming rights were purchased in the offseason by Heller Bros., a citrus grower based in Winter Garden.

Here is a brief history of the ballpark, regarded as one of the premier varsity facilities in all of Central Florida, that the Squeeze will call home for 22 nights this summer.

A LOOK BACK

The Winter Garden Squeeze placed third in its first season in the Florida Collegiate Summer League.

STEVEN RYZEWSKI

SPORTS EDITOR

The Winter Garden Squeeze in 2014 won 23 games in its inaugural season last year and amassed an overall 23-20 record after falling in a best-of-three playoff series to the Winter Park Diamond Dawgs — the eventual 2014 Florida Collegiate Summer League champions. The following is a look back at the first summer.

STRONG START

The Winter Garden Squeeze dropped its first game, falling 4-2 to the College Park Freedom at home. Following that defeat, though, the Winter Garden ball club won its second game — again against the Freedom, 11-1 — and seven of its next nine games to race out to a 7-3 start and first place in the FCSL through the first two weeks of the season.

SLUMP PART ONE

The Squeeze cooled off after its hot start. Winter Garden went 6-10 over its next 16 contests to enter the All-Star Break at 13-11.

A mid-week series sleep at the hands of the Sanford River Rats in late June, in particular, set the Squeeze back. Winter Garden also struggled at home early in the season, going 5-7 at West Orange High School through the break.

ALL-STAR BREAK

Eight members of the inaugural Winter Garden Squeeze roster were named to the 2014 Florida Collegiate Summer League All-Star Game.

The Squeeze players joined all-stars from Winter Park and College Park on the South team to take on players from DeLand, Leesburg and Sanford playing for the North team.

The game took place July 8 at Historic Sanford Memorial Stadium. Infielders Zak Felix and Damon Haecker, outfielders Matt McLean, Daniel Portales and Matt Reyes and pitchers Chris Fee, Cole Lipscomb and Corey Tufts represented Winter Garden.

RAIN, RAIN GO AWAY

As can somewhat be expected during a Central Florida summer, rain storms ripped through the area often in July 2014. After the Squeeze returned from the All-Star Break tied for third place with Leesburg, the Winter Garden club experienced a stretch where it completed just four games in 10 days — two of which came during a doubleheader. In that stretch, alone, five games were canceled or suspended, providing some impromptu downtime for the ball club.

The Squeeze were 16-14 in mid-July.

NUTS AND BOLTS

PLAYOFF PUSH

Entering the final week of the regular season, Winter Garden had taken sole control of third place and was in striking distance of second.

The Squeeze went 6-4 down the stretch, including a pair of wins over Sanford — the only two wins of the season for the team over the River Rats — to finish 2218 in the regular season. Winter Garden won four of its final five games. Although it did not overtake the No. 2 seed, the team did hold on to the No. 3 seeds and made the playoffs in its first year of existence.

TOUGH BREAK

The first experience in the Florida Collegiate Summer League Playoffs for the Winter Garden Squeeze included a best-of-three series against Winter Park.

Although the Squeeze won the first game, 5-4, the Diamond Dawgs rallied to take games two (8-1) and three (5-1) and the series.

West Orange High School played its inaugural season of baseball in the spring of 1976 at the Ocoee Little League Senior Field. The school’s current baseball field was in place for the 19777 spring season.

Both the baseball field and the softball field (currently named Marge Ricker Field and directly north of the baseball field) were given lights during the 1987-1988 school year.

When current Olympia High

School head coach Chuck Schall became the skipper for the Warriors in the 1989-1990 school year, he changed the playing surface from bahia to Bermuda grass.

In fall 1989, Schall erected a 8-foot-tall wooded fence in the outfield and a concrete wall behind home plate. The current backstop wall was constructed just before the spring season in 1991. The locker room and office that currently are part of the home team’s dugout on the third base line were constructed before the 1993 season. The net backstop, distinct from the usual chain-link fences that high school facilities use, was erected by current coach Jesse Marlo before the 2014 season.

Marlo and his staff had a concrete “halo” installed around the home plate dirt this season. It is blue with the word “Warriors” in orange print.

To commemorate the new partnership with Heller Bros., a new scoreboard was installed in the outfield with “Heller Bros. Ballpark” along the bottom.

— Steven Ryzewski

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THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015 • WEST ORANGE TIMES & OBSERVER • WINTER GARDEN SQUEEZE

Have a great Season Winter Garden Squeeze!

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We are proud to be a Winter Garden Squeeze Ticket Sales Location Purchase advance tickets here for game discounts and to support The Winter Garden Heritage Foundation

• Local history exhibitions and programs • Two museums in historic downtown Winter Garden are open everyday except major holidays at no charge • Educational field trips with over 3000 elementary school kids each year and in-class presentations for area school children • Archives and research materials on the history of West Orange County • We are also offering commemorative bricks for sale, to be placed in the sidewalk outside our new building.

HERITAGE MUSEUM

One North Main Street, Winter Garden The Winter Garden Heritage Museum provides a three-dimensional walk through Winter Garden’s glorious past! Established in 1998 and housed in the 1918 Atlantic Coast Line Depot in historic downtown WInter Garden (alongside the West Orange Trail), the free museum features a large collection of local labels, a citrus packing house replica and an audio kiosk detailing the areas citrus history, as well as Native American artifacts, photographs and memorabilia of the area dating from the days of pioneer settlement to the present. In addition, an exhibit on Lake Apopka details the history and on-going restoration of the “large-mouth bass capital.” Just outside the museum stands a 1943 Chesapeake & Ohio caboose and a 1950s fire truck, as well as antique tractors and equipment used in the local citrus industry. Open every day 1 to 5 p.m., except major holidays.

Major Growth

CENTRAL FLORIDA RAILROAD MUSEUM

The West Orange Times & Observer is growing!

Expect to see your favorite West Orange community news source in more locations as we extend our reach and readership. We continue to be your credible source for local community news, events and information for more than 100 years.

101 South Boyd Street The Central Florida Railroad Museum is located in the historic Tavares and Gulf Railroad Depot, located one block south of Plant Street in Winter Garden’s thriving historic district downtown.

The station, built in 1913, was purchased by the Central Florida Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society in 1979 and rehabilitated for use as a railroad museum. In 2003, the Winter Garden Heritage Foundation became partners with the Central Florida Railway Historical Society to make the extensive private collections of local, state and national memorabilia and photographs of Central Florida’s railway history accessible to the public.

One of Florida’s virtually undiscovered gems, the free museum holds a large collection of dining car china and silverware, a 1938 Fairmont motor car, a velocipede hand car, and a former Clinchfield Railroad caboose. Open every day, 1 to 5 p.m., except major holidays.

To subscribe or advertise, contact us today!

21 East Plant Street The History Research and Education Center is the home of the archives, research library, and administrative offices of the Winter Garden Heritage Foundation. WGHF collects and preserves historical information from the communities of Winter Garden, Ocoee, Oakland, WIndermere, Gotha, Dr. Phillips, Tidenville and Killarney. Available to researchers, the evergrowing collection contains family files, historic photographs, business and telephone directories, newspapers, school yearbooks and memorabilia, Native American artifacts, film and video covering the area, oral history transcriptions and much more.

The facility also contains a community room for meetings and special events, and a Visitors Center, that provides information about local attractions, restaurants and events.

Expanded Reach!

407-656-2121 or email us at advertising@wotimes.com 720 South Dillard St. • Winter Garden, FL 34787

407-656-3244 • www.wghf.org

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WINTER GARDEN SQUEEZE • WEST ORANGE TIMES & OBSERVER • THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015

Meet the ED TAUBENSEE HEAD COACH 2015

Born: Oct. 31, 1968 in Beeville, Texas Drafted by: Cincinnati Reds Major League Debut: May18, 1991 (age 22) Appeared for: Reds, Astros, Indians Career stats: .273 BA, 419 RBI, 94 HR in 975 career games Final game: Oct. 7, 2001 (vs. Toronto) Buzz: Taubensee has 11 big league seasons as a catcher to his credit and is excited to play an increased role with the Squeeze this summer.

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BYRON FERGUSON Position: Pitcher School: Senior, Bethune-Cookman Hometown: Nassau, Bahamas Buzz: This will be Ferguson’s third season with the Florida League.

He hails from Bethune-Cookman, where he made eight appearances and struck out seven hitters this past spring.

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MASON FRYMAN Position: Pitcher School: Sophomore, Shelton State C.C. Hometown: Pensacola Buzz: Along with Davis Dunn, Fryman also just finished his freshman season at Shelton State Community College.

P.J. GARCIA Position: Infielder School: Junior, Vernon Regional J.C. Hometown: Waddell, Arizona Buzz: Garcia will make his return to the Squeeze after finishing his a sophomore campaign at Vernon Regional Junior College.

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BRANDON MURRAY

PATRICK MCCLELLAN

BRYANT MIRANDA

Position: Infielder School: Sophomore, Lake Sumter State College Hometown: Windermere Buzz: McClellan is the younger brother of Steve McClellan, who played for Squeeze in 2014. He finished this past season at Lake Sumter State College.

Position: Infielder School: Junior, Coppin State Hometown: Baltimore Buzz: Miranda had five doubles and a pair of home runs in 2015. He finished Second Team All-Conference this past season.

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ZANE ANCELL Position: Pitcher/OF/IF School: Junior, Tyler College Hometown: Lubbock, Texas Buzz: Ancell had an outstanding year at the plate in his sophomore season at Tyler College; he had a .415 batting average with 29 RBIs to his credit.

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YAHIR GURROLA

CHASE HAECKER

Position: Outfielder School: Sophomore, Midland College Hometown: El Paso, Texas Buzz: Gurrola is younger brother of last year’s Squeeze player, Jaime.

Yahir just finished a season at Midland College with a .382 batting average and 41 RBIs.

Position: Infielder School: Sophomore, Auburn Hometown: Altamonte Springs Buzz: Haecker is a younger brother of a former Squeeze player Damon Haecker. He just finished a redshirt season at Auburn, where he is on the team along with Damon.

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DEAN PELMAN

LUIS RIVAS-LASTRA

Position: Pitcher School: Junior, USF Hometown: Ocoee Buzz: Murray made four appearances for the Bulls in 2015. He was the starting pitcher in last year’s combined no-hitter the Squeeze threw.

Position: Pitcher School: Sophomore, Polk State Hometown: Weston Buzz: Pelman is coming from Polk State along with teammate Cody Burgess. He just finished his freshman season in which he made four appearances.

Position: Catcher/Infielder School: Sophomore, Vernon College Hometown: Fort Worth, Texas Buzz: Rivas-Lastra is another Vernon College player on the Squeeze this year, where he hit a whopping .315 with nine home runs and 28 RBI.

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THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015 • WEST ORANGE TIMES & OBSERVER • WINTER GARDEN SQUEEZE

2015 Players ALAN ARCHER

Presented by...

CHAZ BOYER

CODY BURGESS

DAVIS DUNN

Position: Outfielder/Infielder School: Sophomore, St. Petersburg College Hometown: Winter Garden Buzz: Archer showed power at the plate in his freshman season at St. Petersburg College, hitting three home runs with 26 RBI.

Position: Outfielder School: Senior, University of New Orleans Hometown: Carencro, Louisiana Buzz: Boyer is returning to the Squeeze. Boyer stole six bases while driving in 24 runs this past spring.

Position: Outifeld/catcher School: Junior, Polk State Hometown: Winter Garden Buzz: Burgess is a local player who had 15 RBI and hit .286 as a freshman for Polk State.

Position: Outfielder School: Sophomore, Shelton State C.C. Hometown: N/A Buzz: Dunn just finished his freshman season at Shelton State Community College over in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

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DAVID HERRERA

TAYLOR KNIGHT

Position: Pitcher School: Senior, Newman College Hometown: Roswell, New Mexico Buzz: Herrera finished his junior season at Newman College with a 2-1 record on the mound, striking out 23 batters in 22 innings of work.

Position: Pitcher School: Junior, Alabama A&M Hometown: Huntsville, Alabama Buzz: Knight made nine appearances this past sophomore season with 16 strikeouts to his credit.

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DAKOTA ROBBINS Position: Catcher School: Sophomore, Miami Dade College Hometown: Miami Buzz: Robbins will make his way up north to Winter Garden from Miami Dade College, where he notched eight RBI this season.

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ROGELIO SANCHEZ Position: Pitcher/Infielder School: Sophomore, Vernon College Hometown: N/A Buzz: Rogelio hit .313 this past season at the plate.

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TYLER LAURENCE Position: Pitcher School: Junior, Florida State College at Jacksonville Hometown: Deltona Buzz: A 6-foot-3 pitcher, Laurence played his high school ball for nearby Trinity Christian in Deltona.

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CHASE SARCHET Position: Catcher School: Junior, Weatherford College Hometown: Lubbock, Texas Buzz: Hit .371 with eight home runs, 67 RBIs, 48 runs scored and five stolen bases.

AUTOGRAPH

AUTOGRAPH

BEN LINK Position: Outfielder/Pitcher School: Senior, Brewton-Parker College Hometown: Orlando Buzz: Link hit .258 in 31 plate appearances in 2015. He will pitch for the Squeeze this summer.

AUTOGRAPH

JOEY STARLING Position: Pitcher School: Junior, Stanford Hometown: Bartow Buzz: Starling plays his college ball at Stanford University, where he just finished his sophomore season with a 3.52 ERA.

AUTOGRAPH

SHAWN FELTNER Position: IF/Pitcher School: Sophomore, Northwest Florida State College Hometown: Apopka Buzz: Feltner hit an impressive .335 and also pitched well, amassing a 2.93 ERA.

AUTOGRAPH

CALEB MAGGIO Position: Pitcher School: Sophomore, Samford Hometown: Apopka Buzz: Maggio is an alum of Wekiva High School, where he pitched for the Mustangs.

AUTOGRAPH

BILLY STEPHEN Position: Pitcher/Infielder School: Sophomore, Newbury College Hometown: Ocoee Buzz: As a freshman, Stephen had 19 RBIs and led team in stolen bases (seven).

AUTOGRAPH

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WINTER GARDEN SQUEEZE • WEST ORANGE TIMES & OBSERVER • THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015

FCSL among best leagues in nation Winter Garden Squeeze GM Adam Bates believes the Squeeze has staying power.

ZAK KERR

STAFF WRITER

With the Winter Garden Squeeze embarking on just its second season in 2015, the Florida College Summer League is still new to many residents of West Orange County.

The league is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in November 2003 that operates out of downtown Orlando. Its mission is to give top college players a place in Florida to hone skills with wooden bats and NCAA rules and prepare for pro ball as part of the National Association of College Summer Baseball and the National Amateur Baseball Federation.

The FCSL includes six teams: the Altamonte Springs Boom, the DeLand Suns, the Leesburg Lightning, the Sanford River Rats, the Winter Park Diamond Dawgs and the Squeeze. The Boom will debut this summer in place of the College Park Freedom.

“I’ve been in the league since day one, and I think these are the best six communities to be in,” said Adam Bates, general manager of the Squeeze. “I’d like two more to have a nice even number, but I couldn’t think of six better to be a part of.”

As far as college summer baseball leagues go, Baseball America regularly labels the FCSL as one of the best in the United States, and Major League Baseball recognizes it by providing some funding. Bates believes this is because of the competition level, the coaching prowess and the community vibe.

“There are other leagues around, but … all the things we make up for locally are recognized on a national level annually,” Bates said. “It helps for relationships with colleges, and you want to come here. We’re a player-focused league, for sure, and it’s all about the players and the fans.”

To date, 289 players from the FCSL have become MLB draft picks, including former Squeeze players Jose Favela and Shane Crouse. Eleven FCSL players have made MLB rosters, such as Milwaukee Brewers catcher Jonathan Lucroy and Miami Marlins second baseman Dee Gordon.

Comparable leagues include the Northwoods League, which has teams in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Iowa and one in Ontario; the Valley Baseball League in Virginia and West Virginia; and the Sunbelt Baseball

THE OTHER LEAGUES

Start Year Name (as college league) Valley Baseball League 1961 Northwoods League 1994 Sunbelt Baseball League 2005

Current # of Teams 12 18 (most) 8

Former Players in MLB 27 36 unknown

WHY WOODEN BATS? Although the NCAA requires college baseball teams to use aluminum alloy bats, the FCSL and most other summer leagues use wooden bats.

“Our kids need to swing a wooden bat because that’s what gets them used to the next level,” Bates said. “The pro

League in Georgia and Alabama, Bates said.

Among the dozens of college summer leagues, the franchises involved are often in flux, with new ones popping up every year, such as the Boom this year and the Squeeze last year. This is often because of vacuums left by defunct teams, a fate best avoided by community involvement, a proper venue and repeat business, Bates said.

“We have all those assets in Winter Garden,” Bates said.

One of the most vital ways the community can ensure its team stays is by providing host families, which house players throughout the season at an optional rate of $50 per week.

Players are expected to return between 10:30 p.m. and midnight from games. In return for lending access to a washer, a dryer and a refrigerator, as well as usually a bed, host families receive complimentary season passes for all home and away games.

“We have a lot of returning host families because they had a good time last year,” Bates said.

“Us getting involved in different community organizations can raise money through ticket sales with us and drive attendance.

And us being good stewards in community can get fans coming to multiple games.”

scouts want them to pitch and hit against wood.”

Professional teams from the MLB down to rookie leagues use wooden bats because of a slower exit speed that makes fielding batted balls less dangerous. Baseballs rocket off metal bats with more velocity, whereas

wooden bats dull contact more.

Metal bats became a problem for high schools and colleges when “comebackers,” balls smashed right back to the pitcher, began causing frightening injuries to teens. By 2011, the NCAA and most high-school athletic associations switched to a standard called the Bat-Ball Coefficient of Restitution.

SIZING UP THE

COMPETITION If the Squeeze hopes to celebrate a Florida Collegiate Summer League championship Aug. 9 at Tropicana Field, it will have to get through the other five ball clubs in the six-team league.

From the reigning champion Winter Park Diamond Dawgs to the newly added Altamonte Springs Boom, there are some essentials any Squeeze fan should know before he or she heads to the ballpark this summer — including a reason to visit each opposing team’s home ballpark for the adventurous fans out there.

ALTAMONTE SPRING BOOM MANAGER: Kevin Davidson 2014 RECORD: N/A YEARS IN FCSL: One HOME FIELD: Lake Brantley High School, 991 Sand Lake Road, Altamonte Springs REASON FOR THE ROAD TRIP: The home of the Lake Brantley Patriots is right there in the conversation with Heller Bros. Ballpark for nicest varsity facility in Central Florida, with the Patriots having recently added a synthetic turf infield. The park is minutes from the Altamonte Mall.

DELAND SUNS MANAGER: Rick Hall 2014 RECORD: 16-23 YEARS IN FCSL: Eight HOME FIELD: Conrad Park, 555 S. Woodland Blvd., DeLand REASON FOR THE ROAD TRIP: The home to the Stetson Hatters Division I college baseball team is downright impressive and, arguably, the nicest ballpark utilized by the league for regular-season contests.

LEESBURG LIGHTNING MANAGER: Rich Billings 2014 RECORD: 18-17 YEARS IN FCSL: Nine HOME FIELD: Pat Thomas Stadium, 240 Ballpark Road, Leesburg REASON FOR THE ROAD TRIP: The first lighted ballpark in Florida has plenty of history to its credit — and usually has some of the best fan support and attendance numbers.

SANFORD RIVER RATS MANAGER: Ken Kelly 2014 RECORD: 23-13 (FCSL Runner-up) YEARS IN FCSL: 12 (original member) HOME FIELD: Historic Sanford Memorial Stadium, 1201 S. Mellonville Ave., Sanford REASON FOR THE ROAD TRIP: If walls at this ballpark could talk, they would tell of the history and famous ballplayers who have played in this facility over the years dating back to its original construction in 1926.

WINTER PARK DIAMOND DAWGS MANAGER: Scotty Makarewicz 2014 RECORD: 25-17 (FCSL champion) YEARS IN FCSL: 12 (original member) HOME FIELD: Alfond Stadium at Harper-Shepherd Field, 801 N. Orange Ave., Winter Park REASON FOR THE ROAD TRIP: The home field for the Rollins College Tars may have the best location of the opposing ballparks. Alfond Stadium is less than a mile from famous Park Avenue in the heart of Winter Park.

WOTimes.com

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THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015 • WEST ORANGE TIMES & OBSERVER • WINTER GARDEN SQUEEZE

WOTimes.com

WINTER GARDEN SQUEEZE • WEST ORANGE TIMES & OBSERVER • THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015

2015 SCHEDULE SUN

JUNE

Adult Tickets $5 Children/Seniors $3 Games start at 7 p.m.

Schedule subject to change

MON 1

TUE 2

22 @ ALTAMONTE

23 VS ALTAMONTE

26

27

28

29 @ LEESBURG

30 VS LEESBURG

12

FIELD LOCATIONS

26

Sanford River Rats Sanford Memorial Stadium 1201 Mellonville Road, Sanford, FL 32771 Winter Garden Squeeze Heller Bros. Ballpark 1625 Beulah Road, Winter Garden, FL 34787 Winter Park Diamond Dawgs Alfond Stadium/Harper-Shepherd Field 801 Orange Ave., Winter Park, FL 32789

13 @ LEESBURG

21

For game rescheduling and team information, please call the FCSL office, (321) 206-9174, or check the website: floridaleague.com.

Leesburg Lightning Pat Thomas Stadium 240 Ballpark Road, Leesburg, FL 34748

12 VS LEESBURG

20 @ SANFORD

19

SE PROSPECT SHOWCASE SANFORD, FL

24 @ ALTAMONTE

25

WED 1 @ LEESBURG

THU FRI SAT 2 @ 3 VS 4 VS WINTER PARK WINTER PARK SANFORD

8

9

6

7

13 VS SANFORD

14 VS ALTAMONTE

15 @ ALTAMONTE

20

21

22 VS LEESBURG

5:00 PM

DeLand Suns Conrad Park/ Melching Field 555 S. Woodland Blvd., DeLand, FL 32720

11 @ LEESBURG

19 VS SANFORD

TUE

VS DELAND

SAT 6 @ ALTAMONTE

16 VS 17 @ 18 @ WINTER PARK WINTER PARK SANFORD

MON

10

FRI 5 VS ALTAMONTE

15

@ LEESBURG

@ DELAND

4

14

5

9

THU

PLAYOFFS

8

JULY

Altamonte Springs Boom Lake Brantley High School 991 Sand Lake Road, Altamonte Springs, FL 32714

WED 3

AWAY

7

SUN

VS DELAND

HOME

FCSL ALL-STARS VS. KOREA DELAND, FL

27 VS WINTER PARK SUN

FLORIDA LEAGUE ALL-STAR GAME SANFORD, FL

@ DELAND

@ SANFORD

TUE

11 @ WINTER PARK

16 VS ALTAMONTE

17 VS LEESBURG

18

23

24

25

@ DELAND

WED

VS DELAND

FLORIDA LEAGUE ALL-STARS VS. KOREAN NATIONAL TEAM - SANFORD, FL

THU

FRI 1

4

PLAY IN GAME #5 SEED @ #4V SEED

5

PLAYOFFS BEST OF 3 GAME 1

6

PLAYOFFS BEST OF 3 GAME 2

@ DELAND

31 @ SANFORD

AUGUST 2 VS 3 WINTER PARK

@ DELAND

10 VS SANFORD

28 @ 29 VS 30 @ WINTER PARK WINTER PARK ALTAMONTE

MON

VS DELAND

7

PLAYOFFS BEST OF 3 GAME 3

SAT VS SANFORD

8

9

CHAMPIONSHIP GAME @ TROPICANA FIELD

CURRENT SPECIAL PROMOTIONS NIGHTS For more information and an updated list of game-night giveaways and promotional nights, visit WinterGardenSqueeze.com.

In Memory

Scott Dillon May 27, 1961 - May 30, 2015

A friend to everyone he met.

• June 5 — Opening Night — West Orange Times & Observer Family Night • June 10, 14, 23 and 29 — Roper YMCA Family Nights • June 12 — Hapco Music Family Friday Night • June 16, 23, 30 and July 14 — Matthew’s Hope Tuesdays • June 19 — Father’s Day Friday Night Presented by Chick-Fil-A, Real Iron Dad and #AaronStrong • June 23 and 26 — Health Central Baseball Week • June 26 — Jimmy Crabtree Strikeout Cancer Night Presented by West Orange Times & Observer • June 30 — Paint the Park Purple For Matthews Hope • July 2 — The Kiwanis Club Challenge at Alfond Stadium Winter Park, FL • July 17 — The West Orange Times & Observer Pack the Park Night • July 24 — BHHS Florida Realty Sunshine Kids Night

Windermere and the Central Florida Baseball Community lost one of its biggest supporters last weekend with the unexpected passing of Scott Dillon.

If your children played ball in this area you have come into contact with Scott in his role as Little League Coach, Windermere LL President, or officiating High School, Little League and numerous Travel Team Leagues. You would remember your interaction with Scott, always happy, always helpful and willing to do whatever it took to insure that the kids had a great game while learning how to get better at it.

Scott was a loving husband to Sandra, the proud father of Spencer and Garret and friend to everyone he met. Baseball occupied a great deal of his time but he was an accomplished scuba diver and instructor, enjoyed hunting elk and mule deer in Colorado, biking and reading.

Scott will be dearly missed, but not forgotten.

- Ed Williams 173259

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WOTimes.com

THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015 • WEST ORANGE TIMES & OBSERVER • WINTER GARDEN SQUEEZE

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WOTimes.com

WINTER GARDEN SQUEEZE • WEST ORANGE TIMES & OBSERVER • THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015

TAKE ME OUT TO THE (WINTER GARDEN) BALLGAME

The Squeeze is just the latest addition to the city’s long history with America’s pastime.

Editor’s note: Portions of this article originally appeared in the West Orange Times in 2003 as part of a monthly series on Winter Garden’s history to commemorate the city’s 100th anniversary.

AMY QUESINBERRY RHODE

COMMUNITY EDITOR

Long before the Winter Garden Squeeze took the field at West Orange High School or today’s youngest baseball players touched bat to ball and ran the bases at the Winter Garden Little League’s complex, the city of Winter Garden and those same fields in the heart of it were filled with uniformed professional players who came south for Major League Baseball Spring Training.

Later, young men traveled to the city from around the country to attend a baseball school run by the Washington Senators, trying to hone their catching, throwing and batting skills in hopes of making it to the Big Leagues.

Little information on the subject is recorded at the Winter Garden History Center. There are just a handful of pictures and even fewer words that provide details of the short time when the city was a real baseball town.

Some former players have sent photos or receipts or letters with a few lines of memories to the history center. There are a couple of accounts by residents who were young boys when the impressive players were here.

Having baseball in Winter Garden was big news for this city at a time when there were no televisions and residents were looking for entertainment. Folks — especially some of the young women — welcomed the players and excitement they brought, and city officials welcomed the publicity the school brought.

Buss Walker, a sports columnist for the Chattanooga Times, wrote in an article: “When the boys return home, their talk across the dinner tables for months to come will be of their trip to the Deep South; the things they saw, heard

and learned while here; and their talk will make a household word of the name of this city.

“Many of the boys will be signed to baseball contracts and continue in the national pastime, throughout the nation in one league or another, and the name of Winter Garden will be passed by word of mouth as they sit about, as ball players do, and talk baseball.”

HE BUILT IT; THEY CAME

When George Walker was mayor of Winter Garden in the 1930s, he secured government money from the Works Progress Administration to create jobs in the city. He built the first municipal swimming pool in Orange County, plus the boat basins and Tanner Hall on Lake Apopka and the ball fields on Park Avenue (which were named after him).

Old issues of the West Orange Times were dotted with blurbs about baseball teams coming to Winter Garden to train.

In 1936, the Albany Baseball Club trained here just as Walker Field was being completed.

In 1937, Winter Garden provided the spring training grounds for the Baltimore Orioles, a baseball club of the International League.

Players from Rochester, New York, went through spring training in the city, as well.

After World War II (1939-45), the Washington Senators opened a large baseball school in Winter Garden. A number of U.S. Army barracks that were previously set up at Trailer City near the lake were moved to Walker Field.

More than 300 baseball hopefuls stayed there while attending the four-week school.

In 1950, Ossie Bluege — a former star third baseman for the Washington Senators and later team general manager then team president — arrived at the Edgewater Hotel to open a second baseball school in the city.

THOSE WHO WERE THERE

Joe Pusateri, of Ohio, shared

File photo

A Winter Garden baseball team dating back to the 1930s included local men such as front row, from left: John D. Dunnawa and Clarence Tilden. Middle row: L.F. Roper, Leo Bogard, Julian Sadler, E.M. “Doc” Tanner and Calvin Sadler. Back row: Hoyle Pounds, Fred Roper and Oscar Reams. with the museum a letter he received from Joe W. Engel, president of the Chattanooga Baseball Company, and dated Sept. 15, 1949.

It read, in part: “If you are still in high school, please disregard this letter. I might mention that we cannot sign a boy who has quit school unless he has been out of school for one year or longer.”

The letter sent to players provided travel information — “Trains run into Orlando, Florida, which is 12 miles east of Winter Garden. There you may take a bus to Winter Garden.” It also included information regarding where the players would eat and sleep — “Free sleeping quarters will be assigned to you in our spacious dormitories. A dining hall in connection with the school will furnish meals to each student for the nominal sum of $20 a week.” And, of course, it gave players the list of required items —“Your baseball uniform, shoes, glove and other personal equip-

ment. Also, two towels, two pillow slips and two sheets.”

Engel also wrote: “The players who sign our contracts will have their board and railroad coach fare refunded. … I might add that it’s more than a school; it is a tryout camp with positions awaiting those who show ability. … I assure you that we have the finest layout of any baseball school in the country.”

Pusateri shared his memories of his baseball days in Winter Garden.

“When we arrived there Jan. 4, we checked into the school,” he said. “We stayed in one long barracks, and there were bunk beds.

Our washroom and shower room was in there too. Our dining hall was in a separate building. They assigned us our quarters and then they went through a routine schedule of what we were going to be doing the first several days.

We did calisthenics and running to try to get everyone into shape.

“After we got sort of put into

‘I had a great time playing ball there with a lot of great ball players. … It was something that was very important in my life.’

— Joe Pusateri

WOTimes.com

THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015 • WEST ORANGE TIMES & OBSERVER • WINTER GARDEN SQUEEZE

shape — after they ran the pants off us, really — they divided us into teams then we started to play one another,” Pusateri said.

“There were several teams, and we had fielding practice and then batting practice. They were checking to see who the good hitters were. While we were playing, there would be Major League scouts there watching all the players … and they would occasionally talk to us.”

Did the scouts show any interest in Pusateri?

“They asked me how old I was and where I was from,” he said.

“That’s about the extent of it.

That’s how far I went.”

He was offered a job by BoBo Newsome, one of the coaches at the school and a Major League pitcher. Newsome asked Pusateri to play ball in South Carolina, but he turned down the deal because he was only going to get paid for the games he played.

“I was a pitcher, so I was only going to pitch every four days,” he said. “I would have wound up down at the Mission looking for a bowl of soup. I figured I would come home.”

Pusateri played Class I amateur ball in Ohio before getting drafted into the Army. There, he played third base on a championship fast-pitch softball team in Germany in 1952.

“That was more than 50 years ago,” he said, recalling his younger years. “I brought my wife back here when we visited Rod Reeves (former director of the Winter Garden Heritage Museum), and it just brought back a lot of good memories. I had a great time playing ball there with a lot of great ball players.

“It was something that was very important in my life,” he said. “I did plan on a baseball career, but things didn’t turn out that way.

When I came back home, my girlfriend and I decided to get married, then I got drafted into the Army.”

Alvin F. Berry, formerly of Stephentown, New York, remembers paying $100 for four weeks of training in January 1956. He attended tryouts in his Berlin, New York, baseball team uniform.

He wrote in a letter to the Winter Garden Heritage Museum: “I had gotten out of the Navy in May 1955, and when I saw the ad for a baseball school in Florida that year in the Sporting News, I left my job and took a train down to Winter Garden,” he wrote. “When I came back, I wrote my grandmother and

said: ‘I have returned. Need I say more?’”

“In 1950, while in my senior year at Berlin Central, Berlin, New York, I had thrown a no-hitter and had a 4-3 record,” he told the West Orange Times. “After graduation, during the summer, my coach, Ed Witko, came to me and said, ‘Al, you have a year of eligibility left. Why don’t you come back to school?’ I did. We won our school’s first soccer championship (I was All-Star halfback for the county), and in baseball I had five wins, two losses.

After serving four years in the U.S. Navy, he signed up for the baseball school and came to Florida.

“When I arrived in Winter Garden, there were about 100 other men who were also interested in this school,” he said. “This was enough for four teams to play against. The school provided our bunks and three meals a day. (It felt like I was back in boot camp.)

The weather was great.

“We played morning and afternoon inter-squad games,” Berry said. “As I remember, there was not much teaching of fundamentals at the school. They were looking for that nugget of talent. Being married, I didn’t party. I remember some of the players coming in late at night telling that the locals didn’t like them trying to date their girls and a lot of grapefruit/ oranges were thrown at them when they went into town.

“I also remember that we didn’t use names,” he said. “We were known as, ‘Hey Mr. New York’ or ‘Wisconsin’ or ‘Georgia,’ etc. One guy was a barber, and he brought his tools with him and cut hair.”

BOYHOOD MEMORIES

E.M. Fetner grew up in Winter Garden in a house not too far from Walker Field, and he remembered the baseball players coming to the city. His reminiscences are at the museum.

He wrote: “From our house, I could hear the ‘crack’ of the bats.

It was like a magnet that drew me to the baseball field every chance I got. I was always at the Edgewater Hotel in town when the team arrived. I would carry bags to their room and may get a 10-cent tip. I was in the clubhouse when they unpacked their gear, and I would watch them go through their exercises and practices.

“But the greatest thrill of all came after their practice and games were over and they had gone home. During their practices, baseballs filled the air in all

directions, some of which landed in a palmetto patch across a road on the back of the stadium. They were free for the finding. I went baseball hunting quite often.

“I can say there is no greater thrill than wading through the palmettos, parting the fronds and finding a real baseball nestled in the bushes. It’s probably like finding the Hope Diamond in a pile of rocks. This didn’t happen every day, but when it did, it was a great feeling. Finding a prize Easter egg is no comparison.”

END OF AN ERA

But like many good things, the baseball training camps and schools eventually came to an end.

Fox, the Senators’ traveling secretary, said the organization eventually moved its spring training camps first to the Jacksonville Beach area then to Melbourne because the number of players in the Minor Leagues grew and the team needed more room.

It was the bottom of the ninth with two outs for the baseball schools some time in the latter part of the 1950s when they were closed down on short notice. Reportedly, a racist organization ran them out of the city because its members didn’t like the minority players dating local women.

BASEBALL’S MANY FACES

In the early 1930s, a Winter Garden team sporting uniforms with an overlapping “W” and “G” on the left breast had such well-known names as Tanner, Pounds, Roper, Tilden and Sadler.

In the late 1940s and early ’50s, Central Florida players faced each other in Lake-Orange League games. The Winter Garden team proudly wore old uniforms furnished by the Chattanooga Lookouts, the Senators’ farm team. For years, Joe Gufford managed the team and George Howard was the business manager. Herbert Pounds caught, Russell Pounds played first base, Ward Britt was the homerun-hitting left fielder, Skeeter Bradford played right field, Henry Britt played center field, and Gibbs Ashley, the veterinarian from Apopka, moved over and played third base. Jerry Chicone and Delmus Davis were the batboys.

Fetner remembered when baseball meant everything to the city and its people.

“The town team played Sunday and Wednesday afternoons

when all the stores were closed in town,” he wrote. “Their season lasted all summer. Primarily, the team was made up of men who worked in local stores and businesses. Since team members were well known by everyone, the games were well attended.

“The games were topics of conversation all week when every event was analyzed and the players were ribbed about their mistakes and errors,” Fetner wrote. “Several towns in the area formed the Central Florida Town Teams Group. All teams being non-profit, they operated as a civic project for enjoyment of the American pastime.”

It wasn’t unusual for 1,000 sports fans to pack into the old wooden grandstand at Walker Field to watch the leather ball fly and the players round the bases.

“That was the activity in Winter Garden,” said longtime West Orange County resident Jerry Chicone. “Everyone turned out; it was a social event. Everyone went to church, they went home to eat lunch, and then they came to the ball field.”

He said most of the players were older: “They were 28 to 30 years old because they came back from the war or got out of the service.”

Because it was a semi-professional league, the pitcher — usually a member of the U.S. Air Force from Orlando — was paid.

Other teams in the league were Ocoee, Clermont, Apopka, Tavares, Eustis, Umatilla and Winter Park. Each season, the Lake-Orange League All-Stars played Leesburg, a member of the professional Florida State League in Leesburg.

YOUTH MOVEMENT

The Winter Garden Little League baseball program was started in 1951, which brought in a different crowd sitting on the bleachers and hollering from behind the catcher and batter.

The women who had crushes on the baseball players in the 1940s gave way to mothers cheering on their sons in the 1950s. The men who came out to see some Major League action became fathers coaching their children.

Those fields are still popular today among eager young ballplayers and their enthusiastic parents. Many of these boys and girls probably have no idea of the long tradition of America’s pastime that has graced these fields.

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‘I remember some of the players coming in late at night telling that the locals didn’t like them trying to date their girls and a lot of grapefruit/oranges were thrown at them when they went into town.’

— Alvin F. Berry

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WINTER GARDEN SQUEEZE • WEST ORANGE TIMES & OBSERVER • THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015

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THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015 • WEST ORANGE TIMES & OBSERVER • WINTER GARDEN SQUEEZE

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WINTER GARDEN SQUEEZE • WEST ORANGE TIMES & OBSERVER • THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015

Proud Supporters of The Winter Garden Squeeze.

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