UPDATED-Junkies walk all over ‘Crackers, then stagger to a win

    (Photo: Greg "Great Hair" Loria poses in Detroit Tigers pinstripes sometime in the previous century)

     By Bill Tarrant

      With two outs, a runner at first and third, the Softball Junkies clinging to a one-run lead over the Nutcrackers in the last inning, and here comes slugger Mike Konheim striding to the plate. Junkies manager Gregg Loria convenes a conference at the mound. Umpire Mike is bellowing for a little less conversation and a little more action as the game runs overtime with another game awaiting the field. Pitcher Bill Tarrant points towards first base indicating an intentional walk to Konheim, loading the bases.

     “I thought it was a no-brainer to walk Konheim,” Gregg said, although it did put the potential winning run on second.

     That brought up Gary Sokol, a good-hitting, 6-rated player. Gregg told Tarrant  that Sokol usually swings at the first pitch “so don’t give him anything good.” But Sokol worked a 2-2 count before smashing it to the shortstop hole. Gregg’s brother Bruce slid to his knees in a cloud of dust and threw to Raul Aguilar at third for the final out, preserving the 12-11 victory.

     “It was really intense; we were fighting against a great team,” Nutcracker manager Carlos Arias said. “And we had an opportunity. The strategy you were using was really good to walk Mike Konheim. Gary Sokol is a great hitter but hit it to the wrong spot.”

     The biggest problem for the Nutcrackers was the top of the lineup, which was held in check most of the game, Carlos said “We didn’t produce at all.”

     Despite benefitting from nine walks, and hitting the ball hard all game, the Junkies failed to run up the score, leaving 13 runners on base. All the walks seemed to lull the Junkies into a slumber.

     Debi Lestelle, filling in as the Nutcrackers’ pitcher, got off to a rough start with half her walks coming in the first two innings. But she settled in after that, especially since the Junkies had nodded off.

     The key to the game, Gregg Loria said, was his bottom of the order.

     “I think it was a great effort by Susie Matta and Jerry Sroka who were on base six times.”

     Junkie left-center fielder “Pizza” Joe Micelli helped pace the offense with a massive two-run homer.

     “It was an ugly game, like kissing your sister,” Bruce Loria concluded. “Unless, of course, it’s Pizza Joe’s sister, which then you wouldn’t mind.”

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     The name Softball Junkies, of course, refers to how addictive the game can be. But in their first incarnation, the original Softball Junkies were, in fact, drunks and drug addicts, said Gregg Loria, a founding member of the city league team in 1984.

     “The Junkies started as a team for recovering alcoholics and drug abusers. We had guys who had been on heroin and crystal meth, along with a few drinkers. The only reason they let me on the team was because I’d never had a drink or done drugs in my life. And you had to take a vow of sobriety to be on the team. It was a great team.”

     “But one by one they fell off the wagon. Some died and some wound up in prison. And now I’m the only one left from the original team,” Gregg said.

     When Gregg decided to manage several seasons ago, he appropriated the name for the senior league. "It was in memory of that team."

     A young adult version of the Junkies still plays in one of the city leagues. "It’s probably the oldest existing team in the city,” Gregg said.

     Gregg, who grew up in Detroit, played high school baseball with St. Louis Cardinals' Hall of Fame Catcher Ted Simmons. Gregg, 75, and the father of a daughter and son, spent a career in advertising, moving out to LA after graduating from Michigan State. In 1981, he helped start a monthly magazine called Shape, which soon became the number-one fitness magazine for women. It survives today as a digital magazine.

In other games…

Hip replacements 23, Dodgers 5

Taking advantage of walks and miscues, the Hipsters racked up runs from the entire lineup with excellent defense throughout the game, particularly on the infield captained by Shortstop Billy Freeman and errorless play by Armando Perez, Stacie Rosenberg, Stan Harold, and Eric Loinez. “This team was drafted for defense and showed it in game one”, said manager Doug McIntye. “As long as nobody hits it to me.”

Black and Silver 11, Spring Chickens 10

Hank Kirksey’s team held off  the sprightly Spring Chickens, with good production from the bottom half of the order.

Slow Horses 17, Bad Knees Bears 11

Slow Horses scored 8 runs in the first two innings and never looked back. ”We hit five deep flyballs, but right at their outfielders,” Bears manager Ken Milbrand moaned. “We can hit. We have a good team.”

Archie’s Foul Balls 16, Mudhens 11

The dreaded “sun field” on Basin 3 contributed greatly to a series of miscues that led to the Mudhens' defeat. The setting sun blinded their outfielders in right on several occasions and led to big innings for the Archies. Curiously, the Archies were not as affected by the sun, with right center fielder and manager Richard Steinmetz making several fine catches.

Red Sox 12, Trash Pandas 8

The Red Sox's best player and manager Phil Gurnee came to the plate with two outs and the bases loaded, down by four runs. He lofted a ball to left. Deb Newman trotted in, made a basket catch, and of course, the ball spun out of her glove. But she managed to clutch it to her chest to preserve the victory.