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Show 1 SUN CHRONICLE, Thursday, July 22, 976, Page 17 1 Roy Recreation o By Bliss Fullmer In Midget B and C baseball, the pitcher throws a distance of 40 feet and SCOTT ERWIN pitched a Junior no-hitt- earlier in the season. squad. Bottom row, from left: Joe Winward, Kenny Tulane, Pete Reyna, and Park Beutler. Jay Glen Coach row: Norton, Blaze Bishop, Kelly Norton, Gary AnTop derson , Jeff Freestone and Coach Ben Rizzuto. THE PLANT-PLAN- T B Riz-zut- the bases are 60 feet apart. The runners can steal second and third, once they are on base, but they cant steal home unless played on. In Midget A, for the 12 year olds, the pitching distance is 50 feet, the bases are 70 feet apart and the runners can lead off and steal at anytime including home. When a boy is 13 and moves up to Junior B baseball he finds that the bases are 80 feet apart qnd the pitchers must pitch 55 feet to reach home base. At age 14 the boy plays Junior B ball as an 8th grader, and plays it on a regular baseball diamond. (90 feet between bases and 60 feet from pitchers mound to home plate.) In many baseball programs, the boys play on the same sized diamonds from age 9 through 12. Then at age 13 the young man moves up to regular baseball with its 90 foot base paths and 60 foot pitching distance. We prefer our method of letting the youngsters slowly adapt a step at a time into regular baseball over a span of five years. It isnt such a shocking experience to a 13 year old who suddenly finds himself in a mans baseball world. We have some fine teams in our Junior B seventh grade and eighth grade leagues. We got a close look at some promising talent that will star for Roy and Sandridge Junior Highs, and for Roy High School in the years to come. And some of that talent will reach beyond high school. In the seventh grade ranks we looked at the league-leadin- g As No. 2 team coached by Mike Strebel. Mike has coached most of these kids since they were in the fourth grade. He was high on all of his kids, and darn proud of their tough 3 win over Plant Plant last week. It was a rubber match game; each team had beaten the other for their only loss in league play. Now the As No. 2 club owns top spot. Coach Strebel has a couple of dandies in pitchers Brett Matsumura and Paul Hansen. Paul is also a good hitter, and is joined by Scott Strebel and Ronnie Halbert in that department. A couple of Scotts (Strebel and Davis) aiong with Tim Blickfield were singled out for their defensive prowess in the field. As No. 2 team consists of a smooth blend of Sandridge and Roy Junior High athletes. On the other end of the spectrum are the Kiwanis Bears. Theyve only won two games, while losing seven, groaned Assistant Coach A1 Porter, 4-- KIWANIS BEARS of Junior B, 7th graders, (from left bottom row) Mark Lacher, Mark Bell, Tim Pence, Marty Hachmeister, Steve Martinez. (Top row) Russell Porter, Ron Porter, Blake La Rogue, Troy Sorenson, Kerry Sorerisbh, Cotith Arnie Peart.' but they are something special because of the way they have improved this year. We have a lot of from other teams, he continued, but were coming. The Bears are led by pitcher Terry Sorenson, hitters Blake LaRouque, Ron Porter and Terry r, Sorenson, and fielders Marty left-ove- Hack-mieste- Russ Porter and Randy Weaver. Head Coach of the Bears is Arnie Peart. Meline Building claims third place in this, the toughest league in town. They are coached by Felix Casias and assisted by Harry Fukuda. Scott Erwin and Greg Roberts do most of their pitching. Leading hitters include Greg Roberts, Mike Jachim and Bruce Odow. Jim Puffer and Bruce Odow are two of their better fielders. These kids are determined, and arent to be n counted out for play. coached The Giants pre by colorful Willie Gallegos. Willie finished a two year hitch in the Army in Germany and got back just as baseball was beginning. He was then drafted and recruited by his little brother to coach the team. Ace pitcher is Jeff Smith, who is also their leading hitter, but only barely ahead of Troy DeVries who can also give that old apple a ride. Allen Gentry post-seaso- action captured last Tuesday afternoon finds the A's Brett Matsamura in batting action. JUNIOR B at first base and Kevin Jameson at centerfield lead their defensive unit. The Plant Plant team is last, but certainly not least of this rugged seventh grade league. They are coached by Ben Rizzuto, and assisted by Glen Norton. Coach Rizzuto admits a kinship with that other baseballer named Rizzuto, but I dont have any of that Rizzuto money, he signed. Ben found it hard to single out any of his players for special plaudits, because they are all good. He did mention pitchers Gary Anderson and Kelly Norton, and hitters Kenny Huddleston, Paul Duke, Joe Rizzuto and Kenny Tulane as well as centerfielder Jay Winward, who is also quarterback of the team. These kids are from Roy Junior High with a few Sandridgers thrown in. Ben was very complimentary toward the As No. 2 team that knocked him out of first place, but he did admit that he wanted another crack at them. Junior B Eighth graders The Roy Lions, under Coach Reggie COACH WILLIE GALLEGOS (right) was recruited by his little Burns are riding high in Junior B for eighth graders. Pitchers Troy Burns and Tim Stulce are thought by many to be best of the league. Both of these young men are also good hitters, but f. v-are challenged at the bat by Robert (J. Graham, Mitch Brown, Kelly Clark and Mike Wayment. Mitch Brown, at second base and Kelly Clark at first were mentioned as two of their better h fielders. At least four members of this star-lade- n team started for Sandridge Junior High last year, and will be returning next year. The Lions are 0 in league play and 10-- 0 for the year. The Wildcats, under Williard Cragun, are making a run for second place. Big Mike Allison is their Ace Pitcher and also a highly respected batter. Will Cragun is the teams most consistant brother, Byron. ' ! 8-- hitter. Byron Talbot and Chad Loosemare are especially tough fielders. It is interesting to note that Loosemare lives in California, but comes to Utah every year to live with his grandmother and play ball for the Wildcats. These kids are well coached and determined to beat those Lions someday. The As No. 1 team is doing battle with the Wildcats for the number two slot. Bert Rich and Court Murdock handle the pitching chores. Roger Hess, along with Murdock and Hess are considered tops in the batting department. This is another determined bunch of kids who will never say die. Coach Ted Rich is doing a fine job with these As. The Reds No. 2 team isnt doing too well, but they are hanging in there. They started with 12 players, but are now down to nine. Steve Wright is their pitcher, and gets a lot of help from catcher Troy Frongner, and short stop Jim Ingram. Coach Ben Brown is already looking forward to next year Just and hopefully better fortunes. having enough players to keep from forfeiting would help, he maoned. Kerry Bullard coached Reds No. 1 team. They rely heavily upon Larry Ruiz for pitching. He has pitched six of the seven games and won half of them. In the hitting department, Coach Bullard still remembers Robert Singlers grand slam home run against Reds No. 2. Troy Bullard has been the most consistent in hitting and has the teams best batting average. Robert Martinez, who plays short stop, got the nod as best of the fielders. These boys attended Roy Junior High and live in the area near Roy Park. Junior B baseball provided exciting entertainment for Roy residents, and of Coming Previews reflects for the Roy teams of Attractions tomorrow. From through the Midget Leagues it certainly has proved to be a Giant Step Forward. Isi COACH WILLIE GALLEGOS makes pitching relieved by Troy DeVries. change in recent action. Jeff Smith Sodenkamp competes as one and only Roy Recreation B.B. coed So whos Becky Sodenkamp? She just happens to be the only girl baseball player on a boys baseball team. excepted). Becky is a pretty brown haired girl of 13 with a smile that would mellow the meanest, toughest male pitcher in the Junior Baseball Program. She lives in the rural area of West Roy with her Mr. and Mrs. John parents, Sodenkamp. Becky has an older brother and sister and one younger sister. We had a lot of questions to ask (T-Ba- ll Becky. did you decide to play on a team? baseball boys Q. Why A. Its fun! But you could be playing on a girls softball team. Why then, baseball on a boys team? because its A. I prefer baseball faster and more competitive. Q. How did you get on a boys team to start with? A. I just heard from the boys that a new team was being formed, so I went and tried out. Q. And you made the team? A. I play first base. Q. I hear you have a boyfriend on the team. A. (blush) Yes. Q. Is that why you decided to join the team? A. Well, partly, but I just wanted to play baseball. Q. How do your teammates feel about a girl on the team? A. They treat me just like one of the Q. forget. Q. Do you consider yourself a Tomboy? A. Yes. Because I like sports. Q. Did you ever play with dolls? A. Yes. When I was little. But I liked baseball better. Q. What are your hobbies? A. Baseball, basketball and football. Q. Touch football? A. No. Tackle football. Q. Will you try out for football? A. No. Mom wont let me. She said its too rough. Q. How about next year. Baseball again? A. Mom thinks I am going to play softball, but I havent decided yet. This young lady proved her point, that she could compete with boys in their sport. Her team, the Thunderbolts disbanded in mid season, but dont be too surprised next year if she doesnt pop up somewhere on another baseball team of boys. I boys. Q. And the opposing teams? A. Im no different in the game than the rest of the guys. Q. How do your folks feel about your makes hearty attempt to steal third base while Russell Porter awaits the throw for a possible tag. Base coach Dick STEVE CASAIS Odow (not pictured) directs traffic at the hot corner. playing on a boys team? A. Atfirst mom wanted me to play softball, but they dont mind. They come to watch me play. Q. How does the crowd react to you? A. Oh, sometimes they cheer for me because I am a girl, but they soon "si Becky Sodenkamp is |