When summer H.S. baseball shined in Orleans
Contributed Photo – The players and coaches for Albion St. Mary’s 1994 Orleans County Boys Baseball League playoff championship team included, in front, Eric Johnson, B.J. Aina, Mike Ugorek, Shawn Callicutt and Andre Callicutt. In back are Coach Gary Westlund, Tim Westlund, Mike Rush, Aaron Bouie, Brian Allen, Kory Allen, Matt Tower, Coach Ken Smith and Coach Gary Kingsbury.
These days travel league and major tournament competition has virtually put an end to local community summertime baseball teams and leagues for high school aged players.
However, it was not all that long ago when virtually every community in the county had at least one team competing in the Orleans County Boys Baseball League which crowned playoff champions for nearly 20 years from 1984 to 2001.
Aaron Bouie, left, who helped lead Albion St. Mary’s to the 1994 title, and Brian Fry, who helped lead Medina to the 1985 crown, both went on to play professional baseball
Albion, which most every year had multiple teams, Medina, Lyndonville, Shelby, Carlton, Holley and Kendall all had clubs in the circuit which also at times included squads from Barker, Roy-Hart and Gasport.
The Albion St. Mary’s team proved to be the most successful capturing four playoff championships (1987, 1990, 1992 and 1994). The lineup for the 1994 St. Mary’s squad included pitcher Aaron Bouie who went on to star at St. Bonaventure University and play professional ball in the Baltimore Orioles organization.
The Albion VFW claimed titles in 1984 and 1986 and AFD won in 2000.
Various Medina teams likewise claimed a total of four titles in 1985 (C&N Video Shop sponsored), 1988 (YMCA), 1991 (Village Sports) and 1997. Brian Fry, who hurled a one hitter with 10 strikeouts in Medina’s 1985 title victory, went on to play professional ball in the Cincinnati Reds organization.
In addition, Kendall claimed playoff crowns in 1996 and 1998, Holley in 1993 (VFW) and 1995 (Rotary), Carlton in 2001 and Barker in 1989.
The results of the playoff title games were as follows:
1984 – Albion VFW 4, Medina 2
1985 – Medina 16, Albion VFW 2
1986 – Albion VFW 6, Medina 2
1987 – Albion St. Mary’s 7, Barker 2
1988 – Medina YMCA 10, Albion VFW 5
1989 – Barker 10, Medina 7 (9 innings)
1990 – Albion St. Mary’s 17, Medina 3
1991 – Medina Village Sports 11, AFD 9
1992 – St. Mary’s Albion 13, Medina Village Sports 5
1993 – Holley VFW 10, Shelby 8
1994 – Albion St. Mary’s 7, Lyndonville 3
1995 – Holley Rotary 7, Carlton 3
1996 – Kendall 7, Medina Village Sports 2
1997 – Medina 2, AFD 1
1998 – Kendall 2, Medina Mark’s Pizzeria 1
1999 – Albion 8, Roy-Hart 5
2000 – AFD 18, Gasport 5
2001 – Carlton 23, Holley 2
The players and coaches for Medina’s 1985 playoff championship team included, in front, Chris Carpenter, Brian Fry, Brett Decker, Wayne Meland and Todd Hughes. In the middle row are Dave Hilger, Joe Fuller, Carl Creasey, Casey Ferguson, Shannon Parker and Mike Hadick. In back are Coach Aaron Newsom, Jody Sargent, Paul Valley, Jim Ambrose, B.J. Stoddard, Chris Bacon, Jerry Solazzo and Coach Bruce Campbell.
