Author: Rick Tenenholtz

The season came to an end on a somewhat gloomy night on Wednesday as Team Fogel and Team Harris battled it out. The two youngest captains in the league squared off for the Youk award. 

Griff for the winners:

In an exciting championship showdown at the illustrious Triple Creek Park, Team Harris emerged victorious over Team Fogel with a final score of 11-6. Notably, Team Harris was missing, arguably, their MVP (Most Vexatious Player) of the season, Roger Rosenthal, who was on a cruise in Canada. Rosenthal fired the team up before the game with a video message from the cruise ship telling them to simply “just win the damn game.” Team Harris knew they couldn’t let him down after that.

The game was filled with standout moments and impressive performances from both sides.  Team Harris jumped out to an early lead in the first inning scoring 3 runs and never looked back after that. For Team Harris, Ryan Marcus hit a solo home run in the 3rd inning to highlight his 3-hit performance, while Ryan Baum contributed with several nice hits throughout the game. Captain Griff Harris hit a crucial 3-run home run in the top of the 6^th inning to extend the lead to 11-3. The captain also made a nice diving catch on the warning track to save multiple runs in the bottom half of the 6^th. Stu Weinstein pitched a gem. He kept Team Fogel’s hitters off balance all night, only allowing 6 runs over 7 innings. Other key offensive contributions came from Pat Feldman, Mark Weisser (who went 3 for 3), Dan Bernstein, and Stu Weinstein himself, who had a couple of big hits.

Big shout out to Jeremy Fogel of Team Fogel for making a spectacular catch in the 1st inning, robbing a potential 3-run home run.  He also threw a laser to nail a runner at 3rd base later in the game. Joel Buckley also shined for Team Fogel with an outstanding catch at shortstop for the final out of the 2nd inning to save multiple runs.

The game saw Team Harris leading every inning, with scores progressing from 3-2 after the 2^nd inning to the final score of 11-6. The atmosphere was electric with a sellout crowd, including some league veterans, despite the cloudy weather. After the game, the team (JZ) celebrated their victory by popping (dumping all over himself) a bottle of champagne provided by Brad Wagner, adding a festive end to their championship win.

Congrats to Team Harris and all of the guys on both teams for a great game and post season tournament. 

League notes:

Weather permitting, the ASG is on Sunday morning at 9:30. Make sure you check the rain out line before you come to the game.

The Oy Vey 5K is on November 10. Please sign up here: Oy Vey 5K – Mayerson JCC

Happy birthdays this week:

“The Special One”  Mike Rothstein

Former player, Neil Nadel

Eddie Gallop

Zach Mayer

It was also Wes Wolf’s anniversary this week. Congrats to Wes and Hailey.

As David Weil and I were talking about earlier this week, only the Reds could fire a manager with 5 games left so they don’t have to pay him to go on the road. Now they still have to pay him the last two years on his contract, so maybe David Bell got the better end of the deal. But NOTHING the Reds did comes close to the cheapness of the Pirates. With only 4 at bats away from getting a $200,000 bonus, the Pirates cut Rowdy Tellez. Again, 4 at bats away from paying a guy $200K, the Pirates cut him. They claim it was a baseball move. So when I bitch and moan about the Reds, at least I’m not a Pirates fan.

It was a great season once again, guys. We (the league) got a big shout out during the JCC annual meeting last night.    A huge shout out to Ryan and all the captains for their hard work. Can’t wait till next season (maybe my team will win a regular season game). 

Marc

IT’s come to my attention that the Tri State area is going through a prolonged drought.  Could have fooled all of us as we went what 3 weeks without playing due to weather and “field conditions,” but that hasn’t been a problem the last few weeks and it wasn’t last night on a hot and dusty night on the fields. 

On field one we had Team Rick T vs. Team Griff H

Roger for the winners:

TEAM HARRIS 16

TEAM TENENHOLTZ 13

In what could have been one of the more exciting games in recent JCC softball history, TEAM HARRIS defeated TEAM TENENHOLTZ, 16-13, in a game that wasn’t decided until the last inning.

After TEAM HARRIS jumped out to an early lead, TEAM TENENHOLTZ came back to take the lead, only to see the victors score late and often and hold on to the victory to advance to the Tournament Finals next week vs TEAM FOGEL…..

“That was one heck of a game and it was too bad one team had to lose, but we stayed with it and came out with the win. I’ve played a lot of softball games in my day, but this has to be one of the more exciting ones,” captain GRIFF HARRIS said amid the wild celebration after the game.

With TEAM TENENHOLTZ trying to make a comeback in the bottom of the seventh inning, ROGER ROSENTHAL made maybe the play of the year with a backhanded catch on a line drive up the middle to end the game.

“I wouldn’t believe it if I didn’t see it,” veteran DAVID WEIL said while watching the game after his game had already ended. “Actually I didn’t see it. It was too dark.”

A wild celebration ensued as TEAM HARRIS was celebrating like there was NO tomorrow.

“I’m glad I came thru for the team when we needed it the most. I haven’t had a good year and really was glad to help the team out,” ROSENTHAL told ESPNU afterwards. “My hitting has really stunk this season and I try to do my job at 2B the best I can, and this makes it all worth it.”

STU WEINSTEIN once again pitched a nice game and won his third straight……..”I just let my defense do their thing and they did,” he said afterwards.

The offense was aplenty….stats courtesy of GRIFF HARRIS…..how accurate, who knows?

RYAN MARCUS…………on base five times…..three runs scored

PATRICK FELDMAN…..on base four times….three runs scored

GRIFF HARRIS………….three hits….three runs scored…..five rbis

JZ ZEIDENSTEIN………two runs scored

DAN BERNSTEIN………two hits and a sac fly

RYAN BAUM……………..three hits…..one homerun (inside the park)….he doesn’t have the power to hit it over the fence…..

DEE HARRIS……………..two hits

STU WEINSTEIN………..two hits…..two runs scored

ROGER ROSENTHAL….NO DP’S……

Here’s hoping EVAN WEISSER is ok after he had to leave the game due to the heat…..he seemed fine as he was back on the bench after leaving the game……

TIDBITS……pretty simple this week……

*SPECIAL THANKS go out to STEVE EPPSTEIN for his hospitality all season in treating players and there families to chicken wings……he loves those wings!

And on field 2 it was Team Jeremy vs. Team Morris (Brafman) 

Team Fogel ended the run of Team Buttermaker last night in a hard fought 19-13 back and forth game. Team Brafman as has been their custom over the last couple of games got on the board first with 4 runs in the first including Harry’s 4 or 5th homer in the last couple of games. Team Fogel got right back in it with 3 of their own in the first with the top of their order of Buckley, Pete “The Straw that Stirs the Drink” Soltesz and Matt “the Bobcat” Brodof leading the charge. In the top of the 2nd Team Brafman got a couple of runs back on a single by Eric Zeid, a great bunt by Eppy and a sac fly by Capt Brafman. 

Fogel once again came back to make it close with key hits from both Jeremy and Sparky Fogel. A big hit was after being taunted by Capt. Brafman that he didn’t have opposite field power, Soltesz crushed one to the RF fence. Not to be outdone Matt Brodof hit a two run homer over the fence for Team Fogel to keep it close. After yet another homer by Meisner for Team Brafman (this one more of a JCC version), Team Brafman led 13-9 going into the bottom of the 6th. Unfortunately for Team Brafman, Team Fogel was up for the task and then some. Sam Klinkowitz (who saved Team Fogel with a couple of great plays at second) led off with a single followed by Shorty Adams with a hard single as well. Then the top of the order came up and everyone got a hit. The big blow of the game and the inning was a bases clearing triple by Jamey Kurtzer to put Fogel up 6. 

A 1-2-3 top of the 7th clinched it for Fogel who ended up winning 19-13. “We fought hard all game,” Brafman said. “I give those guys a big hand for hitting it where we couldn’t get it and playing great defense all game. We tried to shift, pitch around guys, change our lineup around and they overcame all of it.  I wish them luck vs. Team Harris.” 

So our finals are set for next Wednesday. It will be Team Harris vs. Team Fogel for the post season championship. The game starts at 5:35, so plan accordingly.

League Notes:

A tip of the cap to Jerry “Doc” Kirzner who is retiring this year. Jerry’s first year in the league was the summer of 1963. To put that into context, President Kennedy was still alive, Pete Rose was a rookie 2nd basemen for the Reds and the Bengals were still 5 years away from being born. Jerry has been the commissioner of the league he still helps put the schedule together each year. He is also one of the nicest guys you’ll ever meet. Jerry, congrats on your LONG career with JCC softball. Don’t be a stranger next year. We’ll (I’ll) miss playing with you.   

The ASG is coming up on Sunday morning Sept. 29 with first pitch being at 9:30. It’s a fun morning to see the best our league has to offer. Come on out if you’d like. 

Evan Gildenblatt had a birthday this week. Happy birthday, Evan. 

The Oy Vey 5K is coming up. Please register: Oy Vey 5K – Mayerson JCC

Next year will be 30!!! years since the Reds last won a playoff series. I don’t see that streak ending anytime soon. 

One more week to go. Hope to see everyone out next week for the finals.

Marc

On a picture perfect Sunday morning the action was as hot as the sun was bright. A couple of upsets, which JCC softball is known for, were in play. Since I can’t remember who was playing on what field we will start with Jeremy for Team Fogel:

On a beautiful fall Sunday morning, Team Fogel tried to carry their momentum over from a strong end to the regular season into the post-season tournament. Falling behind 3-0 in the top of the first inning, The Men in Black brought their sticks out to tie the game back up with some strong hitting in the bottom half. In a constant tug-of-war over the lead through the beginning and middle innings, the difference in this game was some strong defense and timely hitting from Team Fogel.

Errorless games have been the theme this year, and though there were some botched plays in the field leading to prolonged innings, both Sam Klinkowitz and Scott Friend made dazzling plays that would’ve been on Sports Center if this league got any media coverage. Coming up clutch at the plate was Matt Miller, who drove in six runs on a three-run inside the park home run and a double just over the first base bag to plate three more.

Closing it out in the top of the 7^th, Team Fogel won by a score of 18-13. Two more to take the crown. #JustWin

Next up is Roger for Team Harris:

TEAM HARRIS     19

TEAM GREFER    13

Not sure of the score, but this is close enough….lol

EDITOR’S NOTE……captain GRIFF HARRIS didn’t report the stats like he was supposed to……

TEAM HARRIS opened the tournament literally with a bang!

Against a depleted TEAM GREFER, who started with nine players and ended with only eight players due to an injury, TEAM HARRIS brought out the big bats and had six homeruns, three off the bat of DAN “THE MAN” BERNSTEIN.

After the first one cleared the fence, he reached first base and headed back to the bench. What I’ve been told is in some leagues, you don’t have to run the bases. The next two dingers, he knew better.

“I didn’t even get all of it,” the OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY graduate stated after one of his homeruns. He also added a single and a triple as part of his five for five game.

Other hitting stars were aplenty…..RYAN MARCUS….PATRICK FELDMAN……GRIFF HARRIS…..JZ ZEIDENSTEIN……RYAN BAUM….sub, MICAH KAMRASS….EVAN WEISSER and finally, STU WEINSTEIN all contributed on the offensive side.

The only name (player) not doing a thing offensively was ROGER ROSENTHAL.

“I stunk today. I’m glad my teammates picked me up. These Sunday morning games aren’t to my liking, but that’s no excuse. I stunk!”

WEINSTEIN won his second game in a row and looked good again as he took over for regular starter MARK WEISSER who is somewhere in the world….who knows where?

On defense, HARRIS played a flawless LCF to lead the defense.

“We didn’t make it easy on ourselves, but stayed with it and came out on top. I have to give credit to TEAM GREFER as they were playing shorthanded and gave us all we could handle. We’re not winning pretty, but we’re winning and we hope to continue doing it for two more games,” HARRIS said post-game.

TIDBITS…..

*ROGER ROSENTHAL actually drove to the game without getting one of his many rides from BRAD WAGNER…….

**MARC BRAFMAN not only played a game on Wednesday night, but he also attended a concert and rumor has it that after the concert, he went to an all night disco in the Clifton area…….he got home at 2 a.m……..what one of these stories is NOT true?…..lol

***Bad day for the UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN football team on Saturday, but BAMA fan MARC BRAFMAN wasn’t too bad on me……

****quote of the day…….”I hate it that I like you.”…..said by RYAN BAUM to ROGER ROSENTHAL…….

*****FINALLY, hockey season is right around the corner…..I know everyone in the league is looking forward to that……well maybe a few are…..you know who you are!

Rick T hits third:

“JCC Softball, man.” That was the only comment Captain Tenenholtz had for the media after their victory over Team Wolf.  Missing their hall of fame pitcher, Howie Schwartz, and their primo defender, Brian Goldberg, the odds looked long for the 4 seed before the game.  But super sub, John Ruben, pitched a gem and Scott Berge filled in at 3B to solidify the defense in a great team win.

“I learned a few good lines on our recent vacation in Maine,” Captain Tenenholtz told his team after the game. “That game was a Wicked Pissah! Sometimes, things fall your way and today was one of those times.” If you don’t know what a “Wicked Pissah” is, ask Rothstein…or Corey Norris.

The game was close after one with Tenenholtz taking a 2-0 lead, but the bats were on fire in the second as they put up a 13-spot. Wolf came back in the 3rd inning to cut the deficit to 15-5, but Tenenholtz added 5 of their own in the bottom of the third to make it 20-5. Ruben was solid after that and Team Tenenholtz played (mostly) good defense despite a bright sun to notch a 21-5 victory in five innings.

Of note:

• For Team Wolf, Captain Wes played his usual stellar defense including a beautiful diving grab of a line drive by Mike Rothstein. He also had a home run and three RBI’s.
• Tait Cunningham had four hits and scored four to lead the Tenenholtz offense.
• Scott Berge, Mike Rothstein, Yitz Creeger, Bryce Anslinger and John Ruben each had three hits.

Team Tenenholtz moves on to face Team Harris on Wednesday. ESPN has decided not to carry the game, opting instead for a high school women’s pickleball match between Clark Montessori and the School for Creative and Performing Arts. Rumor has it that WMKV, the flagship station of the Maple Knoll Village retirement home, will carry the audio.

And finally on field 4 it was the upset of the year as Team Buttermaker (Brafman) beat #1 seed Team Wagner.

Just like in the movie the Bad News Bears, Team Brafman won their second game in a row after going 0-18 in the regular season by beating Team Wagner 19-11 (or something like that) “I have never lost faith in my team,” Captain Brafman said post game. I knew we were better than we had played all season and having a healthy Jeff “The Natural” Weisbrot and Jerry, Eppy and David “The Dr. of Style” Weil continue to find the fountain of youth we are playing well at the right time. 

Just like on Wednesday night, Team Brafman started off fast scoring 5 or 6 runs in the top of the 1st. Eric “the mouth of the Midwest” Gruen, Jamey “Smokin” Drennan, Weisbrot and Harry “Hood” Meisner all got big hits. Stellar defense from Steve Shapiro at 3rd and Cam Kirzner at SS helped keep Wagner at bay. Later in the game both Gruen and Meisner hit homers as did Weisbrot to build on the lead. Eppy laid down a perfect suicide squeeze bunt and Eric “Spuds” Zied helped at the plate and was fantasic on the mound. Three outstanding plays on defense stood out for Team Brafman. Capt. Brafman battled the sun stuck his glove up and made a nice backpedaling catch on a ball off the bat of Dan Hiudt, (75% luck 25% skill on that one). Steve Shapiro made 2-3 great catches at 3rd and in the bottom of the 7th, Drennan made a running diving catch, got up and threw to first to complete an 8-3 DP. A big tip of the cap to D-Sol for subbing for us behind the plate as he was stellar all game. As Eppy’s friends who were watching the game said “Are these the same guys you have played with all season?”

For Team Wagner, Anton and Daniel Hiudt each hit homers and Zach Hiudt played a good game in the outfield at I believe 3 different spots. 

Team Brafman looks to continue their run vs. a potent Team Fogel lineup on Wednesday night. “I love the fact that my team has to keep changing their plans for Wednesday night,” Brafman said. “Let’s hope we have two more wins in us.”

The game will be on ESPN8 with Cotton McKnight and Pepper Brooks on the call with sideline reporter Kate Veatch chiming in. 

So to recap, in the semifinals on Field 1 it is Team Harris vs. Team Tenenholtz and on Field 2 Team Fogel vs. Team Buttermaker (Brafman).

Reminder that both games will start at 5:45!