Reminiscing about Little League in Waco

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Chipoople
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8:45p, 8/18/22
My wife and I were watching the Little League World Series from Houston and I started thinking about my LL baseball days back in Waco, as well as my dad's LL days back at Northern Little League at Lovers Leap in Cameron Park.

Northern LL played in the 1965 LLWS and finished third from what I've heard. They were still a District 9 powerhouse when he was a kid.

My friends and I and my sister and her friends played at Lake Air LL in the 90s. The boys side was gigantic. We had 16 minor boys and 8 major boys teams (10-12 y/o). The girls side was very popular as well and had a lot of players.

Back then it was Lake Air, Midway, Southern, Northern, Robinson, Lorena, MOC. Probably one or two more I'm forgetting.

Some of the best and funnest times of my childhood were spending all day at the ball fields. Cup ball with old wax paper cups between Fields 2 and 3. Cashing in my ticket after the game for a Dr Pepper or Sno-Cone.

Anyone else have any good and fun memories from back then?
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MrGolfguy
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In reply to Chipoople • 9:10p, 8/18/22
Chipoople said:
Northern LL played in the 1965 LLWS and finished third from what I've heard.
Is that the team that made Butch Henry a Legend?
Well I ain't no greenhorn!!
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Chipoople
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In reply to MrGolfguy • 10:01p, 8/18/22
MrGolfguy said:
Chipoople said:
Northern LL played in the 1965 LLWS and finished third from what I've heard.
Is that the team that made Butch Henry a Legend?


I don't think it was but you aren't far off. Lake Air was known as Northwestern back then and they won the Texas State LL championship in 1973 when Butch was 34 years old.

He was still coaching when I was playing in 9 year old Boys Baseball. We practiced on the field across the way from them near Jaycees field.

It's so funny because we all thought he was a real hard ass but he was actually the nicest guy anywhere.
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Grinnin bear
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10:46p, 8/18/22
I played Midway LL for years. Oso Burrito and Bush's Chicken were two of our sponsors. I loved getting "suicides" at the drink fountains after the games with my ticket.
- Sometimes you just gotta grin and bear it.
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CTbruin
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In reply to MrGolfguy • 6:08a, 8/19/22
MrGolfguy said:
Chipoople said:
Northern LL played in the 1965 LLWS and finished third from what I've heard.
Is that the team that made Butch Henry a Legend?
Butch Henry was at Northwestern.

The coach at Northern was Carlton Kilgo. His son, Dub was a great pitcher. Along with Tom Clark. Clark was over 6 ft tall at 12 years old if I remember correctly.
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BaylorHistory
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8:30a, 8/19/22
Wasn't Eastern LL a thing for a minute in the 90s?
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Coke Bear
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In reply to BaylorHistory • 9:51a, 8/19/22
BaylorHistory said:
Wasn't Eastern LL a thing for a minute in the 90s?
Pretty sure they're still around. I believe when I was coaching my daughter's team in the mid-to-late 2000's we had to go to their field to play them. They were horrendous. Bless their hearts. They just didn't have the skillset to coach their girls in the proper fundamentals.

There boys side has athletes that have discipline, but need a great deal of work fundamentally.
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T-REX
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1:08p, 8/19/22
I only played like half a season of teeball and hated it. LA vega little league was garbage in the 90s and from everything I can tell still is. No wonder the baseball team at LA vega took 30+ years to make the playoffs again. So yea I never did little league
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whitetrash
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4:12p, 8/19/22
Butch Henry coached Texas Life in Northwestern LL. I was a 10 yo playing for First Federal in Northwestern (we finished 3rd or 4th, Texas Life won the league) in 1973 when Northwestern won state and went to the regionals that were then played in Tampa. Unlike now, Texas only had one champion then, and Northwestern beat a team from Austin that featured future BU hurler Lee Tunnell as their ace (Tunnell went on to pitch for the Cardinals and Pirates in MLB). Northwestern lost in the regionals to a team from Tampa that was the same league that later produced Dwight Gooden, Floyd Youmans, and a few other major leaguers. Their ace in 1973 was over 6 ft tall and had a goatee. At age 12, supposedly.

Eastern won state in about 1981. Don't remember much about them except one of their stars was future BU WR Reggie Miller.
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MrGolfguy
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In reply to whitetrash • 4:55p, 8/19/22
whitetrash said:
Eastern won state in about 1981. Don't remember much about them except one of their stars was future BU WR Reggie Miller.
Had to be before 1981, Reggie was 14 that year.
Well I ain't no greenhorn!!
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BaylorHistory
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In reply to Coke Bear • 4:59p, 8/19/22
Coke Bear said:
BaylorHistory said:
Wasn't Eastern LL a thing for a minute in the 90s?
Pretty sure they're still around. I believe when I was coaching my daughter's team in the mid-to-late 2000's we had to go to their field to play them. They were horrendous. Bless their hearts. They just didn't have the skillset to coach their girls in the proper fundamentals.

There boys side has athletes that have discipline, but need a great deal of work fundamentally.
I knew I wasn't crazy. I remember playing all-stars and seeing Northern, Eastern, and Southern then wondering why Lake Air wasn't called Western. By the time I was an All-Star all of Northern, Eastern, and Southern were easy wins.
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Bexar Pitts
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In reply to BaylorHistory • 5:21p, 8/19/22
BaylorHistory said:
Coke Bear said:
BaylorHistory said:
Wasn't Eastern LL a thing for a minute in the 90s?
Pretty sure they're still around. I believe when I was coaching my daughter's team in the mid-to-late 2000's we had to go to their field to play them. They were horrendous. Bless their hearts. They just didn't have the skillset to coach their girls in the proper fundamentals.

There boys side has athletes that have discipline, but need a great deal of work fundamentally.
I knew I wasn't crazy. I remember playing all-stars and seeing Northern, Eastern, and Southern then wondering why Lake Air wasn't called Western. By the time I was an All-Star all of Northern, Eastern, and Southern were easy wins.
In the early 60's, Lake Air had 3 leagues...Northwestern, Western, and MidWestern. .BTW, Southern wasn't formed until the late 50's..I played in the league until I was a10 year old in early 60's, then family moved and I was in Northwestern's area..I remember Southern having good athletes..like Mike Robbins, who went to Baylor and was a premier hurdler...
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whitetrash
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In reply to Bexar Pitts • 5:28p, 8/19/22
Bexar Pitts said:
BaylorHistory said:
Coke Bear said:
BaylorHistory said:
Wasn't Eastern LL a thing for a minute in the 90s?
Pretty sure they're still around. I believe when I was coaching my daughter's team in the mid-to-late 2000's we had to go to their field to play them. They were horrendous. Bless their hearts. They just didn't have the skillset to coach their girls in the proper fundamentals.

There boys side has athletes that have discipline, but need a great deal of work fundamentally.
I knew I wasn't crazy. I remember playing all-stars and seeing Northern, Eastern, and Southern then wondering why Lake Air wasn't called Western. By the time I was an All-Star all of Northern, Eastern, and Southern were easy wins.
In the early 60's, Lake Air had 3 leagues...Northwestern, Western, and MidWestern. .
And the odd thing was Western was the northernmost, Midwestern in the middle, and Northwestern the southernmost.
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Bexar Pitts
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In reply to whitetrash • 5:38p, 8/19/22
whitetrash said:
Bexar Pitts said:
BaylorHistory said:
Coke Bear said:
BaylorHistory said:
Wasn't Eastern LL a thing for a minute in the 90s?
Pretty sure they're still around. I believe when I was coaching my daughter's team in the mid-to-late 2000's we had to go to their field to play them. They were horrendous. Bless their hearts. They just didn't have the skillset to coach their girls in the proper fundamentals.

There boys side has athletes that have discipline, but need a great deal of work fundamentally.
I knew I wasn't crazy. I remember playing all-stars and seeing Northern, Eastern, and Southern then wondering why Lake Air wasn't called Western. By the time I was an All-Star all of Northern, Eastern, and Southern were easy wins.
In the early 60's, Lake Air had 3 leagues...Northwestern, Western, and MidWestern. .
And the odd thing was Western was the northernmost, Midwestern in the middle, and Northwestern the southernmost.
I believe you're correct..Most of the Western All Stars went to Lake Air Junior High, and most of my Northwestern teammates went to Tennyson..Not sure about MidWestern..It was several years ago! :-)
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CTbruin
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5:39p, 8/19/22
Pretty sure Northern was around in the early 60s

Very nice field in Cameron Park
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Bexar Pitts
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In reply to CTbruin • 5:42p, 8/19/22
CTbruin said:
Pretty sure Northern was around in the early 60s

Very nice field in Cameron Park
Absolutely... Northern always had good young players..
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Limited IQ Redneck in PU
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6:20p, 8/19/22
Played on a little league team named Little Aggies then later for Suncrest in the Woodway system. Hit two home runs against Andy Hawkins on Broughton Field but we lost 12 to 2. Dad coached every year and was president for a year. Good times.
I have found theres only two ways to go:
Living fast or dying slow.
I dont want to live forever.
But I will live while I'm here.
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WacoKelly83
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7:05p, 8/19/22
Andy played for Starr Travel if I am remembering correctly. I played for Rainbow Bread and B&B Sporting Goods. Scary when you're facing him as an 11 year old and he was almost a full grown adult at 12.

The craziest thing I remember from the Woodway LL was the collision that happened on the field when Dan Pat Cook and Mark Clements collided going after a foul ball. So much blood. Clemen's nose was crushed when he ran directly into Cook's head.

On the lighter side, a group of high school boys picked up and placed Sam Hamm's (yes that was her real name) brand new 1974 Honda Civic on top of the dumpster by the concession stand during one evenings game. That was back when dumpsters had heavy steel lids. The car was equal to today's Mini Cooper. Don't know how she got it down but I'm sure some boys got in a wee bit of trouble.

And as far as food goes who could forget frito pie in the bag. We also loved the giant pixie sticks.
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Limited IQ Redneck in PU
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11:08p, 8/19/22
Wow that made my night. Dan Pat was accident prone. I remember Sam well. You were two years ahead of me. Hawkins lived around the corner from me and was a grade ahead. I was good friend with Wesley and came back to Texas to attend his funeral. Those nights at Broughton were so long ago but parts of them seem like yesterday.,
I have found theres only two ways to go:
Living fast or dying slow.
I dont want to live forever.
But I will live while I'm here.
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SSadler
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12:41a, 8/30/22
And Broughton Field is still there, and still in use. A throwback field prior to the more modern 4-field "clusters."

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Coke Bear
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In reply to SSadler • 10:46a, 8/30/22
SSadler said:
And Broughton Field is still there, and still in use. A throwback field prior to the more modern 4-field "clusters."

I played on Broughton Fields about 40 years ago. Sadly, they are in about the same condition that they were then.

What's even more sad, is the Major Girls just won the LLWS and play on infields with rocks strewn about.

The boys fields on Patherway are in great shape and some have turf.

As a biased father of a daughter and a softball umpire (I called the Midway girls during regular season and District All-Stars), it's a little frustrating to see the girl's fields (who've seen about 10 or 11 LLWS championships) in a poor state vs. the boy's fields (in good shape) who have never won a thing, save a LL State Championship.
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hill02
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In reply to Coke Bear • 11:43p, 9/1/22
Just a heads up…

The Broughton complex has had well over 150k in capital improvements made to it in the last three years. These include:

New scoreboard field 2
Laser grade field 2
Complete electrical redo fields 1-3
New chain link fences fields 1-3
New sprinkler system fields 1-2
Infield sod field 1
New roof and drywall front shed
Curb added and new bleachers fields 1-2
Complete new signage throughout complex
Completely redone batting cages with lights
Industrial redone floors for bathrooms and all six dugouts
Plumbing overhaul fields 1-3
Redone central landscape by concession

Zero of those dollars were tax payer dollars.
Over 90 percent of that money was donated by Midway LL families who have 0 kids playing softball. Two of the three field sponsors at Broughton (10k commitment) are from families that don't have a softball kid.

The very nice field 2 scoreboard was paid for by Lonestar Truck Group whose boys play baseball.

Last year softball was offered up to a $25k match for every dollar they raised. They declined to raise any money. This past season they were offered another match to turf field 2.

Also - Midway LL desperately needs board members (especially on the softball side since we only have a handful of softball parents willing to help). Last spring baseball dads had to cover about half the director slots at Broughton because we don't have enough softball volunteers.

Btw - Midway LL boys this year won:

CP city tournament champs
8/9 city tournament champs
10s all stars - district champs/sectionals 3rd place
11s all stars - district champs/sectionals champs/state runner-up
12s all stars - district champs/sectionals runner up to Abilene (who won state and almost went to Williamsport)

This is while competing against teams from Ft Worth, Dallas, San Antonio, Abilene, Corpus Christi, San Angelo, Lubbock and Midland. None of those cities play LL softball.

I am proud of our softball champions but criticizing Midway LL baseball (and falsely saying they didn't win anything) isn't fair to a big group of boys who worked hard and are a great group of ball players and a large number of families who have worked hard at Broughton.
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CTbruin
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6:27a, 9/2/22
Thanks for the update. It's so nice to hear from those that know.

I have been involved with Midway LL since the mid 80s. One of my daughters was on the first softball LL World Series championship teams {92 and 92}. And I was one of the coaches.
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Coke Bear
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In reply to hill02 • 8:11a, 9/2/22
hill02 said:
Just a heads up…

The Broughton complex has had well over 150k in capital improvements made to it in the last three years. These include:
...

Zero of those dollars were tax payer dollars.
Over 90 percent of that money was donated by Midway LL families who have 0 kids playing softball. Two of the three field sponsors at Broughton (10k commitment) are from families that don't have a softball kid.

...
Last year softball was offered up to a $25k match for every dollar they raised. They declined to raise any money. This past season they were offered another match to turf field 2.

Also - Midway LL desperately needs board members (especially on the softball side since we only have a handful of softball parents willing to help). Last spring baseball dads had to cover about half the director slots at Broughton because we don't have enough softball volunteers.

...

I am proud of our softball champions but criticizing Midway LL baseball (and falsely saying they didn't win anything) isn't fair to a big group of boys who worked hard and are a great group of ball players and a large number of families who have worked hard at Broughton.
My apologies to to those baseball players and parents. I realized that Midway has done well in baseball locally (there a big fish in little pond). I'm happy for them. Getting out of district 9 is tough, but once out it's a straight shot to state. They have had no recent success that I remember getting into regionals. Having said that, I know how much harder it is for the boys to complete against teams like McCallister Park (nephew played for them), Wylie, etc.


I played at Midway LL 40 years ago, but raise my kids in Lorena LL. Coached about 9+ seasons there and have umpired there for the past 10+ years. I've seen what a few individuals can do to improve facilities. Their fields and amenities are light years of where they use to be and in better condition than Broughton.

I did not realize that the softball side was different from the baseball side. I blame the softball parents for that. It does seem a shame that the board as a whole does not see the two entities as one. Maybe one day, one of the good baseball dads will become a softball dad and want to improve the conditions of the fields.

I know most of the softball coaches are select coaches. It may be that they are driven more to win a championship than to better the league. I really shouldn't be trying to guess there motives, but I can only assume that they want to spend their "free" time at the Buzz practices and tourneys rather than raising funds to better their fields.

Once again, I'm happy for the boys and the improvement to the infrastructure to Broughton. Thank you for the edification and incite to the inner workings of Midway LL and for calling me out on it.

Best of luck to both boys and the girls there.
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BUDOS
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12:38p, 9/4/22
It was a great time to be part of that year and the ones just before and right after! Especially that year, it did not matter whether you knew someone on the teams or not. I was part of a large group that just got caught up in the atmosphere. Kids like me would just find themselves at the park yelling for our team playing any other team. We had the feeling that we were a part of it, living vicariously, sharing their success.
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BaylorHistory
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In reply to hill02 • 11:34a, 9/14/22
hill02 said:

Btw - Midway LL boys this year won:

CP city tournament champs
8/9 city tournament champs
10s all stars - district champs/sectionals 3rd place
11s all stars - district champs/sectionals champs/state runner-up
12s all stars - district champs/sectionals runner up to Abilene (who won state and almost went to Williamsport)

Yeah and that's probably why they should be split into two LLs.
“People who live in glass houses...have to answer the door."
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hill02
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2:37p, 9/14/22
It makes a lot more sense for other leagues to merge. No one wants to do that because everyone likes playing with their school friends.
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Moondoggie
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3:28p, 12/28/22
I played in Lake Air on Clark's Concrete, Sprite, AMA and I'm forgetting another. Getting two tickets for a jolly rancher and a snow cone after the game was the joy of my early life.
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SteamedHams
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3:41p, 12/28/22
My daughter plays and Broughton and my son plays at the Granger Complex behind Hewitt Elementary. Granger is unreal nice, the dugouts, the turf, scoreboards, stands...that place is LEGIT.

I wouldn't mind if $30 would be spent to upgrade the controllers for the scoreboards at Broughton, half the time the games have been hand-scored because the scoreboard controller doesn't communicate with the scoreboard in the outfield. Batting cage area is real nice handy, and man, that whole complex is just an absolute zoo on Saturday morning.

We made it to the finals against Lake Air this past spring...definitely had some all-star team collaboration happening with those Lake Air teams, but I'll save my gripes for another day. Always suspect when you're pretty sure you saw one of those kids drive themselves to the game.

But I digress.
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hill02
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4:06p, 12/28/22
Broughton is scheduled to get two new scoreboards. 50/50 on if they will be ready for this Spring. More likely to be ready for next Fall.
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whitetrash
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In reply to Moondoggie • 5:09p, 12/28/22
Moondoggie said:
I played in Lake Air on Clark's Concrete, Sprite, AMA and I'm forgetting another. Getting two tickets for a jolly rancher and a snow cone after the game was the joy of my early life.


What year? I was Clark Concrete in 1971, NW Rotary in 1972, and First Federal in 1973-74
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Mr Tulip
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11:25a, 1/5/23
Played tee ball with American Office Supply in like 78 or 79. Next teams were Clark Concrete, Sprite, and TP&L for three years. Had fun.

After that, I was 13. Rather than move to the pony league, I discovered punk music.

You know, paths not taken and whatnot.
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Moondoggie
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In reply to whitetrash • 11:52a, 4/11/23
whitetrash said:
Moondoggie said:
I played in Lake Air on Clark's Concrete, Sprite, AMA and I'm forgetting another. Getting two tickets for a jolly rancher and a snow cone after the game was the joy of my early life.


What year? I was Clark Concrete in 1971, NW Rotary in 1972, and First Federal in 1973-74


I was born in '70 if that helps. Late seventies basically.
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LIB,MR BEARS
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In reply to whitetrash • 9:59p, 5/16/23
whitetrash said:
Butch Henry coached Texas Life in Northwestern LL. I was a 10 yo playing for First Federal in Northwestern (we finished 3rd or 4th, Texas Life won the league) in 1973 when Northwestern won state and went to the regionals that were then played in Tampa. Unlike now, Texas only had one champion then, and Northwestern beat a team from Austin that featured future BU hurler Lee Tunnell as their ace (Tunnell went on to pitch for the Cardinals and Pirates in MLB). Northwestern lost in the regionals to a team from Tampa that was the same league that later produced Dwight Gooden, Floyd Youmans, and a few other major leaguers. Their ace in 1973 was over 6 ft tall and had a goatee. At age 12, supposedly.

Eastern won state in about 1981. Don't remember much about them except one of their stars was future BU WR Reggie Miller
Butch's All-Star team had Jerry Penny, Tad Armstrong, Mark McDaniel, Ronnie Glockzin, Kyle Mueller and several others that were really good. They were two years ahead of me. I later played for B&E with Woody Englander as one of our coaches.
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