Blog #2: On Top of the World

For some reason, a lot of my big and bright ideas always seem to come to me when it's roughly 11pm or Midnight local time and I'm ready to fall sleep, whether it's the next piece of art I add to my growing City Pride albums or simply my next blog entry here in the CPM Sports Zone. Last week, I wrote about the growing interest being shown for Women's Basketball. The blog was such a big hit after it was posted, Candace Parker gave me a Follow on Twitter for my efforts.

Callan: Age 12

But that's for another time and place, this weeks post is a story from my athletic career that came to an end after my senior year in High School so I could begin the process of pursuing a career in sports broadcasting, writing or management. This blog flashes back to the late summer/early fall of 2006, 3,000 miles away from sunny San Diego, California to baseball heaven in Cooperstown, New York.

The San Diego Bucs set sail in 2002, originally named the San Diego Diamonds after we won a local recreation winter league in the winter of '02. The cast of characters shuffled a few times, but the original core of players played together for the longest time. 

Austin Shives was our everyday Center Fielder and a true five tool player. Alexis Curtiss the lone girl on our team, but damn could she play. A multi sport athlete shined both behind the plate, but also as a Soccer Goalkeeper. Eliot Lowell was our everyday Shortstop with a flashy glove and a solid bat, El also served as a pitcher in key scenarios. Tommy Hogle was our backup Catcher and big bopper in the lineup, also known for his humor with a fictional run in he had with truck and big screen television. Gino Rudolph who went on to be a high school teammate of mine brought an arm to the mound, a glove at 3rd base and some pop to our lineup. Trevor Deddeh who for some reason got the nickname "turtle" from everyone else played everyday First Base and had a clutch bat when we needed it most. Yours truly, Callan McClurg served as the Utility guy on the squad, and was best known for announcing the game, while playing the game (no joke). Dustin Burke patrolled the outfield and found a way on base nine out of ten times. Adam Taylor may have been the smallest player on most rosters, but size doesn't matter. Despite his size, the kid could freaking run and play some awesome defense in big time scenarios. Hunter Landry was Mr. Consistent, sure he had hiccups at the plate or on defense, but his play was even keel day in and day. Eric Fuss joined us just prior to our trip to the Big Apple to provide depth for the tournament. He may have struggled with the team, but still did grind everyday to improve his game. Ian Clarkin brought a left hand arm to the mound and added depth to the rotation of arms. Last but certinatly not least was Corey Oswalt who I labelled an F.O.N. (Freak of Nature) for his height at such a young age and the arm he brought to the mound as our closer to slam the door on another victory.

Indeed, we were by far the most dominating travel baseball team in San Diego from 2004 until 2009, having won or made the tournament final in every San Diego tournament held. But the Bucs weren't just dominating their hometown, also winning tournaments throughout Southern California, Nevada and Arizona, at this point, let just say they were the most intimidating and dominating team throughout the entire U.S.

But we were thrown into a new environment, a 28 team pool play/single elimination tournament against teams from all parts of New England and the rest of the nation in what I thought to myself "This will be an uphill battle, but I think we have a chance." We played a solid pool play round, finishing with a solid 4-1-1 record, holding the #5 seed and the added bonus of a first round bye going into what will become the greatest day of my athletic career and my life.

The day began at 9am Eastern Time with our game against a the New York Demon Dogs. In a game highlighted by balls sailing into souvenir city at the field, the game came down to the final inning. After we intentionally walked the best hitter on their squad, the situation became Bases Loaded with two out and us leading 8-6. The intentional pass became a source of controversy until we got what we planned for, a groundout to our third basemen, tag the bag, ballgame! The Bucs moved onto the Semi-Finals in the tournament. The Semi-Finals began at 2pm Eastern, pitting the Bucs against the Dillsburg (PA) All-Starz, who were sledgehammering every opponent put in front of them with homer after homer, with scores resembling those of Indoor Soccer or NFL Football games (literally) leading them to gain the cocky and confident attitude of that of a championship fighter, little did they know we too could play Long ball. The longball began with a 4 run onslaught in the first to put San Diego up early. After Dillsburg got back within two at 4-2, CLEAR THE DECK! CANNON BALLS COMING!! A San Diego onslaught of homers (including a Denny's Grand Slam) turned this one into that of an Indoor Soccer score: Bucs 15 Dillsburg 8, the Bucs advance to the Tournament Final.

There was a break in the action to allow groundskeepers to get the championship field ready for the game, which would be a rematch of our first game of the tournament. The Bucs would face the South Jersey Sand Sharks (Sharks don't live on the Jersey Shore do they?) at 7pm Eastern in the 2006 Cooperstown All-Star Village Tournament FINAL. Before the game, both teams were introduced as you see at Opening Day in MLB, lining up on their respective baselines as the umpiring crew delivered a tremendous rendition of The Star Spangled Banner. The title game would get off on the wrong foot, as the Sharks slugged 2 homers, and added two more in the top of the first to lead early 4-0. The Bucs responded with one of their own in the bottom half to make it 4-1. South Jersey would get that run back in the top of the 2nd to pad there lead at 5-1, would that be the last run scored by them?

In the bottom of the second to last inning and trailing 5-1, the rally started (Que the Rally Monkey) with a walk, a double, another walk issued, another double made it 5-3 and a two run homerun tied the title game at 5-5, then Mother Nature killed the momentum as a one hour and forty five minute rain delay sent us back to our bunkhouse to refocus and reset that it was a whole new ballgame begin tied at 5-5 heading into the 6th and final inning of play. Both teams went down in order 1-2-3 to send the title game, with a championship trophy about as tall as I am today (6'5") hanging in the balance.

WALK OFF THREE RUN HOME RUN!!!

We shut down the Sharks in the top of the 7th inning and got our chance to win the tournament and bring the trophy back home to sunny San Diego. As in between warmups were wrapping up, the atmosphere changed from that of a baseball game, to what sounded like a UEFA Champions League Final Match, with the crowd breaking out soccer style chants throughout the entire 7th inning, all you could hear was the sounds of over 1,000 people chanting "OLE! OLE! OLE!" and chants in the tune of The White Stripes' Seven Nation Army. Our first two runners go on base, with the teeth of the order coming up. Corey Oswalt would come the plate with two men on in a 5-5 tie. I remember saying "First pitch homer right here." Sure enough, a first pitch cement mixer Curveball was absolutely tattooed deep into the Cooperstown night and way gone, A WALK OFF THREE RUN HOME RUN to touch off what would become a wild celebration on the field and back at the bunkhouse.

THE CHAMPIONSHIP HAS THE GOLDEN STATE OF MIND

FINAL/7: SAN DIEGO BUCS 8 South Jersey San Sharks 5

The celebration lasted well into the early morning of the following day, as we changed attire into street clothes to have a little fun, including numerous photos, food, championship ring sizing, autographs, hugs, tears and it was also highlighted by the entire team falling asleep in the hallway of the cottage a family had rented for the tournament from how tiring of a day it was, three games, three dub's and the championship trophy in tow to America's Finest City.

COOPERSTOWN CHAMPIONS

In the days and months following the victory in the Big Apple, we were media darlings for a while. Newspapers, Magazines, Television, you name it, we were there. This biggest honors we received happened on December 1st and January 23rd, when we were recognized by the County officials and City Council of San Diego for our outstanding accomplishment, with proclamations from the County and City, proclaiming that EVERY December 1st and January 23rd is "San Diego Bucs Day" throughout the county and city of San Diego.

December 1st: San Diego Bucs Day, observed throughout the County of San Diego

January 23rd: San Diego Bucs Day, observed throughout the City of San Diego

So I guess Imagine Dragons was right after all: "I'M ON TOP OF THE WORLD"

Thanks for stepping into the CPM Sports Zone,

Callan McClurg