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A's Win First Two Games in '07

Posted by Joseph O'Hara at May 16, 2007 5:00PM PDT ( 0 Comments )
The Al Thomas Club took the field on May 12 with a bunch of new faces against an old rival, the McKay Club. The 2007 season opener proved a fortuitous one as the A's squeaked out a 4-3 with the potential tying run stranded at third to end the game.

Aidan Powers went the distance, striking out 6 in yielding 2 earned runs. The defense turned 3 double plays, added a pickoff, and rightfielders Chris Malloy and Matt Hallisey threw out runners at home and third, respectively.

Mark Daly led the offense with 2 hits, a walk and an rbi. Malloy picked up the other rbi, while Brian Powers, John Kostas and Peter Moores rounded out the hit list.

On Monday, May 14, the Thomas Club defeated Malden 11-3. John Kostas battled through 6 innings of 5-hit ball with no earned runs and 7 K's. Rookie Andrew "Bean" Besegai tossed the final frame, picking up 2 whiffs of his own.

Sixteen-year-old seasoned veteran Dan McCarthy lined a 2-run single in the 2nd inning and added another single and a walk to lead 4 players with 2 hits, the others being Chris Malloy, Brian Powers, and Matt Hallisey. Liam Powers (3 rbi), Mark Daly (2 rbi), John Kenny and rookies Colin Sheedy, Andrew Besegai and Ryan Ciampa all contributed base hits.

It is official - the North Shore Spirit announced the final plans
for the 2007 Thomas A. Yawkey League All Star game to be held at The Home of the
Spirit - Fraser Field in Lynn. The date is Sunday - July 15, 2007 at 1PM.

We are invited to use the entire facility at Fraser that day. The players will
be afforded the opportunity to use the Visitors Club House before and after the
event. Umpires have a separate facility to dress & shower. The game will be 9
innings and an opportunity for extra innings will be available. There will be no
rush to play the game - no time limit. Each of the 18 YBL Franchise Holders will
have an opportunity to place four of their talented players on the roster.

Nick Lopardo would like our teams constructed that day on a North & South basis
- Tarpey v Stewart Conference.

The score board, music, announcing facility, Spirit Mascot Slugger and
concession stands will be available. Each team is asked to sell 5 tickets per
player (20 total) to the game. The ticket will include free parking, game
entrance and a full buffet BBQ. Soda will be available with the price of
admission thru the game. The price of tickets has yet to be established. Beer
will be sold to those with proper ID. There is a Play Area for youngsters in the
ball park as well. This will be a great family day for our fans.

This is a bench-mark event for the Yawkey League! The Spirit will make a formal
announcment at a Press Conference after the Holidays. The YBL Board and player
reps are invited to the signing. The Herald & Globe have already stated they
will send a photographer.

Scouts from the CanAm League will also be in the stands covering the game. This
is the first step in making our players available to this growing organization.
Who knows - this might be that chance one or two of our guys have dreaming of
for a life time! no other amateur baseball program will have this tpy of
exposure.

Where else, but the Yawkey League can a player or fan experience this
opportunity. The Fenway Park All Star era was great while it lasted. Now we
begin a new and more profitable tradition with the Spirit & Fraser Field. The YBL is
very excited about this and request that you all get charged up. We need to sell
this event to our teams and make sure that a quality attendance views the game.

The newly appointed Field Manager of the Spirit - Vic Davilla and members of the
Spirit Administrative Staff will be in attendance at our January Meeting of
Members to discuss our new partnership.

Great news for the Thomas A. Yawkey League once again!!!!



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A's Battle Through Injuries for .500 season

Posted by Joseph O'Hara at Jan 1, 2007 4:00PM PST ( 0 Comments )

A's Battle Through Tough Season with a 16-16 Record

It had been a while since the Al Thomas Club last watched the playoffs from the sidelines. The 2006 season, once filled with hope and purpose, succumbed to a barrage of injuries and resulted in the A's serving as spectators come playoff time.

Season-ending injuries to catchers Andy Doyle and Andy Hambelton, 2b Matt Thayer, rf Chris Malloy, pitchers Leo Corcoran, George Grant and Paul Bonner, along with several additional injuries and job requirements forced the Thomas Club to fight through one of its toughest seasons in history.

Several bright spots evolved from the team's misfortune though, as several players to the occasion and blossomed with the increased playing time. Rookie Liam Powers finished second in the league in Rookie of the Year voting, hitting over .400 in his inaugural campaign, having been recruited at cousin Brian's wedding last January. Second-year player Jim Flavin took advantage of his opportunity to play more and showed a nice flair with the bat, hovering on or above the .300 mark for most of the season. Flavo also added a couple of solid pitching performances down the stretch.

Versatile Chuck Killens displayed some exciting pop in his bat and proved he could help the team in many areas. Veteran George Grant had made some enormous progress on the mound before his injury, and should prove a valuable weapon in the future. John Kenny served as a strong presence on the mound, at the plate, and in centerfield, and should help the team from the start in 2007. Mark Daly has always been a workhorse in any capacity for the team, but this year went above and beyond the call of duty, catching nearly every game for the last 5 weeks of the season, and doing a great job!

Many believe this team was still feeling the after effects of losing in Game 7 of the Finals the year before, and that, combined with horrible luck and brutal injuries, served as a recipe for mediocrity in 2006. Fueled by the drive to regain its championship caliber, the Al Thomas A's should be right back in the thick of things in 2007. Several free agents are already in the mix, and there are rumors of an influx of young Milton talent as well. Stay tuned.......Any players interested in playing for the Al Thomas Club can contact Joe O'Hara at joeohara64@hotmail.com






After falling under .500 for the first time in 4 years, the Al Thomas Club has overcome a barrage of injuries to win 5 of its last 6 and creep back into the playoff hunt.

On Tuesday, July 18, the A's trounced Savin Hill 11-3 behind the 3-hit complete game pitching of John Kostas. Greg Lovely led the offense with a 4-4 night as the A's scored double-digit runs for the 4th consecutive game. Chris Malloy scored 4 runs and Chris Bucci added 2 hits in the 12-hit attack.

The team welcomed back Scott Jamieson, recently back from his honeymoon.

On Sunday, July 16, the A's thumped South Boston 12-2 and celebrated with a cookout at the Milton American Legion Post 114 following the game. Over 100 people attended the gathering, including many of Al Thomas' Kiwanis brothers.

Aidan Powers threw 6 solid innings to pick up his 5th win of the year and added 3 hits, while Greg Lovely, Chuck Killens and Jim Flavin each ripped 3 hits to pace the offense.
March 22, 2006

Tommy Harper Highlights Al Thomas Baseball Club 2006 Dinner

Degnan, Feehily, Toland Enter Hall of Fame


Former Boston Red Sox player and coach Tommy Harper was the featured speaker at the annual Al Thomas Baseball Club Hall of Fame Dinner held on January13th at the Quincy Neighborhood Club. Harper, who was the Red Sox’ MVP in 1973 and still holds the single season stolen base record for the Red Sox and the Seattle Pilots, received a standing ovation for his remarks and poignant answers to various questions from the audience.

Soft-spoken and articulate, Harper spoke of his early days in baseball, playing American Legion and high school ball, encouraging, “Never give up your dream if you really want it. Keep working hard and go for it. You never know what might happen!”

Now a Player Development Consultant for the Red Sox, Harper brought and autographed three dozen baseballs and presented each one to members of the 2005 Al Thomas Club and the American Legion Post 114 baseball team, which was also being honored at the dinner. At the program’s conclusion, he graciously met and spoke with numerous fans and admirers who sought an autograph, a handshake or a particular nugget of baseball information. He was the last person to leave the building, further solidifying his reputation as a gentleman and a class act.Former Al Thomas manager, Paul Degnan, longtime pitcher, Mike Feehily, and retired catcher, Mike Toland were inducted into the team’s prestigious Hall of Fame. Each inductee spoke of the kindness of Al Thomas, the quality of his teammates, the many friendships forged over the years, and the unabashed pride with which he wore the Al Thomas uniform. One-hundred-and-forty people gathered for this event to celebrate this wonderful family that has become Al Thomas Baseball. What started as a timid knock on a local businessman’s door some 25 years ago has flourished into a collection of friends who share a passion for the game of baseball, as well as a respect and admiration for each other. And along the way there has been some pretty good baseball, with the A’s capturing five league championships and14 Division titles. And the team has sent 30 to 40 players to Fenway Park to play in the Yawkey League’s annual All Star game.
The Al Thomas fans share the same integrity, devotion and enthusiasm as the players. Over the years, it is the fans that have inspired the team to greater glory. It has always been the fans, the loyal followers who travel night in and night out to support the club. Whether it’s a glance, a wave, a shout, a high-five or even just a smile, their presence is always felt, and it is and always has been appreciated more than any member of the team could ever communicate. Two ‘Fan of the Year’ honors were awarded to dedicated followers in 2005 - Bob Hannon and Brian & Gail Powers.

Al Thomas and his team were honored to give recognition to the Milton American Legion Post 114 Baseball team for its great run in the summer of 2005. Finishing at 18-1, the team won its district and made it to the final three teams in the state before bowing out of the tournament. The foundation of the Al Thomas Club was built on players from this Legion team. Legion coach and former Al Thomas player Pat Bryan spoke briefly of his team’s accomplishments, and then the team assembled onstage to receive a commemorative baseball, autographed and presented to them by Tommy Harper.

2005 saw the Al Thomas Baseball Club post a league best 25-6 record which included a 10-game winning streak early in the season and a six-game winning streak to end the season. Newcomer Scott Jamieson blazed his way into the league with brilliant outings game after game, including a no-hitter at Cunningham Park on June 18th. He joined Aidan Powers, Leo Corcoran, John Kostas, Pat Dolbeare, Paul Bonner, Brian Kennedy & George Grant to form the best pitching staff in the YBL with a team 1.46 ERA, including 5 shutouts and 12 games allowing no earned runs. In the first round of the playoffs, Jamieson, Kostas and Aidan Powers picked up wins as the A’s swept West Roxbury in three games. In the semifinals, Jamieson outdueled Medford’s ace in game one for a 1-0 win, Kostas picked up a win in relief in extra innings in game two, and Leo Corcoran took a no-hitter into the sixth inning of game three before settling for six innings of one-hit shutout ball in the clinching game. Chris Bucci and Andy Doyle crushed the ball throughout the playoffs, with Doyle seemingly knocking in a run every time there was a man in scoring position.

After jumping out to a 2-0 game lead in the finals, the Thomas Club gave the six-time defending champion Somerville a little too much breathing room, and they took care of business in a thrilling seven-game series. Although the A’s didn’t achieve their ultimate goal, it was one of the greatest seasons in team history, and the team was more honorable in defeat than most teams would be in victory.

One thing that made this team stand out was that it was an incredibly unselfish team. From day one through the last out of the season, there were 18-19 guys virtually every single night. Some guys didn’t get to play as much as they would have liked to, but they never complained and kept showing up night after night. It was such a great testament to the character of this team, individually, and as a whole.

The Yawkey League awards were announced recently, and several Al Thomas players received accolades. Andy Doyle (catcher), Greg Lovely (shortstop) and Chris Bucci (centerfield) won Gold Glove Awards; Chris Malloy won a Silver Slugger Award; Scott Jamieson cleaned up with the Cy Young Award and the Rookie of the Year Award; and Joe O’Hara was voted as Manager of the Year.

Honors given at the Banquet included Mark Daly with The Tenth Player Award; Paul Bonner as The Comeback Player of the Year; Tri-Rookies-of-the-Year Chris Burke, Andy Doyle and Matt Hallisey. Paul Bonner with the Riley Rocket Award (for the longest bomb allowed by a pitcher during the season); Matt Thayer and Chris Bucci winning team Gold Glove Awards; Jim Flavin collecting The Unsunk Hero Award; and Scott Jamieson capturing the team MVP with an 8-1 mark and a sizzling 0.23 earned run average. Longtime friend and Yawkey League Commissioner Dan Tarpey was ceremoniously presented a team jacket to fittingly close out the awards program.

With a gracious host, Al Thomas, an exciting guest speaker in Tommy Harper, the Al Thomas Club, the Legion Post 114 Baseball Team, three worthy Hall of Fame inductees, and a room of wonderful friends, the event was a special night of celebrating baseball in Milton. Congratulations to Al Thomas on a night to remember!







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