Carpets by Jim Smith 1974
L to R Top Row: Bob Grandas, Rick Leach, Craig McGinnis, Gene Johnson, Larry Sorensen, Mike Schlegel, Walt Head Middle Row: Greg Dikos. Jerry Johnson, Steve Jaksa, Greg Cocke, John Phipps, Ed Rykowski Bottom Row: Bat Boy. Rich Tessner, Ron Schmidt, Ted Mahan, Scott Anderson, Bnan Petroff, Gordie Smith
A team of destiny.
Others have tried but none has duplicated Smith’s effort which produced the Flint area’s only championship in the 40-year history of the Connie Mack World Series for players 18-and-under in Farmington, N.M.
The national championship produced a final record of 45-8 for the team managed by Walt Head, now the veteran baseball coach at Saginaw Valley State University.
The eight losses are somewhat misleading because of a 17-6 record in the City Baseball League, where Smith played against adults. Even so, it ranked No. 2 among nine teams in a strong league and had a 2-1 edge against champion Bishop Construction.
Smith lost only twice against Connie Mack-age competition, compiling a 28-2 mark. One loss came in an exhibition and the other was a 10 inning, 6-5 setback to Long Beach, Calif., in the nationals.
Lary Sorensen won 12 games, Rick Leach and Rich Tessner won nine and Craig McGinnis won eight.
The “Team of Destiny” description is appropriate because Smith came from behind in three of five victories at Farrnington. It also came from behind three times while posting a 5-0 record in the qualifying regional a week earlier at Marshall.
These players were mature for their age. They felt in any game it was just a matter of time before they pulled out the victory,” said Head.
Leach, Ted Mahan, McGinnis and Brian Petroff were holdovers from the 1973 team. Seven area schools were included on the roster, plus Sorensen of Mt. Clemens who lived here that summer.
Mahan was from Davison, Leach, Gene Johnson, and Ron Schmidt from Southwestern, McGinnis and Petroff from Powers Catholic, Greg Cocke from Ainsworth, Greg Dikos from Swartz Creek, Ed Rykulski from Carman, Mike Schloegl and Steve Jaksa from Grand Blanc and Tessner from Bentley.
Connie Mack rules allowed Head to add Northern’s Jerry Johnson, Central’s Bobby Grandas and John Phipps and Ann Arbor Pioneer’s Scott Anderson prior to the regional tournament.
Leach was named the most valuable player at Farmington. He offset a defeat by twice being the winning pitcher. Schloegl led all hitters with a .562 average (9-for-16). Dikos equaled the tournament record with four home runs and drove in 1 0, one shy of the record. Sorensen pitched a four-hit, 1-0 shutout, Mahan batted .368 and all five joined Petroff (.347).
