Just thought I’d empty out my reporter’s notebook while wondering how the heck the Bruins found themselves in another Game 7 after a 3-1 series lead in the Stanley Cup Playoffs ...
It’s banner time
The Eastern Connecticut Conference has announced the dates for the league’s Spring Sports Playoffs. For the first time the baseball playoffs will be split into Division I and Division II tournaments . I love seeing the little guys getting a chance to raise an ECC championship banner.
Here is the ECC postseason schedule. All tickets for ECC Tournament games can be purchased on GoFan.co.
Baseball: Play-In Round (May 21 at higher seed); Quarterfinals (May 22, DI at Dodd Stadium, Quarterfinals (May 22, D2 at higher seed); Semifinals (May 23 at Dodd Stadium, 11 a.m., 1:30 p.m., 4 p.m., and 6:30 p.m.); Championship Games (May 24 at Dodd Stadium, 4 and 6:30 p.m.).
Softball: Quarterfinals (May 21 at higher seeds); Semifinals (May 22 at Griswold High School, 11 a.m., 1:30 p.m., 4 p.m., and 6:30 p.m.); Championship Games (May 23 at Griswold High School, D2-4:30 p.m., D1-7 p.m.).
Boys/Girls Outdoor Track: The ECC Outdoor Track Meets will be held on May 20. Division 3 and 4: 2:30 p.m. at Griswold High School. (Griswold, Killingly, Lyman Memorial, Montville, Plainfield, Putnam, St. Bernard, Tourtellotte, Wheeler and Windham). Division 1 and 2: 2:30 p.m. at East Lyme High School. (Bacon Academy, East Lyme, Fitch, Ledyard, New London, NFA, Stonington, Waterford and Woodstock Academy).
Boys Tennis: May 20-21 beginning at 3 p.m. at East Lyme High School. The Finals will be held on May 22 at 3 p.m. at Stonington High School.
Girls Tennis: May 20-21 beginning at 3 p.m. at Stonington High School. The Finals will be held on May 22 at 3 p.m. at Stonington High School.
Girls Lacrosse: Quarterfinals (May 20 at higher seeds); Semifinals (May 21 at Ledyard High School, 5 and 7 p.m.); Championship Game (May 23 at Waterford High School, 5 p.m.).
Boys Lacrosse: Quarterfinals (May 20 at higher seeds); Semifinals (May 21 at Waterford High School, 5 and 7:15 p.m.); Championship Game (May 23 at Waterford High School, 7:30 p.m.).
Boys Golf: May 30 at Great Neck Country Club, Waterford at 12 p.m. Admission will not be charged for this event.
Girls Golf: May 29, Quinnatisset Country Club, Thompson at 12 p.m. Admission will not be charged for this event.
Unified Outdoor Track: May 21 at 3 p.m. at Norwich Free Academy. Admission will not be charged for this event.
Coaching legend
It was great seeing Marty Gomez this week while covering the Lyman Memorial/Griswold baseball game at Griswold High School. Gomez, the longtime Bulldogs mentor and former Lyman athletic director, is having another winning season in Lebanon.
“I get good kids and they buy in,” Gomez said.
Gomez, who played baseball at Springfield College, coached four seasons at Rome Catholic High School (N.Y.) and at his alma mater as a college assistant before becoming the AD at Lyman in 1985.
Gomez, who was inducted into the Connecticut High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2021, is nearing the 600 career win mark. He also coached volleyball at Lyman from 2010-2016, guiding the Bulldogs to a state title in 2016.
During the Griswold game, the Wolverines had the bases loaded with one out in the bottom of the sixth when a batter popped the ball high into the air. The umpires invoked the infield fly rule. The ball, however, was dropped by the infielder. A Wolverines runner tried to score but was thrown out at home plate for an inning ending double play.
“I’ve probably seen it at some point in time over 40-plus years but I can’t remember the last time I saw that,” Gomez said of the double-play on an infield fly rule.
Lyman eventually won, 13-10.
Baby Yaz
Is there anything sweeter than a Yastrzemski hitting a home run into the bullpen at Fenway Park?
With his grandfather, Red Sox legend Carl Yastrzemski, in attendance, San Francisco Giants outfielder Mike Yastrzemski homered in the Giants’ 3-1 victory over the Sox on Thursday.
Yaz’s grandson has had a remarkable baseball journey. It began at St. John’s Prep in Danvers (Mass.), Vanderbilt University, Cotuit in the Cape Cod League and seven years toiling in the minor leagues.
Mike has now hit 91 dingers in the major leagues, which means he and his grandad have combined for 543 big league home runs.
Trivia time
Who was the first American League player with 3,000 career hits and 400 home runs? (Hint: His Triple Crown season in 1967 was perhaps the greatest individual performance in terms of clutch hitting and fielding in MLB history).
More: Hope abounds on Opening Day for Norwich Little League
Swift rules
Taylor Swift’s songs occupy the top 14 spots in this week’s Billboard Hot 100 Chart. Yup, 1-14. Those are Babe Ruth and Wayne Gretzky numbers. In fact, all 31 songs from Swift’s new album, The Tortured Poets Department , are in Billboard’s Top 100.
That, folks, is greatness.
NBA rivalry
The Boston Celtics and the New York Knickerbockers are on a collision course to meet in the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 1974. Seems like a long time for two iconic NBA franchises not to have met in the playoffs with a trip to the NBA Finals at stake.
The early 1970s were the Knicks Glory Days when Willis Reed, Walt Frazier, Bill Bradley and Dave DeBusschere knocked out the Celts in the 1972 and 1973 East finals.
The Celtics, led by the trio of John Havlicek, Dave Cowens and Jo Jo White, got a measure of revenge en route to winning the 1974 NBA title.
Hall of Famers
Kudos to former colleague Joe Morelli (New Haven Register, GameTimeCT), who is being inducted into the Connecticut High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame. The ceremony is May 9 at the Aqua Turf in Southington.
Joining Morelli as 2023-24 Hall of Fame recipients are Jeffrey Brameier (Darien - Boys’ Lacrosse), Peter M. Capezzone (Old Saybrook - Boys’ and Girls’ Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field), George Crouse (Stonington - Boys’ and Girls’ Tennis), Charles Farley (Sheehan - Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field, Football), Lisa Hodges (Kolbe Cathedral - Girls’ Basketball), Thomas Jacobs (Amity - Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field), Art Kohs (Hale Ray - Xavier - Athletic Director and Boys’ Soccer), Maureen Perkins (Glastonbury - Field Hockey), and Robert Zito (Stratford - Newtown - Maloney - Weston - Football).
Also being honored are Paul D. Mengold (John F. Fontana Service Award), Terri A. Ziemnicki (Thomas R. Monahan CHSCA Honor Award), and Bobby Thompson (Joseph Calvanese CHSCA Sponsorship Award).
Tickets ($65) are available online at chsca.eventchamp.com. Ticket sales close on May 7 at noon.
More: Spring notebook: NFA boys lacrosse stuns Woodstock with late goal
Trivia answer
Mike Yastrzemski’s grandpa, Carl.
Stuck in the '70s
I visited the beautiful city of Atlanta last week to see the Brandeis/Emory four-game college baseball series. The Judges, and first baseman Eddie Zanor, snapped a 37-game losing streak against Emory with a thrilling 10-8 victory on Sunday.
This was my first trip to Atlanta and I couldn't leave without visiting a rock and roll landmark: the fabulous Fox Theatre.
On July 7-9, 1976, Southern rockers Lynyrd Skynyrd performed three legendary concerts at the Peachtree Tree venue. The shows were recorded for the band’s live album, One More From The Road , which featured iconic versions of “Sweet Home Alabama” and “Free Bird.”
Jimmy Zanor is a sportswriter for the Norwich Bulletin and can be reached at jzanor@norwichbulletin.com. Follow him on Twitter ( @jzanorNB ).
This article originally appeared on The Bulletin: Zanor column: ECC announces playoff dates, Baby Yaz, and other thoughts
Most Popular
Comments / 0