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NEWS & INFORMATION ARCHIVE - PRE 2003 |
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| 28 DEC 2002 - 3 WAVERLEY BOYS IN 2003 CLAXTON SHIELD 30-MAN ROSTER |  |
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| 25 NOV 2002 - WAVERLEY BOYS IN 2003 CLAXTON SHIELD SQUAD | |
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| 5 SEP 2002 - OUR 'D-MAC' A KING AT KALAMAZOO! | |
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Although we had been monitoring his performances since his return to the US, we have been waiting for the completion of his season before bringing you news about our very own Waverley Baseball Club Champion for 2002 DAVID McWATTERS. Some of you may recall that 'D-MAC' had problems getting away from Australia after last summer and this resulted in him having a quite unsatisfactory preparation for the US season. Hardly surprisingly, David did struggle to find form early in the season, but displaying the typical level-headed determination we have come to expect of him, he turned it all around to help anchor his Kalamazoo Kings into their first ever playoff appearance in the Independent FRONTIER LEAGUE... Here is a feature article prepared especially for our web site from an anonymous correspondent who has followed the progress of the Kings this season... MACCA’S MOB
MAKE PLAYOFFS After a frustrating 5 week delay due to their visas not being ready, Waverley’s DAVID McWATTERS along with Haydn Chinn (Upwey), Matthew Kent (Doncaster) and Greg Wiltshire (Sunshine), arrived mid June at Kalamazoo, Michigan, for their Independent League professional season. It was David’s second season as a starting pitcher with this new organization, also in their second year. After a change of coach mid season last year, the Kalamazoo Kings were now looking to establish their name in the league. Given the long break after the VBA season, David started with a no decision result, leaving the game after 7.1 innings and the team leading, but failing to get the win. The first half of the season through July saw the King’s offence under perform and even with some close results, David’s win/loss ratio was out to 1-5. A second half rally has seen the team come home strongly to make the playoffs and David finish the home and away season 5-6 with an ERA of 3.84. This included two more no decision games, one of which the Kings lead 7-2 after his 7.0 innings, and then lost 7-8 in the 12th innings. For the second year, he has lead the strike out stats with 99 including a club record 15 in a complete game! The Kings had
achieved their objective of making the playoffs in only their second
year in the League. Anything after that was a bonus. The series was best
of three, with David starting Game #1 at home against the Washington
Wild Things and the season’s All Star pitcher, who was 11-3. The game
was a classic pitchers duel with it scoreless through 6 innings, and
tied at 1-1 after seven. David came out of the game after 7.2 innings as
Washington score two more runs to finally win 3-1. Both pitchers were
acknowledged by fans and the media. The Kings went on to lose Game #2
(3-11) and have finished the season. All four Aussies have done their clubs proud and represented Australian baseball with pride and passion. Any press article during the season had them being referred to as “Aussie…….” or “Melbourne native……”. We understand that David is required at Kalamazoo next year. In the meantime, he is again embroiled in paperwork to do with his American resident’s visa. Unfortunately it is a long slow process (3-4 months) given the events of September 11. He and Holly plan to return Downunder to Waverley, once he is permitted to leave the States. |
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** NEW ** 29 JULY 2002 -
WAVERLEY'S DANIEL BERG & GRANT KARLSEN IN AUST 'AAA'
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We are delighted to report
that, following the recent Australian Baseball Academy Program on the Gold
Coast, in Queensland, two of
Waverley Baseball Club's finest junior players have made the next step to
senior stardom!
DANIEL BERG and GRANT KARLSEN have earned selection for the Australian 'AAA' Team that was announced on Saturday 20 July, 2002. The boys flew out to Canada last Tuesday. The Waverley Baseball Club can be very proud of having provided two of the five Victorians selected in the Australian team and to have two players from one local club in the national team is an honour in itself... Obviously, our best wishes for success in Canada are extended to both Daniel and Grant... we know they will do their best! |
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** NEW ** 30 JUNE 2002 - WAVERLEY'S WADE McCONNON & DANIEL ZUCCHET OFF TO JAPAN
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Two of Waverley's finest junior baseballers WADE McCONNON (left) and DANIEL ZUCCHET (right) have earned selection for the Australian 2002 RUBBERBALL team that will be leaving to play in Japan on 20 July 2002. The team, to be coached by Wayne Pollock, Barry Fisher, Yoshi Nakamura and "Waverley's own" ANDREW FENNELL, will play against other International teams over a 14 day tournament. In 1984 the World Amateur Baseball Association approved the establishment of the International Boys Nankyu Association to host and conduct the Under 12 World Baseball Championships. Teams from American Continent (North & South), European / African Continent and Asia / Oceania have been sent to compete. 2002 marks the 20th year of these World Baseball Championships and the 14th year of participation by Australia.
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** NEW ** 19 JUNE 2002 -
WAVERLEY BOYS TOUR WITH BALLARAT DIGGERS
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The Ballarat Aussie Diggers under 19 baseball team will find themselves leaving the friendly shores of Australia on June 30th and heading off to the land of baseball, America, for a 21 day tour. During their travels the young Diggers will not only play a total of 10 games but also tour Cooperstown, N.Y., home to Baseball’s Hall of Fame. A squad of fourteen players will be led by Head Coach, Leigh McIntyre (Essendon/Ballarat City), and assisted by JIM BERG (Waverley), Peter Parry, Ballarat Baseball Association President (Mounties) and Tom Hipke, (Essendon/Ballarat City). |
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experience and solid play of their 2000 tour, the Diggers have been
fortunate to gain an invitation to the Kimberly, Wisconsin, American
Legion Tournament this July. Not only does the team comprise of local Ballarat talent but also sees a blending of outstanding country and metro VBA baseballers who will bring their skills to the team. Not only will the Waverley Baseball
Club be represented by assistant coach JIM BERG, but we are also
sending players ADAM BONADDIO and RYAN BERG. |
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** NEW ** 17 JUNE 2002 - WAVERLEY BOYS AT MLB ACADEMY
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Australia’s Baseball Academy for elite junior players, supported by Major League Baseball (MLB) and in conjunction with the Australian Baseball Federation (ABF), will be held on the Gold Coast from 15 June to 1 August 2002. Members of Australia’s AA (16 and under) and AAA (18 and under) baseball squads, including a number of players who have signed professionally, (60 athletes in total) will be offered scholarships to participate in this Academy. There is further scope to include athletes from Oceania and additional Australian athletes who demonstrate potential to play at a "higher" level. Waverley has five players eligible for the AAA Under 19 Australian Team. These are Daniel Berg, Grant Karlsen, Evan Phillips, Anthony Reinke & Andrew Russell. If selected, they will leave for Canada on the 23rd July to play in the Under 19 World Series from 1st August 11th August 2002. Donavon Hendricks is eligible for the AA Under 17 Australian Team. This year the Under 17s will remain in the Gold Coast & will play a visiting USA team from 1st to 11th August 2002. |
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** NEW ** 8 JUNE 2002 - AUSSIE SIMON BERESFORD IN US DRAFT
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Strapping 19yo pitcher SIMON BERESFORD has the privilege of being the one and only Australian to be selected in the 2002 US College Draft, when he was taken by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 32 round, with draft selection No. 949. The 6'5", 215lb youngster is yet another product of the prolific Waverley Baseball Club in Melbourne and he has long been considered a tremendous baseball prospect, having played in Australia's IBLA in 2001 (as a 17yo) and after participating in Australia's Olympic Athlete Program. Proud parents Ian and Christine Beresford have been fantastic contributors of baseball talent to the Waverley Baseball Club with elder brother Mike also a fine senior player at Waverley whose career has been limited by injuries and, our "whisper" is, that there is another of the Beresford clan who has a future in baseball in recent Australian U12 representative James Beresford. |
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NEW ** UPDATE 11 MAY 2002 - McCONNON FOR WAVERLEY REDS!
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At their Annual General Meeting, attended by 'Flintoff & Dunn' last week, Melbourne's mighty Waverley Baseball Club made a couple of significant announcements that would interest followers of the Australian Baseball League who posess very good memories. Appointed to
replace retiring legend DAVID CLARKSON as club head coach was
highly rated and popular ex-patriot American DAN McCONNON who has
agreed to a two-year deal to help guide the young Waverley team. For ABL
fans, McConnon should be remembered for his efforts to manage the
Melbourne Bushrangers in 1992 and 1993. Although he owned a 31-61 record,
Dan won many admirers for the way he earned some respect for the 'Bushies'
despite a glaring lack of resources. The Waverley
club also announced that they intend to resurrect the WAVERLEY REDS
name! |
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