Browse archives: 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | 2000 | 1999 | 1998 | 1997 | 1996 | 1995

Published on 07/28/1999 All articles from this issue

Post 375 makes quick exit from Area 3

printer friendly version

By Craig Wentz

Special to the Town Crier

With a lack of personnel, a few defections and inconsistency, Palo Alto Post 375 saw its disappointing American Legion baseball season come to an end last week. And it wasn't soon enough.

Just two years ago, Post 375 captured the Area 3 tournament and was regarded as one of the top Legion teams in Northern California.

This season, the team of 16-18 year-olds from Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Mountain View and Palo Alto dropped a notch. Post 375 finished second in District 13 during the regular season, then was promptly eliminated in two games of the Area 3 double-elimination tournament last week in Lafayette.

After losing 12-2 to Union City on July 21, Post 375 was sent packing last Thursday with a 14-4 setback to San Mateo.

"We lost key personnel to Mountain View Joe DiMaggio and had a young team with four starting 16-year-olds," Post 375 manager Tony Brewer said. "We were pretty solid early in the season, then deteriorated as the season progressed."

Palo Alto (14-11) started the summer with 18 players and finished with just 12, which caused continuous changes in the lineup and in the pitching rotation. The positive this summer for Post 375 was that many of the 16-year-olds received plenty of playing time, which should set a solid foundation for the next couple of years.

"We usually have veteran players, but had way too many 16-year-olds," said Brewer, who played professionally with the Los Angeles Dodgers and in Japan. "It was a long summer, but the kids listened and started to come around. The future looks good."