2009 Muskegon Baseball Teams

Varsity
2 - Enrique Pena, OF/IF/P - Senior
3 - Elan Banks, OF/P - Senior
4 - Josh McMann, OF/IF/ P - Senior
5 - Xavier McCarty, OF - Sophomore
6 - Ben Klemm, IF/P - Senior
8 - Ben Carson, OF/IF/P - Junior
12 - Brett DeCheney, IF/P - Junior
16 - Nate Smith, OF
23 - Marshall Werling, IF - Senior
24 - Dennis Merritt, IF/P - Senior
32 - Justin Brownlee, IF - Senior
33 - Evan Saxe, IF/P/OF - Junior
34 - Randall McMurray - Player/Manager

10 - Tom Lopez - HEAD COACH
13 - Jesse Pena - ASSISTANT COACH
31 - Eric Alcorn - ASSISTANT COACH
Dexter Larabee - MANAGER

Junior Varsity
1 - Xavier Mccarty, OF/IF - Sophomore
3 - Sam Kohley, P/IF - Sophomore
4 - Jeff Shanty, P/IF - Sophomore
8 - Jamie Pesch, P/IF - Sophomore
10 - Terrance Spears, OF/IF - Sophomore
12 - Orlando Pena, P/IF - Sophomore
13 - Andra Jolly, P/IF - Sophomore
16 - Cameron Hunter, OF - Freshman
21 - Amario Hobson, P/OF - Sophomore
23 - Jared Holmberg, OF - Sophomore
24 - Mathew Murar, IF - Sophomore
31 - Troy Hurlbert, IF - Sophomore
32 - Jai'lyn Thompson, OF - Freshman
33 - Tom Geodert, IF - Freshman
34 - Brett Kammers, P/IF - Freshman

Chris Hilliker - HEAD COACH
Brad Casciano - ASSISTANT COACH

55 Wins in a Row - the legacy of Muskegon Baseball

It's hard to imagine any high school team accomplishing the feat, but between the seasons 1941-1945, Muskegon High School's baseball teams established a Michigan High School state record with a string of 55 consecutive victories. Even more astonishing is that the record was bested in the 1960's by Grand Haven's prep teams, who strung together 56 straight wins. It was a Grand Haven squad that had ended the Muskegon streak. Over 40 years later, Homer High School finally broke Grand Haven's mark with a national record 75 victories compiled during the 2004 and 2005 seasons.

It's interesting to note that it took five years for Muskegon's team to total 55 wins, while Grand Haven needed only a portion of three seasons to win 56. It took Homer only two years to total 75 straight. My, how times have changed!

Here's an article from an old Muskegon Chronicle covering Muskegon's win streak. Click on the image for a large, easy to read version.

Muskegon Big Red Varsity Baseball Schedule

03/30/09 4:00 pm Muskegon Western Michigan Christian

03/31/09 4:30 pm Grand Rapids Creston

04/02/09 4:00 pm Whitehall (doubleheader)
04/14/09 4:30 pm Muskegon Mona Shores
04/15/09 4:30 pm @ Jenison
04/17/09 4:00 pm Jenison
04/20/09 4:30 pm Grand Rapids Central
04/21/09 4:00 pm Grandville
04/23/09 4:30 pm @ Grandville
04/24/09 5:30 pm Orchard View (doubleheader)
04/27/09 4:00 pm East Kentwood
04/29/09 4:30 pm @ East Kentwood
05/01/09 4:30 pm @ Rockford
05/02/09 9:00 am GMAA Tournament @ Mona Shores
05/04/09 4:00 pm Rockford
05/06/09 4:00 pm Grand Haven
05/08/09 4:30 pm @ Grand Haven
05/09/09 10:00 am Jon Hooker Memorial Invitational
@ Holland High School
05/11/09 4:00 pm @ Muskegon Western Michigan Christian
(at McCrea Field)
05/12/09 4:30 pm @ Hudsonville
(at Baldwin Middle School)
05/13/09 4:30 pm OK Red Rain date
05/14/09 4:30 vs. Hudsonville
05/15/09 4:30 vs. Muskegon Reeths-Puffer
05/18/09 4:00 vs. Holland West Ottawa
05/20/09 4:30 @ Holland West Ottawa
05/22/09 4:00 @ Muskegon Catholic Central
05/23/09 10:00 am @ Grand Rapids Union (doubleheader)
05/26/09 Pre-Districts @ Holland West Ottawa
05/29/09 Districts
06/06/09 Regionals
06/09/09 Quarterfinals

Click here for more details on the varsity schedule. Click here for a copy of the Junior Varsity Schedule

Special thanks to all that came out for our

Second Annual
St. Patrick's Fundraiser for

Muskegon
Big Red
Baseball
on
Saturday
March 14, 2009 at

Tatra Hall - 2526 Sixth Street

Dinner included: Steak, Potato, Garlic Bread, Salad, Dessert & Coffee

with entertainment by
the Carl Webb Band

Congratulations to the winners of our

* 50/50 Raffles * Door Prizes * Silent Auction *

A great time was had by all!

Thanks, of course, to all who bought tickets to the event!

In addition special thanks to all those who helped us stage this event, including the Big Reds Baseball Parents Group; Tatra Hall; all the volunteers that offered their time in the kitchen, clean-up, grilling steaks, making food and desserts, and decorating and our sponsors:

Kohley's Superior Propane
Lakeside Emporium
The Meat Block
Meijer
Frederik Meijer Gardens
Muskegon High School Bookstore & Principal David Lewis
Muskegon Lumberjacks
Muskegon Sportsman Association
O'le Henry Gardens
Sports Clips
Sports Pro Stop
Stonegate Golf Club
Sysco Foods
Tourcotte/CT Gallery
Trophy House/Jones Sporting Goods
Wayne's Deli
Carl Web Band
Wesco
West Michigan Whitecaps

See you next year!

Bowling Fundraiser - Sunday, February 22

The first of our annual fundraisers kicks off this Sunday, February 22 at1:30 at Sherman Bowling Lanes in Muskegon. Cost is $15 per person or $25 a couple and includes three games plus shoe rental. We'll also have a 50/50 raffle and Strike pot.

Contact Coach Tom Lopez at 720-3015 for tickets. Come out and support your Big Reds!

Paul Bard: A baseball legend

Local sports broadcasting legend Jim Moyes has returned to to the local sports pages. Once a stringer for the Muskegon Chronicle, Jim has started to write a series of articles on local sports that will cover a wide range of subjects, individuals and teams. His first article from the series appeared in early February, and focused on a former Muskegon Big Red, Paul Bard.

Bard was a starred in football, basketball and baseball for the Big Reds back in the early 1940s "whose college career at Western Michigan University was cut short because of service to his country."

The full article is currently available on on the web. Click the following link to check out the complete version: Paul Bard: A sports and war hero.

For the benefit of Muskegon Baseball fans, we highlight Bard's career on the baseball diamond, as pulled from the Moyes article.

Beginning with his first game during his Junior year of 1941, when he no hit the Montague Wildcats, Bard would go on to have a high school baseball career that arguably was the best in state prep annals.

Thousands upon thousands of players have played the great game of baseball at the prep level in the state of Michigan. Sixty-one years after Paul Bard played his last game at Muskegon High his legacy has been restored. Miraculously enough Hall of Fame baseball coach Harry Potter's scorebook, found recently collecting dust in his daughter's (Ann Moore) attic, gives authenticity to Bard's achievements.

The Big Reds were a perfect 26 and 0 in 1941 & 42 and here is where Bard ranks in MHSAA history.

• Career ERA (Earned Run Average): 0.76 No 3 All time.
• Season (1942) ERA: 0.11 No 1 All Time.
• Fewest walks Allowed in a Season: 5 in 1942 No. 1 All Time.
• Fewest Wild Pitches Career: (0 in 120 innings) No. 1 All Time
• Strikeouts in a Game: 20 No. 2 All time.
• Assists by a Pitcher in a Game: 11 No. 1 All Time.

Bard also was the cleanup hitter for Muskegon and was a lofty slugger. In 1941 he posted a batting average of .524 and a slugging percentage of .881. For his two-year career (1940 batting stats are unavailable) Bard crushed the ball at a .439 clip. As a fielder Bard went through the two seasons without committing an error.

Bard followed his amazing high school career by posting very similar numbers while twirling in the very competitive Tri-State League. On Saturday, August 17, 1942 Bard hurled a 4-0 nine-inning shutout in a City League game.

In looking back this may have been a very poor decision on Bard's (or his coach's) part. Two days later a group of area Muskegon All Stars assembled to play the Detroit Tigers at Marsh Field. The Tigers absolutely "bombed" the outmatched area stars while only Paul Bard was able to slow down the heavy hitting Bengals. Pitching on but one days rest Bard allowed one run in his first inning of work and retired the side in order in his second and final inning pitched. What kind of impression might Bard have made on the Tiger brass if he was fully rested?

Moyes notes that in February 1943, less then a year after graduating from Muskegon High School, Bard joined the Armed Forces, serving his country bravely.

"There is no question but that World War II prevented Paul Bard from achieving his dream of being a Major League Baseball player." recalled former classmate and former school board member, Ray Carlson.

Marsh Field

From the State of Michigan Historical Marker at the corner of Peck Street and Laketon Avenue

Marsh Field began its tenure as the principal home of Muskegon baseball when it was completed in 1916. Charles W. Marsh - a Muskegon civic leader, industrialist and sports enthusiast - spearheaded construction of the park, which he donated to the city in 1919. The first minor league franchise to play here, the Reds, was a member of the Central League. Muskegon teams were later part of the Michigan State and the Michigan-Ontario Leagues. The Muskegon Lassies of the All-American Professional League played here from 1946-1950. The last professional team played here in 1951. The location of the diamond has not changed since the park opened, and it has been the site of high school games and local amatuer baseball programs ever since. The original grandstand was raised in 1957.