The Finals

In 2006 Italy won the world cup.  Barry Bonds broke Babe Ruth's career home run record.  Pluto got down graded from a planet to a "dwarf planet".  Nintendo released the Wii. 

And in 2006, two new teams entered the Tottenham Oldtimers.

The Dog Catchers formed by Larry Turner and Randy Hipkin were joined by another entry; the Rusty Rebels put together by Hugh Armstrong and Don Booth. 

In their inaugural season the Rusty Rebels would win the regular season and make it all the way to the playoff finals where they would play their expansion cousins.  The Dog Catchers would prevail in the final making for a great season for both new teams. 

In the intervening eight years, The Banshees, Predators, Lucky Stiffs, Recycled, Red Dogs, Saints, Wild, Torn Ligaments, Two Dogs, Hole Asses, Dislocated Joints and Grumpy Old J's all have disappeared from the league. 

And still there, with the same captains were the Rusty Rebels and Dog Catchers. 

The Dog Catchers had an epic season.  Their team of Bill Brown, Bob Candy, Brett Mabee, David Potocki, Emeil Edwards, Harley Sherman, Larry Turner, Laurier Plante, Mike Candy, Randy Hipkin, Rick Hjelholt and Steve Lahey entered the season with optimism and some questions.  Was there too many guys at the same position?  What would Laurier look like in year #2?  Who was this Potocki guy?  Would there be any offense after Lahey?

They would answer some questions early.  They would open the season with a 21-3 beat down of the Rebels and then get blown out themselves falling 30-13 to the Beer Bros.  The Tap Masters would double them 18-9 in their next game dropping their record to 1-2.  Then they took off.  Four wins in a row by more than 10 runs over the Draft Kings, Dusty Cleats, Sons Of Pitches and Hurtin' Units.  The Sliders kept them close losing and the Woody's joined the blow out list.  The Brew Jays would earn a tie and the Blues Brothers a one run win before they dismantled the Rounders by 20 and Devils by 10. 

The Dog Catchers offense was established as the best bats in the league.  And Lahey might have been the straw that stirred the offensive drink, but they were all part of the cocktail.  Brett Mabee who missed six games for work was the only person on the squad who didn't average a run per game.  And he still scored 19 runs.  11 guys scored 22 or more.  7 scored 30 or more.  4 scored 40 or more.  2 scored over 50.  No team (in the record keeping that I've seen) has scored at the rate of the Dog Catchers. 

They would run into a little swoon tying the Grisslies, losing to the Rebels and Beer Bros.  They would dispatch the Cleats by 10 before losing to the Tap Masters by one and get into the playoff stretch.  They would beat the Sons Of Pitches 12-11; Hurtin' Units 32-11; Blues Brothers 22-7 and Hot Tub Woody's 24-12 on the last day of the season.  They would finish tied in points (30) with the Tap Masters and lost the regular season championship on a tie breaker. 

They were in fine shape for the playoffs.  They opened the Round Robin against the Gruesome Devils where they were shocked 14-9.  After a rain out they moved to Coventry to play host to the Dusty Cleats.  The Cleats who had found new playoff energy took care of the Dog Catchers 18-12.  Two games in and an 0-2 record, from no on, every playoff game would be an elimination for them.  Next up were the Hot Tub Woody's who kept it close but would fall 18-11.  The Dog Catchers were still alive at 1-2.  At 3pm on Saturday they played what many thought would be their last game when they met the 3-0 Draft Kings.  They were not ready to go home yet and defeated the Kings 11-6. 

The 2-2 round robin record earned them a trip to the elimination game where they would face the league's 3rd best team in the Dodge City Rounders.  The Rounders would be no match in this one losing to the Dog Catchers 24-13.  Moving to the quarter finals the Dog Catchers faced the Grisslies.  They would win that one with the 12-11 with the game ending with the bases loaded and two out and a line drive to short.  Heading to the semi's they faced the Gruesome Devils.  They would win their 5th consecutive elimination game, this time 9-8.  Again, unbelievably, they would win leaving the bases loaded in the 7th inning. 

And the Dog Catchers earned their berth to the finals. 

The Rusty Rebels season was vastly different from the Dog Catchers.  Where the Dog Catchers pretty much knew what they had but didn't know if it would work; the Rusty Rebels didn't really know what they had or if it would work at all!  Injuries, work schedules, players moving, new players introduced, subs seemingly every game, there was lot going on. 

The roster that finished the year:  Andy Gee, Cliff Tucker, Dave Miller, Don Booth, Hugh Armstrong, John Stiff, Mark Banks, Martin Ranby, Peter Hollmann, Stephen Booth, Steve Ross and Victor Dermott is missing the name of Randy Rose who played a substantial number of games before moving to Atlantic Canada. 

The Rebels, by their own admission had a terrible start.  Losing 21-3 to the Dog Catchers; 27-19 to the Woody's and 28-15 to the Blues Brothers before getting their first win 18-11 over the Sons Of Pitches.  It didn't stay good news for long.  The Tap Masters would undress them 19-5 and they bounced back to beat the Cleats 15-7.  The Draft Kings beat them 7-6 and they bounced back to beat Dodge 15-10 and finally strung some wins together beating the Units 24-18; Grisslies 12-11; Beer Bros. 15-7 and Brew Jays 13-9.  Then another crash, dripping a 25-6 decision to the Sliders.  Again, a bounce back.  They would square their record with the Draft Kings defeating them 14-11; beat the Sons Of Pitches 18-15 and the Blues Brothers 31-11.  Loses to the Cleats and Draft kings by 22-13 and 13-8 scores had them heading the wrong way with the playoffs nearing and only 4 games left. 

They would go 3-1 in that stretch.  A split with the Devils 18-15 & 5-23 and wins over the Units and Sliders  17-16 and 22-15.  When it was all said and done, the Rebels had 26 points which was good enough for 6th place.  However they had the 6th worse +/- in the league.  The defense was a question mark. 

Entering the Round Robin portion of the playoffs, the Rebels opened with the Sliders and defeated them 18-10.  Their second game was against the 1st place, league champion Tap Masters and they rolled over them to the tune of 22-7 leaving no doubt that they were here to play.  They were also in the very fortunate position of just needing to win one of their last two games to reach Sunday.  The Rusty Rebels too no risks when they met the 2-0 Sons Of Pitches on Friday and defeated them in an epic defensive game, 5-1.  Now assured of a spot on Sunday they went out and took care of the Hurtin' Units 7-2 to finish 4-0 with a +23.  And the also answered the "can they play well enough defensively" as they averaged giving up only 5 runs per game in the round robin. 

In the quarter finals the Rusty Rebels played the surprising Dusty Cleats.  The Cleats made this a competitive game and it was tied through 5 innings before the Rebels gained a little separation and eventually won 17-11.  The semi final was equally entertaining as the Tap Masters provided the opposition.  Still stinging from the round robin defeat the Tap Masters were determined to keep it close.  And they did, but ultimately fell 7-4 in the sixth consecutive spectacular game on Sunday. 

The Rusty Rebels had earned their berth to the finals. 

What follows is a detailed play by play of the championship final game to the best of my recollection.  This is the only time that I actually mention outs as part of a game report.  Its not meant to embarrass anyone, its simply to give an accurate recording. 

1st Inning

 

DOG CATCHERS:  Emeil Edwards lead off single.  Harley Sherman hits into fielders choice, safe at first, Edwards out at second.  Larry Turner hits into fielders choice, safe at first, Sherman out at second.  Steve Lahey flies out to second base.   

RUSTY REBELS:  Steve Ross grounds out to Short.  Victor Dermott grounds out to Short.  Andy Gee singles to center.  Peter Hollmann doubles to center, Gee to 3rd.  Hugh Armstrong doubles to right, Gee scores.  Hollmann scores.  Stephen Booth lines out to short.

SCORE.  Rusty Rebels 2, Dog Catchers 0.

 

2nd Inning

 

DOG CATCHERS:  Randy Hipkin singles to left.  Rick Hjelholt singles to centre, Hipkin to 3rd.  David Potocki singles to center.  Hipkin scores, Hjelholt to 2nd.  Mike Candy grounds into fielders choice.  Hjelholt out at 3rd, Potocki to 2nd, Candy safe at 1st.  Brett Mabee singles to centre.  Potocki scores, Candy moves to 3rd and Mabee moves to 2nd on the throw. Bob Candy grounds out to short. Mike Candy scores.  Bill Brown singles to centre.  Mabee scores.  Emeil Edwards grounds out to 1st.       

RUSTY REBELS:  Don Booth singles to right.  Martin Ranby flies out to Short.  Cliff Tucker flies out to center.  Dave Miller flies out to left.  

SCORE.  Rusty Rebels 2, Dog Catchers 4.

3rd Inning

DOG CATCHERS:  Harley Sherman lines to pitcher, ball is tipped and caught by Short.  Larry Turner hits to 1st, ball deflected to 2nd baseman, Turner out at 1st with the pitcher covering.  Steve Lahey flies out to the warning track in right.   

RUSTY REBELS:  John Stiff single down the 1st base line.  Steve Ross doubles to left, Stiff to 3rd.  Victor Dermott doubles to center.  Stiff scores.  Ross scores. Andy Gee singles to left.  Dermott scores. Peter Hollmann singles to left, Gee to 3rd.  Hugh Armstrong singles to right.  Gee scores.  Hollmann to 3rd.  Stephen Booth single to center.  Hollmann scores.  Armstrong to 3rd.  Don Booth lines out to pitcher.  Martin Ranby grounds into fielders choice.  Armstrong scores.  Booth out at 2nd.  Ranby safe at 1st.  Cliff Tucker singles to left, Ranby to 2nd.  Dave Miller single to center.  Ranby to 3rd, Tuker to 1st.  John Stiff grounds into fielders choice.     

SCORE.  Rusty Rebels 8, Dog Catchers 4.

 

4th Inning

 

DOG CATCHERS:  Randy Hipkin flies out to left.  Rick Hjelholt singles to center.  David Potocki hits into fielders choice.  Hjelholt out at 2nd.  Potocki moves to 2nd on a throwing error.  Mike Candy singles to left.  Potocki scores. Brett Mabee hits into a fielders choice.     

RUSTY REBELS:  Steve Ross singles to left.  Victor Dermott triples to right.  Ross scores.  Andy Gee hits sacrafice fly to centre.  Dermott scores. Peter Hollmann triples to left.  Stephen both grounds out but ends up on 3rd after 2 errors.  Hollmann scores.  Don Booth flies out to center.    

SCORE.  Rusty Rebels 11, Dog Catchers 5.

 

5th Inning

 

DOG CATCHERS:  Bob Candy flies out to center.  Bill Brown grounds out to 3rd.  Emeil Edwards grounds out to 2nd.     

RUSTY REBELS:  Martin Ranby flies out to center.  Cliff Tucker grounds out to pitcher.  Dave Miller grounds out to short.  

SCORE.  Rusty Rebels 11, Dog Catchers 5.

 

6th Inning

 

DOG CATCHERS:  Harley Sherman singles (is out on the bases - how is undetermined).  Steve Lahey walks.  Larry Turner flies out to pitcher.  Randy Hipken singles. Lahey to 3rd.  Hjelholt singles.  Lahey scores.  Hipkin to 3rd.  David Potocki strikes out.   

RUSTY REBELS:  John Stiff lines out to center.  Steve Ross doubles to right.  Victor Dermott singles to center, Ross to 3rd.  Andy Gee hits sacrafice fly to center.  Ross scores.  Hollmann strikes out.   

SCORE.  Rusty Rebels 12, Dog Catchers 6.

 

7th Inning

 

DOG CATCHERS:  Mike Candy grounds to short.  Brett Mabee lines out to 3rd.  Bob Candy flies out to center.     

RUSTY REBELS:  Not required. .

SCORE.  Rusty Rebels 12, Dog Catchers 6.