At the Halfway Point, T-Bones Lead the Pack

Published on July 17, 2010 under Northern League (NL) News Release


As the Northern League hit the All-Star Break and their near midway point of the season, the Kansas City T-Bones stood atop the standings with a one and a half game lead over the defending champion Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks. Courtesy of a season-high seven-game winning streak, the Joliet Jackhammers sit in the third spot while the Winnipeg Goldeyes in fourth place. With 50 games or more remaining in the regular season, the race for the four playoff spots is still well within reach for all eight teams. After the top two spots, the other six teams are only separated by eight games in the standings. The Rockford RiverHawks and Lake County Fielders who are in sixth and seventh place respectively, only trail by two and three games in the loss column for fourth place and the final playoff position. The four teams with the greatest winning percentage at the conclusion of the season will make the playoffs. Clubs will be seeded #1 (best winning percentage), #2 (second best winning percentage), #3 (third best winning percentage) and #4 (fourth best winning percentage) which will determine playoff match-ups.

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Northern League Dominates Golden Baseball League at Interleague All-Star Game

The 2010 Interleague All-Star Game which pitted the Northern League All-Stars versus the Golden Baseball League All-Stars on July 14th, 2010 at Hi Corbett Field in Tucson, AZ saw the Northern League prove supreme in a decisive 9-3 victory. The Northern League never trailed in the game scoring a total of five runs over the first three innings, then posting a four-run seventh inning to put the game out of reach. Nine different all-stars collected a hit for the NL while the pitching only yielded three runs on seven hits. The Rockford RiverHawks outfielder Jason James was named the M.V.P. of the game after going 2-for-3 with a double, a run scored and two RBI. In the All-Star Home Run Derby played two days earlier, Cliff Brumbaugh of the Edmonton Capitals defeated Kansas City T-Bones infielder Jacob Blackwood 11-10. The contest was won on the final pitch.

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First Manager for One of Northern League's Original Six Passes Away

Frank Verdi, the first manager for the Sioux Falls Canaries, passed away on July 9th at the age of 84 in New Port Richey, Florida. Verdi was the first manager of the Canaries when they joined the Northern League in 1993 and worked for the team through 1995. He compiled a record of 81-71 with the Canaries and in 1994 led the Birds to a 47-33 (.588) record, second best in the league. Verdi, who had one of the shortest Major League careers all-time, made his debut with the New York Yankees on May 10, 1953 as a defensive replacement for Phil Rizzuto in the bottom of the sixth inning. However, in the top of the seventh inning, he was lifted for a pinch-hitter by manager Casey Stengel and subsequently never appeared in another major league game. Verdi went on to play over 1,900 minor league games and manage 24 seasons in minor league baseball. He was inducted into the International League Hall of Fame in 2008. Verdi also derived a degree of infamy for surviving a shooting during a 1959 baseball game in Cuba while playing for the Rochester Red Wings. The plastic lining of his baseball cap, which he wore in lieu of a baseball helmet, deflected a bullet that ultimately led to a shoulder wound. His wife of 59 years, Pauline and their four sons survives him.

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Northern League to Present the Roger Maris Award in 2010

The Northern League will present the Roger Maris Award for the first time in 2010. The award will be presented to the individual that best enhances and promotes the reputation of the Northern League with integrity, sportsmanship, character, and community involvement. Maris began his professional baseball career in 1953 with his hometown Fargo-Moorhead Twins. He earned Northern League Rookie of the Year honors in 1953 after batting .325 with 18 doubles, 13 triples and nine home runs in 114 games. He helped lead Fargo- Moorhead to a league-best 86-39 record and the 1953 Northern League Championship.

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Northern League Alumni

Former players of the Northern League continue to succeed and progress through the ranks of professional baseball.

Alumni Notes:

Mike Spidale (T-Bones), pictured right, is batting .311 for the Reading Phillies and ranks fifth in the league in batting (Class AA - Eastern League)...Travis Schlichting (T-Bones) is 3-0 with a save for the Albuquerque Isotopes (Class AAA - Pacific Coast League)...Alberto Castillo (Flyers) is 1-0 with 3 saves for the Tidewater Tides (Class AAA - International League). He has only allowed one run over his last seven appearances...Edwin Walker (RailCats) is 0-0 with 2 saves for the Lancaster JetHawks (Class A - California League). For more links and updates to the Northern League alumni, please go to www.northernleague.com/alumni (all stats through July 15, 2010)

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Northern League Stories from July 17, 2010


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.


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