From the Dugout

We hope everyone is enjoying summer. This is our last newsletter of the year, and it includes a look back at a fantastic All-Star season. 

Congratulations to all of our All-Star players and coaches. This year was the first time that all three of HLL's All-Star Teams reached the District 52 Championship Game in the same season. Our 12- and 10-year-old All-Stars won District 52 Championships. 

Stay tuned for updates regarding registration for the 2010 Little League season, Majors and Minors tryouts and new training and coaching clinics.

On a personal note, I want to say what a pleasure it has been to serve as HLL's President this year. A special thank you to all our great players, coaches and board members for a memorable and rewarding season. While I won't be seeking another term as President, I will continue to be involved in our great organization. We'll hold board elections at our annual meeting on September 9 at District Office.

Keep playing ball!

Clarke Funkhouser, HLL President

10's Start All-Star Careers with a Bang

Like the 12's, the 10's won the 2009 District 52 Championship, but in a slightly different fashion.

The 10's (above) won their first two games of the double-elimination tournament held in Palo Alto, first against Palo Alto National and then against Pacifica American. The HLL 10's lost their next game, 6-5 to Foster City, which sent them to the Losers' Bracket.

Hillsborough rallied from a 10-7 sixth-inning deficit to top Palo Alto National, 15-10, to restart their championship run. Next, HLL beat Half Moon Bay 5-4 in extra innings on a hit by Justin Moore.

"They were great. We didn't really have one superstar, we just had a bunch of kids that hustled all over the field. It was a team effort every game," according to A.J. Goldman, who coached the HLL 10's along with Gary Goodman and Jeff Schubiner.

After the walk-off win over Half Moon Bay, the 10's kept rolling with a tense 1-0 victory over Belmont. Michael Adams pitched a complete game and Hayden Pegley had a game-winning hit as Hillsborough won in its last at-bat for the third straight contest.

That earned Hillsborough a spot in the Championship Series against Foster City. HLL needed to defeat Foster City twice in a row and they did: 15-11 and 6-5.

"These kids played beyond our expectations. It was one of those tournaments where a different person stuck out every game," Goldman added.

Fresh off their District 52 Championship, the HLL 10's competed in the double-elimination Section 3 Tournament in San Leandro.

Hillsborough kicked off the tournament win back-to-back wins over Danville (6-3) and Mt. Eden (13-8). In the second game, Miles Todzo hurled five strong innings and added three hits and five RBI.

The 10's lost their next game, a rematch against Danville, and then Mt. Eden eliminated Hillsborough, 7-4. In a fitting end to an exciting tournament, Hillsborough had the tying run at the plate when the game concluded.

Congratulations to the 10's on a fantastic summer. We're already looking forward to next year!

About Batter Up! 

11's Reach District 52 Final

The Hillsborough 11-year-old All-Star Team had a great run that ended in the District 52 Championship Game against defending champion Alpine/West Menlo. After a tough loss in their first game against Palo Alto American, the HLL 11's beat Alpine/West Menlo's number two team 15-1 the following day, highlighted by a home run from Timmy Lynch and a spectacular outfield catch by Nick Pratt.

HLL beat Redwood City National, 13-1, in their second game of the double-elimination tournament. Lynch got the win on the mound, Riley Krook homered and Shane Snow singled and doubled in the same inning to lead the team to victory.

Alex Waldsmith pitched 5 1/3 innings of one-hit ball in Hillsborough's next game, a 6-3 win. The game ended when a Foster City baserunner was hit by a groundball and called out as shortstop George Delegans was ready to make the play. Hillsborough assistant coach J.T. Snow said that he had never seen a game end on such a play.

Hillsborough's fifth game was against a very tough Half Moon Bay squad, and the HLL 11's rose to the challenge. Lynch pitched five strong innings and Adam Jancsek picked up his second save in the 8-3 victory.

Next, the 11's faced a strong San Mateo National team, with the winner advancing to the Losers' Bracket Final. The game remained tied, 0-0, until Hillsborough scored two runs in the fourth inning. Waldsmith made those runs stick for his third win in the tournament as he pitched a complete-game no-hitter in a 2-0 win.

The host team, San Carlos, then faced Hillsborough for the Losers' Bracket Championship in a game that will be long remembered. The HLL 11's trailed 12-4 in the fifth inning and appeared destined to lose the game. However, critical at-bats by Joe Klein and Jacob Tan allowed the tying run to come to the plate with two outs in the sixth and final inning. Jon Hall then hit a three-run, two-strike homer, known as the shot heard 'round Hillsborough, to tie the game at 12. The umpires suspended the game until the next day because of darkness.

In the continuation game, Matt Savage pitched a scoreless bottom of the sixth inning to preserve the tie and Lynch led off the top of the seventh with a sharp single to left field. Waldsmith then drove a pitch over the center field fence for a two-run homer, giving Hillsborough a 14-12 lead. Savage struck out the side in the bottom of the seventh to put the HLL 11's into the Championship Game. Hillsborough assistant coach Chris Krook said it was the best comeback he had ever seen.

With six of Hillsborough's pitchers ineligible for the Championship Game because of innings limits, Alpine/West Menlo jumped out to an early lead and held on to win. Spencer Sinclair pitched three strong innings and added two hits for Hillsborough. The highlight of the Championship Game for the HLL 11's was Blake Marcus' sixth-inning grand slam. HLL manager R.J. Waldsmith said that the homer "exemplified the never-quit attitude of the team."

Congratulations to the HLL 11's on their outstanding run. We look forward to following these players again next season.

 

Apple Doesn't Fall Far From Tree

This year's Hillsborough Little League MVP, voted on by all the players and managers in the league, resulted in a tie between Brenden Barrows (above right) and Billy Funkhouser (above left). Both played in the Majors Baseball division -- Brenden for the Cardinals and Billy for the Nationals.

Both players were their respective teams' best pitcher, fielder and hitter. However, that's not all they have in common.

Coincidentally, both Brenden and Billy have an ancestor who played on the 1909 World Champion Pittsburgh Pirates. Serendipity? Maybe baseball is in their genes.

Sam Leever (Brenden's great, great-uncle) was a pitcher who spent his entire career with the Pirates. He helped the Pirates to their first World Series title and he posted a lifetime 2.47 ERA along with a 194-100 record.

Brenden also turned in some impressive statistics this season. He pitched 39 innings and struck out 67 batters while allowing only three earned runs. The 12-year-old led his team to 11 consecutive wins and the regular-season championship.

Fred Clarke (Billy's great, great-grandfather) was a left fielder who exceeded a .300 batting average in 11 different seasons. He boasts the 11th-longest hitting streak in Major League history (35 games) and he, along with Leever, helped Pittsburgh defeat Detroit in the 1909 World Series.

Like his great, great-grandfather, Billy is a potent force at the plate. He hit .568 this season and led the league with five home runs during the regular season.

Clarke's baseball career extended beyond the field, as he spent 19 years as a manager (18 as a player-manager). He participated in four World Series and he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1945. 

While both Brenden and Billy have some big shoes to fill, they appear to be well on their respective ways. Their hard work and contributions have honored their Major League lineage and earned them the respect and admiration of their teammates and opponents.

Greener Pastures Ahead 

Hillsborough Little League provides many fond memories for local baseball and softball players. Although some grow up to become high school and college players, others end their careers with their final Little League game as a 12-year-old.

We wish all of our graduating players nothing but the best, whether they will continue to play baseball or softball or if they will move on to other pursuits. Hillsborough Little League gives children between the ages of 5 and 12 a chance to have fun, learn baseball/softball skills and build lasting friendships.

The league is relaxed yet competitive and provides a very safe and enjoyable environment for Hillsborough youngsters.

So what will HLL's graduates miss the most? "Definitely the Snack Shack," according to 12-year-old Gordon Barrows.

About Batter Up! 

The 2009 Hillsborough Little League season came to an end on Sunday, June 14. That day, the Giants beat the Phillies 9-3 in the Majors Baseball Championship Game and the Padres defeated the Yankees 7-5 in the Minors Baseball title game.

That afternoon, the entire league gathered at District Field for the closing ceremonies and awards were given to deserving players and teams.

First awarded were the Red Hot Chili Peppers, the champions of the Majors Softball playoffs, and the Black Bullets, the division's regular-season champions.

Next, the Padres were honored as the Minors Baseball playoff champions and the Yankees were feted as the regular-season winners.

Afterwards, the Majors Baseball awards were distributed, starting with the regular-season champion Cardinals. HLL Player Agent Jeff Schubiner presented Billy Funkhouser and Brenden Barrows with the Most Voted Player Award and Mets manager Gary Goodman announced that one of his players, Ryan Kammuller, won the Hank Harris Little Leaguer of the Year Award.

Also, HLL President Clarke Funkhouser honored Robert Peeters (Tigers) as the Minors Baseball Manager of the Year and Chris Krook (Nationals) as the Majors Baseball Manager of the Year. Lastly, Ford Goodman was given the Volunteer of the Year Award for his contributions as an umpire, softball coach, board member and as HLL's Training Director.

 

 

Final Majors Baseball Standings

Cardinals 12-2 

Phillies 11-3

Mets 9-5 

Nationals 6-8 

Giants 5-9 (playoff champions) 

Braves 5-9 

Padres 4-10 

Cubs 4-10

 

Final Minors Baseball Standings

Yankees 12-3-1

Tigers 10-5-1

Giants 10-6 

Padres 10-6 (playoff champions) 

Cardinals 9-7 

Athletics 9-7 

Red Sox 9-7 

Rockies 8-7-1 

Cubs 5-10-1 

Angels 5-11 

Mariners 4-12 

Braves 2-12-2 

Final Majors Softball Standings

Black Bullets 7-3-2

Navy Knights 5-5-2 

Red Hot Chili Peppers 5-6-1 (playoff champions) 

Green Gators 4-7-1

 

 

Leading Off...HLL News 

Welcome to the second installment of our newly launched Batter Up! newsletter. HLL is in full swing!

It's great to once again see our fields filled with players from our 63 teams playing ball, meeting up with friends and simply having fun.

We want to thank all the families who contributed to our Junior Giants used equipment collection on Opening Day. Your generosity helped many local Little Leagues in Santa Clara County and East Palo Alto. 

I also want to encourage all players to use their reusable water bottles and to take part in keeping the earth green and our fields clean.

Don't forget to check out the local summer baseball and softball camps by clicking here. Registration is now open for many of these programs.

And we hope to see all of our T-Ball and A Division players and families at the divisions' end-of-season party on May 16 (10 am-1 pm at North School).

Last, in the next few weeks, we'll be distributing our 2009 Yearbook. It provides information on all our players, teams and sponsors and is a great resource. Stay tuned for ongoing updates and have a terrific season.

Clarke Funkhouser, HLL president  

Safety First

All across the nation, unfortunately, many Little Leaguers are injured each year. HLL is committed to safety and has instituted several preventative measures.

Ron Schaffner is HLL's safety director this year. His responsibilities include providing a safer environment for all players, coaches and spectators and building safety awareness.

HLL is also promoting safety by encouraging all players to wear head-savers, specially designed helmets for fielders which can prevent injuries, especially to pitchers facing a line drive.

T-Ball coaches are only allowing one bat on the field, which prevents spare bats from accidentally causing injuries.

None of HLL's divisions allow an on-deck circle, which prevents players from swinging a bat away from home plate.

At practice, players are taught to look around before swinging, just as those walking by a practice are warned to be on the lookout for batters.

Finally, catchers' equipment is inspected by both the coaches and umpires before the games to ensure proper usage and safety.

By placing an emphasis on safety, HLL is ensuring that all of its players have a successful and healthy season.

HLL Alumni Spotlight

HLL alumni continue their success as they advance in other leagues.

Recent articles in the San Jose Mercury News and San Francisco Chronicle feature HLL alumni Tyler Goedell (a St. Francis High School sophomore) and Tony Renda (a Serra High School senior that will play for Cal next season).

Click the underlined text for the full articles.

Congrats Tyler and Tony on your continued baseball success! 

HLL instituted a Softball Division four years ago for girls between the ages of 8 and 12. "We began with just one age division but moved to two divisions in 2007 to accommodate a rapidly growing interest in Hillsborough softball," said Jim Taylor, the director of HLL's Softball Division.

"Girls sometimes decide to play up or down a division depending on their skills and experience levels," Taylor reported. The division started with about 60 players and now has over 100.

"We've been pleased to see many of last year's 12-year-old players return as youth umpires for Majors Softball," he added. This year, HLL sponsored several basic skill-building and pitching clinics, as well as team training sessions led by the 'Girls Got Game' professional softball training organization.

"I'm confident our softball players got a lot of value out of training this year and we look to do more in the coming years," said Taylor. "In addition, we've been really fortunate to have another field established for us to use at Crocker with a portable backstop." Each year, HLL's Softball Divisions grow in numbers, new training initiatives, fun and good competition.

 

What's New at Hillsborough Little League

Welcome to another great year of Little League Baseball and Softball in Hillsborough Little League. The league has incorporated a variety of new elements for the 2009 season.

First, HLL welcomed a new President this year, Clarke Funkhouser, and a new Player Agent, Jeff Schubiner, as well as several other new board members, division managers and coaches. We're set to have a record year with 725 registered players. 

HLL also has a new look, including a brand new website, logo, email alerts and communications program which we hope will keep everyone informed of activities. This should help to build an even stronger HLL community.

You may have noticed that HLL has upped its training initiatives for players and coaches by offering several clinics with Preparing Legends and Velocity Sports, two well-respected local training facilities.

Regarding our divisions, the Minors and AAA Divisions have merged, forming a larger Minors program. The Majors Division, which cut back to six teams last year, added two more teams: the Nationals and the Phillies.

Of these two, the Nationals are an entirely new team. Chris Krook and former Major League baseball player J.T. Snow coach the Nationals, while Doug Hiemstra and Phil Battat coach the Phillies.

This year, girls' softball has grown as well. Now in its fourth year, girls' softball will have both a Majors and a Minors Division. There are over 100 players and the league has organized new training clinics.

We're also working hard to support good causes like the Coyote Point Museum, Junior Giants and Second Harvest Food Bank. We hope that you will join us in supporting these great causes.  

About the Editor

Welcome to the inaugural issue of Batter Up! My name is Jack Waldsmith (above) and I am a 15-year old sophomore at Burlingame High School. I played in Hillsborough Little League for eight years and was drafted into HLL's Majors Division in 2003 by the Cardinals.

I also played for the Hillsborough All-Star team all four years that I was on the Cardinals. After HLL, I moved on to play in the San Mateo Babe Ruth League and I continue to play to this day.

Thank you for your support and here's to to a very successful 2009 HLL season! 

Caught Looking: Wheeling out the Barrows

Twelve-year-old twins Brenden and Gordon Barrows (above) have been playing baseball since the age of four and they don’t show any signs of stopping. This is their fourth year playing in HLL's Majors Division. “I like Hillsborough Little League because there are a lot of players and families in the league,” Gordon said.

Both brothers are on the Cardinals this year and they played on HLL's 11 and 12-year-old All-Star Team last summer. That team made it all the way to the regional championship, traveling to Tracy to play the state's best.