Important dates for the 2012 season 

1/28/12      Sign ups                      10am-2pm          Owego Fire Station, North Ave

2/4/12        Sign ups                      10am-2pm          Owego Fire Station, North Ave

2/7/12        Sign ups                      6pm-8pm            Owego Fire Station, North Ave

3/5/12        Coaches meeting           7pm                 56 Main St County Office Bldg

3/10/12      Baseball Indoor Clinic                            Middle School

3/17/12      Baseball Outdoor clinic AND                 Middle School

3/17/12      Softball indoor                                        Middle School

3/26/12      National League Draft    7pm                 Clubhouse

3/27/12      American League Draft   7pm                 Clubhouse

3/28/12      Modified & T-Ball Draft   7pm                Clubhouse

4/21/12      Workbee Day                  9am                Hyde Park

4/28/12      Workbee Day                  9am                Hyde Park            

5/5/12      Opening Day                   8am                Hyde Park

5/12/12      Pictures Day                    TBD                Owego Free Academy (Inside of OFA is raining) 

6/22, 6/23,6/24                 Softball Tournament

LL has changed the rules for majors only (our National League) in the 12 and under divisions. A batter, under certain conditions, can now attempt to achieve first base if the third strike is not caught. 

Part by part: 

It’s commonly called a dropped third strike. This is a misnomer. It’s really an uncaught third strike and you need to grasp that. 

Uncaught means: The pitch was not secured in flight OR was dropped after the catcher appeared at first to secure it OR the catcher flat out didn’t secure it or even touch it. 

In flight means: The pitch has not touched anything, including the ground. If it bounces and the catcher secures it cleanly, it was NOT caught for purposes of this rule. 

The batter can only attempt to go to first base if  1) there are two outs even if there is a runner at first base OR 2) there are less than two outs and first base was unoccupied at the time of the pitch. 

The base is considered occupied if there is a runner at (not necessarily on, at) first base at the time of the pitch. The runner is at first base until he touches second base.  So, in a game with lead-offs and stealing, he is still considered to be at first even though he could be well on his way to second base. 

The time of the pitch is the moment that the pitchers motion commits him to pitch. 

AND - when the conditions permit the batter to advance, he must be put out in the same manner as if he had hit the ball into play. And if you fail to get him out, he's now safe and a runner. 

AND THEREFORE, any other runners that would be forced on a batted ball are forced on this play and can be put out as on any other force play. The extreme is a bases loaded, two out, uncaught third strike. Because the runner from third is forced, all the catcher has to do then is secure the ball and step on home plate before the runner from third gets there and voila, he’s out - inning over.

Sat 9/10 Visit by Rich Ives.

I didn't check inside any of the buildings yet.

There are  LOT (a LOT) of pushed-over fencing runs  and backstops. Signs all pushed around and probably some on the way down river. At least two picnic tables from the pavilion by the stand are visiting John Loftus.

NONE of the buildings were moved or tilted or skewed or anything except one slight pushed out panel on Raftis 3B dugout.

There are bleachers in the middle of Franz. One set of Tee-Ball  bleachers is by the RF foul pole on Franz. There is a set of bleachers visiting the tree line between Franz and OES. Some soccer goals from the school are paying a return visit to us.  

Water mark on the clubhouse is at around 4 feet - I didn't measure it for sure.

There is a lot of debris trapped in the fencing.

Fix up your homes and businesses first. The park can wait.

FYI the water mark at OES is at about 3' at the corner closest to Franz.

Tournament Results:

10U Tournament		12U Tournament
A Division		A Division
1st Endicott		1st Johnson City
2nd Main-Endwell		2nd Vestal
3rd Vestal		3rd Endicott
B Division		B Division
1st Nichols		1st West Corners
2nd Owego		2nd Vestal
3rd Elmira		3rd Owego
C Division		C Division
1st Vestal - Grey		1st Vestal
2nd Vestal - Green		2nd Vestal
3rd - Owego		3rd Vestal

Congrats to all teams, coaches, parents, umpires and volunteers that made the 2011 Owego Tournament a success.

A special thanks goes out to Debi Schmidt as this was her last as Tournament Director. Owego Little League thanks you for your years of service in this position, and will not be the same without you there next summer.

All 6 teams (Owego, Tioga, Candor, Spencer, Newark Valley, and Waverly) played 4 pool games. After the 4 pool games, Tioga, Owego, and Candor were tied with 3 wins and 1 loss. As per the rules of the Tournament, Tioga and Owego had the fewest runs scored against them in the pool games, so they advanced to the Championship game on Sunday. It was a very well played game and in the end, Tioga beat Owego 8 - 6 in 6 innings.

Tournament Director Mark Warfle presented Candor with the Tournament Directors Sportsmanship Trophy, and they are pictured here:

They change every year - this is the current one.