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Archiver > VAWARREN > 2003-08 > 1061571999
From: "Judy" <>
Subject: [VAWARREN] Warren Sentinel article-many Warren Co. surnames
Date: Fri, 22 Aug 2003 13:06:46 -0400
References: <123.24e60d4f.2c77707c@aol.com>
>From the Warren Sentinel
http://www.shenandoah.com/warrensentinel_popup/warrensent.cfm?ID=068502203&dolead=yes
World Series team put Front Royal on the map
Kip Ritenour
The 50th Anniversary of the Little League All-Stars' trip to Williamsport.
Nearly a half century ago the Front Royal Little League All-Star team was
the toast of the town.
In the days of wooden bats and "one loss and you're done," that talented
team marched all the way to the Little League World Series in Williamsport,
Pa., and finished third overall, winning the hearts of everyone along the
way.
Not bad for a league in only its third year of existence.
This week marks the 50th anniversary of the team that put Front Royal on the
map as a baseball town and fueled one of the top Little League organizations
in Virginia - one that's still going strong to this day, 53 years later.
It was hard for anyone in Warren County to imagine just how good the All-
Stars were going to be as the team hit the field early in the hot hazy days
in the summer of '53.
After an opening game 18-9 blowout win over Falls Church in the District 1
Tournament, the Front Royal All-Stars quickly built momentum in their march
through the postseason.
Led by the pitching of Giles DARR, Sam COOKSEY and Michael BERRYMAN and the
clutch hitting of Warren MILLER, the team quickly knocked off Broadway 6-0,
Winchester 7-2 and Berkley Springs, W.Va., 7-3.
The four wins placed Front Royal in the Section 4 Tournament in Beckley,
W.Va.
Wins over Follansbee, W.Va., (3-0), Fairmont, W.Va. (6-3) and a 3-0 win over
Danville propelled the team to the Region 4 Championship in Audobon, New
Jersey.
Front Royal opened the Region 4 tournament with an 8-2 win over Garfield,
N.J. Then MILLER'S dramatic two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth
inning broke a 2-2 tie against Frederick, Md. (managed by former New York
Yankee great Charlie Keller) to punch Front Royal's ticket to Williamsport.
"I remember that game in Audobon," said DARR. "I remember Warren hitting
that home run to send us to Williamsport."
DARR said he couldn't recall many details from the team's trip to the World
Series, but said they enjoyed staying in the college style dorms and meeting
legendary pitching great Cy Young.
"It was real nice," said Darr. "Everyone treated us great."
The team opened World Series play with a 3-2 extra inning win against
Vancouver, B.C. as COOKSEY went the distance on the mound and drove in
BERRYMAN with a single in the top of the eighth for the game winning hit.
With star pitcher DARR scheduled to go against eventual champion Birmingham,
Alabama, a freak injury during warm-ups possibly did the locals in.
As was customary before each of his starts, DARR was tossing batting
practice when a shot lined off his right ankle just before the game.
DARR gamely tried to go, but he was just a shell of his dominating self and
Birmingham prevailed 10-2 to end the "Colossal Kids" dream of a series title
with a 10-2 win.
"It really swelled up," said DARR of his ankle. "I couldn't do anything. I
tried to tape it up but I couldn't put any weight on it."
Front Royal, however, rebounded with a 3-0 win over Camp Hill, Pa. to finish
third as Maxie CAMERON tossed a one-hitter.
MILLER socked two tape measure home runs against Birmingham. One was the
longest in World Series history until an aluminum bat shot bettered it in
1992.
"The main thing I remember was how tremendous they hit the ball," said team
batboy Stuart NESBITT, whose dad Frank managed the team and whose older
brother Frankie played second base and outfield. "They were the best hitting
team I had ever seen."
NESBITT, who was 11 years old in 1953, never got to go as a player but said
he has gone to several World Series games in Williamsport as an adult.
"The atmosphere there is really exciting," said NESBITT. "I always wanted to
go back."
The 1953 team was not only a great hitting (.400 team batting average) and
solid pitching team, but also a fundamentally sound squad that played great
defense and knew how to manufacture runs with the bunt and running game.
Nesbitt remembered his dad ran a very tight ship.
"He was old school. He definitely commanded respect and got it," said
Nesbitt. "You talk about the fear of God. He was a red-haired Irishman and
the team did things his way.
"They were scared to death of him and they hated him, but when it was all
said and done, they loved him."
"He was definitely strict," recalled DARR. "But that's why we had a good
team. When he said something, everyone listened and there was no goofing
around. He was a good coach."
The Washington Post estimated that over 4,000 people greeted the team at the
old Chamber of Commerce office on West Main Street when the All- Stars
arrived back from Williamsport.
As the Little League World Series airs this week on ESPN, take a minute to
give one of the 1953-team members a pat on the back. Several are still in
the area and they definitely deserve a 50th anniversary thank you.
Team members still in the Front Royal area: Giles DARR, Maxie CAMERON, Sam
COOKSEY, Lee WINES, Archie FOX, Jimmie JORDAN and Warren MILLER.
Kenny MIERS lives on the west coast, Mike BERRYMAN lives in Richmond, Doug
CAMPBELL lives in Northern Virginia, Stuart NESBITT lives in West Virginia,
Frankie NESBITT lives in St. Louis and Roger BERRYMAN'S whereabouts are
unknown.
The following team members are deceased: Fred MOORE, Smitty HENRY and
Charlie BOWERS, along with coaches Frank NESBITT and Lonnie JORDAN.
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