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Home My WebLink AboutTimes Advocate, 1993-06-16, Page 13#' ,Junior baseball Gillespie doirigwell in London By bred Groves 7'-A staff EXETER - Shawn Gillespie re- turned to play with his old team- mates on Sunday but he played against his current team. The 17 year-old pitcher, now with the London .Royals of the Bluewatcr Junior Baseball League helped the Exeter Co -Op Juniors take on the Royals in an exhibition game at the Alvin Witten Field. Gillespie, a resident of Zurich, opted to go to the city team this spring because he wants to draw some attention from baseball scouts and hopefully make a career out of the sport. But while he's been starting every third game on the mound for the Royals, it's his time with the Lon- don and District Junior All-Star team which he hopes will be recog- nized. Gillespie has been to several pro and college tryout camps but he's received no invites to move on. "That's what I'm hoping will hap- pen at the Skydome," said Gilfep- sie. That's where the London and Dis- trict team will play against other top teams from across the province. The idea being that scouts will be on hand to take a lookhe good Canadian talent. Being selected to the London all- star team came in a rather quick se- lection process. "I tried out for it and they came Where's the bale vong, rinota bZT • ii i4 ►� 14 ►414 i4+ t1 i4 14 ►4 ►1 1 and scouted me at one game." Splitting his time between the Royals and the all-star team has kept Gillespie busy and driving for an hour just to practice doesn't seem to bother him. And what is the difference be- tween playing in London with the all-stars and the Royals and in Ex- eter in the Western Ontario Base- ball League? Gillespie, whose father coaches the local juniors, says its attitude. (in fairness to the Exeter team, it's tough to get excited in a league that has dwindled down to just four teams.) His Royals coach, Clarke Brock is happy to have the young hurler on his team. "Shawn is doing very well for us. We're pleased he's playing on the youth (all-star) team," said Brock. Few flaws: Although Gillespie could gain a little weight if he wants to have command coming off the mound, Brock says the flaws of this young fastballer are few and far between. "I haven't really seen any flaws other than what you might expect with youth. You have to expose yourself to good competition to get better." Sports shorts That's what Gillespie has done as he plays for two teams. . As far as the all-star team and its route to make a trip to the Sky - dome, Brock says, "he's performed quite well in the two qualifying games." Southern Huron County has turned out some very good ball players in the past and continues to do so. Last year, catcher Dave Schwindt, shortstop -pitcher Scot Russell and pitcher Dan and Derek Masse all played in Stratford with the Junior Hitters. While Schwindt has returned to the Exeter Juniors where he is a player-coaeh, Scot Russell is play- ing with the Exeter Express of the Great Lakes Senior Baseball League. The Masse brothers have graduat- ed to the senior Hitters, although they are still junior age, and Mark Russell, Scot's brother is playing forthe junior Hitters. Mark was the plate umpire in Sunday's game between Exeter and the Royals, which saw Gillespie .show a lot of versatility as he played shortstop for the Exeter Jun- iors and even take a few swings at bat. Hoitzmann sets record at Ironwood EXETER - L1st►esday'night, Top honours of the day went to Dave Holtzman laf'Exeter set a last year's Ontario Pairs Champions course receadet. honwood Golf from Chestey, Wayne Wright and Course. Joe Dorsch with three wins and 44. On the back nine, Holtzman shot Second place went to Exeter an incredible 30 in which he prglred bowlers Jason and Peter McFalls holes 10,11,12 and:hhcn birdied t 'who defaated half of the Ontatio 'I3ih-hole. His good- oatioreontirt?"91416(tharapilfronr 1111111111111111111111.1 ued with an eagle on 14, par at 15 Masts :n their final game of the day• and then birdied 16, 17,18 to settle The.fixeter father -son duo finished with three wins and 39. Stan Roth and Ray Hodgson. of Exeter won the consolation prize. record. Throughout the nine only needed 12 putts. holes, he Spring raquet MtFaIIs' second season ends EXETER - The Exeter Lawn Bowling Club held its first men's pairs tournament of the season on Wednesday which was sponsored by the l aLurenuan Bank. The local greens were filled with excellent bowlers from clubs in Chesley, Thamesford, Stratford, • London, St. Marys, Seaforth and Exeter. ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZXXZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZXXXXXXZZZZIZ EXETER - Following the late spring league at the South Huron Racquet Club, Doug Mock came out on top of division one while leader of the second division was Leo Krahn. Don Smith beat all four of his op- ponents to win the third division. In total, 17 players stretched out the usual winter season to finish 1 McElwain says Leafs brought excitement is over and done with for another sea- - .son. The National ' Sidelines League Hockey has ended By with the league's franchise team, the Montreal Canadiens Fred carting the Stanley Cup home Groves for the 24th time in 100 years. It snaps the Canadiens long est draught of not winning the cup, seven years. But there was another team which was looking to end its 26 years of non -appearances in the finals - the Toronto Maple Leafs. Huron County has got a very strong commitment to the Leafs, not only is it close geographically to us and some Sat- urday nights it's all we watch on T.V., but Seaforth's Dave McLiwain was a big part of the team's success. McLlwain, a speedy forwatd,•did not play every game of the Stanley Cup playoffs, he was disappointed, but it seems as though he excepted his role on Pat Burns' team. Thursday in Grand Bend at the 12th Annual Dave Scatch- ered Invitational Golf Tournament, McLlwain told me that despite playing in their 21st playoff game, being tired was no excuse to lose to the Los Angeles Kings. "I think we did start to get a little fatigued, but that's no ex- cuse," said McLlwain. "We didn't seem to get on track like we did the other two series." Against Detroit and 'then St.-Louis,-tbe gnifs were forced to seven game series which they -won, many of the games in ovenimc. It wasa very long six -weeks bf hockey. "We had two ;game sevens and we were prepared for an- other," he said of the big.game against the Kings which saw the Leafs fantastic season cometo-an end. "We didn't want -it to go to a game seven, you never know what will=happen." Well, the Leafs .did realize what happened later, they had been stopped from:making theirfirstai ip to the finals in two- and-a-fialfrdecades. One of the biggest controversies. during the larafs-Kings se- ries came during Game Six -when Doug Gilmours face got m the way of Wayne Gtetzky's stick. "We took some bad penalties," _said McLlwain of the sixth :game. "Wayne Oretzky or not, he had a penalty and it should 'have been called." But despite not grabbing the crowned jewel of hockey, the Leafs had to settle for a few diamonds along the way which hopefully, in the future, they'll be able to tum into champion- ship rings. It was a cinderella season•for.the Leafs who finished fourth in the Norris Division during the regular season but beat the .St. Louis Blues to win That -division. "Just after Christmas we started -playing a little better. We started playing Maple Leaf hockey." He said a big homeand-home aeries with the Minnesota North Stars really elped tumxttings around. What that style of -hockey is, is patience and don't panic. Down 13 goal or two doean' Mean ypu're out of 11.9;1111g 1. -McElwain sald�,,,g„��,Ii�� tt.i.Wlfs who shot some new blew nto old ars who ve :*act- ing a long time for a winner. " ' "We never realized how many Leaf fans there are. We made a lot of believers out of people. The excitement, it was over- whelming to have that support that was behind us right across Canada." From the sidelines: Congratulations this week goes out to former Exeter resident Robert Whilsmith who now lives in Port Elgin. He recently became the first Canadian male pool player to place in the top ten finishers of the prestigious 8100:000 • U.S.A. Open 8 -Ball Single championships which were held in St. Louis. Roben•grew up in Exeter and learned the game while play- ing at the Exeter Pool Hall which was owned and run by Russ Broderich. EM Olt Enlarge family or team photos to 8-1/2x11 or even 11x17 instantly with outstanding results. 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