by Kyle Moylan, Sports Editor
ALLENTOWN — For those individuals who always dreamed about playing the outfield like a major leaguer, the Sno-Ball Tournament at Allentown High School on Saturday was their big chance.
Unfortunately, they were all playing like former major leaguer Lonnie Smith.
Mr. Smith, an outfielder on the 1980 world champion Philadelphia Phillies team, had the nickname “Skates” because he always seemed to be slipping and sliding whenever he tried to catch a fly ball.
Allentown resident Paul Robbins had the same problem Saturday. Of course, that’s because the outfielder for the Grand Millers team was playing on a field covered with ice and snow.
”It’s slippery, icy and hard to pick up the ball,” he said. “You have to take small steps in the outfield. If you take a big one, you risk falling on your face. I learned that lesson the hard way.”
A lot of people on the 19 participating teams — 15 in the men’s division and four co-ed — learned the same lesson. According to Bill Petzinger, the creator of the event to raise money for the Upper Freehold Regional Education Foundation, that was kind of the plan all along.
”I was happy when I saw it was snowing (earlier in the week),” he said. “I was disappointed when it started getting warm, but it’s cloudy enough to slow down the melting process.”
The event was held last year without any snow. Mr. Petzinger, however, remembers playing in one of these tournaments 20 years ago with a foot of snow on the ground.
That was phenomenal,” he said with a laugh.
”I would love to play. Every time a ball is hit, someone is falling down. It’s hysterical,” he added. “I just can’t play because I’m the organizer. So many people have questions.”
While Mr. Petzinger didn’t play, both the president and the treasurer of the Upper Freehold Regional Education Foundation did. Scott Smith, the treasurer, was playing third base.
”I had one ball hit to me and I made the play,” he said. “I got the guy out at second base. He was a slow runner, but the throw was right on target.
”You’ve got to remember that most of the guys on our team (Grand Millers) play once a year. Some of these other teams here are serious.”
Well, as serious as a team can be with Buster, the mascot of the Lakewood Blue Claws, wandering around the outfield during a game.
Jim Derasmo, president of the UFREF, didn’t get to play in the game with Buster, but he faced enough challenges while playing the outfield for the Grand Millers, a team made up of Allentown and Cream Ridge residents.
”It was rough because they kept hitting the ball to me,” he said. “Traction is a problem, but judging the ball was the biggest chore. Even with the yellow ball, it’s tough. And when the ball hit the snow, it did weird things. You just never knew how it was going to react.”
Melting snow turned the infields on the regulation softball field at the school into mud pits. With those fields were unplayable, the tournament organizers improvised and carved out four fields out of the snowy terrain behind Allentown High. This made sure that every position had its own quirks.
”My hand is frozen,” said Brian Williams, an Upper Freehold resident and pitcher for the Grand Millers. “I had to keep swiping ice off of the ball every time I got it back.”
With the Grand Millers eliminated after going 1-2 in the double-elimination tournament, Mr. Williams was planning to volunteer his services as an umpire for the championship game. The other games were played without umpires.
”Because it’s a one-pitch tournament (every batter starts with a count of 3-2), it’s kind of embarrassing if you don’t swing if the pitch is close,” Mr. Smith said.
Foul lines were carved out of the snow and clearly marked. And since most of the guys looked like they were moving in slow motion, it made it easier for the players to make their own calls.
”Everyone is out here having fun,” Mr. Petzinger said. “No such thing as a routine play. Also, these guys are swinging the bat for the first time (as they get ready for the softball season). They’re getting the rust off.”
There were, of course, also the guys who were quite content to keep their rust.
”I’m hiding behind my camera. I’m the official photographer. I’m saying that I overqualified for age,” joked Richard Fitzpatrick, superintendent of the Upper Freehold Regional School system.
”Last year it was just cold. The snow makes it a ball,” he added. “It’s a creative way to do something that was fun and raises funds. It’s a great thing.”
This year’s tournament raised $5,300 up from about $4,000 last year, according to Mr. Petzinger.
In the men’s division, the Wrecking Crew of South Brunswick came in first, with Long Necks of Upper Freehold finishing second. In the co-ed division, the champ was The Tri-State Bombers of Atlantic City.
