Chicago Classic 50's WinChampions At

Senior Softball USA World Tournament

They Go 8-1 At Phonenix, AZ On October 20th - 24th, 2005

PHOENIX, AZ: The Chicago Classic 50' Men major softball team traveled to Phoenix, Arizona n October 20th through the 24th to play at the Men's Senior World Tournament and they went 8-1 to come home with the world title. Pool play started on Thursday and continued into Friday with the Chicago Classics posting a 3-1 record. Pool play is used to determine a team's seeding into the championship bracket.
But before the championship bracket was started on Friday evening an East-West National championship game was played with Chicago Classic 50's representing the East in this prestigious game.
Manager Bob Kolvitz said, "This was a big game for us. We had previously won the Eastern Nationals and this game was the second leg of the 'Triple Crown Championship' used to determine the 2005 World championship."
In a game that went back and forth the Chicago Classics found them selves trailing by two runs entering the bottom of the seventh inning. Cliff Noble started thing off with a base hit. Roy Ambrose, Larry Hall added single to load the base. John Gridley base hit narrowed the gap to a one run deficit. Pat Heraty singled to tie the game before Keith Hudon ended the game with a come from behind one run victory for Chicago Classics 50's with yet another base hit for the champions.
Chicago Classic 50's now need to play their fourth game on Saturday as they opened the championship tournament with a 16-7 win over the Milwaukee Merchants from Milwaukee, WI.
On Saturday morning the Chicago Classic 50's squared off with the Silver Ledgends from Ohio and they came out hitting as the posted an impressive 23-14 win onto the bracket board to improve to 2-0 in the championship tournament.
Next up was a date with Travel Lodge from Indiana in a semifinal game of the winner's bracket. Travel Lodge is a team that Chicago Classic 50's had played three times previously this year with all three game being decided by one run between these two ball clubs. Travel Lodge broke on top early but Chicago Classic 50's came back in the middle innings to take the lead. Travel Lodge rallied to tie the game at 22 runs each in the bottom of the seventh inning before Bud Van Klaveren made a diving catch to end that inning and force extra innings to be played in this game. Chicago Classic 50's used that extra inning to their advantage scoring six big runs in the top of the eight inning to take a 28-22 lead which they hung onto to post the victory in this game. Kolvitz said, "Our outfield of Randy Robarge, Hudon, Hall, Heraty, Rocky Witzmen and Van Klaveren all played great throughout the weekend. It was their defense that kept us in all the games."
On Sunday morning Chicago Classic 50's met and defeated Robert Construction from Wisconsin in a close game that the Illinois based ball club took the lead late in the game before hanging on to win 18-13. The double play combination of Noble and Kolvitz turned three twin killings to take their Wisconsin opponent out of potential big innings. Big defensive plays were also turned in by first baseman Bob Schultz and third baseman Paul Cox during this win.
With this win the Chicago Classic 50's were now only one win away from sweeping the Triple Crown format of this World Championship event.
In the championship game it was he Chicago Classic 50's against the Mob from Arizona. The Chicago Classic 50's broke on top in the first inning taking a three run lead and they never looked back from that point on as they went on to post a 20-3 win to put the ribbon on their championship.
Kolvitz said, "It has been a dream to coach this team!' He added, "What more could you ask for but to be lucky enough to be part of this team and care about all the guys that play with all year."
The Chicago Classic 50's ball club placed seven players on the 'All-World Tournament Team. They were Pat Heraty, Keith Hudon, Rocky Witzman, Bud Van Klaveren, Bob Schultz, John Gridley and Bob Kolvitz.
Kolvitz said, "The whole team deserves to be on the 'All-World Tournament Team! We had great pitching from both Terry Hovseth and John Gridley. We had great hitting from Gary Thorsen, Larry hall, Rocky Witzman, and Roy Ambrose all tournament long with Randy Robarge hitting some big home runs. I'd be remised if I didn't mention Vinny Chambers who was injured in our first game with a torn Achilles tendon but he stayed on to cheer for us all tournament long.
Kolvitz closed by saying, "Playing with the same fifteen players all year long was a big part of our success in winning eight of the nine tournament that we entered which includes five national titles. It took every player to achieve this dream of become the only team to ever win all three legs of the Triple Crown."
The Chicago Classic 50's has one last tournament on their schedule for 2005 at the Winter Nationals in Fort Meyers, Florida on November 11th & 12th.