2017 Father/Son American

San Jose Giants 8, Capital City Cardinals 2

‘MVP Chambers Tallies Three Knocks’

By Rodney Johnson, special to MSBL

October 29, 2017, Tempe Diablo Stadium, Tempe, AZ-On the field, the San Jose Giants beat the Capital City Cardinals 8-2 to claim the Father/Son American Division title at Tempe Diablo Stadium. However numbers on the scoreboard couldn’t tell the story of the game. MSBL’s Father and Son Division affords generations an opportunity that transcends a mere baseball game. “You’ve never been in a dugout like it is when you’re with your kids,” explained Cardinals manager Derek Bulock. You don’t teach them anymore, now you are playing together and it is spectacular.”

In his book In the Zone and Other Sports Essays,author John Passaro could have easily been talking about an MSBL Father and Son tournament when he wrote;

There is something special about baseball that goes far deeper than being a game. It is the father-son relationship that is built, the life lessons that are taught in the process of playing a game and the ability to overcome not succeeding all of the time and still considering yourself a success.”

“This is by far the most special thing,” said San Jose manager Mike Denevi. “We play together at home in the San Jose MSBL and we really like our team. We all get along and have so much fun together, it is just amazing. This is a family thing and there is nothing better than family.”

San Joseopened the scoring in the first inning when Chris Chambers laced a triple toright field with two outs. Nick Caravelli Jr. then singled to drive in Chambers who had three hits and was named tournament MVP. The Giants scored three times in the third inning, keyed by Kraig Constantiono’s two-RBI single. They added single runs in the last four innings including a long home run by Chris Kamperman in the eighth. Houston Hibbard pitched the last five innings to earn the win. Capital City tallied single runs in the seventh and eighth on RBI singles by Mark Leacox and Dave Stafford.

Both teams came through pool play with perfect 4-0 records. In the playoffs, the Giantsbeat the Athletics 6-2 and the Cardinals beat the Kansas City A’s 4-3 to advance to the finals.

A look at the ages of the players confirmed the generational theme of the tournament. For the Cardinals the oldest father was 77-year-old Lou Ferrari and the youngest son was 18-year-old Trey Furrey. For the Giants 67-year old Jack Thrappas was the senior member of the team and 16-year old Jackson Yandle was the youngest.

“Pitching was the key for us,” said Denevi. “We held our opponents to two runs or less in every game but one.” For Denevi this was his 14th MSBL Championship Ring. “Half of those are Father-Son rings and this is by far my favorite division,” beamed Denevi. “I just thank Steve (Sigler) and Tom (Prendergast) or all they do. They put together a first class tournament.”

Team                                    1     2     3     4     5     6     7     8     9             R     H     E

Cap City Cardinals            0     0     0     0     0     0     1     1     0              2     8      1

San Jose Giants                  1     0     3     0     1     1     1     0     x              8    13     3

Pitching Line: (Cap City); Dave Stafford, Logan James (5), Mike Leacox (5) (Long Island) Mike Denevi Sr., Houston Hibbard (5).

WP: Hibbard LP: Stafford

2B: none

3B: D. Chambers (SJ)

HR: C. Kamperman (SJ)

Leading Hitters: Cap City- Mark Leacox 2×2, RBI HBP; Anthony Robinson 1×3, R. San Jose- Chris Chambers 3×3, 2 R; Nick Caravelli Jr. 2×3, 2 RBI, R; Kraig Constantiono 2×3, 2 RBI.

SAC: none

SF: none

SB: none

Team LOB: Cap City 10, San Jose 10

Time of Game: 2:14