2024 65+ National
Submitted by Bob Sherwin, Athletics manager
The LA Athletics repeated as the 65 National champions with a pitching corp unmatched by any other team. Ken Jungsten, Tom Klawitter, Barney Owens, and Norm Churchill all got victories for the Athletics while Jim Barker and Danny Pawelek did fireman’s duty in relief.
In the championship game against a tough hard-hitting San Antonio Lonestars team, Klawitter got the win throwing a solid five innings before giving way to Owens in relief. The Athletics defense was solid all week with Paul McPherson and Mike Denevi holding down third base and Dave Deitrich shining at shortstop.
Gino Suter and Wayne Grapes played flawless at second while Greg Bradford, Barker, and Dan Coleman caught everything in sight at first. No other team matched the fleet-footed outfield of Mark Flatau, Craig Aramaki, Matt Baer, and Joe Polance while Greg Werre and Blain Olson behind the plate kept all runners in check.
The Athletics were led offensively by Baer, Deitrich, Bradford, Coleman, Polance, and hot-hitting Suter who was well over .500 for the week. Dave Deitrich captured MVP of the championship game with some incredible web gems in the field that took the Lonestars out of some threatening innings.
This team was superlative from top to bottom and in every spot in the field!