Victoria, BC - A Legendary Run For The Hometown Team by Bob Otto
Another great article by Bob Otto. We could not pass this one up. Great memories from 1997 ISC WT in Victoria. Enjoyed a fantastic week with my buddy Gord Newman.
Victoria Legends manager Rocky Vitale sends Kevin Bobroske home after he hit a home run in the 1997 ISC World Tournament in Victoria, BC, Canada. Photo By BOB OTTO
VICTORIA, BC – The Victoria Legends thrilled thousands of fastball fans with an incredible run in the 1997 ISC World Tournament at Royal Athletic Park in Victoria, BC, Canada, by finishing second with an 8-2 record.
One of the many stars on the No. 4 ranked Legends was KEVIN BOBROSKE, who led the tournament with 11 RBI, and had three, 3-RBI games. The right-side batting infielder was named First-Team All-World along with pitcher KORREY GAREAU, who earned the title “workhorse†for his seven games in which he was 5-2 in 38 innings with a 2.95 ERA, along with 64 strikeouts.
A LEGEND OF STARS
Also earning All-World honors was infielder KEITH MACKINTOSH (.483 avg., 13-of-30, 3 RBI, and 8 runs), and outfielder DARRELL SANDBACK (.394 avg., 13-of-33, 10 runs).
Not to be overlooked was Second-Team All-World catcher DOUG CHASE, who batted .300 (9-of-30), had 9 RBI, 2 home runs, and 10 runs; and infielder DAVE BADOVINIAC, who belted the best pitching in the world for a .538 avg. (7-of-13), with 3 RBI, a home run, and 3 runs. BADOVINIAC had the fourth-best average in the tournament with Decatur Pride’s TERRY WALLIN tops at .600 (9-of-15)
Also earning Second-Team All-World was outfielder RICK ELIAS with a .313 avg. (10-of-32) 7 RBI and 5 runs.
LEGENDS BATTLE WAY TO TITLE GAME
The Legends opened with a 9-2 victory over the Royal Kings of St. Paul, MN, followed by beating Jack & Do’s, Findley, OH, 10-2, and Larry Miller Toyota of Salt Lake City, 5-4, to set up a match with the Farm Tavern of Madison, Wisc. in the quarterfinals.
The Legends lost to ROD PETERSON’S team and eventual champion, 7-6, but the Legends then began a march to the championship game by beating the Heflin Builders, of New York, 4-1, then shutout Canadian rivals Fast As Flite, 7-0, and the Tiremen, 3-2, followed by a narrow, 3-2, win over the Tampa Bay Smokers to reach the losers bracket final with All-Car of Green Bay, Wisc.
The Legends bats heated up with an 11-2 romp, to set up a rematch with the Farm Tavern. But the Legends incredible run came to an end in a 11-2 loss that gave PETERSON his first ISC world championship.
But amongst knowledgeable Canadian fastball fans (who numbered nearly 7,000 in the finale), the Legends 10-game run in the 1997 ISC World Tournament hasn’t been forgotten.
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