Majors look back at state title

Ron Holt — Special to the NewsPress

“For six days in August we were the best team in the state.”

Speaking was 1989 American Legion Stillwater Majors coach Tony Holt after seeing his team win the 1989 Majors State Championship in Oklahoma City.

It was Stillwater’s first state crown at the time and remains the only state title won in the 52-year history of Hanner-Sharp Post 129’s program.

The 1989 legionnaires will be honored Friday night on the 20th anniversary of that triumph at the annual Brad Holt Memorial Tournament at Couch Park. The team and coaches will be honored before Stillwater’s 7:30 p.m. game.

After facing a demanding schedule in 1989, the legionnaires entered the playoffs with a 22-20 record. Coach Holt and assistant Todd Smalley believed the team, which included 16-year-old Brad Holt, was ready to play because of the competition the team faced.

“That team faced some outstanding teams and some outstanding pitchers during the season and they were confident going into the playoffs,” Holt said. “They were confident and loose but never cocky.

“If you looked at some other teams in the state we didn’t have as much talent on this team, but we had good talent and we had kids who were unselfish, gutty and believed they could win. They loved each other, loved playing the game and had fun.”

In the four-team district tournament, the legionnaires knocked off Owasso and its ace pitcher Jamie Bluma, 4-3 in 10 innings, en route to the title. Bluma later played at Wichita State and pitched in the major leagues with the Kansas City Royals.

A dramatic three-run homer by left fielder Mike Smith sparked a come-from-behind victory against McAlester in the first game of the best-of-three Zone Tournament. Stillwater romped in the second game to punch its ticket to the eight-team, double-elimination state tournament.

Despite striking out 17 times, Stillwater beat Edmond, 5-2, behind right hander Cory Bales in the state opener. Right hander Jeff Ventris went the distance on the mound as the legionnaires defeated Tulsa Union, 8-4, in the second game.

Rob Lorenzo pitched a two-hitter in a 3-0 nine-inning victory against Tri-City to send the Majors into the state championship game.

Union came through the losers’ bracket to defeat Stillwater 17-10 to set up a title game showdown.

“In the first championship game, I remember catcher Marshall Gudgel got knocked out as he was hit on a clean play at home plate,” Holt said. “I’ll never forget the look in his teammates’ eyes as they ran to check on him. They were worried about him but also ticked off that he was hurt. I knew they weren’t backing down from anybody.”

In the deciding game, Ventris started on the mound and worked eight innings before leaving in the bottom of the ninth in favor of Lorenzo as Stillwater held a 6-5 lead.

With the bases loaded and one out, Lorenzo forced an infield pop-up and a ground ball to shortstop and Most Valuable Player Chris Holt who tossed to Bales for a force at second for the win.

The victory sent the Majors to the Mid-South Regional Tournament in Lafayette, La., where they played at Southwestern Louisiana’s stadium.

“We didn’t have an all-stater on the team, but we didn’t have a weak link in our lineup,” Holt said. “Someone different came up with a big hit or big play during the playoffs.

“And, we had some 16-year-olds who made key plays for us.

“People still have a hard time believing that we struck out 17 times in the first game and still won. But, that’s because Cory threw a four-hitter and we got key hits,” Holt continued. “They beat some great teams at a time when American Legion baseball was at its best.

“This team was strong defensively and on the mound. And, they won several games in the late innings in the playoffs because they always believed they were going to win.

“We won eight straight games in the playoffs and probably six of those were won after the seventh inning,” Holt said.

“They were the epitome of everything coaches talk to their teams about every season.”