Tribute Page
Joe McDermott coached baseball at Father Judge for 31
seasons (1976-2006), winning 319 league games and five Catholic League championships
along with one City Title. In '82, the Crusaders completed a perfect league
campaign (16-0, 2-0 in playoffs) by beating Carroll, 6-1, for the championship.
Here is that story . . .
By Ted
Silary
Catholic League Northern Division baseball coaches, voting at the close of
the regular season, determined that Pat Waninger, the productive pitcher and
first baseman from Father Judge, would be the obvious MVP choice.
The next day, Waninger uttered the obvious words to his teammates, noting
that he "couldn't have done it" without them, that "everyone on the team is
an MVP," that he "would love to share the award."
Yesterday, Pat Waninger finally received the chance to prove that his
words of a half-month ago weren't hollow.
Because of his four-hit pitching, Waninger was selected MVP as Judge
flattened Archbishop Carroll, 6-1, in a championship game as drab as the
weather. But the trophy remained Waninger's sole possession for no more than
15 minutes.
"All I have left is the top part, the cup and the man trying to bat,"
Waninger said late yesterday afternoon.
"We were celebrating pretty hard on the bus back to Judge and the trophy
kind of fell apart.
"I was left with the cup and the man, but the other eight to 10 pieces
were on the floor. Jim Gallo, one of our subs, saw what happened and yelled,
'Why
don't you share that?' That's what I did.
"It was fun. We're riding through the streets and kids are hanging out
windows waving pieces of trophy."
TYPICALLY, NO pieces dropped. At Erny Field and on the way back, the
Crusaders were superb with balls or hunks of trophy in their hands, just as
they'd been - with one insignificant exception, a misplayed bleeder - in
last week's division final.
These Crusaders will be most remembered for the unblemished 18-0 record
and an 8.1 average victory margin during the regular season.
Yet, the string of ultra-neat scoresheets will leave a more lasting
impression with at least one person who enjoyed watching them play.
"Like always, the guys played great defense behind me," Waninger said.
"Anyone could have pitched for this team."
Even someone who isn't really a pitcher, who doesn't like to pitch, for
gosh sakes.
Until talented returnee Craig Canning suffered a season-killing bad back
before the regular season, Waninger was supposed to help Coach Joe McDermott
on the mound in emergency situations only. Instead, Pat won nine consecutive
games and fashioned an 0.80 ERA, allowing 39 hits in 61 innings.
"I am still not a pitcher," Pat said. " I was just a replacement for
Craig. If Craig had been healthy, he would done everything I did - probably
better.
"The one thing I liked about pitching was that it helped me earn another
great jacket. Next week at the shore, I'm gonna wear the football
championship jacket (Pat starred at defensive back and punter) every single
minute. And it's a winter jacket.
"I WAS HESITANT to pitch because I like to bat too much. In college, they
have the DH. I was saying, 'If I do well as a pitcher, they'll recruit me
like that. I'll never hit again.' "
Late developments notwithstanding, Waninger will attend Temple, where
he's scheduled to play first . . . and pitch.
"The coach (Skip Wilson) didn't even know I play first until Coach
McDermott mentioned it," Waninger said, laughing. "He wanted me for
pitching. Hard to believe.
"Every pitch I have, I borrowed from last year's pitchers. I got two
different curves from Craig Canning and Tom Nadolski. Mark Singer taught me
the knuckler, but the first few times I tried it, the outfielders got too
tired chasing after the balls. Coach McDermott taught me the slider.
"I would have been more than happy being the left-handed reliever.
Instead, he ( McDermott ) came to look upon me as his ace."
Forgotten man Paul Mazurek, also 7-0 during the regular season, almost
got the call in the fourth as Waninger allowed a one-out single to Joe Innes
and
walked Chuck Kedra, Chris Pheneger and Ed Walsh on 15 pitches to force in a
run.
"I was almost hoping Paul would come in," Pat said.
"All season, it was me and Paul, me and Paul. Then we got to the last two
games and Paul never got in. The feeling was, go with the hot hand. But
Paul's the pitcher. I just hope people don't forget what he meant to this
team."
While people are at it, they shouldn't downplay the contributions of
shortstop Dennis Minich. Early, Minich battled with eventual third baseman
Mark Daley for the job. Later, he did a fantastic job battling every ground
ball.
continued right below . . .
SEASON BY SEASON
League
1976: 12-4
1977: 13-3
1978: 16-0
1979: 13-3
1980: 11-5
1981: 11-5
1982: 16-0
1983: 9-7
1984: 9-7
1985: 10-6
1986: 11-5
1987:
10-7
1988: 12-4
1989: 9-7
1990:
10-6
1991: 6-10
1992: 9-7
1993: 10-6
1994:
8-6
1995:
5-9
1996: 4-10
1997: 13-5
1998: 15-3
1999: 10-7
2000: 15-3
2001:
11-7
2002: 8-10
2003: 10-8
2004: 7-10
2005: 9-5
2006: 7-7
TOTAL RECORD
31 Seasons
League -
319-181
CATHOLIC LEAGUE TITLES
1976, 1982, 1985, 1987, 2000
CITY TITLE
1976
LINEUPS OF CL CHAMPS
1976
Mike Goida, 3b
Walt Kosiek, 1b
John Orminski, 2b
Jim Hockel, c
Tim McBride, rf
Tom Ullmer, cf
Lou Nicastro, ss
Nick DiLaurentis, lf
Shawn O'Neill, p
1982
Tim Myers, lf
Kevin Conroy, 2b
Harry Murray, cf
Stan Brach, c
Pat Waninger, p
John Higgins, rf
Bob Heck, 1b
Mark Daley, 3b
Dennis Minich, ss
1985
Mark Iacovelli, ss
Kerry Cahill, 3b
Paul Weeks, 2b
Tom Robinson, lf
Ron Brunner, 1b
Mike Cummiskey, rf
Bill Shappell, cf
Mike Hagan, c
Mike Wieczorek, p
1987
Mike Metzger, ss
Steve Elinski, 3b
Carmen Caserta, 1b
Chris Walton, c
Chris Gies, p
Ron Filippo, lf
John Glaser, rf
Kevin Henes, cf
Tom Bachman, 2b
2000
Matt McKenna, rf
Kirk Bucholski, cf
Eric Ruhland, p
Dennis Klinger, 3b
Bob Greenfield, 1b
Bill Reilly, ss
Chris Muessig, lf
John Horcher, 2b
Mark Dickson, c
"My basic feeling was that
Coach McDermott was putting me out there so I could hang myself," Dennis
said, laughing. "I
had other ideas.
"I said as a freshman, 'I won't leave Father Judge without making
All-Catholic and winning the championship. ' I reached
both goals, but it wasn't easy. I rode the bench last year and led cheers. I
worked hard, especially on fielding. That would be
my ticket to a starting job. Every hit would be a bonus."
As it turned out, Minich hit .367 during the regular season and yesterday
went 1-for-2, notching the Crusaders' lone RBI
with a two-out single to right in the sixth. The other five runs scored on
errors.
DEFENSIVELY, Minich handled four chances in perfect fashion, just as he'd
done against Egan.
"What's so great about Minich is that he wants every ground ball," said a
rival coach. "Most kids stand there thinking, 'Hit it
to somebody else.' "
"I'm coming forward every time the bat hits the ball," Minich said. "Even
on a line drive, I'll take a step forward before
catching it. When you come forward, you're in command.
The night before the Catholic League all-star game, Minich twisted his
right ankle and fired a pair of bad throws.
"It did not shake my confidence. Not one bit," he said. "I waited for my
nkle to heal so I could plant on the throw. There
was nothing wrong with my arm."
In retrospect, there was nothing wrong with Joe McDermott's decision to
employ Pat Waninger's left arm for pitching
purposes, either.
" But remember, I'm not a pitcher," Waninger said. " I just happened to
do it for a while."
This story was written after Joe
guided the Crusaders to their third championship
over a six-year stretch . . .
By Ted Silary
The secret to Chris Gies's abundantly successful pitching for Father
Judge in the Catholic League baseball playoffs can
be found in a glove.
Not Gies's glove, mind you. In fact, you could look all day in Gies's
fielder's mitt and not find a thumbtack or a piece
of sandpaper, two of the items covertly used to doctor a baseball.
The glove we are talking about belongs to catcher Chris Walton. Look
inside and, voila!, there's a sponge.
"Before, I didn't need any padding when Chris was pitching," Walton said.
''But when he started popping the ball
about halfway through the season, I went to a sponge.
"Even with one, my hand usually feels sore. I can feel it the most at the
plate. It's tough to put my left index finger on
the bat."
Funny. Throughout the playoffs, which culminated yesterday at Temple's
Erny Field as Judge cruised to a 6-2
title-game victory over Monsignor Bonner, opponents often found it tough to
put their bats on baseballs pitched by Gies
(rhymes with nice).
The senior righthander limited Bonner to four hits - two came with two
out in the seventh inning - and one earned run
while walking one and striking out seven.
Gies, who was hindered by a back injury much earlier in the season,
pitched 22 innings in four playoff appearances,
including complete-game victories over La Salle, Archbishop Wood and Bonner
and one inning in relief (for a save)
against Bishop Kenrick. He allowed 8 hits, 2 runs, 1 earned run and 2 walks
while striking out 22. His ERA: 0.32.
No wonder coach Joe McDermott, who has won four championships in 12
seasons (also 1976, '82 and '85), did not
hesitate when he noted that Gies must rank among the top three pitchers he
has coached.
Then, he went further.
"In terms of what lies ahead for Chris, meaning how much better he's
going to get, he might be the best," McDermott
said. "Once he gets it in his mind that he should strictly be a pitcher, and
he decides to spend more time on it, he should
become a lot better than anybody I've ever coached."
Little more than a week ago, despite his good size (6-2) and the fact
that he was pitching creditably for a third
consecutive varsity season, Gies faced the prospect of having nowhere to
take his impressive right arm. But Temple
coach Skip Wilson offered a scholarship last Friday and at least three
schools - La Salle, Villanova, West Virginia -
yesterday gave McDermott the impression that they intend to do the same.
Don't mind Gies. He's only bewildered.
"I'm kind of surprised that all of this is happening at once, and that
everybody waited so long," he said. "I guess maybe
they were waiting for me to prove something.
"For me to go somewhere else, these schools would have to match or top
Temple's (scholarship package) offer. I think
I'd like to stay at home. But if I did go away, it would be to someplace
far. I guess I'd consider a school in a
warm-weather place."
Bonner scored a fifth-inning run when shortstop Ed Pennock reached on an
error, advanced to third on leftfielder
Chris Boyle's one-out single and raced home on a wild pitch. In the seventh,
third baseman Pete Klein hammered a
two-out triple to dead center and Boyle followed with an RBI single to
right.
"I was too excited," Gies admitted. "I wanted to get the last out on a
strikeout, so I kept throwing fastballs. They knew
they were coming, I guess. They were just trying to get a piece of one."
"One more hit," McDermott said, smiling, "and I was ready to head out
there and go into one of my (rant and rave)
acts."
A few words would have been blue, no doubt, and Chris Gies's ears would
been singed bright red.
When it comes to speaking his mind, whether to his players, opposing
coaches or even reporters, no Catholic League
baseball coach can hold a strained vocal chord to Joe McDermott, whose team,
for the second time in three years, has
earned a championship after finishing in a third-place tie in the North.
Such an accomplishment necessitates a four-game sweep, by the way. This
year, the Crusaders would have watched
the playoffs if they had dropped their final game to Archbishop Ryan.
"Once we get in the playoffs, I feel the pressure is on everybody else,"
McDermott said. "Being Judge helps. We've
been here so many years. Also, a lot of people don't particularly like me.
They like to beat me so much that . . . "
They get distracted, perhaps? Or intimidated?
Whatever. The way Gies pitched during the nine-day playoff period, little
else mattered.
"The more the pressure's on, the better he pitches," Walton said. "He
throws his fastball harder and it has a lot more
movement. Today's fastball seemed like his best. And it was tailing inside
(to righthanded batters). I don't remember
that happening before. "
Two years ago, when Judge defeated St. James in the finale, Gies received
an early relief call and went on to pitch
6 2/3 innings of three-hit, shutout ball.
"There was a lot more pressure this year," Gies said. "When you're a
sophomore, you're thinking, 'Ah, I've got two
years left. ' I didn't want to go off to college having lost a championship
game. I was really ready to pitch this game.
Even if I hadn't felt that great physically, I would have put my mind to it
and gotten the job done somehow."
Meanwhile, Judge's most productive workers on offense could be found at
the top of the order.
Shortstop Mike Metzger (single), third baseman Steve Elinski (sacrifice),
junior first baseman Carmen Caserta (RBI
double) and Walton (RBI single) posted a two-spot against righthander Joe
Boyle in the first inning. Metzger (single)
nd Elinski (double) had RBI in a three-run fourth and Elinski's single
plated a sixth-inning run.
"Every time a team wins a championship, the coach says, 'This one's the
best,' " McDermott said. "I won't say that.
But I will say I feel very good for these guys. Talentwise, they're not the
best team I've had. But they definitely
pulled together."
TITLE TIDBIT: Chris Gies's final league pitching stats: 8-3
record, 74 2/3 innings, 54 hits, 14 earned runs, 12
walks, 85 strikeouts, 1.31 ERA.
This story was written after Joe and
the Crusaders captured the City Title in
1976 by a score more common in football . . .
This story was
written when Joe retired in 2006 . . .
By Ted Silary
The annual rumor has turned
to fact: Joe McDermott is no longer the baseball coach at Father Judge High.
After winning five Catholic League championships (1976, '82, '85, '87,
2000) and compiling a league-play mark
of 349-199, counting playoffs and the City Title game in '76, in which Judge
topped Central, McDermott yesterday
announced his retirement.
The reason is threefold: health, family and that general, it's-just-time
feeling.
McDermott has a lingering leg problem, and for most of last season he was
immobile while coaching.
"I can't coach from the dugout. That's not me," he said. "I don't like
it. At all. My doctor said I couldn't go back
to the third-base coach's box. Any sudden movement, I could further damage
my leg.
"Plus, I'll be 60 in the spring. Time for a change. Time to enjoy our
shore house and give more time to my wife
[Marylou] and two daughters [Lauren, Carla]. Lauren's ready to give us our
first grandchild, so that's exciting, too."
McDermott grew up in Hunting Park and was schooled at St. Stephen, Roman
Catholic (class of 1965) and what
was then St. Joseph's College. A lefty, he was an outstanding pitcher at
Roman. Aside from tossing no-hitters, he
went all 15 innings in a 3-2 loss to St. James.
McDermott coached for 36 consecutive years at Judge, counting five as an
assistant to Henry King. A running gag
for maybe the last 10 was his end-of-the-season statement, "This could be it
for me. If I retire, I'll let you know."
"Hey, how many years can you push it back?" he said, laughing. "I've
gotta get out. Let someone else do it.
Now's the time.
"I'd like to thank the faculty and administration and, of course, all the
players. We had some great ones. No one
wins without talent."
Recaps of victories in
Catholic League championship games . . .
1976
At Temple's Erny Field
Judge 7, O'Hara 0
Shawn O'Neill pitched a two-hitter and ended the game with a
flourish, notching his seventh strikeout after O'Hara loaded the
bases. O'Hara committed seven errors, so Judge collected just three
RBI -- two by Lou Nicastro, one by Tom Ullmer (three hits).
1982
At Temple's Erny Field
Judge 6, Carroll 1
The Crusaders got plenty of help while concluding an 18-0 league
campaign; five of their six runs scored on errors. No. 9 hitter
Dennis Minich, a slick-fielding shortstop, had the lone RBI on a
sixth inning single. Pat Waninger pitched a four-hitter with six
strikeouts and was given an MVP trophy. During the bus ride back to
Judge, heavy celebrating caused the trophy to break. Numerous
players got pieces and waved them out the windows. Carroll's Dave
Lafferty went 2-for-4.
1985
At Temple's Erny Field
Judge 11, St. James 5
Walking none and striking out none, sophomore reliever Chris
Gies pitched 6 2/3 innings of three-hit shutout ball and received
huge support from Ron Brunner (3-for-4, double, five RBI) and Mike
Hagan (three-run homer). Bob Christy had two RBI in St. James'
five-run first.
1987
At Temple's Erny Field
Judge 6, Bonner 2
Chris Gies allowed four hits and one walk and fanned seven as
the Crusaders triumphed. Steve Elinski went 2-for-3 with two RBI,
Mike Metzger went 2-for-2 and scored three runs and Carmen Caserta
had an RBI double. Bonner's Chris Boyle went 2-for-3 with an RBI.
2000
At La Salle University
Judge 6, La Salle 4
Eric Ruhland allowed three first-inning runs, but
finished with a nine-strikeout four-hitter as the Crusaders gave
25-year coach Joe McDermott his fifth championship. Mark Dickson
(RBI double) and Matt McKenna (two-run single) created a 3-3 tie in
the third, Bill Reilly got home a run in the third on a fielder's
choice, Kirk Bucholski lashed an RBI double in the fourth and Dennis
Klinger homered in the fifth. Losing pitcher Bryan Harvey had an RBI
double.
--
Recap of victory in
City Title . . .
1976
At Temple's Erny Field
Judge 14, Central 13
Ten of the game's 28 hits went for extra bases,
Judge overcame a 7-0 deficit after 2 1/2 innings and Central created
a 13-13 tie with seven in the visiting fifth. Jim Hockel tripled and
scored in the bottom half to win it. George Turano won with 1 1/3
innings of scoreless relief. Mike Goida went 5-for-5 and scored
twice. For Central, Matt Melone homered and Bob Santore went 3-for-5
with two triples and three RBI.
--
Below are the players who
earned first pr second team Coaches' All-Catholic honors during Joe
McDermott's
31 seasons . . . *-MVP.
FIRST TEAM
Pos.
Year
SECOND TEAM
Pos.
Year
Shawn O'Neill
P
1976
Walt Kosiek
1B
1976
*Lou Nicastro
SS
1977
John Orminski
2B
1976
Jim Hockel
C
1977
Mike Goida
3B
1976
Dennis Foglia
P
1977
Nick DeLaurentis
OF
1977
Dave Gallo
3B
1978
Neil Madden
2B
1978
Jim Hockel
C
1978
Chuck Bushbeck
SS
1978
Marc Fleming
OF
1978
Tom Ullmer
OF
1978
Mario Buonanoce
P
1978
Vince Pelligrini
P
1978
Brian Oliver
1B
1979
Ed McArdle
1B
1979
Dave Gallo
3B
1979
Mike Stankiewicz
SS
1979
Jack Yost
OF
1979
Tom Fallon
OF
1979
Joe Healy
P
1979
Harry Murray
OF
1981
Mike Stankiewicz
SS
1980
Pat Waninger
OF
1981
Cosmo Losco
OF
1980
Tim Myers
OF
1982
Mark Singer
P
1980
John Higgins
OF
1982
Kevin Conroy
2B
1981
Steve Nejman
C
1983
Craig Canning
P
1981
Paul Weeks
2B
1985
Dennis Minich
SS
1982
Tom Robinson
OF
1985
Harry Murray
OF
1982
Mike Wieczorek
P
1985
Pat Waninger
P
1982
Brian Hill
C
1986
Paul Mazurek
P
1982
Joe Morgan
P
1987
Mark Iacovelli
SS
1983
Kevin Hines
OF
1988
Mark Iacovelli
SS
1984
Ed Tomaselli
P
1988
Brian Golderer
OF
1984
Jim Benner
1B
1989
Kerry Cahill
3B
1985
Brian Machinski
3B
1989
Mark Iacovelli
SS
1985
Doug Briggs
OF
1989
Andy Sotherling
2B
1986
George Beisel
DH
1989
Kerry Cahill
SS
1986
Tony Luca
C
1990
Mike Wieczorek
P
1986
Tony Luca
C
1991
Chris Gies
P
1987
Greg Viscusi
IF
1992
Ron Filippo
OF
1988
Pat O'Donnell
P
1992
Joe Morgan
P
1988
Bob File
IF
1993
Jeff Jordan
P
1989
Bob Hassel
IF
1993
George Beisel
IF
1990
Jason Berghaier
C
1993
Brian Peacher
OF
1990
Jack Smith
OF
1993
Ken Vogt
P
1990
Chuck Hiller
P
1993
Joe Affet
OF
1991
Joe Shenko
P
1993
*Bob File
IF
1994
Tom Kelly
OF
1994
Sean McGettigan
OF
1994
Pete Gabriele
OF
1998
Tom Hellwarth
P
1994
Dan Rash
P
1998
Mike DeVincentis
C
1995
Brian Kearney
P
1999
Kevin McGerry
P
1996
Kirk Bucholski
P
2000
Kris Dufner
IF
1997
Jim Hasher
IF
2001
Tom Walsh
OF
1997
Paul Koenig
P
2001
Kevin McGerry
P
1997
Dan Graf
OF
2002
Anthony Nelson
1B
1998
Dale Curry
C
2002
Kris Dufner
IF
1998
Dale Curry
C
2003
Mike Gies
IF
1998
Joe Cione
P
2003
Brian Kearney
C
1998
*Matt Compton
P
2005
Josh Riordan
P
1998
Matt Compton
INF
2006
Bob Greenfield
1B
1999
Justin DeCristofaro
OF
2006
Dennis Klinger
IF
1999
Brian Kearney
C
1999
Kirk Bucholski
OF
1999
Bob Greenfield
1B
2000
Dennis Klinger
IF
2000
Kirk Bucholski
OF
2000
Eric Ruhland
OF
2000
Eric Ruhland
P
2000
Harry Crane
IF
2002
Steve Sellers
1B
2003
Don Winterbottom
IF
2003
Dan Higgins
IF
2004
Dale Curry
C
2004
Jason D'Ambrosio
1B
2005
*Matt Compton
INF
2005
Jason D'Ambrosio
1B
2006
Matt Compton
P
2006
--