Foothills Sentry November 2021

Foothills Sentry Page 6 November 2021 Pony League Champs reunite after five decades By Tina Richards They were called the "Cardiac Kids.” The Orange Pony League team had a knack for winning games the hard way, careening toward defeat, only to pull out a win at the last minute with a he- roic home run, masterful pitch or alchemy known only to the 13 and 14-year-olds who made up the team. Parents with hearts racing, con- founded coaches and befuddled fans in the stands gave them the nickname that stayed with them all the way to the Pony League World Series Tournament in Washington, Pennsylvania. And winning games the hard way is how they became the 1971 World Series Champions. The Pony League tournaments were double-elimination. If a team lost two games, it was out. “In order to qualify for the Pony League World Series,” second baseman Kevin Triggs recalls, “we had to first win five tour- naments. If you lost one game, you played in the losers bracket and would often have to win two games at the end against the un- defeated team to win the tourna- ment. The team came out of the loser’s bracket in every tourna- ment to win and move onward.” Rain delay During the World Series tour- nament, the team lost its first game to Hawaii. “We knew we had to win the next six games to win,” shortstop and pitcher Scott Bigler says. They did, beating the competition until there was no one left but them and undefeated Denver. They won the first game, 7-1. The final game was rained out in the fifth inning. The Car- diac Kids were behind, 5-4. The game resumed the next day, pick- ing up where play had left off. “It was the seventh inning, the last inning in Pony League games,” Bigler tells the story. “We had two outs. Bill Stokes got on base. I came to bat and hit a home run. We won, 6-5. And that’s how we became World Se- ries Champions.” After that championship sea- son, the boys went their separate ways: some to Villa Park High School, others to Orange or El Modena. T-hey graduated and moved on to start careers and families. Most of them lost touch until 50 years later, when they re- united at the Orange Park Acres home of Kevin and Laurie Triggs. Seventh-inning search “We managed to track every- one down,” Triggs grins. “All 15 of us. Phone calls, inter- net searches, family members. Somebody found somebody who found somebody else. We tracked down one guy in Australia.” The player in Australia did not attend the reunion, but 12 of the 15 did, coming from as far away as Alaska, Idaho and Michigan, and as close as North Tustin and Anaheim Hills. It was an afternoon of hugs and handshakes, memories and mem- orabilia. Everyone was quick to point out the prowess of their teammates and the invaluable contributions of all. “We played a lot of games that summer,” Triggs says, “and we relied on each other completely. Everyone played more than one position and filled in where needed. Not everyone played every game, but everyone was a valued member of the team.” Bill Stokes, named Most Valu- able Player during the series, in- sists he didn’t deserve it. “I hit a lot of home runs, but Scott Bigler was the better player,” he insists. “And I told him that today.” Pitcher Bob Ansari, several players pointed out, held the re- cord for most games won in a World Series. That record, by the way, stands to this day. Playing the field Dennis Wheeler caught many games and brother Dave Wheel- er either pitched or played third base. Chuck Linnert describes himself as a utility player who also served as “batboy, waterboy and cheerleader.” Mike Beaudreau was also a catcher. Dennis Christlieb pitched and played the infield; Rick Gaul- den was an outfielder; Greg Bar- rington played first base (and bat- ted left-handed); and Jeff York was a first baseman or “what- ever.” While many of the ‘71 champs are vague on some of the tour- nament details, all of them re- member Big Al the Bullfrog. “We were superstitious,” Stokes explains. Jim Christopher (the ex-pat now in Australia), found a frog near the field in Pennsyl- vania. “He thought we needed a mascot, so he kept the frog in his room throughout the tournament. Jim insisted that every player rub the frog before every game and wish for victory. And we all did. We rubbed the frog on the head before every game.” Big Al did his job, and the team did, too. After the Orange Pony League won the World Series, the boys took Big Al out into the field and released him. “As 14-year-olds, I don’t be- lieve we had the maturity to ap- preciate the rarity of the accom- plishment,” Triggs says. “It was simply a long summer. I know we didn’t understand that the small City of Orange seemingly had no business competing and win- ning against teams collected from large cities, states and other coun- tries. But I do know that there still has been no other team from Or- ange or San Diego County, to win the Pony League World Series. The City of Orange and those 1971 players can still celebrate.” TAWC names Young Women of the Month The Tustin Area Woman’s Club (TAWC) recognized an outstand- ing student from each of Tustin’s three high schools at its October meeting. The honor is bestowed each month to a young woman who demonstrates high standards of academic and extracurricular achievement. Keira McNamee from Foot- hill High School has twice been the captain of the Knights varsity basketball team. She is an Inter- national Baccalaureate candidate, and is serving her third term on the FHS Associated Student Body Executive Board. She plans to pursue a four-year degree in Business Administration/Eco- nomics at a university yet to be determined. Maureen Keelin from Tustin High School has lived in Tustin her entire life. She is a four-year Model United Nations board member and is currently the Sec- retary General of Operations. Keelin has been on the Tiller dance team and T-Tech team. In the fall she will attend Wheaton College to study Nursing. Beckman High School’s Sarah Mikami, a pitcher, has led the Pa- triot softball team to back-to-back league championships. She has been on the Principal’s Exempla- ry Student Honor Roll each year. Mikami will be attending Colum- bia University in New York City next fall, studying engineering and playing Division 1 softball. Keira McNamee Maureen Keelin Sarah Mikami When the team returned from Pennsylva- nia, it was met by an Orange Police mo- torcycle escort at the 22 Freeway offramp. A crowd of about 500 surrounded the civic center to welcome the players. Kevin Triggs (left) and Mike Beaudreau share memorabilia. Scott Bigler and Bill Stokes catch up after a 50-year hiatus. Photos by Tony Richards