StoriesColumnists: G. Smith Charlie Jones |
R1 Winners Bracket R2 WB Final Championship
Blue Jays v. Phillies Phillies v. Dbacks (series tied, 1-1) Phillies/Dbacks v. Blue Jays/Phillies/Dbacks
Dbacks v. Yankees
Dodgers bye
R2 Losers Bracket
Blue Jays v. Yankees
R3 Losers Bracket
Blue Jays v. Dodgers
R4 Losers Bracket Final
Blue Jays v. Phillies/Dbacks
The Fall Of A Dynasty
The story of George Smith's 3-peat powerhouse that collapsed in 2011.
By Charlie Jones
Its June 2008. Four boys, Mike Winters, Shane Schwindy, Drew Schwindy, and George Smith decide to create their own wiffleball field where they play a game a day. They decide to play a 3 game series to decide who was the better of the two. George Smith, the lefty who hit a homerun pretty much every at-bat, led Drew Schwindy as "The GMDT Ironpigs" to a championship. They decided to name that the first season of what would later be named the Cherry Lane Wiffleball League. A year later, four teams arrived. More people became interested and this was the first year the CLWL would be a part of the National Wiffleball League Association.
George Smith once again, as the Ironpigs, with his teammate Joey Polcyznski, absolutely erased anyone's chance at a title. It was a repeat. Then came 2010. Yep, you guessed it, 3-peat. George Smith took Tommy Limar under his wing as the "Astros" and won the Cherry Series by forfeit in game 4. So now, heading into the 2011 Season, George Smith's team is the ultimate favorite. Summer approaches. The usual field, GMDT Park, is closed. George Smith, being the Commissioner, opens a new, better field that would later be named CLWL Stadium. Teams were set and the news broke that he would select the rookie Steve Coulsey, to accompany him on the "Sun Devils". The AllStar Break is right around the corner, and there's the Sun Devils, on top of the standings at 9-6. Tommy Limar and Connor Gray, the Yankees, Caleb Strobel and Drew Schwindy, the Phillies, and Alex Marsh and Mike Healy, the Dodgers at this point pose no threat what so ever. The Sun Devils go on a 7 game win streak, then lose in the GMDT Classic Final. They end the regular season 16-7 at the top of the standings..for the fourth year in a row. Late moves are made as Trey Hinkle and Tommy Limar stay as the Yanks, and the Dodgers picked up Connor Gray. The 3-player, pitcher packed Dodgers now post a thought of fear in the minds of George Smith, Steve Coulsey, and the Sun Devils postseason pickup, Joey P.
The Sun Devils show their very first sign of weakness when they drop game 1 of the CLDS to the Phillies, being dominated by pitching. But, they would win 3 to advance to their 4th Straight Cherry Series. Meanwhile, the Dodgers swept the Yankees. Its a series for the ages. Bestfriends George Smith and Alex Marsh go head to head in what they both call "A Dream Series". Both teams have 3 players, and both teams are nationally ranked. He doesn't show it, but Smith on the inside is as confident as can be. He had a 100 HR season, and had already won 3 titles.
He's been in this situation..BAM. Mike Healy smacks a HR and puts a chill down the spine of the Game 1 starter, George Smith. Now, Smith knows he's met his match. In other years, Smith has swept the 2008 CS, the 2009 CS, and the 2010 CS. The Dodgers steal game 1. As he's been saying all the postseason, the 3 words run around the league again.."we'll be back...we'll be back...we'll be back". But, the Sun Devils go down 3-0...its game 4, and George Smith is on the mound. He's the little glimmer of hope that shines throughout the league for the 'Devils........BANG! George Smith slams a bomb to rightcenter. The Sun Devils take Game 4 to avoid the sweep.
The hearts of the Dodgers pound with excitement, and the hearts of the Sun Devils pound with nervousness...The start of Game 5 begins with the Dodgers jumping out to a 5-2 lead. the Sun Devils make it 5-5, and George Smith ignites the crowd with a historic HR to RightCenter Field that goes an estimated 150 feet. The crack of the bat, then the sound of "oooooh!". The Sun Devils take the lead at 8-5 and things look like they're heading to a game 6. But, the Dodgers light up Smith and take a 11-8 lead. Its the bottom of the seventh and tensions couldn't be any higher. Joey Polcyznski walks to first. Then..........the man who kept his team going...for 3 years straight.....hits a home run. The game is at 11-10 in the bottom of the last inning. George Smith makes a decision that would come to linger in his mind as a nightmare. He doesn't pinch hit for Joey. Joey goes down swinging in 4 pitches, looking obviously nervous as he takes deep breaths before every pitch.
Then....the man, the myth, the legend. George Smith. The Power Hitting Lefty. At this point, Connor Gray, the pitcher, the spectators, and George Smith all have on big elephant of a thought sitting on their mind. A Homerun. The first pitch, strike. Second, ball, away. Third, ball, away. Fourth, strike, foul. Fifth....the ball is put where George Smith is known for smacking it a mile. As the ball crosses the plate you hear the pitcher Connor Gray go "No, No, No!" Swing and a miss.
So the man who carried his team to 13 total Cherry Series wins, ends his run. He is speechless. He is stunned. He appears like he's seen a ghost. Every one but Smith hangs around to talk, and congratulate. "The Fall Of A Dynasty" are the new words whispered around the league. The greatest team in CLWL History has fallen, and the newest dominant team has risen. We all see it as 'just a game', but these boys live the motto "More Than Just a Game". This story not only shows that, but proves it. Who would ever think that wiffleball game you see when you drive by, that kid swinging and missing, is actually a huge deal. We all overlook the 'Plastic Past Time". Its time to see it for what it truly is.
