Ed Carpenter: Still at it 24 Years Later, and other interesting CABA World Series notes

When Ed Carpenter led the campaign to bring the Continental Amateur Baseball Association’s High School World Series to Euclid in the mid-1980s, he may not have realized that he was getting himself involved in a long-term commitment. Yet that’s the way things turned out – and 24 years later, he’s still the driving force that keeps the baseball classic returning to this city.

The first tournament held in Euclid was such a success that officials at C.A.B.A. headquarters asked Carpenter and his associates, including the Euclid Recreation Department’s Paul Serra, to keep on hosting it.

Initially, Carpenter got involved because his son Matt was one of the stars of the Euclid team in the late 1980s. “But even after Matt stopped playing, I just couldn’t walk away from the World Series,” he notes. “And now my grandson is playing in it.”

Unfortunately, the grandson won’t be performing for the Euclid team. Jacob Carpenter, 15, plays for Kenston High and was recruited to play with the perennial powerhouse squad from Brooklyn, N.Y., in this year’s World Series. For years, the Brooklyn team has been known to cast a wide net in assembling its all-star squad.

Another grandson, age 13, lives in Aurora. “And,” says Carpenter, “the coach of the Miami team says he wants him to play for them in a couple of years… Now, I really can’t give it up!”

                                                         ***

Norb Hongosh, the amiable head coach of the Euclid Panthers’ summer team which will supply a nucleus of players for Euclid’s World Series entry, is not a member of the high school coaching staff. In fact, in his “day job” he’s a residential contractor who does kitchen and bathroom remodeling and other home improvement work. However, he has coached youth baseball teams for a number of years.

This week, he and his assistant coaches were preparing the summer team to compete in an American Legion tournament scheduled to begin soon. The competition is rugged, since Legion squads can include players up to 19 years old—two or three years older than most of the Euclid youngsters.

Should the summer team manage to put together a winning streak in that tourney, it could create a predicament since the Legion playoffs might overlap the C.A.B.A. World Series. Might it become necessary to split Euclid’s World Series squad into two different teams for a day or two? Stay tuned.

Serving as assistant coaches for the summer team—often referred to as either Legion Post 343 or the Euclid Admirals — are Bill Abrams, Ken Rosenlund, and Mark Dzomba. Like Hongosh, both Abrams and Rosenlund have sons playing for the team.

                                                          ***

The C.A.B.A. tournament website – www.cabahsws.com – has a link to a list of hundreds of former High School World Series participants drafted by Major League Baseball teams. Of those, 85 actually made it to the big leagues for at least a year or two. However, contrary to local folklore, Manny Ramirez was not one of them. At least, his name doesn’t appear on the alphabetical list.

Two who are on the list played for Euclid’s entry in the World Series: Mike Buddie (1988) and Matt Kata (1993). Buddie, a St. Ignatius grad, went on to play for the Yankees and Brewers. The year he played with Euclid, the locals made their best showing ever in the event—earning runner-up honors.

Johnny Damon, now with the New York Yankees, played for Brooklyn’s C.A.B.A. squad in the 1991 tourney in Euclid. Here are a few other highly recognizable names and the years they played here: Javier Lopez (1987), Mike Lowell (1991), Alex Rodriguez (1991-92), Jamey Wright (1992), Carlos Castillo (1993), Brandon Inge (1994), Jayson Werth (1996), Josh Hamilton (1998), and Andy Sonnanstine (2000). 

Sonnanstine, a Solon High product, went on to play for the Tampa Bay Rays.

When Ed Carpenter led the campaign to bring the Continental Amateur Baseball Association’s High School World Series to Euclid in the mid-1980s, he may not have realized that he was getting himself involved in a long-term commitment. Yet that’s the way things turned out – and 24 years later, he’s still the driving force that keeps the baseball classic returning to this city.

The first tournament held in Euclid was such a success that officials at C.A.B.A. headquarters asked Carpenter and his associates, including the Euclid Recreation Department’s Paul Serra, to keep on hosting it.

Initially, Carpenter got involved because his son Matt was one of the stars of the Euclid team in the late 1980s. “But even after Matt stopped playing, I just couldn’t walk away from the World Series,” he notes. “And now my grandson is playing in it.”

Unfortunately, the grandson won’t be performing for the Euclid team. Jacob Carpenter, 15, plays for Kenston High and was recruited to play with the perennial powerhouse squad from Brooklyn, N.Y., in this year’s World Series. For years, the Brooklyn team has been known to cast a wide net in assembling its all-star squad.

Another grandson, age 13, lives in Aurora. “And,” says Carpenter, “the coach of the Miami team says he wants him to play for them in a couple of years… Now, I really can’t give it up!”

                                                         ***

Norb Hongosh, the amiable head coach of the Euclid Panthers’ summer team which will supply a nucleus of players for Euclid’s World Series entry, is not a member of the high school coaching staff. In fact, in his “day job” he’s a residential contractor who does kitchen and bathroom remodeling and other home improvement work. However, he has coached youth baseball teams for a number of years.

This week, he and his assistant coaches were preparing the summer team to compete in an American Legion tournament scheduled to begin soon. The competition is rugged, since Legion squads can include players up to 19 years old—two or three years older than most of the Euclid youngsters.

Should the summer team manage to put together a winning streak in that tourney, it could create a predicament since the Legion playoffs might overlap the C.A.B.A. World Series. Might it become necessary to split Euclid’s World Series squad into two different teams for a day or two? Stay tuned.

Serving as assistant coaches for the summer team—often referred to as either Legion Post 343 or the Euclid Admirals — are Bill Abrams, Ken Rosenlund, and Mark Dzomba. Like Hongosh, both Abrams and Rosenlund have sons playing for the team.

                                                          ***

The C.A.B.A. tournament website – www.cabahsws.com – has a link to a list of hundreds of former High School World Series participants drafted by Major League Baseball teams. Of those, 85 actually made it to the big leagues for at least a year or two. However, contrary to local folklore, Manny Ramirez was not one of them. At least, his name doesn’t appear on the alphabetical list.

Two who are on the list played for Euclid’s entry in the World Series: Mike Buddie (1988) and Matt Kata (1993). Buddie, a St. Ignatius grad, went on to play for the Yankees and Brewers. The year he played with Euclid, the locals made their best showing ever in the event—earning runner-up honors.

Johnny Damon, now with the New York Yankees, played for Brooklyn’s C.A.B.A. squad in the 1991 tourney in Euclid. Here are a few other highly recognizable names and the years they played here: Javier Lopez (1987), Mike Lowell (1991), Alex Rodriguez (1991-92), Jamey Wright (1992), Carlos Castillo (1993), Brandon Inge (1994), Jayson Werth (1996), Josh Hamilton (1998), and Andy Sonnanstine (2000). 

Sonnanstine, a Solon High product, went on to play for the Tampa Bay Rays.