American Legion : Grandpre Takes Circuitous Route to Record an Unlikely Home Run

It had to happen to a guy with a name like Bob Grandpre. Perhaps the slowest home run in District 16 history is hit by a player whose last name is pronounced Grand Prix and whose nickname is Grandpa.

If that sounds like a contradiction, wait until you hear about his so-called home run last week.

According to the scorebook, Grandpre homered in the eighth inning of a game against Ventura at Ventura High last Wednesday. The fact that he actually hit a roller up the middle that was fielded cleanly and quickly returned to the infield is the first tip that something wasn’t quite right.

There were others.

-- Clue No. 2: Grandpre all but begged to be tagged out, playing “chicken” on the basepaths with a Ventura infielder.

-- Clue No. 3: A Ventura infielder, refusing to indulge Grandpre, stood by with ball in glove as Grandpre waltzed around the bases.

“That wasn’t an inside-the-park home run,” Westlake Coach Chuck Thompson said. “It was an inside-the-infield home run.”

Westlake trailed, 8-4, after seven innings, but rallied for seven runs in the eighth with one out. Impending darkness, however, prompted Thompson to order players to allow themselves to be tagged out.

“We wanted to get the inning over and see what the umps decided about the suspended game,” Thompson said. “We didn’t know what rule they would apply, so we wanted to get the inning in. The only thing was, Ventura caught on to it.”

Thompson said he wasn’t sure whether the umpires would suspend the game or rule as though it were a rain-out, wherein the game would be declared complete and the score would revert to the last completed inning--and an 8-4 Ventura victory.

Greg Struhl was caught stealing for the second out and Grandpre followed with a single--and virtually walked around the bases trying to be tagged.

“I hit the ball right up the middle,” Grandpre said. “And I didn’t stop. I ran right at the second baseman, and he ran away from me. I’m standing there and I look over and say ‘What now, coach?’ They told me to keep going, and I jogged the rest of the way.”

After Grandpre’s home run, Ventura stalled for time. After a pitching change, umpires halted play, perhaps as much for the integrity of the game as for player safety.

To Thompson’s agreement, it was ruled a suspended game. Whether the game is finished depends on its impact on the District 16 playoffs. The regular season for Westlake (22-6, 11-4 in district play) concludes next week. If it is completed, Westlake will lead, 11-8, with two out in the top of the eighth.

If it isn’t completed--whereupon Westlake would be declared the winner--Grandpre would be the winning pitcher.

And Grandpre’s first home run of the year will, appropriately, stand .

Star power: Robert Barrena of Palmdale slapped a few palms Sunday after his grand slam gave the East team a 5-0 lead in the first inning of a 10-4 victory over the West in the 23rd District 20 all-star game at Cal State Northridge.

Barrena, however, wasn’t the only sky-high player from the high desert. Steve Lasagne and Jim Estes of Lancaster contributed to a three-run East rally in the second, scoring on a three-run home run by Bill Morris of Burbank.

Add all-stars: Burbank right-hander James Miljanich started and pitched two scoreless innings in Sunday’s game, allowing one hit, to earn the victory. It was hardly a surprise.

Miljanich (4-1), who helped lead Burbank to the Eastern Division championship and a record of 18-8, ended the regular season with 20 consecutive scoreless innings.

Iron Mike: Reseda High was shorthanded at catcher last season, so Mike Shwartzer volunteered to try his luck, even though he had never previously played behind the plate.

The change of position didn’t effect Shwartzer’s hitting as he batted .370, but it was only a precursor of his success in Legion play. Shwartzer is 37 for 81 (.457) with 11 doubles and 34 runs batted in for Reseda, which qualified as a wild-card entry for today’s District 20 playoffs with a record of 18-8. He was named to the West all-star team and drove in a run in Sunday’s all-star game.

Shwartzer’s contributions have not been restricted to offense. He also plays for the Reseda Connie Mack team, and has caught a total of 46 games in 54 days.