Time Out by John Bernhardt

The Avoca Summer Classic is my favorite off-season basketball venue. This three-on-three tournament gem is the highlight of a packed spring and summer basketball schedule for my Andes boys’ basketball team. In its eighth year this summer, the Avoca Classic is a full day of competitive basketball and small town community fun.

“How are your guys doing?”
The question was directed my way by Houghton College men’s basketball coach Brad Zarges. Flawlessly playing the role of host, Zarges was eager to learn how the Andes team was doing at the Houghton Team Basketball Camp. Knowing Andes was a late fill-in replacement team and by far the smallest of 16 boys’ teams at the camp, Zarges wanted to be sure things were going well.

The worldwide obsession with the passing of Michael Jackson devoured many of us during the past two weeks. No matter where you turned, the glare of the media lights were focused on everything Jackson. Speculation about how Jackson died and endless commentary concerning issues that marred his life made watching television or reading a newspaper almost painful.

by John Bernhardt
He never opened his mouth but his message could not have been clearer. A condescending smile crossed his face, he closed his eyes and slowly shook his head back and forth when he saw me moving along the walkway.

by John Bernhardt
“Don’t say it!” warned Randy VanKeuren when center fielder Garret Fairbairn began to tell his parents on the sidelines Thursday that Margaretville pitcher Patrick O’Connell had not allowed a single Windham runner to reach first base. Unaware of the baseball lore that claims you never talk about a pending no-hitter, Fairbairn failed to heed VanKeuren’s warning and blurted out the news anyway.

Gone was the poker face, that solemn look that rarely changes. Gone was the measured calm, the balanced model of self-control basketball enthusiasts from around the county have come to appreciate. Gone was the cautiousness, that unassuming demeanor, that humble outlook that would make you believe his team was light years behind when, in fact, they were on the cusp of becoming the first boys’ basketball team in Section IV history to become state champions.

“Your son will never be able to focus on anything,” a teacher once advised Debbie Phelps during a parent/teacher conference. Phelps and her record-setting Olympic son still laugh about a middle schoolteacher who stated with assurance that Michael would never be a success.

“I think we’ve found it. I can see basketballs in the air.”
Looking from a distance it looked like a carnival or circus, the sky peppered with multi-colored basketballs. Moving the car closer, the scene came more clearly into focus. A section of Main Street in Avoca had been blocked off and eight outdoor basketball courts stood in a single line. After a long journey a group of young basketball enthusiasts from Andes had arrived to participate in the Avoca Summer Classic.

Sometimes it’s nice to finish what you start. That had to be the case for New York Mets’ pitcher Johan Santana last Sunday afternoon at Shea Stadium. Mets’ fans were ecstatic when their left-handed pitching ace tossed a complete-game victory against the St. Louis Cardinals.

Make room on your summer schedule to check out some minor league baseball. A trip to the park to catch the Oneonta Tigers, the Binghamton Mets or even the Hudson Valley Renegades (they play at Dutchess Stadium in Wappinger’s Falls) or the Tri-City Valley Cats (located in Troy) are all within reasonable driving distances. Yankee fans would enjoy a day trip to Scranton to watch the Bombers Triple-A affiliate, the Scranton /Wilkes-Barre Yanks. The serious baseball fan, or the casual fan simply looking for a night of fun and entertainment, can use the Catskills as a launching pad to find a minor league baseball game at any level.