It was precisely ten years ago that this writer was initiated into the world that is Land O'Lakes Baseball.
While working as a bartender at Winger's Tap I came into contact with that particular generation of Five O
stalwarts. I observed both the highs and lows that are a part of life in the combustible culture of the
Western Division. Thus it was with great delight that I received the invitation to write a column for this
website recalling some of the players and events of the early 1990s.
In 1991 the manager was a fiery ex-San Jose State catcher by the name of Bobby Anderson. The skipper was on
hand for the 1991-92 campaigns, and the phrase "love-hate relationship" comes easily to mind in recalling his
relationship to the team. For the opposition and the umpires, it was a straight hate relationship. Anderson
was a co-worker at Winger's and was one of two introductions I had to the league and the club.
The other link remains with the squad today. Today Steven T. Rhoads may be a Five O's legend, but ten years
ago he could not find a place on the club when the season opened. Anderson, needing players, turned to the
Smith Family Dynasty for advice. Then-second-baseman Steve Smith recommended acquiring Rhoads who was in
exile at North Lake. Perhaps there have been more important acquisitions in history: Lincoln acquiring Grant
to run the Union army. The Republican Party acquiring Ronald Reagan from the Democrats in 1962. Jesus Christ
acquiring St. Peter as the Rock upon which he would build His Church. But the Rhoads pickup did something
none of the others did, it solidified the first-base position, enshrined him in the team's history book for a
decade(and counting) and it kick-started a chain of events that would result in this multi-talented columnist
becoming the club's beat writer by 1993.
Today the Five O's are a powerhouse, the type of team for whom nothing less than championships will suffice.
A 1999 Grand Championship Trophy is the fruit of that greatness. Such was not the case a decade ago. It was a
good squad, but not a great one. Falls and Lannon were deferred to as the clear favorites in the division.
Today my sources inform me that the team does not stay out on Sunday nights to close up the bars. Such was
definitely not the case a decade ago. The details of that latter point will have to be left to your
considerable imaginations, but here are some of the high points of the 1991-94 era--
1)Heroics at Watertown- In both 1991 and '92 the O's played their opening SWABA game at Watertown. Each game
had a similar ending. In '91 the opponent was Helenville. The game was a classic. The Helenville pitcher's
name has departed memory but the heat he threw has not. However Oconomowoc starter Pat Froemming was equal
to the task and the game went to the seventh inning knotted 1-1. Rhoads would stand in the box in the top
half of the frame. Anderson signaled for his player to try and lay down a bunt. In a move characteristic of
the militaristic discipline that characterized the teams, Rhoads swung for the fences; the disobedience paid
off. The ball was crushed to dead center so thoroughly that every knew it was gone when it left the bat.
Helenville went quietly in their turn at the plate and Oconomowoc had a win.
In 1992 the O's arrived in Watertown in shaky condition. The team was struggling and dissension was rampant.
Johnson Creek stood poised to capitalize. Yet on this night Anderson's troops came out fighting, determined
to salvage the season through this tournament opportunity. The game went to the seventh inning tied 4-4.
Shortstop Tim Froemming came to the plate in the top of the inning and recollections of Rhoads' heroics came
to the mind of those of us in the stands. Froemming delivered a bomb over the left field fence. Johnson Creek
went quietly in the bottom of the inning. Oconomowoc would falter in the second round, but Froemming had
given some positive light to what was otherwise a very dark season.
2)The '92 Campaign In Capsule- I have hinted that 1992 did not go well. It is more accurate to say that George
Bush Senior enjoyed '92 more than this team did. To understand the disappointment of this season it is
necessary to understand the optimism that preceded it. 1991 had ended on a high note. The O's had tied for
second place in the second half(To those newcomers, the season used to split into halves) and had one of the
younger teams in the league. Anderson would have been named Manager of the Year, but for petty league
politics. It seemed reasonable to think that cracking the Lannon-Falls dynasty was feasible. However the
defense would completely collapse. No game illustrates this better than a contest at North Lake to open the
second half, a game against a weak opponent that hopefully would help the O's take advantage of the fresh
start the old format offered. Such was not the case. One play tells the story. The Lakers had loaded the
bases with two outs, but the next hitter was induced to pop up. A towering infield fly came down to the
waiting of glove of Tim Froemming at shortstop, and hit the heel and bounced out. The runners had broken
with the crack of the bat, and the play cleared the bases. North Lake won 17-12. It was a microcosm of a
season that would result in Anderson calling an end to his tenure and fleeing to Arizona.
3)The Turnaround- With this proud franchise having fallen on hard times, the power elite of the Oconomowoc
baseball community turned to Jason Brown to turn the team around in 1993. The new manager kept the ship
afloat in the early months when his Collegiate Calvary came riding in during the month of June. Five players
bolted from their final exams to infuse fresh life to a team playing .500 ball. Foremost among them was Mike
Michalsky, who solidified the left-field spot and hit near a .600 clip for several weeks. Greg Hackbart
brought a left-handed hitting stroke so smooth that he could have auditioned to play Roy Hobbs in The Natural.
Both Hackbart and Chad Brown added depth to the pitching staff. The O's closed the first half with a 5-4 mark
and had their combination in place for a second half run.
4)Fourth of July weekend, 1993- It was exam time for this college squad. Lannon on Sunday, Falls on Monday.
Both games at the friendly confines at Roosevelt Field, with the carnival festivities as the backdrop.
The youthful team went toe-to-toe with the Stonemen and trailed just 6-5 as they game went to the seventh
inning. Lannon's shortstop was Jim Barwick, generally conceded as the best player in the West. But '93, the
MVP player had not performed to his normal standards. Steve Rhoads would speculate to this reporter that
perhaps Barwick's best days were behind him. Such talk would come back to haunt the O's. Barwick blasted a
three-run shot to break the game open and the O's lost 9-6. However it remains a credit to the Brown regime
that the team walked away optimistic. They had matched up with one of the league's heavyweights and all they
needed to do was just make one more play tomorrow to establish themselves as a bona fide contender. That was
the backdrop for Monday's game, a contest which I still hold as the best game I witnessed in my time close to
the team.
Chad Brown was given the ball by his brother. Dan Weber, an accomplished lefty with pinpont control was on
the hill for Falls. It was that rarity of LOL ball in those days, a genuine pitcher's duel. The rain fell
lightly as the day went on. Rhoads would beat out a bunt for a hit to help instigate a rally that
manufactured two runs. Oconomowoc led 3-1 late in the contest. Those of us in the stands were wondering
whether the O's young hurler could make it over the finish line. The sweat was pouring through his entire
jersey and he was obviously laboring. Falls came up in the ninth and put a man on base with two outs. Brown
induced the next hitter to bounce a harmless groundball to first base. Kevin Brown fielded it cleanly and
stomped first base to secure the biggest win of the first part of the 1990s. Perhaps most satisfying was
seeing Chad Brown emerge as the hero, one can say with sincerity that it couldn't have happened to a nicer guy.
The team left that weekend very much in a pennant race. All eyes looked at the second-last week of the
season. If the O's could win out, and Falls beat Lannon on that weekend then a three-way tie for the second
half would result. Four straight wins by the O's only added to the drama. But then Hartland came to town and
at a critical moment that bats shut off. A 7-0 loss was the result. The words that would appear in the
Enterprise that week told the story, "Call in the dogs, douse the fire. The hunt is over." Lannon would
defeat Falls in any case, so there were no what-might-have beens when the season was over. Jason Brown
received deserved credit throughout the league for getting the team back on track. Anderson returned from
Arizona later that summer and was welcomed back, his machine-like two hits a game put back in the lineup.
1994 was a similar year. A good team, but one that couldn't quite get over the hump against the heavyweights.
Today I write this from the mountains of western Pennsylvania, far removed from the league I once covered.
It would not be accurate to say that it has disappeared from my mind. I think often of that wild and crazy
bunch that played hard and partied hard, well, at least they partied hard. Of course they have been replaced
by an emerging class of players that have restored the franchise to greatness. Rumor has it the local
bartenders have felt the change of personnel in their pocketbooks. Names like Ranta, Brown, Anderson,
Michalsky and Hackbart are emblazoned in the history of the Oconomowoc Five O's. The bridges to that era
remain in Erik Olson, who was just breaking in. Steve Rhoads no doubt remains a smoothly graceful athlete
that stabilizes the lineup. Is Jeff Ranta still in rightfield. He had been there forever when I arrived and
showed no signs of slowing when I left. Recently I returned from a retreat at a Roman Catholic seminary
where it is wondered if Ranta's career has as many decades on it as the Rosary does(Five, for the
uninitiated). I assume the brats are still on the grill and the Pewaukee traveling fans are as courteous as
ever. Is the string-bean hair of Mike Baum still around or did the lad finally get a haircut? Is Ron
Kozlowski still the Ageless Wonder at Lannon? Can you still hear the train whistle by the lumberyard at
Merton? Does Anderson still promulgate lessons on the art of catching from a squatting position at Sport's
Page? That was the magnificent league and the team I covered.
|
