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Rain, hail doesn't spoil Spofford memorial tournament

Monday, April, 07 By Dan Guttenplan
Staff writer

Georgetown baseball coach Mark Rowe deserved better this weekend.

The man who spearheaded the organization of the inaugural Bert Spofford tournament shouldn't have been burdened with cold winds or constant rainfall overlapping his four-games-in-two-days schedule. For all his planning efforts, Rowe should have been blessed with two 75-degree afternoons of sun-filled baseball.

But this is New England in April. So a recently deceased local baseball icon was honored in football weather.

"Bert loved this weather," Rowe said yesterday after his team fell to Ipswich, 6-5, in the championship game. "He always used to say this is what separates the 'wannabes' from the teams that have a chance. It takes an ability to overcome the elements."

Spofford could have been heard making such declarations until last July when he died at the age of 90. Rowe organized the tournament honoring the legend and invited the four teams with which Spofford had an affiliation | Georgetown, Amesbury, Ipswich and Newburyport.

Ipswich was the last team standing yesterday at the end of what Rowe called "a miserable, but typical New England baseball day." The team that drew a tournament invite thanks to Bert Spofford's long-time friendship with former Ipswich athletic director and football coach Elliot Roundy held off a late charge from the Rowe-coached Georgetown squad.

Perhaps it would've been fitting if Georgetown completed its seventh-inning rally to overcome a 6-4 deficit since Spofford was a Georgetown native. But as was evidenced by the massive puddles that covered home plate and the entire first-base line just hours before the first pitch Saturday morning, this was anything but a seamless weekend.

 It began with heavy rainfall Friday evening and into Saturday morning, forcing eight or nine Georgetown youth baseball officials to begin Saturday's pregame preparations at 8:30 a.m. for a noon start-time.

"I'm thrilled we were able to get the tournament off on schedule," Rowe said. "I haven't eaten or slept right in two weeks. I told the kids it's enough worrying about getting a team ready for the season. Planning a memorial tournament is another stress. But the Friday forecast gave us hope. Everyone did a remarkable job getting the field ready to play."

Rowe kicked off the weekend by addressing the Spofford family on the public address system before the opening game (Georgetown vs. Amesbury). Bert Spofford's son, Dick, then paid tribute to his father with a gracious speech.

"I thought everything went wonderfully," Dick Spofford said yesterday after attending all four weekend games. "Many people said they guessed my old man was working his magic. Just as the Saturday games started, the sun came out and there was a blue sky."

The baseball team representing Bert Spofford's native town of Georgetown beat his adopted town of Amesbury in the first Saturday game. Spofford coached at the high school, American Legion and semi-pro levels in Amesbury. In the late game, Ipswich beat Newburyport | a team that was the subject of one of Spofford's handwritten books, of which he authored 16.

"Sunday was supposed to be the better of the two days, so I thought we were in the clear at that point," Rowe said. "But (yesterday) gave us more problems."

The problems included a constant spitting of rain and a fairly consistent assortment of cold wind. The temperature bordered on freezing as was evidenced by the hail that dropped at the start of the championship game.

Still, the turnout was impressive. Most of the third-base line was lined with spectators in down jackets, gloves and hats.

"A number of people came up and told me if it wasn't for Bert, they wouldn't have been here," Dick Spofford said. "But since it was for him, they weren't going to miss it. It makes me proud to see how well people respected my father."

If Bert Spofford's theory regarding playing in adverse weather conditions is to be believed, Ipswich proved to be the toughest team. But the four games in two days certainly didn't identify any potential weak-minded teams.

"Nobody complained about the cold," Rowe said. "I didn't hear a single player from any of the four teams complain. It's not fun to be out here in this. But this is high school athletics, and guys just have fun competing."

Rowe brought the weekend to an end yesterday by taking the microphone for the final time standing before an Ipswich squad that had recently recorded the final out. He wore an expression of relief. Yes, it wasn't the perfect weekend. Georgetown hadn't completed its comeback victory. Rain continued to fall, and the temperature seemed to be at its lowest in two days.

But four teams had come to Georgetown to determine a champion and achieved that goal. The champion had played its best in the worst conditions. Nobody complained in two days. Fun was had by all.

Maybe it was the fitting ending everyone anticipated.