Mike Mastovich: Turning the page on AAABA history

Jul. 30—Over the past decade, the AAABA Tournament has evolved in the digital age by introducing its own official website, social media accounts and a move to the GameChanger app to score games.

But even as Tweets and Facebook posts circulate and the website clicks increase with the 77th AAABA Tournament set to begin on Monday, Johnstown Oldtimers Baseball Association President George Arcurio III found himself turning the pages of a piece of tournament history.

The 2022 AAABA Guide is in print again for the first time in a decade.

A 32-page list of AAABA Tournament records and milestones, the guide represented months of research and updating statistics by Arcurio, who utilized the tournament website and Tribune-Democrat archives in his determined effort to bring back the official record book, which in previous editions used to be handed out to fans, players, managers and the media from the late 1970s through the 2012 AAABA Tournament.

"I was looking through the 2011 and 2012 statistic books and decided we should as an organization try to get everything back in order and up to date with the statistics," Arcurio said. "Many years ago, Mr. (Jim) McElroy of Brooklyn was instrumental in helping me put the book together year after year. When Jim got sick and my father (George Arcurio Jr.) got ill, we didn't do the book for years."

The Oldtimers received a boost from First National Bank, which sponsored the book, and Valley Printing, which produced it.

"The last time we did the book First National Bank was responsible for the financing of that book also," Arcurio said.

"They gave them away to customers at the bank. We received compliments on the book and people enjoyed it.

"It is a lot of work but the public likes it. Because of Mr. (Kim) Craig and the bank we don't charge people for the book. It's a AAABA tradition."

Kim Craig, president and CEO of F.N.B. Wealth Management, an affiliate of First National Bank, said preserving the history of the AAABA Tournament is a worthwhile endeavor.

"An important part of our mission at FNB is connecting with residents beyond the financial services we offer and acting as champions for the communities we serve," Craig said.

"The AAABA Tournament is special not only for the athletes who compete each year, but for the city of Johnstown and the surrounding region. That is why FNB is proud to continue supporting this event in 2022, including the return of the guide book."

The book has statistics such as all-time franchise records, lists of champions and runners-up, batting and pitching records, AAABA Hall of Fame classes and banquet featured speakers, as well as names of AAABA players who later advanced to the major leagues.

"We are looking forward to another exciting week that will add to the rich baseball tradition that the AAABA Tournament has proudly displayed for so long," Craig said. "It is impressive to see how the tournament has been carried forward since it began in 1945, and we are thrilled to have a role in supporting the current teams and paying tribute to the great history of the AAABA Tournament."

Playing the field: Sixteen teams are set to compete in pool play in the 77th tournament.

Johnstown Collegiate Baseball League champion Paul Carpenter Capital Advisors will represent the city during the night games at Sargent's Stadium at the Point. JCBL playoff runner-up Martella's Pharmacy will play the day games at the Point.

Altoona Cumming Motors will bring a regional presence.

Defending champion New Orleans Boosters has nine players back from the 2021 tournament-winning squad. Last year's runner-up, New Brunswick Matrix, also is back with a solid lineup.

The North Carolina Disco Turkeys made a splash during the team's debut AAABA Tournament and will return. The Philadelphia Bandits are a traditional strong franchise.

Also in the field will be Brooklyn-1 Cougars, Brooklyn-2 Bonnie Rams, Buffalo Royal Printing, Cleveland B2Bulls, Columbus TNT Knights, Maryland State Crabfest, New York Rockland Pirates, Youngstown Creekside Crocodiles and Zanesville Junior Pioneers.

No, Canada: AAABA organizers had hoped the franchise from Ottawa, Canada, would make its debut this year after restrictions and precautions associated with the pandemic prevented the team from playing last year.

But both Arcurio and AAABA Executive Director John Austin of Altoona said the Capital City Reds won't cross the border this year and probably won't participate in the future.

"As far as I'm concerned on my end and the three members on the franchise committee agree that this is history, and down the road we have to look at other avenues (to add franchises)," Austin said.

Arcurio said apparently the Canadian team faced challenges that extended beyond the pandemic restrictions.

He said a serious health issue affecting a key figure in the organization's family had a significant impact.

Field day: The fields used in this year's tournament include Sargent's Stadium at the Point, Roxbury Park and Westmont Hilltop High School in Johnstown.

Forest Hills High School, Haschak Memorial Field in Portage, Lilly-Washington Memorial Field and Mount Aloysius College will host games in the outlying areas.

The Point, Forest Hills and Mount Aloysius all are fields with artificial playing surfaces.

Official action: The teams will register at the Holiday Inn in downtown Johnstown on Sunday. The order includes: Paul Carpenter Capital Advisors and Martella's Pharmacy (10 a.m.); New Orleans and Altoona (10:30); Maryland State and Cleveland (11); Youngstown and Zanesville (11:30); Buffalo and Columbus (1 p.m.); Philadelphia and New Brunswick (1:30); New York and North Carolina (2); and Brooklyn-1 and Brooklyn-2 (2:30).

The players banquet and pairings ceremony will be held at 6 p.m. on Sunday at 1st Summit Arena @ Cambria County War Memorial.

The Johnstown entry night games will be carried on WCRO 1230 AM and 102.9 FM. Don Stanton will call his 35th tournament and John DeFazio will work his 37th AAABA week. The games also may be found at www.lightnercommunications.com, Stanton said.

Information regarding the tournament will be on GameChanger Classic under "2022 AAABA Tournament" and at www.aaabajohnstown.org.

Mike Mastovich is a sports reporter and columnist for The Tribune-Democrat. He can be reached at 814-532-5083. Follow him on Twitter @Masty81.