Thrown a curve: Locals pitched in to help as Johnstown awaited delivery of baseballs for AAABA Tournament
Aug. 3—JOHNSTOWN, Pa. — A serious concern existed that organizers of the All American Amateur Baseball Association Tournament might not have enough new baseballs to use throughout the ongoing weeklong competition.
They had only a couple hundred available when play started on Monday.
But a main order of 110 dozen Wilson A1010 balls, costing about $6,500, had gone from Los Angeles to Tennessee to Harrisburg and then to Cumberland, Maryland, according to Johnstown Oldtimers President George Arcurio III.
The balls were incorrectly delivered to Cumberland on Friday and inaccessible over the weekend.
None arrived in Johnstown in time to be used as eight opening-day games started at noon on Monday, which created uncertainty about having baseballs for the rest of the week.
"We were scared," Arcurio said.
Arcurio was not certain what exactly caused the delay over the weeks, but he surmised that there is "such a shortage of everything," given the worldwide supply-chain disruptions caused by the pandemic.
Organizers have already ordered 100 dozen baseballs for next year's tournament in order to avoid a similar scare.
"I guess this is the way it's going to be," Arcurio said.
Not all baseballs would have sufficed for the tournament. Organizers needed flat-seamed balls used on the collegiate level, which are not as readily available as raised-seamed baseballs, according to Chris Pfeil, general manager of Martella's Pharmacy franchise from the Johnstown Collegiate Baseball League and team sales representative at Sporting Goods Discounters.
Eight pool-play games apiece were scheduled for Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.
Arcurio found about four dozen baseballs in his possession from the 2021 tournament. The JCBL, which has its top two teams represent the city in the AAABA Tournament, had some baseballs left over from its recent playoffs. Rick Roberts, from Flood City Elite baseball, also chipped in some balls to help get through Monday's action.
"We have a great local baseball community, a great group of people that want to see this tournament succeed and help each other whenever they can," Pfeil said. "... It was just another example of people pulling through to figure out a way to get it done."
Arcurio said other local baseball coaches also offered to contribute balls if needed.
"They were all saying they would gladly help," Arcurio said. "They all said, 'Whatever we have we'll give you. We'll help out.' "
But Arcurio stressed that "the biggest fear was not having baseballs for Tuesday and Wednesday."
The baseballs, which were ordered late last year, finally arrived on Monday, though.
"It was just supply-chain issues," Pfeil said.
"The tournament has custom-made balls. They were late getting in, and we knew it was going to be close. They were actually tracked to get here on Friday.
"We were able to come through. The balls got here at 11:45 (a.m.) on Monday, but obviously tournament games at the outlying fields started at noon. The local league had some balls left over that we were able to use. Rick Roberts, from Flood City, had flat-seamed balls that he was generous enough to get us started and get us through the first day."
Pfeil added: "We're fortunate that (the balls) are here, and we're able to play baseball."
