August 19, 2011

Teams gather for awards banquet on eve of title game

By Chris DeBeck

Communications Staff

Matt Kinney has pitched in Japan and once faced off against Roger Clemens.

The Bangor native and former Major League Baseball pitcher started his baseball journey in Bangor, part of the Bangor West Little League ages 11-12 tournament team that won the Maine state championship in 1989 and, eventually, spurred the effort to build what became Mansfield Stadium, where the Senior League Baseball World Series has been held since 2002.

Kinney, who was the guest speaker at Friday’s awards banquet, urged the players in attendance to cherish their experience.

“I hope you have memories that last a lifetime,” Kinney said.

After leading Bangor High School to a state championship in 1995, he was drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the sixth round of the Major League draft, but was traded to the Minnesota Twins while still in the Sox’ minor league system, just one of two times he has cried because of baseball, he quipped – the other time being when he walked in a winning run.

He made his big league debut with Minnesota in 2000 and also pitched for Kansas City, Milwaukee and San Francisco, as well as with the Seibu Lions in Japan, before retiring.

As Kinney and his 1989 teammates, coached by David Mansfield, continued to mature, finding decent full-size baseball diamonds in the cities was a challenge, noted David’s daughter, Megan, who introduced Kinney.

“As the kids grew up, they didn’t have a nice place to play,” she said.

That changed in 1992 when, through the generosity of author Stephen King, a Bangor resident, Shawn T. Mansfield Stadium was opened. The stadium was named in honor of David’s late son, who didn’t have a chance to play baseball, a sport he loved.

Kinney said he has enjoyed watching the 2011 Senior League World Series from the stands.

“Seeing very talented teams play in Bangor, Maine is special to me,” Kinney said. “I never thought that would happen.”

Also, Asia-Pacific regional champion Tanauan won the Daniel E. Clifford Sportsmanship Award, voted on by series umpires and given in memory of Clifford, the tournament’s assistant director before his sudden death in 2007.

The award is given to the team that best exemplifies Clifford’s spirit of playing hard, playing fair and having fun.

All 10 teams were honored for winning their regional or district tournaments, receiving awards and a special bat signed by each of the team members. Eight of the 10 teams also received participation plaques, while finalists Hilo, Hawaii and Rose Capital East of Tyler, Texas will receive their plaques after the title game tomorrow, one of which will read “World Series Champion” and the other “World Series Runner-up.”

“There is only one winner (of the World Series),” Tournament Director Mike Brooker said to close the banquet. “But every team goes home a champion.”