The New Zealand Sporting Society: A History

[mrbucket]

ALL TIED UP!

After three low scoring games in a row, game number four sees the batters start to take over the game. The Wizards sneak out to an early 2-0 lead (thanks to a Jordan Acheson home run), the Spartans gradually creep back into the match and a steady stream of one run innings gets them into the lead. Jordan Acheson may win player of the game but his team loses.

All tied up now. 2-2.

[mrbucket]

WIZARDS SURVIVE SPARTAN RALLY

The batters are really flexing their muscle now. There's a total of five home runs in this match with Otago's Harry Bruce picking up two for himself.

The Wizards thought they had the game completely under control by the eighth innings -- as they held a 7-1 lead but the Spartans picked up a tidy run by Anoi Enoka followed by a 3-run home run by Gearroc O'Kerrigan. It's too little too late though as Otago still take the game out. They're back in the lead now 3-2 with only one win needed to take out the Premiership again.

[mrbucket]

WIZARDS BLOW IT

The big hitting continued as the series shifted back to Dunedin for the final two games. The Wizards send out their ace Guus Bertels against Waikato's number three again. The home runs are flying again -- including a big 3 run one from Jordan Acheson. The Wizards are feeling good about their chances here, the game is nearing it's end and they're up 6-2.

But naturally, the Spartans come back. Otago bring out a relief pitcher and he gets swotted all over as the Waikato boys pick up a series of singles to tie up the game at 6-all. The game goes into extra innings until a 2 run home run from Waikato Catcher Duaita Uku gives the Spartans the win.

Waikato force game 7 -- the first time the Premiership has actually gone this far.

[mrbucket]

SPARTANS DESTROY THE WIZARDS 9-0

The benefit of hindsight will allow Otago fans to criticise this decision from the Wizards management for years to come. The way it stands for game 7, the Spartans have their ace Remie Wissink available for pitching duty while the Wizards have to go with their number three Gareth Frawley.

The result? Wissink pitches a fantastic game while the Spartan batsmen send Frawley's pitching all over the place for an emphatic 9-0 victory.

It's a disappointing end for the Wizards after an amazing regular season but naturally it's a great result for the Waikato Spartans! Their first title!

[mrbucket]

POHUTUKAWA CHAMPIONSHIP AWARDS
Nepia Award (Batting): Uinsin O'Cussane (Waitakere) - Age 25
Meads Award (Pitching): Remie Wissink (Waikato) **
Brownlie Award (Fan Favourite): Adam Mayne (King Country) ***
Cooke Award (Rookie): Dietmar Koubek (Waitakere)
Mains Award (Manager): Jeff Fransen (Waikato) **

Gallaher Award (Fielding)
P: Mucahit Erol (Counties Manukau) **
C: Steven Walmsley (Waitakere)
1B: Dennis Bishop (Waikato) ***
2B: Jen-Djieh Er (North Shore) ***
3B: Sze Long (Waikato) **
SS: Harvey McDonald (Northland) **
LF: Gang-sheng Quian (Waikato)
CF: Mark Cox (King Country)
RF: Kian Wood (Auckland)

KOWHAI CHAMPIONSHIP AWARDS
Nepia Award (Batting): Jordan Acheson (Otago) **
Meads Award (Pitching): Guus Bertels (Otago) ***
Brownlie Award (Fan Favourite): Jordan Acheson (Otago) **
Cooke Award (Rookie): Siu-Chung Hsing (Wairarapa Bush)
Mains Award (Manager): Wanaaonani Iolani (Otago) **

Gallaher Award (Fielding)
P: Kaulana Peka (Tasman)
C: Kapua Belli (Canterbury)
1B: Brendon Haggers (Hawke's Bay) **
2B: Dana Kauali (Southland)
3B: Hampus Gundersson (Central Otago) **
SS: Ron Bates (Manawatu)
LF: Joe Peden (Hawke's Bay) **
CF: Sam McPhail (Hawke's Bay) ****
RF: Yin-Fat Huang (Southland)

MINOR LEAGUE WINNERS
Heartland Championship: Balclutha Outriders (Otago affiliate)
Campus Baseball League: University of Canterbury
Scholarship School League: St Peter's College *****

TOP FIVE DRAFT PICKS
1. Nick Lever, RF (West Coast - drafted from Kelston Boys' High School)
2. Evander Vouris, 1B (Hutt Valley - drafted from Otago Boys' High School)
3. Ron Goldstraw, SP (Central Otago - drafted from Massey University)
4. Malone McKelloch, 1B (East Coast - drafted from Victoria University)
5. Inaki Vidini, CF (Auckland - drafted from Victoria University)

LIVERPOOL SHIELD
The Shield turns into a big hot potato this season. No team can hold onto it for more than a few defenses. It changes hands a huge 14 times! The shocking thing, is that after such a dominant season -- the Otago Wizards didn't get a single chance to contest for the Shield. It's also astounding that after four years of the Shield, Taranaki still haven't had a shot in that entire time. Meanwhile, Hutt Valley have had 8 chances (and have even won two of them)

Winter Caretaker: Kapiti Coast
Longest Defense: Wellington, Kapiti Coast (4)
Successful Challenges: 14

MOST ALL TIME DEFENSES OF SHIELD
1. Wellington 18
2. Canterbury 12
3. Northland 7
4. Tasman 6
5. Waikato 5
5. Kapiti Coast 5

NEW SEASON RECORDS
Hits 229: Conor MacNidder (Conor MacNidder 222 1924-25)
Singles 185: Alakai Kane (Conor MacNidder 170 1923-24)
Triples 11: Eibe de Best, Kian Buchan (Shawn Skyner 10, 1921-22)
Walks 167: Sayyid Atil (Sayyid Atil 156, 1922-23)

Bases on Balls 150: Ben Paisley (Miroslaw Blicharz 149, 1922-23)
Bases on Balls/9IP 0.82: Loic Michel (Loic Michel 0.834, 1923-24)
Hits Allowed/9IP 5.338: Xavier Rivington (Stuart van Lingen 5.372, 1924-25)
Strikeouts/9IP 14.092: Kealamauloa Abesaloma (Kealamauloa Abesaloma 13.647 1924-25)
WHIP 0.757: Juhani Jokinen (Stuart van Lingen 0.772 1924-25)
Opponents AVG .1697: Xavier Rivington (Stuart van Lingen .1701 1924-25)

NEW CAREER LEADERS
Slugging Percentage .649: Jordan Acheson (takes over from Adam Mayne)
Hits 1097: Adam Mayne (takes over from Rob Docking)
Triples 31: Liam MacInnes (takes over from Shawn Skyner)
RBIs 853: Jordan Acheson (takes over from Rob Docking)
Stolen Bases 167: Joe Peden (takes over from Aiden Brann)

Wins 128: Guus Bertels (takes over from Meinhard Unterzuber)
Losses 97: Eryx Petimezas (takes over from Calvin Willey)
Winning Percentage .781: Muachit Erol (takes over from Meinhard Unterzuber)
Games 577: Berkley Perler (takes over from Moana Hoaloha)
Games Started 217: Guus Bertels (takes over from Nahele Hoomaikai)
Bases on Balls 724: Eryx Petimezas (takes over from Xavier Rivington)

[le receveur]

just back from the celebrations as mr.wang`s sundries... the boys really played their heart out... so close... what a great time. i think i even saw the constable in the alley behing wang's ... the whole city came out....

[mrbucket]

The story of the New Zealand Sporting Society will continue. The charm of the New Zealand Christmas was a bit too tempting.