McCall – News came from the front office of the All-Star Baseball League Saturday that McCall Mudhens lifetime player and two-time league MVP Lou Brock was given an illegal bat by Mudhens equipment manager Mike Sala. Being employed by the team for the last 8 years, Sala provided Brock with a special “-7” bat that is illegal by league rules. Called a “Thumper” by league hitters, the bat is 7 ounces lighter than the length of the bat. By league rules, a bat is allowed to be only 4 ounces lighter than the length of the bat. The “Sala” bat given to Brock, labeled 33 inches and 30 ounces was taken by league officials last Saturday night and examined to be 33 inches and 25 ounces.
Cooperating in full with league inquiries, Brock stated that he has used the “Sala” bat since the beginning of his ASB career and had no knowledge of any wrong-doing.
“The All-Star Baseball League has investigated this matter with the full cooperation of Mr. Brock, The Mudhens and ownership. We are fully confident that Mr. Brock had no knowledge of any wrong doing and are saddened that the actions of one unscrupulous man, Mr. Sala, has compromised the integrity of this wonderful game, this wonderful player and this wonderful organization,” an official from the league said in a written statement.
“After discussing this matter with all involved, Mr. Brock’s records will be marked in the all-time record book as ‘illegal’ and void. He will retain his MVP awards and the team statistics will be untouched. Mr. Brock will have his bat weighed and measured at the beginning of every season and Mr. Sala has been released by the team.
We are confident that this matter is resolved and Mr. Brock and the McCall Mudhens can go back to the business of playing baseball.”
Aftermath
The shocking news of the “Sala” bat sent ripples through the League. Players have begun to bring scales into their lockers to assure accuracy.
“I’ll tell you, something like that could happen to anyone,” Falcons lifetime player Carlton Fisk said. “I have NEVER checked the equipment that is given to me and I don’t know a single player that does. We are ball players… That’s not our job… It’s scary that a stand-up guy like Lou could have something like that happen to him, but like I said it could happen to anyone and I know that guys are going to be a lot more careful in the future.”
Brock, carrying a 33 inch, 30 ounce bat will see action in the NLCS against the Merrimack Owls. Only time will tell if the “Sala” bat was the key to his unprecedented success.
