Page 8 THE MALDEN ADVOCATE–Friday, July 10, 2026 GREATEST HIGH SCHOOL GAME EVER! Malden’s McGlinchy faced off against Revere’s Spinelli in a ‘Game for the Ages’ — April 25, 1995 Monster crowd with over 50 pro and college scouts on hand saw the best pitchers in Malden and Revere history square off; called best-ever Greater Boston League game By Steve Freker O n a warmer than usual late April afternoon in Revere, few knew they were going to be witnesses to what is known by all to be THE #1 high school baseball game in Greater Boston League history. There was never a better or more important high school game played in this area before it... and there has not been one to match it, since. It featured the two most storied, recounted and remembered pitchers in the nearly 70 years of GBL high school baseball lore: Malden High School righthander Kevin McGlinchy and Revere High School lefty Mike Spinelli. Both are recognized universally as the best and most talented pitchers this area has ever produced, with McGlinchy well-known as Malden High’s finest pitcher of all time and Spinelli, Revere High’s top RHS Patriot. At the time, the two teams — Malden and Revere — were among the most highly regarded in Massachusetts. In April 1995, Malden was 7-1 and ranked #4 in The Boston Globe’s weekly baseball poll, having started the season squarely in the top spot, #1 overall. Revere was ranked #6, 6-1 at the time. Greater Boston League Baseball ruled the roost Two other Greater Boston League teams were in the top 25 as well — unheard of these days, but a tribute to the overall strength and iron in the GBL for most of the 1980s and then 1990s. Peabody was #17 and Arlington High right behind them at #18. This game was played at ReKevin McGlinchy, who was selected in the fifth round of the 1995 MLB draft by the Atlanta Braves, is the greatest pitcher in Malden High School history. (Courtesy Photo) vere High’s Tony Conigliaro Field, located directly behind Revere High School. By the time the yellow bus pulled in carting the Malden High players and coaches over from the next city, the spacious and expansive RHS parking lot was jammed, with few spaces to be had. It more closely resembled a Patriots-Dolphins game at what was then called Foxboro Stadium. And why not? A lot of people had the date circled on their calendars as a “must see” game way before the season started, as Malden High and Revere High — led by McGlinchy and Spinelli, respectively — were viewed as two of the top teams in the state, same for the two pitchers. The pitchers were even called two of the top hurlers in New England, those days. Both of them would go on to be prominently featured in that year’s Major League Baseball draft, which took place on June 1 that year, just after the end of the high school regular season. At the time of that April game, Spinelli, a 6-3, 205 fireballing lefty, whose fastball reached the low 90s in miles per hour, was regarded as the top professional pitching prospect in New England, projected as high as a possible second-rounder in the upcoming June MLB draft. McGlinchy already acknowledged as best Malden pitcher ever Malden’s McGlinchy had already established himself as the top pitcher in Malden High history, even before his senior year. At 6-5, 225, his fastball was clocked at just under 90 mph and his calling card was pinpoint accuracy. He didn’t have to throw breaking balls and never even threw a curveball in a game until college, since Malden’s first future Major Leaguer could spot any pitch he threw anywhere he wanted on the plate. On this day, the two “Best of the Best” were facing off in Revere, and everyone came to watch, and we mean EVERYONE. It is said that every single MLB team had at least one scout there; some of the teams had two or more. Also, check this out: How many times has THIS ever been said about a Greater Boston League game? Some of the many college baseball programs represented on that windy day in Revere (isn’t it ALWAYS windy in Revere?) were some of the top teams in the nation: UMiami Hurricanes, LSU, Alabama, Oklahoma State, University of Florida. ALL those programs had scouts at this game, at a GBL game in Revere! Unheard of, and never seen before, or since. This ended up being a classic example of coming to see one player and end up getting a bird’s-eye view of another. The fact is, many of the scouts who journeyed to Revere High that day were Mike Spinelli watchers, coming to see him another time just weeks before the draft. McGlinchy’s ‘stock’ soared that day By the time they left, Malden’s McGlinchy’s “stock” had soared in their estimation, following one of the best games he pitched at the high school level. Considering he won 15 games as a high school hurler, some of them bigtime “Ws,” that is saying something. Spinelli threw gas that day, the radar guns multiplying as the game went on, directly behind the backstop, recording him at between 87-90 mph for most of his fastballs. He touched 91 on two pitches, scouts said afterward. The Revere lefthander also had two other deadly weapons in his arsenal: a classic 12-to-6 curveball (that was basically unhittable) to complement his fastball and his pièce de résistance, a killer pickoff move. Hands down, there simply has NEVER been a better pickoff move by a lefty pitcher in GBL or state baseball history. Saying it was “nasty,” a common baseball adjective, does not even scratch the surface. Consider this: That April 25 game was only Revere’s seventh of the season. Spinelli had already picked 13 runners off first to start the season! Remarkably, “Spinna” only picked off one, lone Malden baserunner all game that day, and even that move sparked a lengthy “did he balk, or did he not?” powwow by the umpires after a challenge from the Malden bench. “No balk, he’s out” was the final decision. Overall, Malden had a decent day at the plate, managing seven hits on the day and drawing several walks off Spinelli to take Mike Spinelli — who signed with the Boston Red Sox out of high school in 1995 — is recalled as the greatest pitcher in Revere High School history. (Courtesy Photo) a 2-1 lead after four innings. McGlinchy, meanwhile, was setting them and knocking them down, punching out seven Revere batters for strikeouts over the first four innings. McGlinchy surrendered just three hits, one of them a run-scoring double by senior Revere catcher David Lightbody to score Mike Popp in the bottom of the fourth inning to cut the
9 Publizr Home