Page 14 THE MALDEN ADVOCATE–Friday, July 23, 2021 ~ Greater Boston League Notebook ~ Once a Tornado... A lot of baseball years reunited Monday at Pine Banks Park Boudreau made his mark at Revere High; on to Curry College Previlon sets new Everett High track record in the 400 hurdles By Jason Mazzilli W hen a trio of two former Golden Tornadoes standouts and a “still going” Tornado coach just happened to reunite at their former “stomping grounds” at Pine Banks Parks Monday night, there were a lot of stirred-up memories... and lots of baseball years. Just by happenstance, when the Metro Red Sox team of the Boston Men’s Baseball League (BMBL) had a game at Pine Banks Park, it was the first time two former Malden High School baseball players had competed on their old high school field... since high school! For 1977 MHS graduate Billy Smeglin and 1987 MHS alumnus Sam Steed, that’s 44 years and 34 years, respectively, between games played on their former field. Add to it that the umpire assigned to the game behind the plate was another Tornado, Steve Freker. He is also an MHS grad in addition to being the present Malden High School varsity baseball head coach. Since Freker will mark his 40th season coaching in the high school athletics ranks beginning in the 20212022 school year, that represents over 100 years of baseball between just the three of them, not to mention the years spent on the diamond before high school. “I’ve been playing baseball since I was six in Malden Little League and I never stopped,” Smeglin told The Advocate, making it over 50 years pitching in total in consecutive seasons, since the 1960s at Devir Park. “This is the first time I played on this field since the 1976 season.” Smeglin – a crafty right-handed pitcher who was a teammate of MHS Hall of Famers Shawn Brickman, John Furlong, John Stanasek, Donnie Roach and Tony Jesi on the MHS Baseball Team (his coaches were Frank Adorn and Bob Ware) – also spent many years in the local Intercity semiprofessional league for several teams, including the Medford Mustangs and Melrose Rams. Smeglin never stopped, still taking the mound regularly for the Metro Sox in the 38+ division of the BMBL, in his early 60s in age. Steed, a lefty ace who was 8-0 on the mound his senior year at Malden High in 1987, was also an undefeated pitcher for the Barons in Malden Babe Ruth in the mid-1980s and the Malden Bambinos in Senior Babe Ruth League, in the late 1980s. He went on to win two NCAA Division 2 National Baseball Championship rings with the University of Tampa in 1991 and 1992. Since college and a couple of pro ball tryouts, Steed has continued to play in the Intercity League for several teams, including a bevy of title seasons with the Lexington Blue Sox. On Monday night, he was the starting pitcher and was well on his way to a win when a lights malfunction cut the game short. Umpiring the game was Malden High baseball Head Coach Steve Freker. Coincidentally, he was an assistant varsity baseball coach in his second and third years at Malden High when Steed hurled for the Tornados in 1986 and 1987. “I had a lot of memories here and it’s great to come back to the park where it all started,” Steed said. **** Revere’s Calvin Boudreau on to Curry College after being ‘Man for All Seasons’ at Revere High Hard to believe you won’t be seeing Quarterback Calvin Boudreau out there at Della Russo Stadium this fall for the first time since 2016. No, #8 won’t be seeking out receivers and deking defenders this fall for Coach Lou Cicatelli, as he has graduated from Revere High and will be moving on to Curry College, where he will vie for playing time as a freshman this fall. Boudreau – who was a “Man for All Seasons” as Revere High’s first-time threesport Greater Boston League All-Star (football, basketball, baseball) in decades – will be embarking on his first-ever college football preseason camp at Curry in two short weeks. Curry will open its season on Saturday September 4 on a road trip to MIT, which will afford Boudreau’s family and friends a chance to check out the Colonels in nearby Cambridge. Boudreau was the epitome A LOT OF BASEBALL YEARS: There was a reunion of a lot of Golden Tornadoes baseball years at Pine Banks Park this week. Pictured from left are 1987 MHS grad Sam Steed, Malden High baseball coach Steve Freker and 1977 Malden High grad Billy Smeglin. All three are still actively involved in baseball on different levels. (Courtesy Photo) of sportsmanship and competitive spirit and commanded the respect of everyone throughout the GBL, particularly some of the coaches at Malden High. Good luck, Calvin! Everyone at Revere High and throughout the Greater Boston League wishes you well! **** There’s a new school record holder for Everett High track as Previlon sets 400 hurdles mark Everett High senior captain Brendon Previlon won the 400 meter hurdles event with a time of 57.2 seconds at the Greater Boston League (GBL) Conference Championship Meet, which was held at Chelsea High stadium on June 30. In winning the event, Previlon also set a new school record in the event, shattering the previous mark of 59.7 seconds, taking off 2.5 seconds of time. Previlon also showed his verHEADED TO COLLEGE RANKS: Calvin Boudreau, one of the few Revere High student-athletes in school history to achieve Greater Boston League All-Star honors in three sports (football, basketball, baseball), is headed to the college football program at Curry College in a few short weeks for preseason camp. (Courtesy Photo/Revere High athletics) satility in winning the 200 meter dash event at the meet. Somerville boys won the GBL Championship at the event, but Everett scored a total of 46 points to finish in fourth place. Revere was second place and Chelsea finished third.
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