THE REVERE ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, JULY 10, 2026 Page 9 tively — 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 fi reballing 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 fi rst future Major Leaguer could spot any SPORTS | SEE Page 13 Kevin McGlinchy, who was selected in the fi fth round of the 1995 MLB draft by the Atlanta Braves, is the greatest pitcher in Malden High School history. (Courtesy Photo) SPORTS | FROM Page 1 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 Revere 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, respec
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