OVER 50 CLASSIC BASEBALL LEAGUE Two Penn-Ohio pitchers likened to Braves of old

John Munnell and Roger Flynn recall memories of Boston's two mound aces.
By JOHN KOVACH
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
HERMITAGE, Pa. -- There used to be an old saying in Major League Baseball about 50 years ago referring to Boston Braves' pitchers Warren Spahn and Johnny Sain to the effect that, "First you pitch Spahn and then Sain and then pray for rain."
A similar situation exists on the Penn-Ohio oldtimers' team with pitchers John Munnell and Roger Flynn, except that their adage would be, "First you pitch Munnell and then Flynn, and then you do it again."
Of course, unlike the Braves of old, Penn-Ohio usually plays only twice a week on Saturday and Sunday, which means Munnell and Flynn get a break during the week and, indeed, can do it again.
And they have, to the tune of a combined 12-1 record -- Flynn is 6-0 with five shutouts and Munnell is 6-1 -- helping the team to a 15-1 record and first place in the Over 50 Classic Baseball League entering this weekend's regular-season finales.
Penn-Ohio will play at Poland today and at home Sunday against the Canton Masters at Hickory High field.
The 13-team league will hold its championship playoffs from Aug. 15-17 at Cene Park.
Munnell happy for help
"We have guys who will throw an inning or two, but Roger and I pitch all the games. We just take turns. I was glad to get him because for 10 years before he came, I was the only [pitcher]," said Munnell, 63, a right-hander from Neshannock Township who is in his 15th year with Penn-Ohio, and also doubles as the team's manager. "Roger has been with me about six years."
Munnell, a graduate of Shenango High who retired last year from Pennsylvania Power where he was supervisor of customers accounts service for 35 years, has played organized baseball every season since in high school, including last year even after having open-heart surgery.
"I had [the surgery] the last week in April, and the last week in July I was pitching. I made a real great recovery. I didn't have a lot of trouble," said Munnell, who managed to pitch three games. "[I have] no limitations. I haven't had any problems at all."
Defense helps Flynn
Flynn, 56, a southpaw from Grove City who came out of retirement six years ago to pitch for Penn-Ohio, credits the team's defense for keeping him unbeaten on the mound, and scored upon in only one game.
"We have real good team defense this year. The players on the team are making the defensive plays," said Flynn, who is the girls basketball coach and assistant baseball coach at Grove City High. "It's hard to keep the other team from hitting the ball. The guys are all good hitters. It is a hitter's league. So you have to depend a lot on the defense."
But Flynn, a graduate of New Kensington High (now Valley High) and Slippery Rock University where he played four years of baseball, said he also has been pitching effectively.
"The batters are not hitting me real hard. I am throwing a fastball, curve, slider and change-up," said Flynn, who has a 0.70 earned run average, but is not getting a lot of strikeouts.
"I am probably getting only about five strikeouts a game." But, "I have been getting batters to hit a lot of grounders and also fly balls. The outfielders have done a good job chasing down the balls."
The rest of team
Nick Simko serves as Penn-Ohio's assistant manager and also plays shortstop, while Dave Cole is a coach.
Rounding out the team are outfielders Skip Feigert, Emery Smargiasso, Rich Tabis, Bill Feigert and Si Thurber; outfielder-pitcher Dave Greer, first basemen Bill Osborne and Pat Pruent; third baseman Bill Geisel, second baseman Rick White, catchers Larry Cole and Bill Hughes and designated hitter Dave DeJulia.
Geisel leads the team in batting with a .583 average, followed by Skip Feigert at .435, Greer .391, Simko .378, White .360 and Flynn .348.
kovach@vindy.com