FIBI notebook: Home run derby returns with flourish

After a hiatus of several years, the return of the Freeport International Baseball Invitational’s home run derby proved to be a hit.

There were 38 players who participated, and Tanner Jacobson of the Pittsburgh RBI team was the winner with five long balls hit out of James Swartz Memorial Stadium.

“I hadn’t done anything like this since I was about 12 years old,” said Jacobson, now 19 and a resident of Squirrel Hill. “I decided to give this a try.”

Pitching to Jacobson was his father, Brian.

Runner-up to Jacobson was Josh Gerken of Penn Hills, who blasted three dingers.

Jhensen Malave and Roberto Carlos Rojas of the Arecibo, Puerto Rico, team had two homers each.

Under the format, each player had 15 swings or two minutes, whichever came first.

“After I hit one, I felt I really got into a groove,” said Jacobson, who is attending Queens in Charlotte, majoring in business administration.

The fences in left and left-center field have been moved in considerably with the ongoing renovation of the facility by Freeport Borough. A basketball court has been installed behind the fence in what formerly was “in play.”

Two of Jacobson’s drives reached the corner of the lower bleacher area in deep center field.

Brian Jacobson played in the old-timers game that followed the home run derby.

Unsung Hero Award

Al Rupert earned the Mike Westerman Unsung Hero Award, given annually to an individual who works to maintain the quarter-century-old summer tradition.

Among other tasks, Rupert puts up the protective screen on the first-base side to protect spectators and those in line at the concession stand from foul balls. He also keeps the griddles clean for the concession stand.

“He’s sort of the ghost of the FIBI,” organization president Chuck Sarver said. “He does work behind the scenes that not everybody sees. This (event) wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for him.”

The award is named after the late Mike Westerman, longtime volunteer with the FIBI and son of founder Ralph “Sonny” Westerman. The younger Westerman was a Freeport graduate who pitched in the Cincinnati Reds chain for several years.

Wrapping it up

Games will be played all day Saturday at Armstrong and Springdale High Schools, along with Swartz Stadium, leading up to Saturday’s grand finale, the USA-International game between players of the various teams that begins at 8 p.m.

Marine Corps members will present the colors before the game.

A fireworks display will follow starting at 10.

The Freeport Marina, which will serve as the staging area for the fireworks display, will be closed until midnight.

On Sunday, Sarver will begin organizing next year’s event.