16th Annual Bear Classic Showcase
Fri. August 25 – Sun. August 27, 2006
A High School Boys Baseball Tourney, A Maryland Showcase for Our National Pastime
Press Release:
The regions top HS baseball players will attend the Bear Classic weekend before Labor Day weekend. The games begin on 3:00 pm on Fri. Aug 25 and run through Sun. Aug 27. Amateur clubs from Md, VA, Pa, NY & NJ are expected to attend including World Yacht Clippers (NY), Bucks County (PA), Frozen Ropes, and several returning travel clubs and HS teams. Teams attending the event in the past includes Senators (VA), St. Johns (DC), DeMatha (Md), Richmond Braves National Team, All American Baseball Academy (PA), Md Monarchs, Phil. Reds (PA), Genesee Valley (NY), Arundel (Md), MD Lakers, LI Bulls, Nor Allegheny (Pa), YRebels (Balt.), So Jersey, FABL (NY), LI Tigers, Am. Legion, & others. TJ Bear, the tourney director
& former MLB scout says the Classic supports the development of this region's baseball talent, continues baseball opportunities for boys graduating HS in 07-08 & gains exposure to active college recruiters and scouts. Since 1991, over 19 Collegiate Conferences were represented. A partial listing of colleges attending or getting information include: Towson, GW, UoM, Clev. St., Ind, Villa Julie, OSU, Penn St, UMBC, Tenn, JHU, Richmond, Pitt, ODU, VCU, GMU, Georgetown, Salisbury U., Catholic, St. Mary’s Princeton, Navy, Mt. St. Mary’s, W&M, WVa, Liberty, Duke, Lynchburg, Duquesne, Hoftra, Shepherd, Coppin St, MC-R, PGCC, MC-G several NAIA colleges & others. Media coverage for 2006 incl:,
http://www.webscores.com, & local papers i.e. the Journals, Gazettes & others. Games are played on a beautiful Shipley Field, home of the ACC’s Maryland Terrapins in College Park & Arundel HS (Gambrills) where several pro players played in their amateur careers, and where the MD HS State ‘Ships’ are held. A partial listing of HS players gaining exposure include:
Name (pos) HSClass, Yr of Classic College & oth
Todd Benke-3b, Walt Whitman HS, (MD) '94, 1993 US Naval Academy MSN ‘98;
David Crutchfield-OF R. Montgomery HS, (MD) '94 1993 Signed 11th rnd ‘94 draft Cubs;
Tony Coyne-Inf. Northern HS, (MD) '95 1993-94 Yale University (‘99), drft ‘00, now Gateway IND
Mitch Davis-SS Calvert HS, (MD) '94 1993 UMBC (‘99)
Chris Blue SS-2b Easton HS, (MD) '94 1993 U of Maryland (98) drft ‘94 44th rnd O's
John Whittington-P Riverdale Baptist, (MD) '95 1993-94 University of NC @ Charlotte
Kevin Haverbusch-SS Massapequa HS, (NY) '94 1993 U of Maryland (‘98) draft 97, Pitts, Nashville “AAA”)
Bryan Gamble-P Calvert HS, (MD) '95 1993 Charles County CC, Furman
Brandt Childs-C Damascus HS, (MD) '94 1993 U of Maryland/Indiana (‘98)
Curtis Brown-P Paint Branch HS, (MD) '94 1993 Uof Richmond (‘98), former ACC College Pitching Coach
Jason Dellaero-SS Brewster HS, (NY) '94 1993 Uof So Fla (‘98), 1st rnd 97 (W Sox),
Mike ‘Kap’ Koplove-P Chestnut Hill Academy (PA) ’95 1993 U Delaware, ‘01-04 Ariz D-backs
Jackie Rexrode-SS Riverdale Baptist, (MD) '96 1994-95 drafted ’96 14th rnd CHW (AA), now Newark IND
Shawn Fagen-SS Division HS, (NY) '96 1994-95 Penn State (‘00), drft ’00 signed
Josh Smithberger-P Watkins Mill HS, (MD) '95 1994 US Naval Academy MSN ‘99
Tom Bloom-P Catonsville HS, (MD) '96 1994-95 UMBC (‘00)
Brian Kane-3b Gaithersburg HS, (MD) '95 1994 Elon University (‘99)
Cliff Wilson II-P Bhp O'Connell HS, (VA) '96 1995 College of William & Mary (‘00)
Matt Shoemaker-P Williamsport HS, (PA) '96 1995 Winthrop Univ. (‘99)
Denny Chapman-P Centennial HS, (MD) '97 1995 Towson U (‘01), drft ’01 signed
Larry Long-Of Howard HS, (MD) '96 1995 U of Maryland (‘00)
Christian Spriggs-P Frederick HS, (MD) '96 1995 Coppin State College (‘00)
Randy Leek-P Long Island, (NY) '96 1995 College of W&M (‘00), drft ’00, LaD AA, '05 AAA Cards (PCL)
Mark Reuffert-C Herndon HS, (VA) '97 1996 UVA (‘01), drft ’01 signed Det ‘A’
Jacob Helton-C the Heights HS, (MD) '97 1996 Univ of Dallas / UNC Greensboro (‘01)
Jared Vogt-P Chesapeake HS, (MD) '97 1996 U of Maryland (‘01)
Greg Filson-3b DeMatha HS, (MD) '96 1994-95 George Mason U (‘00), drft ’00, signed
Brian Lane-Of-P Arundel HS (MD), ‘971996 Richmond (‘01), drft ’01, now Johnstown IND
Jeff Radziewitz-1b Easton HS, (MD), '97 1995 UNC Greensboro (‘01), drft
Eric Wyatt-Of-LHP-1b T. Johnson HS, (MD) ‘97 1996 Mt. St. Joe's (Pa) (‘02)
Curtis Smith-LHP Calvert HS, (MD), '97 1994-96 JMU (‘02)
Mike Floyd-Of Mt St. Joe’s, (MD) ‘98 1996USoCarolina (‘02) 14th rnd ‘01 Phila Lakewood “A”
Tom Grillo-P Good Counsel HS, (MD) '98 1995-97 Cornell (‘02) - Class Valedictorian
Jason Baker-RHP DeMatha HS, (MD) '98 1997 Richmond / GWU drft ’02 Mil Ogden ‘A”
Kenny Beck-P-C-Of Hammond HS, (MD) '98 1997 U of Maryland (‘02), drft ’02, Expos Vt “A”.
Scott Bacon-SS-3b Northeast HS, (MD) '98 1997 Towson Univ. (‘02)
Mark Teixeira-3b Mt. St. Joe’s HS (MD) ‘98 1997 Ga Tech (‘02) 1st rnd drft ’01 Tex Tulsa “AA”, 03-04 Tex Rangers
John McCurdy-SS Arundel HS, (MD) ‘99 1998 U of Maryland (‘03), 1st rnd drft ’02 Oak Vancouver “A”
Nick Vitielliss-P-3b Thomas Stone HS, (MD) '99 1997-98 Indiana (‘04), drft ‘99
Marc Capelletti Conestoga HS, (PA) ‘99 1998 GW (‘03)
Jeff Palumbo-SS St. Johns HS (DC) ‘001998-99 GMU (‘04) drft ’04 Giants 15th rnd
Arin Gellently-Of-1b River Hill HS (MD) ’00 1998-99 Penn St. (‘04),
Mac Mollet-LHP Damascus HS, (MD) ’00 1998-99 Salisbury Univ. (‘04)
Bobby Ryan-C Damascus HS, (MD) ’00 1998-99 Radford / U of Maryland (‘05),
Rich Northrop-2b Shenendowhowa HS (NY) ’01 2000 UMBC (‘05)
Russell Durfee-P Springbrook HS, (MD) ’02 2000 Duke (‘06)
Tyler McGraw-3b Conestoga HS, (PA) ‘02 2001 College of William & Mary (’06)
Adam Murray - SS Episcopal HS, (PA) ’022001 Duke. (’06)
Jon Pavlis-P Old Mill HS (MD) ’022000-01 UMBC (’06)
Chorye Spoone-P Northeast HS (AA) ’032002 Catonsville CC (’05) drft ’04 Padres 36th rnd
Matt Montgomery-P Watkins Mill HS, (MD) ’03 2002 Oskaloosa-Walton CC (’05), drft 03 Expos, drft ’04 Padres
Casey Baron -LHP-1b-Of Paint Branch HS, (MD) ’03 2000-02 U of Maryland.(‘07)
Nick Jowers – OF DeMatha HS (MD), ’04 2002 U of Maryland (’08)
Brett Cecil LHP DeMatha HS (MD), ‘04 2002 U of Maryland (’08)
Joe Palumbo 2b-SS DeMatha HS (MD), ’04 2002 U of Maryland (’08)
Matt Collins Inf-Of Quince Orchard HS, ’04 2003 Towson Univ (’08)
Brad Taylor-P Good Counsel (MD) ’04 2003 U of Maryland (’08) - WCAC Player of the Yr 2004
Mike Murphy -3b-P Georgetown Prep (MD) ’05 2003 U of Maryland (’09)
Dan Shillingburg - C Centennial HS (MD) ’05 2003-04 U of Maryland (’09)
Steve Garrison LHP-1b The Hun School (Ewing, NJ) ’05 NLI'd UNC, drft 05, signed Brewers
Ian Marshall P-SS Gaithersburg HS (MD) ’05 2004 UofRichmond(’09), drafted 14th rnd
Eddie Bach LHP Atholton HS (MD) ’052004 UMBC (’09)
Austin Hurd MInf-Of-P Gaithersburg (MD) ’05 2004 Towson Univ (’09)
This could be you! Your HS ’07 & 08 2006-07 Bear Classic Bear U??? (2011)
To Register or Inquire for Tourney, email: bear2327@hotmail.com