As a player and
now as coach, Corte has been a stalwart on Jet Box senior
team since 1969
Jim Corte always
has had a soft spot for the game
of baseball.
A standout at
Harper Woods Notre Dame High in
the early 1960s, he hoped for a
big league career. But a rotator
cuff injury his sophomore season
at St. Bonaventure derailed
those dreams.
After
returning to the Detroit area in
1968, Corte wasn't satisfied
getting his baseball fix from
watching the Tigers or playing
in recreational softball
leagues. So, he and his uncle,
Lou Zardus, who owns the Jet Box
Company in Troy, reunited Jim's
sandlot buddies from Notre Dame
and Detroit's East Side to start
a baseball club.
The Jet Box
Baseball Club played in the
Detroit Baseball Federation with
a $5,000 budget their first
season in 1969. Corte and Jet
Box still are going strong.
Though his
playing days are over, Corte,
60, managed Jet Box to the
Canadian-American Senior League
Championship last season and to
a runner-up finish in the
National Amateur Baseball
Federation Major Division World
Series in Louisville, Ky. Jet
Box finished 43-17 last season.
"I love the
game, and I'm in shape so I can
still do it. Every spring I seem
like a kid again," he said. "The
love of baseball keeps me going.
People stopped asking me how
long I was going to coach for
back in the '80s. They must
assume it's going to be
forever."
What started
as a group of friends getting
together to play a little
baseball has morphed into one of
the best amateur programs in the
country. Jet Box is the
fourth-ranked team in the NABF's
Major Division rankings this
season.
Over the
years, Corte has managed more
than 400 players, including
former major leaguers, college
all-stars and guys who work
9-to-5 jobs with families.
Players from
around the country are on the
current roster. Former Western
Michigan pitcher Keith Perez
lives in Las Vegas, but travels
to Michigan to play with Jet Box
in tournaments. Former
major-league pitcher Mark Dewey
(Giants, Mets and Pirates) lives
in West Michigan and travels to
the Detroit area to play for Jet
Box.
"A number of
guys have played (professional
minor-league) ball in this
league," said Dewey, who played
professionally for 10 years.
"I've played at all levels of
baseball and I'll tell you that
this is really good baseball.
I'd probably compare it to
high-A ball.
"Jim
(Corte) is a guy that obviously loves the
game and loves giving guys who can still
play the opportunity to play."
Former Tigers pitcher Milt
Wilcox played for Jet Box in 1987, and
former Tigers star Dave Rozema played in
1987 and 1990.
Ricardo
Thomas/The Detroit News
"I was friends with
Wilcox's father-in-law," Corte said. "Milt
had been released in 1986 and wanted to get
back into baseball. He said he would like to
use Jet Box as a springboard to get back
into major leagues. He played for us that
summer and then went and tried out for the
Giants."
The current roster has
players as young as 20 and as old as 53.
"This is a tight-knit
group and a family," said Jet Box catcher
Matt Viggiano, who played in the New
York-Penn League for the Phillies in the
'90s.
"Guys just like playing
with us. But you have to be a quality player
to play on this team."
Of Corte, who was inducted
into the National Semipro Baseball
Association Hall of Fame in 2006, Viggiano
said: "He is like a father figure for me.
The guy is a genius. He has a laid-back
style that makes playing for Jet Box seem
like a family affair.
"It would be hard for me
to play for someone else after playing for
Jim. He is just a great guy; you just don't
meet people like him."
Jet Box went 5-1 to win the 2007 NABF Major World Series
in Louisville, KY
Game #1 -
Jet Box 3 vs
Hackensack, NJ 1
Adam Echlin - 9 innings, 7 hits,
5 K's
Matt Viggiano - Single in 5th
inning, 2 RBI's
Winning pitcher Adam Echlin went 9
innings, giving up 7 hits and
striking out 5. Key hit by Matt
Viggiano in top of 5th inning scoring
Dan Fairchild and Ron Kochan was the
clincher. Game was played at
Bellermine College.
Game #2
- Jet Box 7 vs Connecticut A+ Plumbing
1
Kyle Hill - 9 innings pitched
Andy Roman - Home Run (9th of
season)
Don Watchowski - Two 2B, 3
RBI's
Game was played at Pleasure Ridge H.S.
(nicest park we played in). Score
was Jet Box 7, A+ Plumbing 1. A+
had only three losses all year.
Both starting pitchers for both
Hackensack, NJ and Connecticut A+
Plumbing were previously undefeated!
Winning pitcher in this game was Kyle
Hill pitching a brilliant six hitter
allowing only a 1st inning unearned run.
Game winning hit was in 6th inning solo
home run by Andy Roman, his 9th of the
season. Jet Box broke open this
close game by scoring five times in the
7th inning. The big blow was by
Don Watchowski, a base clearing
three run double, his second double of
the game.
Game #3
- Jet Box 7 vs Delaware Atlantic Coast Drillers
9
Don Watchowski - Home Run,
3 RBI's
Frank Jeney - 3 hits
Jet Box lost a wild one 9 to 7.
Don Watchowski continued hammering
pitchers getting a three run home run
and a single. Frank Jeney has
three hits. Game played at Derby
City.
Game #4
- Jet Box 8 vs Louisville River Rats
3
Mike Newsted - 9 innings,
4 hits, one earned run
Ron Kochan - 3 hits
Dan Fairchild - 3 hits
At Bellermine College. Winner
advances to semi-finals, loser
goes home. Jet Box wins 8-3 behind
nine strong innings by Mike Newsted.
Mike held the River Rats to four hits
and one earned run. Ron Kochan and
Dan Fairchild had three hits each.
This was the end of the round robin
schedule, Jet Box wins group B.
Game #5
- Jet Box 5 vs Toledo All-American Coach 4 -- SEMI-FINALS
Steve Herbst - 3 2/3 shutout
innings (left game with injury)
Mike Borkowski - 5 2/3 innings
pitched
Travis Kochan - game tying
single in 9th
Ron Kochan - game winning hit in
9th
Semi-final match up at Derby City on
Saturday night at 8pm. Easily the
most exciting game of the entire world
series. Game starter Steve Herbst
held Toledo scoreless for 3 2/3 innings.
Herbst left the game with an injury in
the 4th inning, giving way
to Mike Borkowski who ended the inning
by striking out the Toledo second
basemen Meilharggy. Jet Box got
one run back in the bottom of the 5th
inning. Borkowski gave up an
earned run in the 8th inning.
Jet Box scored two runs in the bottom of
the 8th inning. Travis Kochan (on his
22nd birthday), singled in one run.
Jet Box was down 4-3 going into the 9th
inning.
In the 9th, Borkowski got out
of a bases loaded jam and Jet Box comes
to bat in the bottom of the 9th still
down 4-3. Luke Humphreys
draws a walk, Mike Newsted pinch
runs for Humphreys. Gary
Alatchanian fails on a bunt attempt for
the first out. Next batter is Dan
Fairchild, who is hit by the
pitch. Jet Box has runners on
first and second base with one out.
Mike Miller lines out to right field for
the second out. Travis Kochan gets
another birthday single, driving
home Mike Newsted with the game tying
run.
Big brother Ron Kochan then lines a
two out hit off the left field wall,
driving in Dan Fairchild with the
winning run. Jet Box wins semi
final game 5-4.
Game #6
- Jet Box 5 vs Pittsburgh Saints 1
(CHAMPIONSHIP GAME)
Adam Echlin - 7 innings, 0 runs,
MVP
Mike Newsted - 2 innings, save
Matt Viggiano - Single, 2 RBI's,
game winning hit
Don Watchowski - 2B, RBI
Luke Humphreys - Single
Andy Roman - Single, RBI
At Derby City at noon.
The championship opponent was the
Pittsburgh Saints, who were 5-0 in
the world series and 40-2-1 for the
season. It was fitting and just
the Captain Matt Viggiano gets his 12th
game winning hit of the season (a
record). Viggiano got the game
winning hit on a 2 run single in the
bottom of the third inning for all the
runs starting pitcher Adam Echlin would
need. Adam won the world
series MVP for pitching seven shutout
innings, and striking out seven in
the championship game. Mike
Newsted pitched the last two innings,
striking out the last two batters, to
gain the save. These two pitchers
appeared two games each, giving up
just three earned runs in 27 innings.
Special congratulations to Mike
Borkowski, who pitched 2 1/3
innings of shutout ball on Friday
afternoon and came back on Saturday
night to hurl 5 1/3 innings allowing
only one unearned run to get the win
that put us into the finals.
Special congratulations to the
hitters in the 8th inning against ex-MLB
Colorado Rockies pitcher Lee. Don
Watchowski (2B, RBI), Luke Humphreys
(single) and Andy Roman (RBI single)
sealed Pittsburgh's fate.
Newsted set down the Saints 1-2-3 in the
9th inning. The championship game
ended just as the 1997 national
championships did, on a called
third strike!
Probable National All-Stars
Don Watchowski - .407 batting
average, .667 slugging percentage
Adam Echlin - 16 innings, 2
wins, 1 earned run, 0.56 ERA
Mike Newsted - 11 innings, 1
win, 1 save, 2 runs, 1.63 ERA
Kyle Hill - 9 innings, 1 win,
0.00 ERA
Mike Borkowski - 7 2/3 innings
pitched, 1 win, 0.00 ERA
JET BOX
FINISHES 2007 SEASON WITH A
RECORD OF 42-17-1
2007 Season
Notes
Jet Box finished the 2007 season with
a 42-17-1 record and will be ranked #1
nationally going into the 2008 season.
Thanks to all my guys who gave
everything they had for the team.
I'm very proud to have managed (coached)
a great group of family friends as this
2007 National Championship produced.
Lets three-peat finals in our 40th
season in 2008.
Next up for Jet Box
Roy Hobbs - Ft. Myers, Florida -
October 21st-27th, 2007
Jet box swept 6 opponents in the NABF
Regional in Springfield, Ohio to advance to
the 2007 NABF Major World Series in
Louisville, KY starting Thursday
August 16th.
Game #1 vs.
Cincinnati Bulldogs. Won 9-0
Mike Newsted - complete game shutout
for his 7th win
Nick Smith - 4-4, HR, 2B, BB
Frank Jenny - Grand
Slam
Game #2 vs.
Dan's Sport Shop of West Virginia. Won
10-0
Adam Echlin - complete game shutout
for 5th win
Matt Viggiano - Grand Slam
Game #3 vs.
Lousiville Angels. Won 7-0
Steve Herbst - 6 shutout innings
(left in 7th with injury)
Mike Borkowski - Struck out side in
7th inning
Andy Roman - Home Run (8th of
season)
Mike Miller - Home Run (2nd of
season)
Game #4 vs.
Cincinnati Chiefs. Won 4-3
Kyle Hill - Six innings (5th win of
season)
Mike Borkowski - Scoreless 7th for
first save
Frank Jenny - Two run HR
Game #5 vs.
Dayton Trophy Sports. Won 19-1
Matt Viggiano - Three run HR (14th
of season)
Joel Whitbeck - 4 innings (4th win
of season)
Larry Feola - 1 inning / 2
strike outs
Game #6 vs.
Virginia Fedlock. Won 6-0
(CHAMPIONSHIP GAME)
Adam Echlin - 9 inning NO-HITTER
(6th win of season, 2nd win of regional)
Luke Humphreys - Solo HR
JET BOX
ENTERS NABF WORLD SERIES WITH A
RECORD OF 38-15-1
Jim who started the Jet Box team in 1969
still coaches today and has won over 1,241
games during that span. Jim's Jet Box team
won the 1997 NABF Major Division World
Series and has been runner-up 3 times most
recently in 2006.
Kevin Bara
(JETBOX - 1976-86) and Jim Corte in Mexico. February
16-23, 2007. Jim landed a blue marlin on Feb.
18, 2007 out of Cabo San Lucas. The fish measured 8'4"
and weighed 140 lbs. The fish was landed in 35
minutes.
After a long wait, this was
Jet Box's 29th season, the Box is National
Amateur Federation CHAMPS!
Bob Bell was masterful
completing his 8 hitter with a called
strikeout ending the game. John Lierman, proved
hard work pays off by winning The Most Valuable Player award
in the tournament. Lierman had 4 hits in the championship
game.
Bob Bell - 9
inning complete game
Captain Rick Tavormina
- 5 for 5, HR, 2B
Viggiano - 3 run HR
Whitney - HR
John Lierman - 4 hits
-- Tournament MVP
Jim Corte, manager, wants
the nearly 300 former-Boxers to share this
championship. Jet Box finished NABF
runner-up in 1976 and 1989.
