2000 Brookline Little League Association

A Grand Day

Josh Poremski Slugs Two Grand Slams In 14-11 Victory

It's been 50 years since the Brookline Little League Association first welcomed our community's future baseball hopefuls to the Community Center to make the yearly run at local stardom, and in that span of time our hardball fans have witnessed many fine feats of athletic prowess. There have been no-hitters and power hitters, defensive standouts and miraculous achievements. Droz Steel's offensive juggernaut scored 247 runs in the 1985 Little League campaign, Tim Schumacher hit 23 homers in a 20-game Little League season in 1972, Jack Flavin struck out 21 batters in a seven-inning Pony League game in 1961, and the 1955 Travelling Pony team went 28-0 to post the best ever single-season mark, to name but a few.

And now, in the year 2000, we can add another remarkable achievement to the annals of BLLA history. On April 30, in a Little League game featuring two strong contenders, Josh Poremski swatted two grand slam homers to lead his team, Steve Poremski Plumbing, over rival Burton's Buccaneers by a score of 14-11. The twelve year-old slugger finished the game batting three-for-three, including a single, walk, two grand slams, eight runs batted in, and on the defensive side, the stand-out catcher contributed by throwing out two runners trying to steal. All things considered, it was an incredible performance worthy of its place in league lore.

Here's how the scorekeeper captured the moment:

In the top of the first inning, with Buccaneer Mike Storino on the mound, Poremski's Bo Hodgkiss, Zach Sheridan and Bubba Thurner loaded the bases with consecutive singles. Josh stepped to the plate with no outs and drilled a 1-0 pitch over the left-center fence to make the score 4-0. Josh added a single in the third inning to set up the team's fifth run.

Then, in the top of the fifth inning, with the score tied at 5-5, Andrew Robinson, Hodgkiss and Sheridan again loaded the bases on consecutive singles with one out. Buccaneer T.J. Gault, one of the league's finest hurlers, stepped in to put out the fire. He struck out Thurner and prepared to take on the hot-hitting Poremski.

In a battle of strength versus strength, Gault delivered his blazing fastball and Josh connected, depositing the pill deep over the fence in dead center, putting the Plumbers up 9-5 and giving them the edge they needed to hold on for their 3-run victory. Josh added a walk in the sixth inning to cap his perfect day at the plate.

Josh Poremski with his two Grand Slam souvenir balls in May, 2000
Josh with his souvenir HR balls.

Josh is the brother of Brandon Poremski, one year his senior and also a homerun hitting catcher who helped lead Poremski's Plumbers to back-to-back Little League championships (1998-1999) and a 31-0 record in the process. Brandon led the league in homers last season with seven, and added two more in all-star competition. Behind the plate he was a brick wall, an impregnable fortification that stymied opposing runners chancing an opportunity to score on a close play.

The elder Poremski left some large shoes to fill for his younger brother, and Josh has rose to the challenge. Only time will tell which brother leaves the strongest impression in the memories of Brookline baseball faithful, but there's one thing we know for sure. On April 30, in the year 2000, Josh put together an individual offensive and defensive performance which, while possibly duplicated once, maybe twice over the past 50 years of Brookline baseball, will remain vivid in his mind and in the hearts and minds of all who witnessed his grand day.

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