Mike Lucas: A 'proverbial' homecoming for Rocky Vitale

Madison's Vitale now runs an academy in British Columbia -- aka Baseball Country

Mike Lucas  —  6/18/2008 10:15 am

How much wood can a woodchuck chuck? That depends if the Woodchuck is managed by one of the great fractured linguists of all time, Jim Gantner, who used to keep his old Brewers teammates in stitches with his misuse of the language. Such as the time when he referred to a pitcher who could throw with either his right or left hand as "amphibious." Such as the time when he recalled being in Canada with Bobby Hull but he couldn't remember the name of the "proverb."

Gantner will forever be remembered in Wisconsin for his competitive zeal and an unmatched toughness that he brought as the second baseman for the 1982 Milwaukee Brewers, the American League champions.

Some of those fond memories will be rekindled locally Saturday night and Sunday afternoon when the Madison Mallards face the Wisconsin Woodchucks in a two-game Northwoods League series at Warner Park. Returning for his second season as skipper of the Woodchucks, a Wausau-based team, the 55-year-old Gantner is now sharing his knowledge with impressionable college-age players. Like his son, Matt, who was the starting left fielder last season.

Last Sunday, the Woodchucks won their 10th straight in front of 2,172 fans and Robin Yount, who made a special appearance in Wausau on behalf of his old friend, Gantner. The Mallards are highlighting Saturday night's game against the Woodchucks with a Turn Back The Clock promotion. That's obviously fitting because of Gantner's presence. But also in attendance will be another UW-Oshkosh alum who has a son playing for the Woodchucks.

ROCKY Vitale grew up in Madison and graduated from Edgewood High School. Baseball has always been a Vitale passion, dating to his Blessed Sacrament days when he first began playing softball and continuing through his Little League days when he was a member of an all-star team that advanced to nationals. Vitale pursued his baseball interests at Miami (Fla.) Dade Junior College and Oshkosh. Shortly thereafter, he followed his heart to fastpitch softball. Competing all over the world, Vitale developed into one of the sport's elite catchers, winning championships in New Zealand and Canada.

Vitale also played softball for the Farm Tavern in Madison before relocating permanently to Canada and British Columbia. That's where he lives and works today -- in the capital city of Victoria. And that's where Vitale is the director of softball and baseball at the Diamond for Excellence, the only public school academy in North America, Vitale pointed out. The Kansas City Royals academy, dating to the early '70s, was the paradigm for what's taking place now in Victoria.

"I have my dream job: I teach baseball and softball. That's my curriculum," said Vitale, 53. "We have 100 boys and 50 girls in the academy. We do both field work and classwork, including courses in athletic leadership and sports science and training. My goal is to make sure that the border, the 49th parallel, is not the deciding factor on whether a kid can play ball. That's why we put a lot of time in promoting the sport and making sure everybody has a chance to compete, no matter where they're from."

In many circles, British Columbia -- or B.C. -- is being touted as Baseball Country. Vitale cited such Canadian-bred major leaguers as Jeff Francis of the Colorado Rockies, Justin Morneau of the Minnesota Twins, Jason Bay of the Pittsburgh Pirates and Rich Harden of the Oakland A's. The Diamond for Excellence academy has ties to two highly regarded prospects, Mike Saunders of the Seattle Mariners and Kyle Orr of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Recently, the Milwaukee Brewers selected infielder/catcher Brett Lawrie in the first round of the draft. Lawrie hails from Langley, B.C. Lawrie's sister, Danielle, is one of the top fastpitch hurlers in the sport and a member of the Canadian national team. "We've played against Brett Lawrie, and he's the real deal," Vitale said. "You just have to find a position for the kid. The way he swings the bat, I'd find a place for him in the outfield."

Vitale has nothing against catchers. On the contrary. Besides being a catcher himself, his 16-year-old daughter, Danielle, is a catcher on a traveling fastpitch team that Rocky coaches. Last weekend, they were together at a tournament in Las Vegas. This weekend, he will be watching his son, Carson, play against the Mallards in Madison. Carson Vitale is also a catcher, one of two on the Woodchucks roster. The 6-foot-2, 225-pound Vitale played last season at McLennan Community College in Waco, Texas. This fall he's headed to Creighton University on a baseball scholarship.

"Carson is a great receiver and thrower, and his stock is still rising," Vitale said. "He has been kind of the poster child for our academy."

So, if you're making a nostalgic trip to Warner Park for Jim Gantner, you might want to look in the stands for Rocky Vitale, who would be more than willing to reminisce about the old "hood" in Madison. Ask him, too, about his baseball academy in British Columbia, the westernmost "proverb."

Mike Lucas  —  6/18/2008 10:15 am