In-Depth with our sports seniors

In-depth with our sports seniors

Cory Burtman:Hitting in the clutch

Derek Gibbons, Sports Editor
Wednesday, February 25, 2009

As kids, most baseball players will make believe it is the World Series, bottom of the ninth, two outs, bases loaded, and down by three runs. With one swing of the bat, they pretend to hit a towering home run to win the game and celebrate as they round the bases. It is every player’s dream, but for Cory Burtman, it was a dream that came true.

In a packed stadium, on a calm cool night at Norwood High School, all was not calm on the diamond as Burtman stepped to the plate in the last inning with the bases loaded and two outs in a tied ball game. Walpole, Norwood’s rival, brought in their stud reliever to close out the inning and put Burtman in the books, or so they thought.

With the count running to two and two and the sweat running down Burtman’s face, he stepped up to the plate, determined to put the game to rest. The pitcher, not willing to give in, came with an inside slider, but it was the last pitch he would throw as Burtman put enough bat on the ball to bloop the ball over the shortstop’s head and into left field to give his team the walk-off victory. As he rounded first base, he quickly turned and was mugged by his teammates.

Burtman first got introduced to the game of baseball when he was four years old. His father signed him up for an instructional league that was played in an open field behind an elementary school. From that point on, Burtman new he was destined to be a slugger.

Being an all-star ever since he was eight, he played well throughout his baseball career. When he reached Babe Ruth, his team made it to the state finals his 13, 14, and 15-year-old year, but each year lost to a different team.

In high school, Burtman hated his coach with a passion. In his junior year, he was cut from the varsity team and sent down to the junior varsity team. When Burtman asked the coach to why he was cut, the coach told him there was not enough space for him on the team.

The next day, the coach called Burtman over and brought him back up to the varsity because of injuries; he now needed him back up with the team. It would be the smartest move the coach made all year as Burtman would deliver the game winning single in the Divisional Championship.

Following high school, Burtman wanted a new start. Looking at conference rivals such as Framingham and Salem, he chose MCLA in the end because it was far enough away from home, but not too far if he wanted to go home.

Coach Puleri, who had seen Burtman at the Brockton Showcase, showed a lot of interest in him and sent him a letter about the baseball program. Puleri had really played up the idea of him receiving playing time right away, so Burtman knew this was his chance to show what he could give to the program.

Burtman had been a natural in the outfield, and had played the position his whole life, but, when he met with Puleri for the first time, the idea of pitching was brought into the picture.

“Coach was dumbfounded when he found out my high school coach never taught me to pitch,” said Burtman. “He said he was going to be put me on the mound to see what I could do.”

Burtman, who stands a little taller than 6 feet 5 inches, believed he could pitch, but only with some help and a little direction as to how to do it.

“I didn’t start off too well,” said Burtman. “I had the ability, I just didn’t know how to do it at first.”