In-Depth with our sports seniors
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 players dream, but for Cory Burtman, it was a dream that came true.
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.”
