Team USA Red, with East Boston semi-professional baseball standout Steve Walsh making a strong overall contribution, captured the first annual Boston World Baseball Classic title Sunday at Trum Field in Somerville.
Walsh excelled as the starting rightfielder for the USA All-Star contingent that defeated Team Dominican, 9-6, in the 28-over division championship game.
The tournament featured the top players in the Greater Boston area competing on teams representing the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic.
Walsh played collegiate baseball at Salem State University and has competed on the Boston semi-professional baseball circuit for 23 seasons. Last year, he hit .400 for the Brighton Braves of the Tom Yawkey League.
Walsh credited the leadership of Team USA manager Christopher Currie as being instrumental to the team’s championship run. An inductee in the National Amateur Semi-Pro Hall of Fame, Currie, 53, has guided his teams to 13 Metro West championships and six Cape Cod Classical championship.
Currie said the team’s closeness and camaraderie were essential elements in a memorable victory.
“It’s just a great group of guys – they’re awesome,” said Currie. “We’re all really close friends and we play a lot of baseball together. Everyone enjoys it and everyone gets along.”
Currie, who played baseball at Marian High (Framingham) and Salem State, called the Boston’s World Baseball Classic, “a great idea.”
“Omar [Ortiz] did a great job organizing this tournament,” lauded Currie. “I don’t know why we haven’t had a tournament like this in the past because it makes so much sense. What a great, great group of guys. We met some people that we’ll probably be friends with for the rest of your life.”
Reflecting on the remarkable career of Eastie’s semi-pro baseball legend Steve Walsh, Currie said, “Steve Walsh is one of my best friends. He’s the heart and soul. This is a guy will go through a wall for anybody. And he’s a great teammate.”