This fall, Larry Sudbrook, Bonnies baseball team coach for over 30 years, will be inducted into the New York State Baseball Hall of Fame for his contributions to the collegiate game.
“I’m certainly excited for it,” Sudbrook said during a guest spot on Southern Tier Sports Junkies, adding that he feels that such an honor should come later in a career saying, “I plan on coaching for a hell of a lot longer.”
Sudbrook spoke for almost an hour as The Hammer Back Bar and Grill hosted the third broadcast of Southern Tier Sports Junkies Monday night, discussing area baseball.
Hosts Jim Melaro, Blaise O’Connor and Chad Bader welcomed Sudbrook and Olean Oilers’ Team President Brian O’Connell Jr. to this week’s panel, examining the intricacies of the game.
Early discussion focused on the Oilers, who won the New York Collegiate Baseball League (NYCBL) title this summer. O’Connell noted that fan attendance for the championship game, which was played in Bradner Stadium, benefited his team and got the players excited to compete.
“We’ve come far,” O’Connell said. “We’ve got a good fan base.”
According to Sudbrook, the Oilers and Bonnies have a great relationship, with both sides seeing benefits from their collaboration.
Several Bonnies have played for the Oilers in the past four years, which Sudbrook said allows for professional scouts to watch the athletes while providing his students with an opportunity to continue playing baseball even after the college season ends.
Following a round of trivia questions, the conversation moved to an examination of the college game. Sudbrook explained the difficulties of recruiting talented players and the strict academic regulations the NCAA has imposed on baseball teams.
According to Sudbrook, these rules, as well as new regulations about bats, have changed the game because players hit for less power and must be good students to be eligible for competition.
For Sudbrook, joining the radio show was memorable. Growing up, Sudbrook said he was “thinking of becoming a sports announcer.” However, his father convinced him the job would not pay well.
It was ironic, Sudbrook said, that “Here I am, 30 years later, doing a radio show.”
Southern Tier Sports Junkies airs live every Monday at 6 p.m. from the Hammer Back Bar and Grill. It can be heard on 1450 The Huddle. Topics vary, and as Melaro said, “We want to sit here for two hours and talk sports.”
