Wednesday Morning Stats Festival Featuring Best Rhode Island High School Baseball Teams Since 1972

Posted September 7, 2022 by theribbe

Before I go into the stats and All-Division teams and win/loss records of these incredible 20 Rhode Island High School Baseball teams, I have to say this project has far exceeded my expectations. I am getting a daily education on the teams, the players, who coached, who starred, who came out of nowhere, and who deserves a freaking book deal because he is so awesome!!! I am getting expert analysis from former players and even more expert analysis from some of their coaches. I played RIHS baseball from 1986-87 to 1989-90 so I have a pretty good memory of about 6 -7 years, roughly of RIHS baseball from about 1984 to 1991. And with this project, I have really gained a ton of years worth of respect for the players, teams, coaches, and schools I didn’t know much about. One thing is certain – Rhode Island High School baseball has been special for decades and I am so thrilled to share their stories with you.

Ok, let’s get to the project and recap Round 1’s participants. Here are the “matchups” for you to vote on who you think is the Best Rhode Island High School Baseball Team since 1972:

Tolman High School, 1981 vs Hendricken, 2012
Portsmouth, 2006 vs Cranston East, 1979
Hendy, 2004 vs Cumberland, 1985
Hendy, 1998 vs St Raphael’s, 1996
Warwick Vets, 1983 vs South Kingstown, 2002
Chariho, 2002 vs Hendy, 1999
Westerly, 2022 vs Hendy, 2015
Pilgrim, 1973 vs North Kingstown, 2021
Tiverton, 1982 vs Hendy, 2005
North Kingstown, 2022 vs Hendy, 2008

Through the Rhode Island High School Sports website, which I highly recommend for stats, state champions, and amazing historical data, I was able to find the regular season win/loss records of each of the teams in this project. Here they are:

Tolman High School, 1981 – 16-0
Hendricken, 2012 – 16-2
Portsmouth, 2006 – 17-1
Cranston East, 1979 – 15-1
Hendy, 2004 – 18-0
Cumberland, 1985 – 13-1
Hendy, 1998 – 18-0
St Raphael’s, 1996 – 17-1
Warwick Vets, 1983 – 9-3
South Kingstown, 2002 – 14-4
Chariho, 2002 – 10-8
Hendy, 1999 – 18-0
Westerly, 2022 – 17-1
Hendy, 2015 – 18-0
Pilgrim, 1973 – 10-4
North Kingstown, 2021 – 8-5
Tiverton, 1982 – 9-3
Hendy, 2005 – 17-1
North Kingstown, 2022 – 16-2
Hendy, 2008 – 16-2

As I mentioned earlier, players and coaches from these teams have been messaging me on who played on their team or who was an All-Stater or who was a pro player and it has been amazing getting to know these incredible Rhode Island Baseball players. You will see a pattern of multiple players from the same team making All Division teams, thus part of the reason for their immense success. So, with the help of the Rhode island High School Sports website, I was able to snip the All Division teams from each of this project’s team representatives and their respective award years. Here they are:

It was great to read the names of the players from RIHS Baseball history, many of whom I played against or have watched play over the past decade of Rhode Island High School Baseball. There are a ton of players who went on to successful collegiate careers locally here in Rhode Island and across colleges and university programs nationwide. Some went right from their Rhode Island High School teams to a professional baseball team, getting drafted right out of high school. And it has been so amazing to hear from some of these players who are now nominating their team as the Best Rhode Island High School Baseball Team since 1972, so they have some really interesting perspective on this project.

I hope you see your name or your Dads name or your co-workers name on the lists above and it makes you smile. Reading off the names – Cahill, Stenhouse, Maloney, Baldelli, Pannone, Haggerty, Pons, Rainville, Westmoreland, Megrew – incredibly special players in Rhode Island Baseball history and some much fun to relive their baseball careers. Great players that helped build the foundation for some great Rhode Island High School Baseball Teams. Keep voting on Round 1 “matchups” and I will have the results and who is moving on in this Best Rhode Island High School Baseball Team since 1972 project.

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The RIBBE is The Rhode Island Baseball Experience. It is promoting the game of baseball here in the great state of Rhode Island for the entire baseball world to see. The RIBBE is positive stories, photos, videos, and responsible social media posts. The RIBBE is an information resource for families looking for an AAU team or a summer camp or a great place to buy a first baseman’s mitt. The RIBBE is a network of coaches, tournament directors, parents, leagues, and baseball junkies whose passion of the game of baseball is unquestioned. I believe that providing expert analysis, information and directions to ballfields, and coaching advice from some of the top RI baseball minds will help promote the game of baseball here in RI to a whole new level.