Royal Palm Beach's Christopher Barr leads South to Dick Howser All-Star Game win

Saturday, June 02, 2012
by Matt Porter

Alyse Bloemers is just 2 1/2, so she may not remember throwing a ceremonial first pitch at Saturday's 25th annual Dick Howser All-Star Game at Roger Dean Stadium. Her mother won't forget it.

"I remember many, many moments where my dad would bring me out to the ballpark," said Kimmy Bloemers, daughter of the late Gary Carter. "It means a lot to bring my daughter out and honor my dad."

The game is always held in the memory of Howser, the West Palm Beach-raised World Series-winning manager who died in 1987 from brain cancer. On Saturday, Bloemers, Palm Beach Atlantic's softball coach and a former King's Academy and Florida State star, and her family were on hand to help remember Carter, the beloved Hall of Fame catcher and Palm Beach Gardens resident who died in February from the same disease.

"It's bittersweet," said Carter's widow Sandy . "It makes me sad, but yet gives me tremendous joy. The fact that people are honoring him and remembering him, it just means so much."

As both Carter and Howser likely would have wanted, there was plenty of good baseball that followed.

Royal Palm Beach first baseman Christopher Barr, named the South squad's most valuable player, went 2-for-2 with an RBI, a run scored and a stolen base. His South team, wearing uniforms donated by Palm Beach Cardinals, beat the North team 3-1.

"If we would have lost, it still would have been fun being here with these guys," said Barr, who last week signed with the University of Miami. "They're the best players in Palm Beach County."

Park Vista left-hander Brandon Rhodes started for the South and pitched two scoreless innings. Seven South pitchers followed him in pitching clean frames: Mike Murray (Forest Hill), Hunter Kyzar (Santaluces), Matt Warren (West Boca Raton), Dylan Silva (American Heritage), Sam Murphy (Summit Christian), Mike Chambers (Spanish River) and Doug Wright (Santaluces).

"Just a great experience to have with all the Palm Beach kids," said Rhodes, who will play at FAU. "It was pretty much the last time we'll all play together on the same field, so we had fun."

Palm Beach Central's Hunter Morey and Trinity Christian's Phildrick Llewellyn (each 1-for-2 with a stolen base ) drove in the South's other runs.

The North, which wore the uniforms of the Jupiter Hammerheads, was held scoreless until the top of the ninth, when Palm Beach Gardens's Nick Oberg (1-for-2 ) doubled and scored on an RBI groundout by Jupiter's Victor Gonzalez. Oberg, who will play at Coastal Carolina, was named North MVP. Gonzalez (1-for-2 ) also pitched two scoreless innings.

"I think all the players enjoyed getting treated like a big-leaguer for one day," said Dwyer coach Frank Torre, who coached the North squad. "Some of these guys will play in college and beyond, and for others, this is it. It's a nice way for them to end."

matt_porter@pbpost.com