Sitting in the dugout yesterday, Harvard Coach Joe Walsh was forced to acknowledge one of the harsher implications of the Crimson's elimination from the Ivy League playoffs.
"Johnny Birtwell finished his career [today]," Walsh said sullenly. "He'll probably be hounding me for the ball Tuesday or Wednesday [in the Beanpot], but he threw a lot of pitches today."
So it appears there will be no curtain call for the Harvard senior righthander.
And that's a terrible shame. After toiling tirelessly for four years, Birtwell had earned a more glorious ending than the devastating extra-innings loss he was handed yesterday.
For Birtwell-who sparkled in the NCAA Tournament as a freshman and sophomore-there will be no return to the national stage.
Birtwell deserved better.
In the two years since he won Ivy Pitcher of the Year honors as a sophomore, Birtwell has been every bit as effective as he was then. His record this year is the same as it was in 1999, and his ERA is .11 lower.
But even as the Walpole, MA native has continued to do his part, Harvard has never quite equaled its success of two years ago.
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