Ted Silary | Gubicza, Davis head star-studded cast

ANYONE SEEN the last 30 years? Where'd they go?

They say time flies when you're having fun. When you're having this much fun, they zoom past at a speed that could break the sound barrier.

This past spring marked the end of my third full decade covering city leagues high school baseball for the good, ol' Daily News and you know what that means ... yet another 30-year all-star team!

Don't all groan at once.

Thirty-year basketball and football teams were published after the 2004-05 hoops and '05 grid seasons, respectively, because for those sports my 30-year period included time spent covering scholastic sports at the original Philadelphia Bulletin.

Baseball was not covered extensively there, so All-City baseball squads did not debut until '78 in the People Paper.

Anyway . . . On these pages you'll find separate teams for the Public, Catholic and Inter-Ac and, of course, overall All-City squads.

Though it's difficult not to be influenced by what happens to players during college and beyond, a strong attempt has been made to make rankings based only on high school performance.

So, if a guy was "only'' second- team All-City in high school, he now won't find himself listed as an upper-echelon honoree. In fact, most of the guys on the three All-City teams twice earned first-team laurels.

The positions are self-explanatory except for DP. That stands for "dual purpose'' and allows us to honor guys who were outstanding as pitchers and position players.

That came in handy with regard to 1991 graduates Keith Conway (Archbishop Carroll) and Dan Kusters (Archbishop Wood). They were outstanding as seniors and juniors, witness the fact they swapped Player and Pitcher of the Year awards from one season to the next.

Now, for our big awards:

The Top Pitcher award for the 30-year period goes to Mark Gubicza, a 1981 Penn Charter graduate. In his senior season, Gubicza posted an 8-1 record with an 0.48 ERA. In 58 2/3 innings, thanks largely to a 92-mph fastball, he allowed only 27 hits and 25 walks, while striking out 83.

Early that spring, the Quakers spent some time in Florida and Gubicza recorded five whiffs in a three-inning appearance against a squad of first-year Phillies farmhands. Later, in the weeks immediately preceding the draft, close to 30 scouts showed up for Gubicza's appearances and he was a second-round selection (No. 34) of the Kansas City Royals. He signed within a week and later enjoyed a 14-year major league career, highlighted by a 20-win season in 1988.

We remain in the Inter-Ac League for our Top Player, and that award goes to 1995 Malvern Prep grad Ben Davis.

Davis, a switch-hitting catcher, created an incredible buzz among scouts and was the No. 2 overall pick, by the San Diego Padres, in that spring's draft.

Davis hit .507 with four doubles, seven triples and six homers, and drove in 37 runs. Just as impressive was his defensive wizardry. Only 12 guys tried to steal against him. Eight were rung up, and Padres scout Rene Mons called Davis' arm "the best I've ever seen.''

Baseball America, using scouts' judgments, called Davis the best high school catcher they'd seen since 1974 (Dale Murphy, who later became a high-quality big-league outfielder).

Davis played in the majors from 1998 to 2004. His best year was in '01, when he posted 11 homers and 57 RBI. After beginning this season with the independent Camden Riversharks, he is now playing for the Las Vegas 51s, the Dodgers' farm club in the Triple A Pacific Coast League.

In future weeks, as was done for football and basketball, 30-year baseball teams, based on letters of the alphabet and also by schools (or other common factor), will be posted on the Web site www.tedsilary.com.

ALL-CITY

FIRST TEAM

1B, Howie Freiling, Northeast '84

1B, Tito Nanni, Chestnut Hill '78

IF, Mike Costanzo, Carroll '02

IF, Josh McKinley, Malvern '98

IF, Jay Aquilante, Carroll '97

OF, Dan Cataline , Ryan '80

OF, Chris Lubanski , Kennedy-Kenrick '03

OF, Rick Burns, Egan '83

C, Ben Davis, Malvern '95

DH, John Marzano, Central '81

DP, Keith Conway, Carroll '91

DP, Dan Kusters, Wood '91

P, Mark Gubicza, Penn Charter '81

P, John Price, Ryan '00

P, Mark Adzick, Penn Charter '07

SECOND TEAM

1B, Jack Stanczak, La Salle '89

IF, Kengo Honda, Washington '87

IF, Mark Iacovelli, Judge '85

IF, Rob Patete, Roxborough '84

OF, Bob Loscalzo, Dougherty '78

OF, Mark Steffens, Gtn. Academy '88

OF, Sean Grieve, Gtn. Academy '04

C, Mike Fuchs, Carroll '97

DH, Bob Zupcic, Egan '84

DP, Rich Fernandez, Central '87

DP, Harry Carr, Roman '92

DP, Dan Waters, La Salle '03

P, Tom Stauffer, Bonner '78

P, Kevin McGerry, Judge '97

P, Matt Zielinski, La Salle '05

THIRD TEAM

1B, Glenn Davis, Malvern '94

IF, Ruben Amaro, Penn Charter '83

IF, Mike Galetta, Haverford School '07

IF, Courtney Batts, Penn Charter '93

OF, Lou Spadaccini, Neumann '92

OF, Pat Kane, West Catholic '79

OF, David Amaro, Penn Charter '80

C, Jesse Levis, Northeast '86

DH, Scott Hunter, Northeast '93

DP, Dave Miller, Chestnut Hill '92

DP, Deron Miller, Franklin '84

P, Gene Schall, La Salle '88

P, Andy Meltzer, Northeast '84

P, Bill Mendek, West Catholic '80

ALL-CATHOLIC

FIRST TEAM

1B, Jack Stanczak, La Salle '89

IF, Mike Costanzo, Carroll '02

IF, Jay Aquilante, Carroll '97

IF, Mark Iacovelli, Judge '85

OF, Dan Cataline, Ryan '80

OF, Chris Lubanski, Kennedy-Kenrick '03

OF, Rick Burns, Egan '83

C, Mike Fuchs, Carroll '97

DH, Bob Zupcic, Egan '84

DP, Keith Conway, Carroll '91

DP, Dan Kusters, Wood '91

P, John Price, Ryan '00

P, Tom Stauffer, Bonner '78

P, Kevin McGerry, Judge '97

SECOND TEAM

1B, Kevin Ward, Bonner '05

IF, Ted Dezzi, O'Hara '84

IF, Bob File, Judge '94

IF, Kerry Cahill, Judge '86

OF, Bob Loscalzo, Dougherty '78

OF, Lou Spadaccini, Neumann '92

OF, Pat Kane, West Catholic '79

C, Scott Lawler, Kenrick '92

DH, Jim Fuchs, Carroll '99

DP, Harry Carr, Roman '92

DP, Dan Waters, La Salle '03

P, Matt Zielinski, La Salle '06

P, Gene Schall, La Salle '88

P, Bill Mendek, West Catholic '80

THIRD TEAM

1B, Lou DeTitto, Ryan '01

IF, Marty Carey, O'Hara '89

IF, Sean Hollenbach, Wood '90

IF, Mike Essery, O'Hara '02

OF, John O'Brien, Dougherty '83

OF, Joe McEwing, Egan '90

OF, Dave Mastropietro, North Catholic '87

C, Tom Bonk, North Catholic '79

DH, Dale Curry, Judge '04

DP, Mike Kerrigan, Wood '87

DP, Matt Compton, Judge '06

P, Jeff Randazzo, O'Hara '99

P, Chris Gies, Judge '87

P, Chris Heck, North Catholic '95

HONORABLE MENTION (two per school): Bonner: Dan Mulholland, p, '98; Jack McCoy, of, '89. Carroll: Frank Gailey, p, '04; Gerard Oakes, p, '00. C-E (Egan): Brian Herman, p, '06; John Malloy, of, '06. Dougherty: Ed Law, if,'81; Jason Streeper, of, '97. Judge: Pat Waninger, p, '81; Harry Murray, of, '82. K-K (Kenrick): Tom Sergio, if, '93; Mike Migliarese, of, '85. La Salle: Roger Harrington, of, '92; Ryan Parfitt, of, '01. N-G (Neumann): Ray Russo, of, '93; Rob Carfagno, p, '88.

North: Jim Hooven, p, '80; Stan Orzechowski, of, '04. O'Hara: Kenny Grant, p, '01; Eric Parker, p, '90. Roman: Bill Black, if, '93; Pat DiCicco, c, '83. Ryan: Don Bradley, if, '80; Jim McNesby, if, '83. St. James: Bob Christy, 1b, '85; Tom McNeely, if, '85. SJ Prep: Ed Turner, if, '00; Steve Harris, of, '99. West: Tom McDevitt, p, '85; Steve Sala, p, '93. Wood: Brian Schaller, dh, '93; Chris Crawford, if, '06.

ALL-INTER-AC

FIRST TEAM

1B, Tito Nanni, Chestnut Hill '78

IF, Josh McKinley, Malvern '98

IF, Ruben Amaro, Penn Charter '83

IF, Mike Galetta, Haverford School '07

OF, Mark Steffens, Gtn. Academy '88

OF, Sean Grieve, Gtn. Academy '04

OF, David Amaro, Penn Charter '80

C, Ben Davis, Malvern '95

DH, Dan Dougherty, Episcopal '80

DP, Dave Miller, Chestnut Hill '92

DP, Joe Larkin, Penn Charter '99

P, Mark Gubicza, Penn Charter '81

P, Mark Adzick, Penn Charter '07

P, Mike DeNoia, Malvern '83

P, Mike Samuel, Penn Charter '94

SECOND TEAM

1B, Glenn Davis, Malvern '94

IF, Courtney Batts, Penn Charter '93

IF, Rick Welsh, Gtn. Academy '94

IF, Craig Shumock, Gtn. Academy'78

OF, Tom Grandieri, Malvern '07

OF, Ryan Nanni, Penn Charter '05

OF, John Barr, Gtn. Academy '07

C, Frank DeSantis, Penn Charter '78

DH, Steve Floirendo, Penn Charter '86

DP, Matt Bruderek, Gtn. Academy '04

DP, Frank Maletta, Penn Charter '95

P, Joe Bruderek, Gtn. Academy '96

P, Mike Koplove, Chestnut Hill '95

P, Dave Healy, Penn Charter '86

HONORABLE MENTION (two per school): Chestnut Hill: Anthony Cafagna, p, '07; Mike Brown, c, '00. Episcopal: Adam Murray, if, '02; Mike Abate, if, '93. Gtn. Academy: Joe Matteo, p, '04; Tyler Stampone, if, '05. Haverford School: E.J. Moyer, p, '91; Steve Compton, if, '00. Malvern: Matt O'Brien, of, '93; Phil Gosselin, if, '07. Penn Charter: Kenny Devenney, of, '01; John Loughery, if, '78.

ALL-PUBLIC

FIRST TEAM

1B, Howie Freiling, Northeast '84

IF, Kengo Honda, Washington '87

IF, Rob Patete, Roxborough '84

IF, Bobby Higginson, Frankford '88

OF, Steve Harvey, Franklin '78

OF, Ernell Harley, Mastbaum '81

OF, Dave Coyne, Roxborough '83

C, Jesse Levis, Northeast '86

DH, John Marzano, Central '81

DP, Rich Fernandez, Central '87

DP, Deron Miller, Franklin '84

P, Andy Meltzer, Northeast '84

P, Joe Farina, Frankford '04

P, Scott Vogel, Northeast '80

SECOND TEAM

1B, Ed Durfor, Frankford '00

IF, Ed Lowery, Roxborough '78

IF, Wilson Duran, Olney '95

IF, Stu Drossner, Washington '81

OF, Mike McDonald, Lincoln '95

OF, Lamont McGill, Franklin '80

OF, Frank Rubin, Washington '87

C, Joe Turvey, Roxborough '89

DH, Scott Hunter, Northeast '93

DP, Dave Firth, Frankford '02

DP, Terrell Berthau, Franklin '89

P, Al Baur, Southern '86

P, Bruce Konick, Frankford '81

P, Eric Kay, Roxborough '89

THIRD TEAM

1B, John DeLeon, University City '79

IF, Ed Bowman, Mastbaum '97

IF, George Bobe, Edison '80

IF, Bob Sim, Northeast '85

OF, Anthony Franklin, Franklin '84

OF, Jim Krzywicki, Central '89

OF, Larry Abney, Olney '93

C, Billy Dunfee, Bartram '87

DH, Tom Dunfee, Bartram '78

DP, Mike Gibbs, Roxborough '02

DP, Jared Farbman, Central '07

P, Ron Clarkson, Lincoln '01

P, Bill Gobeler, Washington '79

P, Rich Danson, Central '83

HONORABLE MENTION (*Maximum: two per school): Central: Pete Whittle, p, '99; Joe Dugan, of, '94. Edison: Abel Rios, 1b, '79; Omar Monserrate, dh, '98. Frankford: Ramon Reyes, c, '06; Luis Alicea, if, '05. Germantown: Ricky Ford, if, '79; Chris Wyche, of, '85. Mastbaum: Mike Valentino, 1b,'81; Jim McKinstry, p, '85. Northeast: Terry Rooney, c, '96; Jeff Weiss, if, '91. Olney: Jose Caraballo, of, '95. Overbrook: Eric Pugh, if, '99. Roxborough: Mike Miller, p, '90; Vinnie Passalacqua, p, '96. Southern: Dominic Raia, if, '87; Rob Hale, p, '89. Washington: Jeff Capriotti, dh, '82; Kevin Higgins, p, '87. -

* Limited to schools with first team All-City honorees.