Sam Carchidi: Test your Diamond Classic savvy

The championship game of the 35th annual Joe Hartmann Diamond Classic will be played Saturday at Deptford, where top-ranked Sacred Heart will face No. 2 Shawnee in the best baseball matchup of the season.

To get you in the mood for the delicious-looking final, here's a quiz to test your Diamond Classic knowledge.

If you get 16 to 20 correct, you're a Diamond expert. Answer 12 to 15 correctly, and we'll give you a stand-up double. If you get at least 10 correct, we'll generously give you a passing grade.

Anything below that means you must be an expert in football or basketball.

Here goes:

1.

Joe Hartmann, for whom the tourney is named, used to be the longtime head coach at (A) Ocean City, (B) Eastern, (C) Haddonfield or (D) Merchantville?

2.

Last year's Diamond Classic champion was (A) Gloucester Catholic, (B) Seneca, (C) West Deptford or (D) Cherokee?

3.

In 1974, the winner of the first Diamond title was (A) Camden Catholic, (B) Bishop Eustace, (C) Sterling or (D) Highland?

4.

The coach of that 1974 team was (A) George Manlove, (B) Bob Wengert, (C) Joe Galliera or (D) Tom Donahue?

5.

True or false. Sacred Heart is trying to become the first Cape-Atlantic League school to win the Diamond since Millville in 1978.

6.

The team that has won six Diamond titles is (A) Gloucester Catholic, (B) Pennsville, (C) Cherry Hill West or (D) Audubon?

7.

True or false. Cherry Hill East's Orel Hershiser was the winning pitcher of the first Diamond game.

8.

The last school to win back-to-back Diamond championships was (A) Bishop Eustace, (B) Washington Township, (C) Glassboro or (D) Sterling?

9.

The person who coached Haddonfield to the title in 1984 was (A) Russ Spicer, (B) Chris Spicer, (C) Dick Eastwick or (D) Bob Bickel?

10.

In 1978, this catcher hit the first homer in a Diamond title game. Was it (A) Mike Piazza, (B) Joe Cipolloni, (C) Chris Widger or (D) Clay Dalrymple?

11.

This former Phillie pitched the first no-hitter in Diamond history. Was it (A) Chuck Ricci, (B) Bob Sebra, (C) Ed Keegan or (D) Al Holland?

12.

The first Colonial Conference team to win the Diamond was (A) Haddon Township, (B) Haddonfield, (C) Audubon or (D) Gateway?

13.

Which of the following brothers directed their teams to Diamond titles: (A) Dave and Dennis Bennett, (B) Joe and Dom DiMaggio, (C) Frank and Tom Trotman or (D) Joe and Art DiPatri?

14.

This coach who has led his team to six Diamond championships is (A) John Bush, (B) Walt Herman, (C) Dennis Barth or (D) Rich Horan?

15.

The first grand slam in Diamond history was belted by (A) Hammonton's Ross Restuccio, (B) Paul VI's Andy Mason, (C) Washington Township's Chris Grande or (D) Cherry Hill East's Glenn Foley?

16.

The first homer in Diamond history was launched by (A) Sacred Heart's Bruno Vagnarelli, (B) Cherry Hill East's Todd Azar, (C) Buena's Jeff Cooper or (D) Millville's Joe Felice?

17.

True or false: In the most combined runs scored in any Diamond final, Gloucester Catholic outslugged Audubon, 18-14, in 2001.

18.

The winning coach in last year's Diamond final was (A) West Deptford's D.M. Phillips, (B) Cherokee's Bill Haessler, (C) Seneca's Dave Lafferty or (D) Bishop Eustace's Sam Tropiano?

19.

Name two of the four sites that were used in this year's tournament.

20.

According to speed-up rules used in the Diamond, a pitcher - after receiving the ball from the catcher or infielder - must start his windup within (A) 10 seconds, (B) 20 seconds, (C) 30 seconds or (D) 60 seconds?

Answers:

1. (B) Eastern. 2. (C) West Deptford. 3. (A) Camden Catholic. 4. (C) Joe Galliera. 5. True. 6. (A) Gloucester Catholic. 7. False. The first winner was Gloucester Catholic's Bob Pisker, who defeated Gateway, 4-3, in nine innings. 8. (D) Sterling in 2002 and 2003. 9. (C) Dick Eastwick. 10. (B) Joe Cipolloni.

11. (B) Shawnee's Bob Sebra blanked Pennsville, 1-0, on May 30, 1978. 12. (A) Haddon Township, coached by Frank Trotman, won it in 1980. 13. Frank (Haddon Township, 1980) and Tom Trotman (Cherry Hill West, 1989). 14. (C) Gloucester Catholic's Dennis Barth. 15. (C) Washington Township's Chris Grande. 16. (A) Sacred Heart's Bruno Vagnarelli. 17. True. 18. (A) West Deptford's D.M. Phillips. 19. The four sites were Deptford, Overbrook, Washington Township and Maple Shade. 20. (B) 20 seconds.