Spiker throws 1st ace, ‘perfect’ 18 on front nine
* Summer Flex League July 1-4 at Central
* Youth Disc Golf Clinic set for July 3 in Frostburg
CUMBERLAND — In October 1961, Roger Maris broke Babe Ruth’s single-season home run record by hitting No. 61. The Bambino’s record had stood for 34 years.
When Maris reached the locker room after the game, he and teammates were still celebrating. Pesky reporters, meanwhile, wanted to ask a single question: Can you do it again next year?
Maris, unpleasantly surprised the question was being asked already, declined to answer.
After Week 16 of the Western Maryland Disc Golf summer league, Devon Spiker took a similar approach.
AlleganyPlaygrond file photo
Devon Spiker on. No. 5 at Central.
On Thursday at Central in Cumberland, Spiker threw the first ace of his young disc golf career, as well as a ‘perfect’ 18 on the front nine, to forge a tie with Dan Beachy with a score of 44 at Central in Cumberland.
“Yeah, it was basically perfect,” Spiker, 19, of Frostburg, said via text afterwards. “I don’t know what got into me.”
A pesky (former) journalist suggested Spiker’s next goal should be to throw aces on each of the front nine.
Like Maris 61 years earlier, Spiker politely declined to address the question head on.
“Thank you,” he sidestepped.
Spiker and Beachy, 38, of Frostburg, topped the field of 17 players, a WMDG league best showing. Their individual scores are the third-best of the season that began in mid-March. David Warder, 31, of Frostburg, threw a 42 in Week 4, while Nolan Jones (Week 6) and Nick Russ, 43, of Cumberland, (Week 10) each threw a 43 earlier this season. This was the first time Spiker had at least a share of the win at the weekly competition.
Spiker threw his first ace on the 204-foot No. 7 from the red tee on the front nine. This was the fourth ace recorded in the first 16 weeks of play. Spiker finished with nine birdies and no bogeys. Beachy finished with 12 birdies and one bogey.
Spiker held a three-stroke lead over Beachy after the front nine. He extended his lead to four strokes after No. 11, but Beachy stormed back and knotted the score by throwing for birdie on five of the next six holes. Both players threw for par on No. 18 to finish 11 under.
AlleganyPlayground file photo
Dan Beachy
Russ, of Cumberland, finished one stroke behind the winners with a 10 under 45, including 10 birdies. Warder took fourth (48), while Jones tied Bill Shreve, 46, of Cumberland, and Brett Workman for fifth (49).
Seth Wilson, 28, of Cresaptown, placed eighth (50), while B.J. Lewis, of Frostburg, placed ninth. Scott Mallery, 54, of Mount Savage, rounded out the top 10 with a 53.
League play resumes July 7 at Central in Cumberland. Registration begins at 5:15 p.m. and players tee off at 5:30 p.m. Play is open to the public, and costs $5 per player.
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