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It may be a damp opening to its season, but the Menlo School baseball team nonetheless will get the 2013 campaign under way by opening its 12th annual Tim Kuehnert Memorial Tournament against defending Central Coast Section Division II champion St. Ignatius on Friday at 3:15 p.m.

The 2012 CCS Division III finalist Knights host the tournament, which begins Friday and concludes with the championship on Saturday, March 2. This year's participants also include San Mateo, Menlo-Atherton, Sacred Heart Prep, El Camino, Gunn and Woodside.

Games will be played at Menlo, Menlo-Atherton, Sacred Heart Prep, Woodside, El Camino and Marchbanks Park (San Mateo).

The tournament is named in honor of a former Menlo baseball player who was an integral part of the Knights' first two Central Coast Section championships.

Kuehnert was a four-year varsity starter for Menlo from 1986 to 1989 as a pitcher, infielder and outfielder.

Tim, and his twin brother Anthony, came from Japan and made an immediate impact on the Menlo baseball program. Tim threw a no-hitter during his junior year and in the 1989 CCS finals made a diving catch after a long run in left-center field to prevent a rally and preserve Menlo's victory over Sacred Heart Prep.

The Kuehnert twins' effort, energy and winning spirit helped Menlo to its first two section titles in 1988 and 1989.

Tim grew up in a baseball family. His dad, Marty was a legendary baseball announcer in Japan. Tim, when he pitched, threw to his catcher-twin, Anthony (who went on to play college baseball at UCLA).

Not only did the twins use signals between pitches, they also conversed -- and argued -- in Japanese through the course of the game.

During a game at an Easter tournament in Santa Maria, Anthony was cajoling Tim about pitch location in Japanese. The back-and-forth escalated a bit, as brothers tend to do, when the umpire interjected in Japanese, stunning Tim and Anthony. He explained to both he was a WWII veteran and spoke the language. All had a laugh.

Tim continued his baseball career at Samford University in Alabama. In 1992, he died in a motorcycle accident in Alabama.

Tim's energetic spirit and passion for the game of baseball is celebrated with this annual tournament.

2013 TIM KUEHNERT MEMORIAL SCHEDULE
Friday (3:15 p.m.)
St. Ignatius at Menlo School
San Mateo at Menlo-Atherton

Saturday
El Camino at Sacred Heart Prep, 11 a.m.
Gunn vs. Woodside at Menlo, 2 p.m.

Tuesday, Feb. 26 (3:15 p.m.)
San Mateo at Menlo School
St. Ignatius at Menlo-Atherton
Gunn at Sacred Heart Prep
El Camino at El Camino

Thursday, Feb. 28 (3:15 p.m.)
Menlo-Atherton at Menlo School
Woodside at Sacred Heart Prep
St. Ignatius at San Mateo
Gunn at El Camino

Saturday, March 1
Championship round
At Menlo School
Pool 1 winner vs. Pool B winner, 2 p.m.
Pool 1 second vs. Pool B second, 11 a.m.

Pool A: Menlo, M-A, San Mateo, SI
Pool B: SHP, El Camino, Woodside, Gunn

— Menlo Athletics

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