August 21, 2008

Fourth annual ABA-CBA baseball barbeque scores big with food, fun

By Carol Rosen
Editor

Councilmembers Pete Constant, Judy Chirco and Nancy Pyle and Mayor Chuck Reed enjoyed a sunny afternoon of baseball and barbecue and the ABA-CBA event. Photo by Kymberli Brady

The first year it was baseball and a picnic between the Almaden and Cambrian business associations. The second year it grew a little, while last year evolved into a barbeque competition inviting the Winchester Business Association.

This year’s attendance surpassed the last three years with nearly 100 people showing up for the baseball game, a barbeque contest and good eats for all. This year also included the Evergreen Business Association and a San Jose celebrity, Mayor Chuck Reed, who took time out from celebrating his birthday to join in the fun, along with his fellow council members—District 10’s Nancy Pyle, District 9’s Judy Chirco and District 1’s Pete Constant.

As usual, there was much competition. And, as happens every other year, the Almaden Business Association won the baseball game handily with no one would reporting the score because it was so lopsided. Last year the opposite took place with the Cambrian and Winchester associations ganging up on Almaden. It seems that the two associations do much better on each other’s turf.

Thomas Kaiser from the Winchester association won first place for his ribs.

The groups met at Paul Moore Park in Cambrian, it alternates each year, and this year the barbeque contest wasn’t limited to just council members, a slew of grillers came out to show how real ribs are done. The judges chose three of them as the contest winners.

Thomas Kaiser from the Winchester association won first place for his ribs, followed by J.B. Schutte and Constant. Constant took first place last year against Pyle’s chief of staff Lee Wilcox and Judy Chirco’s famous hot dogs, which were awarded a prize all their own. This year the contest was limited to ribs, and both Constant and Schutte agreed that Wilcox’s ribs were better than theirs even though the judges disagreed.

“Lee’s ribs were awesome,” Constant said.

Constant, by the way, mentioned his secret had to do with maple, and looking up recipes for using maple rubs. Not wanting to rest on his laurels from last year, he came up with his own compilation of ingredients, which included “a stick of butter.” Look out Paula Deen!

J.B. Schutte and District 1 Councilmember Pete Constant were second- and third-place winners respectively in the BBQ contest.

Everyone brought a covered dish and there were enough appetizers, salads and desserts to feed an army. Besides the ribs the Almaden and Cambrian associations brought hamburgers, hot dogs, buns, plates, cups and napkins so that those who weren’t interested in ribs could eat too.

The associations would like to turn the event into a fundraiser that would allow them to give back to their respective communities. “We’d like to raise money to help out organizations within our own communities,” said Jocelyn Harker Simmons, president of the Cambrian Association. The ideas include another cookoff with booths for the businesses.

“Every year we’ve seen it grow and we hope it will continue to grow,” Simmons said.

No matter, the baseball barbeque always is a fun time, and the more the merrier.