CTK Names Former Major Leaguer As Coach

Walter Tuthill had been looking for a way to leave Christ the King’s baseball program in good hands for the past two years, and yet at the same time, give them hope for the future. He found both in former CTK standout and major league pitcher Allen Watson.
Watson, who attended the Middle Village school in the 1980’s, and led them to their only city championship, accepted the job last week, and will officially take over next season. In the meantime, he will travel with the Royals, lend Tuthill a helping hand and get to know the team.
Watson, who went to New York Tech and was the 21st pick overall in the 1991 amateur draft by the St. Louis Cardinals, went on to play pro ball for six teams, including his home town New York Mets, and later on the Yankees, retired in 2000, and finished with an overall record of 51-55 in eight seasons. That experience, above all else, has Tuthill hoping the program’s fortunes, dim at best in recent years, should see an upswing.
“As soon as people in the neighborhood hear that Allen Watson is here it will help the recruiting tremendously,” said Tuthill. “We’ll get a few more players, I would hope. It could bring the program back where it was a couple of years ago.”
Already, Tuthill says, in just a week’s time, he has noticed a change in this year’s team that recently won their first league game of the year after seven defeats. Several players were looking forward to the prospect of working with a professional pitcher, specifically sophomore hurler Bobby Tesseyman.
“I was excited when I found out he was coming,” said Tesseyman, who recalled watching Watson pitch for the Mets, and is learning a new circle changeup from the southpaw.
Tuthill, 54, in his 16th season at Christ the King, had been looking for a replacement in recent years. But he also wanted someone he could feel comfortable handing over the duties to.
“There’s no better person than Allen Watson to handle the situation,” said Tuthill. “I finally found somebody that was interested and had experience.”
zbraziller@queenscourier.com