COOK BROTHERS HAVE FANS, COACHES SEEING DOUBLE

It's in the genes for gifted Dresden twins

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Matt Cook (left) and Justin Cook (right), 18, are stars of the Windsor Midget Selects, provincial and state baseball champions. They are the sons of Robin and Lori Cook of Dresden and grandsons of the late Gerald "Elmer" Cook, a one time Dresden baseball standout. In a new insert to my "The Dresden I Remember" site I mention Elmer (also known affectionately as Cookie) and two other senior players who paid special attention to me when I was an admiring kid hanging around the baseball diamond in Dresden. Matt and Justin's uncle Jarvis Cook, himself a pretty fair baseball player in his day, is also a life-long friend of mine. Us Dresden guys have to stick together, especially when we have something like the talent of Justin and Matt to celebrate.

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The six-foot-two, 200 lb. twins attend my old Alma mater, Lambton Kent District High School in Dresden, and are literally head and shoulders above most fellow students, including in their athletic and academic standing as well. It is on the baseball field, however, that they have earned rave reviews this past summer, leading the Windsor Midget Selects to an amazing 53-10-1 record in national and international competition.

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Justin and Matt, not too surprisingly like their grandfather, are pitchers, each recording 11 wins this season and posting earned run averages well below 2.00. They also carry potent bats and lofty batting averages. In 162 at bats, Justin finished with a .370 batting average while Matt hit the ball at a respectable .304 clip in 168 at bats.

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When it was not their turn in the pitching rotation, manager Richard Soloman had a ready spot for the boys in his regular lineup -- Justin at third base and Matt at first base. Matt pitched a five-hitter in the Selects' 5-1 victory over Toronto Mets in the final game of the Ontario Baseball Association "AAA" Midget Championship tournament and Justin emerged as the top hitter in the six-game series with a .471 average at the plate.

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Adding further laurels to their outstanding season, the Selects went undefeated (5-0) in the highly touted State Championships at Eastern Michigan University, crushing Michigan Renegades 9-4 in the final game.

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The Selects organization, in drawing top midget age players from Windsor, Tecumseh, Chatham and Dresden, provides a wonderful opportunity for elite 18-and-under athletes in the area to try out for a program that provides professional quality training, coaching and competition that is not available in smaller communities.

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As if the baseball honors were not enough, the talented twins also laid claim to just about every high school award worth claiming during the last school term, topped off by the LKDHS Most Outstanding Male Athlete '08 award for Justin who was also MVP captain of the senior boys basketball and volleyball teams, and the Coach's Choice Award '08 for Matt. Both honor role students, Matt was a Silver Award winner and recipient of the Allsion DeBruyne Memorial Award while Justin received a Bronze Medal.

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Wisely, the boys are back at high school this Fall picking up a few extra credits. They intend to put priority on their educations and will wait to see what options develop for them in the next few years.

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Meantime, this is an amazing story and it stands to get even more amazing as the boys develop and follow their destinies.

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Somehow or other, I have a feeling that we'll be hearing a lot more about the Cook twins of Dresden in the not too distant future. The Major Leagues beckon...Can you imagine the media in the states jumping all over this one? You read it here first, however!

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Grandpa Gerald would be proud. I know uncle Jarv sure as heck is.