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Post by richardkelsey on Mar 7, 2011 11:20:45 GMT -5
This really cool. Nothing would make me happier than to attend -- except that day -- my little leaguers have their opening day in Virgina. Nothing beats the feeling of opening day as a little leaguer! |
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Post by jackiecorley on Apr 11, 2011 21:45:27 GMT -5
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BrianSullivan
Full Member
Good ideas never cross burned bridges. Practice unity in our community
Posts: 1,041
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Post by BrianSullivan on Apr 12, 2011 15:49:28 GMT -5
Jackie, very cool video, thanks for sharing. Little League is definitely a great spring tradition in any town. It is a special birthday for ours. |
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adefonzo
Junior Member
If I can see further than some, it's because I have stood on the shoulders of giants
Posts: 308
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Post by adefonzo on Apr 24, 2011 23:16:31 GMT -5
I am sorry that I missed this post earlier, and I am sorry that I missed the anniversary reunion.
The article was indeed a great trip down memory lane, and it got me thinking about my days in the Freehold Boro Little League.
Back in my time, there were 4 levels, T-ball, Colonial League, Major Leagues, and Babe Ruth League. I remember names like Barbara Dinnerman as the league president; "Ray" was the guy who took care of the fields and was always great to all of us kids. We had coaches like Tom Hartman Sr, Bobby Murphy Sr, Pete DeFonzo, and Reverend VanDebunte.
The snack bar was a hot-bed of activity. Sodas for $0.25, black cherry was my favorite, and shoestring licorice was $0.01 for an 18" piece!! I don't think I ever ate so much licorice in my life!! Walking each year in the parade through downtown, ending out at the fields, opening ceremonies...yeah, I agree with those in the article, those were some of the best days of my life.
I started playing t-ball (don't ask me how old I was, I can't remember) as soon as I was able to have my parents sign me up. I was on the Rangers and I recall that as much fun as it was to get out there any play, it was quite a bit hectic since we were all just starting to learn the rules of the game. I do have one clear memory of my t-ball days, and that is when we were playing my friend Aaron Odud's team (I can not remember their team name). I got up and hit a screaming line drive that I saw heading for the hole between short-stop and third base. This was a bullet!! I was looking at one of the best shots of my young career!! But before I had a chance to make it 5 steps from home plate, the shortstop "Robbie" (the memory is failing me again on last names) made a lunging, "Ozzie Smith-esque" catch robbing me of my glory. I was stunned...I thought I had hit that perfectly...but somehow I got robbed by a remarkable defensive gem of a play.
Then the glory years...my 2 years in the Colonial League. I was on the Pirates both years, and while our first year was a lot of fun, it was the second year that was the best season of my life. We had a great team and battled the Reds for the best team that year. My father was the manager of the Pirates, Bobby Murphy was the manager of the Reds. During the season, we lost to them once, they lost to us once. Then I seem to recall a tie-breaker game for 1st place, which they won, but then we had the Season Championship game that we won!! To celebrate, the coaches took us to Jersey Freeze, and I distinctly remember that it was so hot that day, that all of our ice creams were melting all over our hands...but it was well worth it!! We were champions!!
That year, we had a great team. When I get home next month, I'll have to dig out the old team photo to put up somewhere and share some of the names, but I'll never forget one of the best players on our team, Mary. That's right, Mary (nope, can't remember her last name either). She was a tall girl, long blonde hair, and a heck of an athlete. But the best part about Mary was her character. I didn't understand it all at the time, but Mary was known for smacking a long drive into the gap in the outfield, and as she was heading towards first, she would yell out "That's another one for Women's Lib!!!"
That second year, we were also able to put together and All-Star team that, as far as I know, is still the only All-Star team from the Freehold Boro Little League to win the tournament that we played in. Bobby Murphy was the manager, my father (Pete DeFonzo) and Tom Hartman Sr. were the coaches, along with Rev. VanDebunte. Again, I'll have to pull out the old photo, but I know we had quite a team that year, including...
Bobby Murphy Jr
Tommy Hartman
Timmy VanDebunte
Aaron Odud
Kevin Bobkowski
Bryan Lewis
Dante Hall
Luis Ortiz
Kevin Shaw
David Long
....and others who are escaping me at the moment
First All-Star game was against Lincroft. Tommy Hartman and I were the pitchers...we won something ridiculous like 32-1 (I don't recall a mercy rule back in those days).
Second game, Aaron Odud and Timmy VanDebunte on the mound, we beat Marlboro something like 18-3.
Then, the championship game, against Middletown. I remember my Grandmother and Grandfather, Aunt and Uncle were all there because they lived in Middletown. Tommy Hartman and I were again on the mound, Tommy started, I came in in relief.
And...of course...I'll never forget that last out. Man on first, 2 out, we're up by 3. I throw the pitch to Bobby Murphy behind the plate, but the batter gets ahold of it and sends a slow roller down towards Tommy Hartman at 3rd base. Tommy rushes in, fields the ball, and throws to first base where Timmy VanDebunte is in full stretch to make the catch...so "full" in fact that when he catches the ball, he's doing a bit of a tap-dance with his back foot to find the base (his foot has slipped off while he stretched to catch the ball). He touched the bag just before the runner got there, and the ump called him out!!! CELEBRATION TIME!!! We even got out team picture taken with our trophies lined up in front of us...what a great memory.
We got a pizza party at Federici's about a week later; for a small kid, I seem to recall putting down about 6 slices of pizza (foreshadowing, perhaps, of my future eating habits). There was supposed to be some sort of recognition at Town Hall, but I don't recall it ever happening. And, ironically, I remember that for years after, our All-Star team photo was the only one that never hung in the League office (on top of the snack stand). My father, when he was then coaching my younger sister, noticed that the photo was still the only one missing, and if I recall correctly, came home, pulled out the old team photo, had a copy made, and hung it up there himself!!
Great memories!!! GREAT MEMORIES!!! I only hope that one day, I'll be out on those fields coaching my own kids, and watching them create memories that they will hold onto for the rest of their lives.
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Post by admin on Apr 27, 2011 15:34:27 GMT -5
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