Opening Day draws nearer…

---

League Enters 96th Season

Greater Hartford Twilight Baseball League, one of America’s longest-running leagues, is gearing up to launch another unforgettable season. In our community, the game is more than the National Pastime—it’s a pursuit of the present moment and sharing those moments with others.

This year, GHTBL is witnessing a mini resurgence. More players are extending their careers, bringing seasoned talent back to the field. Teams are seeing higher numbers of returning players than in recent seasons. This trend signals growing dedication and enthusiasm within the ranks.

As baseball fever rises, anticipation is building with Opening Day around the corner. All eight teams will complete a 24-game schedule followed by double-elimination playoffs. With fresh opportunities and fierce competition, it’s anyone’s time to shine.

Note: GHTBL’s “Stadium Series” (4 games in two-nights) at Dunkin’ Park is set for July 21st and 23rd. Playoff Tournament to begin August 7th at locations to be announced.

Opening Day Matchups

Vernon Orioles vs. South Windsor Phillies
The season kicks off at 6:00 PM on May 22, 2025, at McCoy Field in Vernon. The defending champion Vernon Orioles will host the South Windsor Phillies. The O’s soared to a Playoff Championship over M&T Bank last year and snapped East Hartford’s four-year playoff title run. Vernon leans on the offensive prowess of the ageless Nick Roy, 25-year journeyman Dan Trubia and second-year catcher Matt Falk, who batted .429 in 11 games. They have retained potent pitching with Matt Curtis and 2024 Most Valuable Pitcher, Jason Ray. The O’s experience and depth will make them a tough out.

South Windsor counters Vernon with a dynamic infield duo, Justin Oquendo and Javier Irizarry. New additions include University of Hartford infielder, Peyton West and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute pitcher, Kyle Gallo. The Phillies are in a position to challenge the champs in this opening clash. Ron Pizzanello, in his 8th season as manager, is gunning for his second Regular Season title with the Phils. Gary Burnham Jr. serves as the team’s General Manager.

Bristol Greeners vs. Rainbow Graphics
Then at 7:00 PM, the Bristol Greeners face Rainbow Graphics at Northwest Park in Manchester. The Greeners, one of the league’s youngest teams, will play half their home games at historic Muzzy Field. Player-manager Trevor Mays will lead from the mound as the team’s ace, while third baseman Matt Fusco, catcher AJ Lorenzetti, and first baseman Josh Nohilly aim to drive the offense against a tough Rainbow Graphics squad.

Rainbow Graphics, last season’s third seed, blends young talent and veteran experience. The Manchester-based team is managed by Jason Valliere, entering his 3rd year. Within the lines they’re led by 2024 Regular Season MVP Ryan Laubscher, who batted .429 in 22 games. They have an overpowering lefty in AJ Rooks and a rising star in outfielder Christian Steiner – alongside his brother Dan Steiner at catcher. Major contributions can be expected from Tyler Repoli, longtime first baseman, and Evan Chamberlain, a versatile veteran.

Sponsor: Rainbow Graphics – https://rainbowgraphicsct.com/

Other Twi’ Teams to Open 2025 Regular Season

East Hartford Jets (May 23)
On Friday, May 23, the East Hartford Jets embark on a mission to reclaim their dominance. Having ruled the league from 2020 to 2023, the Jets continue to be steered by 13-year veteran and Player-manager Jeff Criscuolo and General Manager Chris Kehoe, who’s been a Jet since 1991. Returners will likely include perennial hit leader Corey Plasky, lefty slugger Janiel Ramirez and catcher Jacob Tipton, a senior at Nichols College. One question remains: will 7-time Playoff Champion Taylor Kosakowski be part of the flight plan this season?

Record-Journal Expos (May 27)
On Tuesday, May 27, the Record-Journal Expos travel to McCoy Field in Vernon with a youthful lineup and a veteran pitching staff. Headlining the rotation are southpaws JD Tyler and Charlie Hesseltine and right hander Brendan O’Connell. Former MVP AJ Hendrickson serves as manager and starting catcher. The Expos, based in Meriden at Ceppa Field, include utilityman Kyle Hartenstein, shortstop Sebby Grignano, third baseman Javon Malone, and newcomer Dante LaRosa of Albertus Magnus College.

Sponsor: Record-Journal – https://www.ctinsider.com/recordjournal/

Middletown Mets (May 28)
The Middletown Mets open on Wednesday, May 28, at Buzzy Levin Field against the Jets at 6:30 PM. New team captain Sean Jefferson fronts a dependable lineup featuring 2024’s Most Versatile Player Nicholas Flammia, former Nichols College outfielder Will Kleinhenz, ECSU graduate Derek Allen and ex-CCSU shortstop Nick Landell. Joining the pitching staff is Division-I pitcher Leif Bigelow and Eastern Connecticut junior Daniel Lapham. Alden Halfinger and Hunter Espinosa are returning to the mound for the Mets.

M&T Bank (May 30)
Tom Abbruzzese’s reigning Regular Season title winners will welcome back most of their roster. Pitchers Camden Murphy and Nicholas Cannata are a formidable pair for the Bankers. Their offense is led by outfielder Joey Rios (six home runs in 2024), infielders Willy Yahn, and Brendan Lynch, who deliver power and defensive excellence. Their catchers certainly have impressive resumés: Gunnar Johnson is a product of Boston College, and Brandon Gaer currently catches at UMass Boston. In his 49th year as manager, Tom Abbruzzese chases his first Playoff title since 2006 with a team poised for success. The Bankers are based out of Wethersfield and use Wethersfield High School as their home field.

Sponsor: M&T Bank – https://www.mtb.com/

GHTBL would like to take a minute to commend our counterparts at Connecticut Twilight League for their dedication to men’s baseball in our state. The same must be said about Tri-State League Baseball League, Connecticut Collegiate Baseball League, New England Collegiate Baseball League and The Futures League, as well as Sunday leagues like Connecticut Adult Baseball League, Nutmeg State League, Connecticut Men’s Senior Baseball League, Connecticut North Men’s Senior Baseball League. It’s amazing how many summer leagues represent Connecticut. Here’s to another season and another!

Here are other active men’s baseball leagues in the northeast:

– George Donnelly Sunset League, Newport, RI, established 1919.
– Tri-County Baseball League, Western Mass, est. 1929.
– Hudson Valley National Adult Baseball Association, Hudson Valley, NY, est. 2007.
– Boston Park League, Boston, MA, est. 1929.
– Yawkey Baseball League, Greater Boston, MA, est. 1950s.
– Boston Metro Baseball League, Greater Boston, MA, est. 1988.
– North Shore Summer Baseball League, MA, date unknown.
– Southern Maine Men’s Baseball League, Greater Portland, ME, est. 1988.
– Granite State Baseball League, NH, est. 1992.
– Vermont Senior Baseball League, VT, est. 1984.
– Green Mountain Baseball League, VT, est. 1995.

It is with deep sadness that we report the passing of David Mark Bindas of Newington (September 23, 1955 – March 31, 2025), a beloved umpire known for his dedication to local baseball. For over 50 years, he called balls and strikes with remarkable resilience. Since the 1970s, he officiated the Greater Hartford Twilight Baseball League, NCAA baseball, the New England Collegiate Baseball League, high school and youth leagues, including American Legion and Jaycee-Courant.

Known for his wisecracking personality, Dave Bindas began his umpiring career with a humorous twist. While playing varsity at St. Thomas Aquinas High School in New Britain, he once argued a call with an umpire, shouting, “I’m going to become an umpire!” He did just that. At 18, he attended
Harry Wendelstedt Umpire School in Daytona Beach, Florida and then joined the Hartford Board of Umpires. He followed in the footsteps of his father, also a Hartford umpire, and the two shared the field, working games together.

An avid Boston Red Sox fan, Bindas lived for baseball’s lighthearted moments, but he took umpiring seriously during the game. He was known for sprinting to a spot on the field to get a better view of a play. Everyone appreciated his hustle. For several years he mentored aspiring umpires by leading training classes for the Hartford Board. In the winter months, he ran up and down the basketball court officiating youth leagues in South Windsor. Perhaps he reffed basketball as training for his sprints on the baseball field.

In 2002, Bindas earned high praise from Jim Bransfield, a tough critic and sports writer for the Middletown Press:

“He’s a terrific umpire who hustles, is dedicated to his craft and for my money, is as good an umpire as there is around here.”

Jim Bransfield (1946-2018), Middletown Press

Bindas’ most controversial moment came in the 2011 Class LL State Championship at Muzzy Field. With the game coming down to the wire between Southington High School and Newington High School, future major leaguer Sal Romano crashed a double that was supposed to score the winning run. However, Newington appealed to Bindas that the runner never touched home plate. He awarded the appeal and Newington ended up hoisting the trophy. His call made national news, and it became a subject of discussion between Cincinnati Reds announcers Thom Brennaman and Chris Welsh when Romano was called up.

We think Bindas had the right call. See here: Home-Sick: Did Spruill’s Foot Actually Touch Home Plate? (Patch.com – Ken Lipshez)

Since the 1970s, Dave Bindas has been a constant presence in the GHTBL, earning camaraderie and respect from players and managers alike. Ron Pizzanello, a former catcher for the Vernon Orioles and current manager of the South Windsor Phillies, developed a strong bond with Bindas over hundreds of games with him behind the plate. Similarly, Tom Abbruzzese, longtime manager of M&T Bank, shared a connection with Bindas, rooted in their respect for the game.

“David would often compliment players on their exceptional performances. That alone was impressive on his part. I can also testify to the uplifting words of support that he would often express, especially to new baseball managers fielding teams for the first time.”

Tom Abbruzzese, Manager, M&T Bank

GHTBL wishes to express our deepest condolences to the Bindas family and especially to his two brothers. Rest in Peace, Dave.

“If I miss one, I tell them.”

Dave Bindas

In memory of David Mark Bindas

Sources

1. Blue Knights Lose Heartbreaker in 10, Patch.com, https://patch.com/connecticut/southington/blue-knights-lose-heartbreaker-in-10, 2011.
2. Some Umps Need More Training, Middletown Press, https://www.middletownpress.com/news/article/Some-umps-need-more-training-11909272.php, 2003.
3. Legion Assignment Makes His Season, Hartford Courant, 1990.

Greater Hartford Twilight Baseball League will begin our 96th season in less than a month, and we are pleased to announce the 2025 Regular Season schedule. Eight returning teams will compete for supremacy, including last year’s Playoff Champions, the Vernon Orioles. It’s shaping up to be another barnburner of a summer.

Game dates are subject to change, as the natural elements are always a factor. Rain, rain, go away. Here’s the schedule, also found at GHTBL.org/schedule:

The list of innovators from Connecticut is impressive. Eli Whitney, Samuel Colt, Charles Goodyear and Igor Sikorsky stand out as famous figures, but the inventor who most influenced the game of baseball was Hartford’s own, William Gray. A mechanical genius, Gray originated patents for baseball’s first chest protector (1887) followed by the world’s first payphone (1889). His chest protector transformed the catcher position, and the invention gave Gray enough resources to advance telephone communications across the globe.

Born in December 1850 in Tariffville, Connecticut, Gray was one of five children to Scottish immigrants, Neil and Mary Gray. His father, a bridge builder, moved the family to Boston when William was young. As an apprentice at a pharmacy, William neglected his work and spent time carving wood and building models instead. Recognizing his mechanical inclination, his father found him work at a machine shop, where he thrived.

William Gray wound up in Hartford a few years later working as a polisher at Samuel Colt’s armory. Then he earned a new position at Pratt & Whitney, the leading manufacturer of interchangeable parts in precision machinery. Gray was head of the company’s polishing department for fifteen years and worked closely with ownership, Francis Pratt and Amos Whitney. He also found opportunities to tinker with inventions. Dissatisfied with the company’s belt shifter, he designed an improved version, which he patented and sold to Pratt & Whitney for distribution.

Yet his creativity extended beyond manufacturing as Gray was an avid “base ball” fan. In 1884, he patented a “Sand Handle Base Ball Bat,” and later sold the design to A.G. Spalding & Brothers Company. The patent was the first commercial attempt to sell bats with a built-in grips. The bats included a roughened covering around the handle section with granulated material firmly attached by shellac or cementing material. Though he profited from the improvement, the product was far less popular than his next invention.

After witnessing a bicycle tire being filled with air, Gray devised a padded, inflatable chest protector for catchers and umpires. His design shielded the catcher’s torso and groin while allowing flexibility. The rubber protector consisted of pneumatic (air-filled) ribs that the user could inflate or deflate. Gray was granted patent number 295543 in 1887 for a Body-Protector, known today as a chest protector.

Back in July of 1883, Hartford’s catcher Tony Murphy tested Gray’s protector in a professional game. Murphy was “unmercifully guyed” and chided for wearing the gear. Only a few years later, a catcher would be thought crazy to take the field without a wearable equipment. Another catcher named Charlie Bennett used a homemade chest protector that same year. Bennett and his wife designed a torso shield by sewing strips of cork in between bed ticking material.

But Gray’s design was more durable, repeatable and patentable than any other. As a result of, catchers began standing and squatting closer the plate than they had in the past. In 1884, the National League removed restrictions on overhand pitching, in part because catchers had greater protection from foul balls thanks to Gray’s Patent Body Protector.

After the chest protector proved to be successful, Gray sold his patent to Spalding for $5,000. Throughout the 1890s, Spalding’s Official Base Ball Guide featured full-page ads for “Gray’s Patent Body Protector,” as, “the most useful device ever invented for the protection of catchers or umpires.” Spalding claimed the gear rendered the wearer impervious to injury without interfering with range of motion. The ads emphasized the protector’s lightweight that was easily deflatable and rolled for storage. Spalding’s marketing worked, and despite a hefty ten-dollar price tag, the gear became a bestseller.

Gray wasted no time investing in another venture: pre-paid telephones. By the late 19th century, telephones were becoming common in homes and businesses, but public access was limited—people could only make calls from booths staffed by attendants who collected fees. Seeing an opportunity, Gray developed a payphone that accepted coins, filing a patent on April 5, 1888. The concept quickly gained traction, and in 1889, the patent was granted. Southern New England Telephone Company installed the first coin-operated public phone inside Hartford National Bank on State Street.

In 1891, the inventor of the chest protector founded the Gray Telephone Pay Station Company. The concern grew into one of Hartford’s largest employers. Gray accumulated 23 patents related to payphone technology, and his company dominated the market. However his health deteriorated after a paralytic stroke in 1903, and Gray passed away five days later at his Hartford home, survived by his wife and four children.

“Be it known that I, WILLIAM GRAY, of Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Coin-Controlled Telephone Apparatus, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, whereby any one skilled in the art can make and use the same.”

William Gray, Patent No. 408,709, Aug. 13, 1889.

Though he’s largely an unknown figure today, Gray’s ingenuity has lived on, far beyond his passing. His patented chest protector continued to be a staple in baseball, shielding catchers from injury. Coin-operated payphones became an essential part of American life for more than century. They provided convenience to the mainstream of society up until the advent of cell phones.

The Gray Telephone Pay Station Company, benefiting from exclusive patents, was extraordinarily profitable. By 1930, an original hundred dollar investment in the company would have grown to $12,000. Even the 1929 Stock Market Crash failed to slow its success, when the company reported nearly a million dollars in profit that year, while issuing two dividends. As Gray’s patents expired, the company eventually lost its competitive edge, and it was acquired by a rival.

As stated in the Hartford Courant’s June 6, 1924 obituary of William Gray: “There are few who would associate the prepayment telephone with baseball and yet the relation is remarkably intimate…by reason of the fact that baseball furnished revenue for the launching of the prepayment telephone business.”

That’s the story of Hayford’s great inventor, William Gray.

What’s the best dynasty team in Greater Hartford Twilight Baseball League history?

Let’s make the case for the Newington Capitols.

The “Caps” seized seven Season Titles and six Playoff Championships between 1987 and 1998. Their championship streak rivals the dominance of two other twilight league dynasties: Moriarty Brothers of Manchester (25 pennants) and the Vernon Orioles (18 pennants).* However Newington captured more pennants (13) in a shorter timespan than any team. A total of 16 Capitols have been inducted into the GHTBL Hall of Fame—a strong indication of the team’s success.

Evolving from earlier clubs, the Caps played in Newington from 1982 to 2001. They were originally Hartford Insurance Group, who won GHTBL Season Titles in 1972 and 1973. The team rebranded as the Hartford Capitols (1978-1981), when most games were held at St. Thomas Seminary in Bloomfield. Their true identity emerged after relocating to Newington under managers Robert “Bud” Lyons and GHTBL Hall of Fame inductee, Mike McDonald. When Dave Sacco took over as player-manager, Newington transformed from a competitive squad into a Twi-loop powerhouse.

Sacco began managing the Caps in 1984, and he held the reins for 18 uninterrupted seasons. A master of recruiting and in-game strategy, he had the players to execute his vision. While earning the most all-time wins by any Caps pitcher, Sacco also managed the team to a remarkable streak of championships. Yet, the Caps were about more than just winning—they fostered a bond that extended beyond the diamond. Games became social events where families gathered, lifelong friendships were forged, and twilight legends were made.

One of Newington’s top hitters was outfielder Roberto Giansiracusa from the University of New Haven. He won the 1984 Batting Title, hitting .544—one of the highest averages in GHTBL history. The following year, he signed a minor league deal with the Philadelphia Phillies. Giansiracusa was one of many elite athletes on the Capitols with collegiate and minor league baseball experience.

Many of the Caps were stars in college, with several hailing from Central Connecticut State University. Among them were pitchers Dave Sacco, Jim Snediker, Joe Rich, and Jason Schuberth, along with position players Mark Marut, Dave Rose, Pete Bartlewski, Jamie Palmese, Steve Bennett, John Mayette, and Jason Maule. Marut, a standout first baseman, left a lasting legacy both with the Capitols and at CCSU, where he ranks sixth all-time in home runs and fourth in slugging percentage for the Blue Devils.

Caps left fielder Tom Meucci, a Jacksonville University alumnus, briefly emerged in the Baltimore Orioles organization. As a GHTBL All-Star, he consistently led the team in RBIs. Meucci and Sacco stood as the only players to compete every season for both the Hartford and Newington Capitols (1978–2001). The Caps featured Rich Hollfelder, an All-New England outfielder at Quinnipiac University, Mark Zaleski, a power-hitting catcher from Stetson University, Jeff Peak, a steady presence behind the plate of Western Connecticut State University and Peter Zabroski, a utility infielder out of University of Notre Dame, who played eight seasons through 1983.

Capitols from Eastern Connecticut State University included shortstop Mike Mangiafico, catcher Joe DeLillo and a control pitcher named Matt Mailman. Mangiafico anchored the Caps’ infield as a tremendous defender, contact hitter and relief pitcher. Their top bullpen arm was Chris Hayes from UConn, who also appeared with the Adirondack Lumberjacks of the Northwest League. Inbound Caps of UConn Baseball included Scott Cormier, Jack Hurley, Mike Malley and Jeff Uccello of Newington, a gifted catcher who signed with the Boston Red Sox in 1996. Other UConn graduates were Uccello’s older brother, Greg Uccello as well as former Bulkeley High School Bulldog, Gino Caro.

Newington’s first GHTBL Playoff Championship came on August 17, 1987, at Moriarty Field in Manchester. Second baseman Gino Caro sealed the victory with two home runs off Malloves Jewelers pitcher Todd Mogren. Capitols ace Jim Snediker dominated, striking out eight over a complete game. As a former minor leaguer with the Boston Red Sox, Snediker finished the twilight season with 6-0 win-loss record and a 0.87 ERA. He displayed elite command of the strike zone and three a no-hitter against Katz Sports Shop a few years later.

“In my thirteen seasons with the Capitols, we were always a close knit team. We played for each other, and we cared about winning. Those championship seasons were the best summers of my life. We all remain in touch, and the great moments that we had as Capitols will forever keep us connected.”

Gino Caro

The Capitols had a breakout season in 1989, posting a 31-4-1 record. Mike Schweighoffer earned Most Valuable Pitcher after going 7-0 with a 1.23 ERA. Schweighoffer was coming off four seasons in the Los Angeles Dodgers organization and gave the Caps a massive boost. Meanwhile, Scott Cormier led the league in home runs, earned Most Versatile Player and shared the Regular Season co-MVP with Jeff Johnson of Moriarty Brothers.

“I have nothing but great memories with the Capitols. Dave Sacco assembled a team of talented, competitive players who loved the game, played the right way and played hard. We had great chemistry, and Dave kept it fun and light-hearted. There was no other place like our dugout! But make no mistake, once we stepped between the lines it was all about competing and winning. We had a potent offense one through nine, a deep pitching staff and solid defense – a nice formula for consistent success. But far more important than the games, the W’s and the championships are the friendships I made from that team. Dave and many of my Capitols teammates are close friends of mine today.”

Mike Schweighoffer

After a sole season with the Capitols in 1989, Basilio Ortiz was named GHTBL Rookie of Year. Ortiz was a Hartford native, a star player for Bulkeley High School, and fellow alumnus Gino Caro was helpful in recruiting him to the Caps. Ortiz had a marvelous career at Eastern Connecticut before embarking on a 7-year career and 47 home runs with the Baltimore Orioles, California Angels and Montreal Expos organizations.

Newington would claim three consecutive Season Titles and Playoff Championships from 1989 to 1991. While Giansiracusa and Cormier led the club in average and slugging during the season, the 1991 Playoff MVP went to Gino Caro, who notched 10 hits, including two doubles, three triples, a homer and eight RBI. The Regular Season and Playoff Championship three-peat tied a league record set by Moriarty Brothers (1969-1971) and later matched by the Vernon Orioles (2016-2018). Then the Caps added a fourth-straight Playoff Championship in 1992.

Their consecutive victories were especially impressive given the level of competition during the 1980s and 1990s. Back then, GHTBL permitted metal bats (until 2004), and every team featured collegiate standouts and local prospects. The Caps overpowered opponents with ear-ringing extra base hits and a durable pitching staff. Not only did they win games decisively, but they won in high pressure moments and they did so against perennial contenders for the league crown: Newman Lincoln-Mercury, Society for Savings, Malloves Jewelers, the East Hartford Jets, and the Vernon Orioles.

“I like to think that I have confidence in the play I’m going to call. If it fails, I still think it’s the right call and I just live with it. I just had a feel for it.”

Dave Sacco, Player-Manager, “Mr. Newington Capitol”

In 1993, T.R. Marcinczyk suited up for a single summer with the Newington Capitols. Marcinczyk was a former Connecticut Gatorade Player of the Year at St. Thomas Aquinas High School (New Britain), who matriculated to Florida State University and University of Miami. Then he tore up the minors with the Oakland Athletics and Minnesota Twins organizations, swatting 108 professional homers over six seasons. Towards the end of his career, Marcinczyk came home to play for the New Britain Rock Cats.

With a formidable heart of the batting order, the Caps secured two more Season Titles in 1994 and 1995. Veteran outfielders Scott Cormier, Kevin Beaudoin, and Brian Marshall were forces at the plate. Cormier, a 19-year mainstay for Newington, earned GHTBL Most Valuable Player honors in 1996 and 1998. Beaudoin, a member of Bill Holowaty’s Eastern Connecticut National Championship teams, grabbed GHTBL Playoff MVP in 1992 and 1998. Marshall headlined for University of New Haven before claiming a GHTBL Batting Title in 1995, a home run title in 1998, and a rare Triple Crown in 1999.

Throughout the mid-1980s and 1990s, the Caps leaned on pitchers Joe Rich, Jack Hurley, Todd Malinosky, Larry Brooks, Frank John, Bob Cogan, Joe Schuberth and Jason Schuberth. As a newcomer to the team, Schuberth nabbed five league awards, including Rookie of the Year in 1994 and Most Valuable Pitcher honors in 1996 and 1998. Dave Sacco declared Schuberth to be the twilight league’s best arm.

Another key addition was Chris Corkum, known for his baseball school in East Windsor. He provided the Caps with clutch at bats when Newington shared the Regular Season co-title with the East Hartford Jets in 1997. Then they swept the 1998 Regular Season and Playoff Tournament on Corkum’s championship-winning, pinch-hit single in the sixth inning against BankBoston.

When age finally took its toll, the Capitols gradually came to an end. They hung up their spikes in 2001, though the team’s legacy had already been solidified. Their meteoric rise was arguably the hottest streak of any twilight team. The Caps fielded a mix of pro-caliber players and local diehards who elevated the reputation of the league. Today, they are celebrated as one of the GHTBL’s all-time dynasties.

“The baseball was great. It’s amazing how massive a part of our lives it was. But, the best part of the Capitols by far, was the closeness, camaraderie and the lifelong friendships we all developed. There were other great teams, but we were the envy of the league in how tight knit we were as a group. Our closeness continues to this day.”

Dave Sacco, Player-Manager, “Mr. Newington Capitol”

---

---

*Since 1929, only a handful of GHTBL clubs have won multiple Season Titles and Playoff Championships. Winning is tough, but winning pennants repeatedly is tougher. Among the hundreds of teams to enter the twilight league, about a dozen, including the Newington Capitols, can be considered dynasties. The following teams have captured more than five pennants:

Moriarty Brothers (1956-1989)
Season Titles: 12x (1964, 1965, 1967, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1974, 1975, 1980, 1981, 1985, 1988)
Playoff Championships: 13x (1965, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1975, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1984, 1988)
Total: 25

Vernon Orioles (1966-present)
Season Titles: 11x (2004, 2006, 2008, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2021, 2023)
Playoff Championships: 7x (1996, 1999, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2024)
Total: 18

Newington Capitols (1980-2001)
Season Titles: 7x (1989, 1990, 1991, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998)
Playoff Championships: 6x (1987, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1998)
Total: 13

East Hartford Jets (1970-present)
Season Titles: 5x (1992, 1993, 1996, 1998, 2022)
Playoff Championships: 4x (2020, 2021, 2022, 2023)
Total: 9

Bristol Merchants (2001-2011)
Season Titles: 5x (2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010)
Playoff Championships: 4x (2004, 2005, 2007, 2009)
Total: 9

Hamilton Standard (1955-2022)
Season Titles: 3x (1958, 1962, 1963)
Playoff Championships: 5x (1955, 1958, 1962, 1963, 1966)
Total: 8

Newman Lincoln-Mercury (1990-2003)
Season Titles: 3x (1999, 2000, 2003)
Playoff Championships: 4x (1994, 1995, 1997, 2003)
Total: 7

Society for Savings (1976-1993)
Season Titles: 3x (1979, 1983, 1984)
Playoff Championships: 4x (1982, 1983, 1985, 1993)
Total: 7

People’s Bank (2000-2022)
Season Titles: 3x (2001, 2007, 2011)
Playoff Championships: 4x (2000, 2001, 2002, 2006)
Total: 7

Pratt & Whitney Aircraft (1947-1960)
Season Titles: 3x (1953, 1954, 1955)
Playoff Championships: 3x (1953, 1954, 1957)
Total: 6

View GHTBL Champions here: GHTBL.org/Champions

The National League, originally formed in 1876, played a crucial role in establishing professional baseball, and serving as its first president was Morgan G. Bulkeley of Hartford, Connecticut.

Born in East Haddam, Connecticut, on December 3, 1837, Morgan Gardner Bulkeley was the son of Lydia Smith Morgan and Eliphalet Adams Bulkeley, co-founder of Aetna Insurance. At the outbreak of the Civil War, a 24 year old Morgan Bulkeley enlisted in the New York National Guard. He later joined the Union Army as a private, serving under General George B. McClellan amid the 1862 Peninsula Campaign, a failed attempt to capture Richmond, Virginia. Despite the mission’s outcome, Bulkeley remained in service for the rest of the Civil War before returning to business, finance, insurance, politics and sports.

In 1874, Bulkeley was persuaded by a baseball magnate, Benjamin Douglas Jr., to contribute as an investor of the Hartford Base Ball Association. Also known as the Hartford Dark Blues, the club entered into the National Association backed by $5,000 in capital. The following year Bulkeley was elected President of the Hartford Dark Blues. The team included player-manager Bob “Death to Flying Things” Ferguson and the supposed inventor of the curveball, Candy Cummings. When the National League replaced the National Association in 1876, Hartford joined as a charter member.

To determine the first president of the National League, a lottery was held, and Bulkeley’s name emerged. Baseball’s top brass, William Hulbert and Albert Spalding of Chicago, welcomed Bulkeley. They deemed him as a leader with enough gravitas to legitimize the new league. Hulbert had to convince Bulkeley to take the position, arguing that the first president should come from the northeast, where baseball drew its origins. However, the National League was not Bulkeley’s primary focus, and he served only one season before Hulbert succeeded him.

Bulkeley went on to lead Aetna Insurance and pursue a political career. As a member of the Republican Party, he served four terms as Mayor of Hartford and in 1888, he was elected Governor of Connecticut. After a controversial gubernatorial election in 1890, lacking a clear winner, Bulkeley declared that he would remain in office. However, Democratic Comptroller Nicholas Staub padlocked the door to Governor Bulkeley’s office at the State Capitol. Undeterred, Bulkeley ordered the lock to be forcibly removed with a crowbar, earning him the nickname, “Crowbar Governor.”

In 1904, Bulkeley won a seat in the United States Senate. He served one term in Congress before returning to Aetna Insurance, where he remained until his death on November 6, 1922. To recognize his baseball contributions, Hartford’s Bulkeley Stadium was named in his honor in 1928. Bulkeley was posthumously inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame by the 1937 Veterans Committee.

Sources:

1. “Morgan Bulkeley.” Baseball Hall of Fame, National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, https://baseballhall.org/hall-of-famers/bulkeley-morgan. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025

2. “Morgan Gardner Bulkeley.” National Governors Association, https://www.nga.org/governor/morgan-gardner-bulkeley/. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.

3. “Morgan Gardner Bulkeley.” Museum of Connecticut History, August 2015, https://museumofcthistory.org/2015/08/morgan-gardner-bulkeley/. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.

4. “December 26: Connecticut’s Crowbar Governor.” Today in Connecticut History, 26 Dec. 2019, https://todayincthistory.com/2019/12/26/december-26-connecticuts-crowbar-governor-2/. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.

5. “Morgan Bulkeley.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morgan_Bulkeley#CITEREFFleitz. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.

More than a century before the Yard Goats brought us Dunkin’ Park, there was another minor league field called Hartford Base Ball Park. Also called Wethersfield Avenue Grounds, the park was built in 1896 by shareholders of the Hartford Baseball Club. They were led by the team’s new owner and manager, William “Bald Billy” Barnie, a former outfielder of the original Hartford Dark Blues. As a new entry into the 1896 Atlantic League, Barnie revived professional baseball in the city after a brief absence and earned widespread admiration for his efforts.

For the new field, Bald Billy secured a plot of land on the west side of Wethersfield Avenue near Hanmer Street. The 150-foot by 20-foot grandstand, made of wood and steel, could accommodate 1,500 spectators, with tickets priced at 15 cents. A press box was built atop the grandstand for journalists covering the games. While construction was underway, the Hartford club prepared for their season by practicing with the Trinity College team at their grounds. The new ballpark was finished in time for a home opener on April 23, 1896, and Hartford dominated New Haven with a decisive 7-1 victory.

Along with their new digs, Hartford’s season was both attention-grabbing and controversial. Barnie’s team, sometimes called the Hartford Bluebirds, featured a powerful outfielder and hometown hero, John Gunshanan. They were captained by Bob Pettit, a 34 year old utility player from Williamstown, Massachusetts. Key contributors like John Thornton and Reddy Mack helped propel the Bluebirds into a tight pennant race with Newark. They made a final push for Atlantic League supremacy and ended with a 73-57 win-loss record.

However when Newark finished in first place, Hartford protested the decision. Manager Barnie argued that Newark’s record was unfairly inflated due to a dozen extra games played. Newark also used a suspended pitcher named Joseph Frye who had left Hartford midseason. As a result, the second place Bluebirds challenged Newark to a 7-game series dubbed the Soby Cup sponsored by Charles Soby. Newark declined the invitation, but third place Paterson accepted, and Paterson won the Soby Cup.

By November of 1896, the matter was put to rest by Sam Crane, President of the Atlantic League, who declared Newark as champions. The most devoted of Hartford fans felt cheated out their first pennant and local news was about to get worse. After the season, it was announced that Barnie sold the team to another group of investors because he was hired as manager for his hometown Brooklyn Bridegrooms of the National League.

Barnie returned as Hartford’s manager a few years later but unexpectedly died during the 1900 season. Condolences and words of support for Barnie poured into Hartford from across the baseball world. He was buried alongside other baseball greats in Green-Wood Cemetery, Brooklyn, New York. Hartford fans remembered him fondly, and the ball club finally won a minor league pennant at Hartford Base Ball Park in 1909. The venue later became Clarkin Stadium and then Bulkeley Stadium.

“I was euchred out of the pennant.” -Billy Barnie

Sources

1. Hartford Courant database on Newspapers.com
2. Vaccaro, Frank. “Billy Barnie: Baseball Titan.” Medium, 14 Jan. 2020, medium.com/@infofrankvaccaro/billy-barnie-baseball-titan-1c8c9560f50f.

It’s with deep sadness to report the passing of Steve Krajewski (1955-2025). Also known as “Krash,” he was a mainstay third baseman and a key supporter of the Vernon Orioles for the last five decades. Recently, he led the re-establishment of the GHTBL Hall of Fame as President. The Vernon Orioles and the Twilight League are eternally grateful for his innumerable contributions to the league and to the Town of Vernon.

Stephen Krajewski was born on June 14, 1955. Prior to moving to Enfield three years ago, he had lived a lifetime in Vernon. He worked at the Vernon Parks and Recreation Department for 42 years, mostly as Assistant Director before retiring in 2019. As a youngster at Rockville High School, he starred in basketball and baseball and was later inducted into their Athletic Hall of Fame. He went on to captain the Eastern Connecticut State University baseball team, earning two All-New England selections under Head Coach Bill Holowaty. Krash was named to Eastern’s All-time Baseball Team in 1978 and inducted to the ESCU Athletic Hall of Fame in 2006.

Krajewski’s GHTBL playing days for Vernon spanned from 1969 to 1994. Before he was even a freshman in high school, he played for the Orioles at the age of 14; the youngest player in league history. In his twi-loop career he had 333 RBI, a .331 batting average and 55 home runs, solely for the O’s. He was selected to the GHTBL All-Star team 10 times and led the league in hits and average in 1988. Krash often talked about how much he enjoyed playing for longtime friend, coach, sponsor and GHTBL Hall of Fame inductee Frank J. McCoy.

Krash was inducted into the GHTBL Hall of Fame, Class of 1995. He then took over for McCoy as O’s manager from 1998 to 2000, leading them to a Playoff Championship in 1999. He served as General Manager for the next 25 years. He also coached Vernon’s American Legion and supported the program in various ways. He took great pride in representing the Orioles and his hometown of Vernon.

“He was like the backbone of the Vernon Orioles. Steve was always not only an outstanding player, but a terrific leader. He was a great asset to his club and our league.” -Jim Gallagher, former GHTBL President.

The Twilight League sends our sincere condolences to the Krajewski family. Steve is survived by his wife Danielle, and daughters Meagan and Taylor, and sisters Jane Urban and Phyllis Baker.

There is currently a fundraising effort in progress to rename Eastern Baseball Stadium after the Holowaty family. The Greater Hartford Twilight Baseball League is pleased to congratulate our President, Bill Holowaty and his wife Jan on this momentous honor. Their dedication and commitment to Eastern Connecticut built Warriors Baseball from the ground up into one of the nation’s top Division-III programs.

The campaign is being led by Gregory Sullivan, Class of 2006, and countless Eastern Connecticut alumni. Donations go to the Eastern Connecticut baseball program for the Holowaty renaming and for revamping areas of the stadium. Contributions have reached $83,772.22 as of today (1/2/25) – about 24% of the $350,000 goal.

Click the button below to honor Coach Holowaty and family with a donation to the cause:

From Alumni.easternct.edu:

Bill Holowaty, a legendary figure in collegiate baseball, dedicated 45 years to building one of the most successful baseball programs in NCAA Division III history at Eastern. Serving as head coach from 1969 to 2013, Holowaty transformed the Warriors into a national powerhouse, amassing an astonishing 1,404 career wins—placing him among the winningest coaches in NCAA baseball history. Holowaty is also credited as the motivating force behind the rise of the entire athletic program to national prominence. The Mohawk, New York, native served as the University’s director of athletics for 14 years.

Under his leadership, the Warriors claimed four national championships (1982, 1990, 1998, and 2002) and made 12 College World Series appearances, establishing a tradition of excellence that continues to define the program. Coach Holowaty’s teams were not only dominant on the field but also set a standard for academic achievement, with his players consistently excelling in the classroom and contributing to the community.

Holowaty’s coaching philosophy emphasized discipline, hard work, and sportsmanship, earning him admiration and respect from players, colleagues, and opponents alike. Over the course of his career, he developed and mentored countless student-athletes, many of whom went on to successful careers in professional baseball and other fields, carrying forward the values instilled by their coach.

His outstanding contributions to the sport and collegiate athletics have been recognized through numerous honors, including induction into multiple halls of fame. These prestigious inductions include:

• American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) Hall of Fame
• Eastern Connecticut State University Athletics Hall of Fame
• Little East Conference Hall of Fame
• New England Intercollegiate Baseball Association Hall of Fame
• National College Baseball Hall of Fame
• Greater Utica Sports  Hall of Fame

In addition to his coaching accolades, Holowaty was named NCAA Division III National Coach of the Year four times and received numerous regional and conference honors. His commitment to the sport extended beyond Eastern, as he served as a leader and advocate for collegiate baseball on the national stage. 

This naming opportunity in honor of Coach Bill Holowaty pays tribute to his unparalleled contributions to Eastern Connecticut State University and the broader baseball community. It will serve as a lasting reminder of his legacy of excellence, his dedication to student-athletes, and his role in shaping Eastern’s proud history.

Bill Holowaty, Head Baseball Coach, Eastern Connecticut State University – 1969-2013 (45 years)

•    Overall Record: 1,936 Games: Won 1,404, Lost 525, Tied 7 (72.7)

•    Little East Regular-Season Record: 194-44 (81.5)  

•    Little East Tournament Record: 44-24 (64.7)

•    Little East Regular-Season Championships: 11 (4 straight twice)

•    Little East Tournament Championships: 7

•    Little East Conference All-Conference Players: 104

•    National Championships: 4 (1982-1990-1998-2002)

•    NCAA Division III Regional Tournaments: 33

•    NCAA Division III Regional Championships: 12

Read more about Bill Holowaty and his baseball career here: https://ghtbl.org/bill-holowaty-local-sports-legend:

Bill Holowaty, Local Sports Legend

Here are comments from GHTBL President Holowaty in 2022 after the East Hartford Jets downed the Vernon Orioles 5–4 in the Playoff Championship game:

Need we say more? GHTBL has donated, have you?! Let’s get this done for Coach Holowaty!

It was once said of Coach John “Whitey” Piurek:

“Those young men who have played for and survived Whitey will tell you it wasn’t easy. But eventually they realize that they’ve become better men because of the experience.”

Piurek was a significant New England sports figure due to his contributions as a player, coach, official, scout, and administrator. He’s the only Connecticut coach to win state titles in three different sports. Over a career spanning a half century, he earned state, regional and national recognition for his dedication to high school athletics, particularly in baseball, football and basketball. His life and career reflected a deep commitment to the values of discipline, hard work and respect for the game.

Piurek was born on June 11, 1915, in Enfield, Connecticut. He excelled in multiple sports as a youngster at Hartford’s Bulkeley High School. He was a speedy shortstop for the Maroons under the legendary head coach, Babe Allen. His teammates included two of Hartford’s greatest ballplayers, Johnny Taylor and Bob “Spike” Repass. Piurek graduated from Bulkeley as valedictorian of the Class of 1935. That same year, he competed in the Hartford Twilight League with a club known as Check Bread. Hartford Courant reporters called him, “a natural” and “one of the most promising schoolboy baseball players ever to step into spiked shoes in this state.”

Piurek attended Holy Cross College, where he joined a top-rated program coached by Jack Barry – a Meriden native formerly of the Million Dollar Infield. Barry chose Piurek to be captain of the Crusaders and he became a highly scouted shortstop and first baseman. He was selected to play in the Cape Cod Baseball League and snatched all-star honors with the Harwich Mariners. After receiving Dean’s List honors, a bachelor’s degree from Holy Cross, and a masters degree from Catholic University, Piurek pursued professional baseball.

He spent three years in the minor leagues with the St. Louis Cardinals and the Philadelphia Phillies organizations. Piurek’s professional career concluded with the 1943 Utica Braves, managed by a 4-time World Series winner, Wally Schang. Piurek also played infield for several independent teams: Rutland Royals, Meriden Insilcos, Meriden Contelcos, West Haven Sailors, Waterbury Brasscos, Savitt Gems, Hartford Red Sox, Hartford Indians and New Britain Cremos. Among his peers on the diamond were big league stars Joe DiMaggio and Jimmy Piersall.

In 1943, Piurek accepted a teaching and coaching position at Plainville High School, where his teams won a state basketball championship and two state football titles. Then he moved on to West Haven High School as head baseball coach and remained there for 36 years. He was Athletic Director from 1965 to 1981 while also working as a history teacher. From 1948 to 1981, he was a professional scout for the Brooklyn Dodgers, Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago White Sox, New York Yankees, San Francisco Giants and Seattle Mariners.

His coaching career at West Haven High School is nothing short of legendary. Piurek finished with an 526-115-2 overall record from 1945 to 1981. He was the first baseball coach in Connecticut history to achieve 500 victories. His clubs won two state championships (Class L in 1967 and Class LL in 1973) and finished runner-up twice (1955 and 1974). Under Piurek’s hard-nosed leadership, West Haven achieved 21 District League titles and a remarkable 34-game winning streak (1967-1968).

His coaching philosophy was grounded in fundamentals. West Haven Athletic Director Jon Capone, who played for Piurek and co-captained the 1973 title-winning team, recalled that, “Piurek was a stickler for the basic fundamentals of the game. He always said physical mistakes are excusable to a limit, but mental mistakes are never accepted.” Coach Piurek demanded excellence and precision from his players at all times, fostering the same discipline and focus key to his success.

In addition to his accomplishments in baseball, Piurek’s football teams attained a 57-27-4 record. In 1948, West Haven High School football played before a record-breaking Thanksgiving Day crowd of 42,242 at the Yale Bowl against Hillhouse, a highlight in New England scholastic history. Piurek’s basketball teams accomplished a 114-59 record with eight state tournament appearances.

Yet his impact extended beyond scouting and coaching as an official and administrator. Piurek was president, commissioner and tournament chairperson for high school officiating in football, baseball, basketball, soccer and hockey. He helped organize the Connecticut High School Coaches Association and served as its second president. His devotion to local sports continued until his final days.

Piurek’s athletic legacy is enshrined in multiple halls of fame: the National Federation of High Schools Hall of Fame (1998), the Connecticut High School Coaches Association (1981), the Greater New Haven Diamond Club (1981), and West Haven High School itself (2000). He was also awarded High School Coach of the Year by the American Association of College Baseball Coaches (1967 and 1973) and the National Federation of State High School Associations (1968).

Piurek’s assistant coach and successor at West Haven High School, George Hanchette, stated, “Whitey had a knack of making the most out of every single minute at practice. He had it down to a science. If you couldn’t get the work done within two hours, you’d just be wasting time after that.” Piurek was ever focused on the present, never referring to past successes but emphasizing the importance of living in the moment.

Whitey Piurek’s contributions to West Haven High School were commemorated in 2004 when the school’s baseball field was named in his honor. His long-lasting influence on the school and community remains a point of pride for all who knew him. He passed away on December 3, 2009, at the age of 94, leaving behind an enduring legacy of excellence in coaching, sportsmanship and dedication to youth athletics. As one of Connecticut’s most accomplished and respected sports figures, Piurek’s life work continues to inspire.

Sources
1. Spiegel, Dan. “Hartford Kid Struck Out 25 But Never Got Chance at the Majors.” Hartford Courant, 7 Mar. 2014, www.courant.com/2014/03/07/hartford-kid-struck-out-25-but-never-got-chance-at-the-majors-2/. Accessed 4 Dec. 2024.

2. Lovelace, Leland. “Ex-Westies Coach Piurek Dies at 94.” New Haven Register, 18 Oct. 2017, www.nhregister.com/news/article/Ex-Westies-coach-Piurek-dies-at-94-11641164.php. Accessed 4 Dec. 2024.

3. Various news articles from New Haven Register, Record-Journal and Hartford Courant, Newspapers.com

4. Rutland Historical Society. Baseball in Rutland: The Rutland Royals. Rutland Historical Society. Retrieved December 6, 2024, from https://rutlandhistory.com/baseball-rutland-royals/

The entire Twilight League community was saddened to learn about the passing of a former player, Sam Alejandro Jr. We send our deepest condolences and sympathies to the Alejandro family, especially to Sam’s brother, Manny, a current player for the East Hartford Jets. The Alejandro brothers have been long time contributors to baseball in East Hartford. Coming from East Hartford American Legion, Sam started with GHTBL in 2014 on People’s United Bank, then he made a big impact on the Jets until 2018, while also playing in the Connecticut Twilight League.

From Legacy.com:

Samuel Alejandro, Jr. (1991 – 2024), 32, a devoted husband, son, brother, and friend, passed away on Wednesday, October 23, 2024, surrounded by his loved ones. Born on November 25, 1991, in Hartford, Connecticut, he was the beloved son of Samuel Alejandro, Sr. and Zuleika (Colon) Alejandro, and the cherished husband of Chelsea (Hebert) Alejandro.

Samuel graduated from East Hartford High School and went on to earn his bachelor’s degree from Fisher College in Boston, Massachusetts. Known for his hard work and dedication, Samuel held a thriving career with Aetna and Anthem Insurance, worked as a Realtor, and pursued his passion for real estate photography. His drive and commitment were evident in all aspects of his work and life.

Samuel was an active member of the Church of the Living God in Manchester, CT, where he and his wife Chelsea shared a strong faith and dedication to their community. He will be remembered for his warm spirit, unwavering work ethic, and the profound love he shared with his family and friends.

In addition to his wife and parents, Samuel is survived by his siblings, Manuel Alejandro and Dejah Alejandro; his grandparents Hector and Wilma Colon; his in-laws, Bernie and Francine Hebert, and sister-in-law, Stephanie Hebert; and his beloved dog, Gypsy. Samuel’s presence, love, and laughter will be deeply missed by all who knew him.

A visitation will be held from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 2nd, at the Church of the Living God, 199 Deming Street, Manchester, CT, followed by a celebration of life service at 12 p.m. Please wear joyous colors. For online condolences, please visit www.tierneyfuneralhome.com.

Save the Date!

The next GHTBL Hall of Fame dinner will be hosted at 5:30 PM on Saturday, November 16, 2024 at Indian Hill Country Club in Newington, Connecticut. Dinner is scheduled for 6:30 PM. This event is open to the public.

The Class of 2024:

1. Tom Meucci, Newington Capitols
2. Ray Gliha, Newman Lincoln-Mercury
3. Erik Nord, Vernon Orioles
4. Gino Caro, Newington Capitols
5. Tom Capalbo, Malloves Jewelers
6. Craig Steuernagel, Moriarty Brothers
7. Jason Schuberth, Newington Capitols
8. Todd Mogren, Malloves Jewelers
9. Darryl Morhardt, Society For Savings
10. Kevin Rival, Bristol Merchants
11. Jane Foss (Executive Division)
12. Mark Foss (Executive Division)

Contact Jack Hurley at jkhurley@cox.net for $60 tickets. Cash or checks made to “GHTBL” can be sent to 53 Candlewyck Drive, Newington, CT 06111. Or patrons can pay at the door on November 16. We’ll see you there!

Earlier this year at Hartford’s Dunkin’ Park, Jack Hurley of the GHTBL Hall of Fame Committee announced the league’s 2024 inductees:

Snapshots of the inductees…

Visit the GHTBL Hall of Fame at https://ghtbl.org/hof.

Robert “Rob” Keith Dibble graduated from Southington High School in 1982 and was drafted in the 11th round by the St. Louis Cardinals. Instead of going pro, he enrolled at Florida Southern College in Lakeland, Florida. During the summer of 1983, he played in the Greater Hartford Twilight Baseball League on the Katz Sports Shop club of Meriden, Connecticut. Shortly thereafter, Dibble was selected 20th overall in the 1st round of the MLB June Draft-Secondary Phase by the Cincinnati Reds.

As their closer, Dibble’s big right arm helped the Reds win a World Series in 1990. He was the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the 1990 National League Championship Series (NLCS). He also earned a pair of MLB All-Star appearances in ‘90 and ‘91. Dibble was part of the Cincinnati bullpen nicknamed the “Nasty Boys” which included Norm Charlton and Randy Myers. After twelve professional seasons, Dibble finished his career as relief pitcher for the Chicago White Sox and the Milwaukee Brewers.

He now hosts the Rob Dibble Show on 97.9 ESPN radio at studios in Hartford, Connecticut.

On the night of August 22, 2024, at Palmer Field in Middletown, CT, the Vernon Orioles were victorious 6-2 over M&T Bank in the second leg of the Championship Round. The last O’s Playoff Championship was in 2019. Congratulations to all the Vernon players, coaches and fans for ending the summer on top.

The game was definitely highlighted by a grand slam by left-fielder Nick Roy in the bottom of the first inning. Shortstop Jimmy Titus followed it up with a two-run homer of his own. Willy Yahn and Joey Rios each recorded a sacrifice fly RBI for M&T Bank. Matt Curtis went five innings deep with only one earned run allowed. Jack Steed struck out four batters in last two frames for Vernon.

On the field after the game, the players celebrated along with fans, family, Steve “Crash” Krajewski, O’s General Manager, Jack Ceppetelli, Manager, Kevin Powell, Assistant Manager, Dave Hutchins, PA Announcer, Andy Baylock, GHTBL Vice President and Bill Holowaty, GHTBL President.

Everyone present at the trophy presentation was particularly glad to see Steve Krajewski. Crash (#7) has been an inspiration for the Orioles this year, especially for the veteran players who have known him for decades. He has been heroically fighting illness but still attended games regularly, including the last two games of playoffs.

The O’s graciously pledged their championship win to Crash. News Channel 8 WTNH covered these special moments and the game in this clip:

The Vernon Orioles win their 7th Greater Hartford Twilight League Baseball Championship and this one might have meant the most to the O's @GHTBL1929 pic.twitter.com/ITZhjdtsLe

— John Pierson (@JPPierson) August 23, 2024

The 2024 edition of GHTBL’s double-elimination Playoff Tournament is set to start on Monday, August 12, 2024.

Two playing sites, Palmer Field in Middletown and McKenna Field in East Hartford, will host all teams in what could be a 14-game or 15-game tournament. Here is the current bracket as it stands now:

Check this page for regular updates to the bracket.

Congratulations to M&T Bank and Manager Tom Abbruzzese on winning the 2024 Regular Season Title!

Summer is coming and another season of twilight baseball nears!

GHTBL is pleased to announce that our 2024 Regular Season will be highlighted by another charity event at the home of the Hartford Yard Goats – Dunkin’ Park – America’s best minor league ballpark. This year will mark the eighth consecutive “Stadium Series” organized by GHTBL in support of local charities.

Two doubleheaders (four games) are scheduled for Thursday, August 1, 2024, and Friday, August 2, 2024, at 6 PM and 8 PM.

This time around, the games will benefit food banks in the Greater Hartford area. Eight GHTBL franchises will compete on the field and off the field to raise money for food banks in or around their respective towns. The GHTBL club that raises the most will earn prizes! 

Here are the teams and their beneficiaries: 

• Bristol Greeners fundraising for Meals for the Needy (stjosephbristol.org/outreach-ministries/meals-for-the-needy)
  
• East Hartford Jets fundraising for Connecticut Food Share (ctfoodshare.org)
  
• Rainbow Graphics fundraising for MACC Charities in  Manchester (macc-ct.org)
  
• Record-Journal Expos fundraising for Meriden Soup Kitchen (meridensoupkitchen.org)
  
• Middletown Mets fundraising for Amazing Grace Food Pantry in Middletown (svdmiddletown.org/food-pantry)
  
• South Windsor Phillies fundraising for South Windsor Food and Fuel Bank (facebook.com/swfoodandfuelbank)
  
• Vernon Orioles fundraising for Cornerstone in Rockville (cornerstone-cares.org)
  
• M&T Bank fundraising for Hands on Hartford (handsonhartford.org)

This event is open to the public.

Buy tickets to help feed families, children and anyone experiencing food insecurity.

General Admission is for all four games (both nights). Show your ticket at the Main Gate.

You may purchase tickets on this webpage or in person at the games. Kids 14 and under attend free.

Come watch the top amateurs in Connecticut at the top minor league ballpark in America, and support this local cause.

Concessions will be open.

Here are the donations GHTBL has made from our events at Dunkin’ Park:

2017: $5,641 to @campcourant
2018: $4,500 to @ctchildrens
2019: $7,000 to @ms_4_ms
2020: $2,000 to @coltfoundation
2021: $5,624 to @ConnSportsFdn
2022: $5,035 to @sandyhook
2023: $4,000 to @hartfordpal

Note: The full 2024 Regular Season schedule will be announced at a later date.

In the world of baseball, a top-notch catcher is like finding a unicorn—rare and game-changing. Elite backstops not only excel at calling games, preventing wild pitches and controlling the basepaths, but they also contribute offensively, making them a double threat. With a great catcher behind the plate, the game flows more smoothly, reducing defensive lapses and boosting chances of victory. Yet, exceptional catchers are few and far between.

The likes of Josh Gibson, Yogi Berra, Johnny Bench, Ivan Rodriguez, Buster Posey, Yadier Molina, and Adley Rutschman are some of the game’s greatest anomalies. So what about catchers from Connecticut? Who’s been the best man with a mitt from the Nutmeg State?

Maybe it was one of the following major league catchers: Brad Ausmus, Brook Fordyce, John Ellis, or Skip Jutze. Perhaps the title belongs to a lesser-known big leaguer such as Nick Koback, Mike Sandlock, Matt Sinatro, or P.J. Higgins. There are several unsung candidates from the minor leagues including Jim Sheehan, Roger LaFrancois, and George Enright.

Last but not least, many have called Wallace “Wally” Widholm one of the best. He’s rarely remembered today, but Widholm dominated the local scene in the 1950s and 1960s. His mentees, GHTBL President Bill Holowaty and Vice President Andy Baylock, still rave about his talent and his control of the game. Wally Widholm is certainly up there with Connecticut’s greatest catchers, and it’s fair to call him the best twilight league backstop of all-time.

Let’s take a look at his life and athletic career:

Originally from Astoria, Queens, New York, Wallace R. Widholm was born on August 6, 1927. He grew up in the same Astoria sandlots as the famed southpaw, Whitey Ford. Widholm was Ford’s teammate and catcher. He once claimed that a broken finger prevented him from signing with the New York Yankees at the same time as Ford.

Then in 1946, the New York Giants inked Widholm to a professional contract at 18 years old, but Widholm opted to serve in the United States Navy. He briefly attended Ursinus College before transferring to the University of Connecticut in 1949 as a two-sport athlete. His college eligibility was called into question over his brief contract with the Giants, but a court ruling made him eligible at UConn.

To become UConn’s starting catcher, Widholm won a head-to-head competition in tryouts. Longtime Connecticut head coach J. Orlean Christian chose him over a returner named Walter Allen. Widholm ended up batting .325 on the season, earned the role of captain and received a First Team All-District selection. His commanding presence and his “lead-by-doing” approach were unmistakable. He took charge and set the standard for others to follow.

At 6’2″ Widholm was also key to the UConn men’s basketball team. He manned the forward position and took part in UConn’s first qualifying season (1950–51) for the NCAA Tournament. Though the Huskies lost to St. John’s University at Madison Square Garden, he described the game as, “The biggest thrill I had at UConn.” Widholm played three basketball and baseball seasons for the Huskies.

After graduating, he began working at Hamilton Standard – a propeller maker in Windsor Locks, Connecticut. He was one part ballplayer and one part employee. Hamilton teams were nicknamed the “Propellers” or “Props” and Widholm was their field general behind the dish. He was known for timely line-drive hitting and for blocking nearly every ball in the dirt.

His performance spurred the Props to a second place finish in the 1952 Hartford Industrial Baseball League (known as the Dusty League for short). Then Hamilton won four pennants in 1953: the Dusty League, the Connecticut State Semi-Pro, the Connecticut Industrial, and the Bi-State (Connecticut and Rhode Island) championships. Widholm was named captain of the baseball team and that winter, he also guided the Props to a Dusty League basketball title.

Widholm was highly regarded and heavily scouted as one of New England’s top catching prospects, making him a sought-after player for local amateur and semi-pro clubs. He was recruited by the Puritan Maids of the Hartford Twilight League, where he earned an All-Star selection, and also made appearances for the Portland Brownstones of the Middlesex County Baseball League.

Widholm had many highlights in ’53, but none more memorable than his trip to Dallas, Texas. Hamilton Standard athletes were flown to the Lonestar State to oppose airplane manufacturer, Chance Vought in a series of contests: baseball, basketball and bowling. Both Hamilton Standard and Chance Vought were divisions of Pratt & Whitney Aircraft at the time, and Chance Vought had relocated from Stratford, Connecticut, to Dallas, Texas a few years prior. The interstate competition allowed the divisions to meet and negotiate labor union contracts.

In the lead up to Texas, the Hartford Courant splashed Widholm’s face across the sports page. The captain and his fellow employees were photographed as they boarded a United Aircraft Convair at Rentschler Field in East Hartford, Connecticut. On September 12, 1953, the counterpart companies did battle at Burnett Field in Dallas. Chance Vought edged Hamilton Standard 2-1 and held them to one hit.

Many of Widholm’s Props teammates were longtime Hartford Twilight League players. They were William Landers, Harold Lewis, Charlie McMeans, Ed Kukulka, Joseph Haberl, Thomas Delucco, Daniel Ambrosio and others. Some of these men, at one time or another, were minor leaguers, and Widholm would follow suit. In 1954, he signed a contract with the Milwaukee Braves organization and was designated to the Miami Beach Flamingos of the Florida International League.

Managing Miami was a 3-time World Series Champion, Pepper Martin. Of the Miami club, Widholm once said, “That was the best team I ever played with.” He banged 6 home runs in 80 games with a 2 to 1 strikeout-to-walk ratio for Miami in 1954. He was a 26 year old rookie who showed flashes of brilliance on defense. His bat proved to be full of contact, but he lacked consistent home run power.

When the Miami Beach Flamingos folded midseason, Widholm was sent to the Quebec Braves of the Provincial League. He performed at a high level in Quebec, batting .347 in 29 games played. The only catcher with a better batting average was Dick Brown of the Sherbrooke Indians. Somehow, during his torrid streak in Quebec, Wiholm managed to avoid hitting a home run.

To squeeze more homers out of Widholm, the powers-that-be of the Braves organization sent him to work with Hall of Famer, Paul Waner (113 MLB career home runs). Waner considered Widholm an “arm hitter” and claimed it was too late to change styles. Widholm recalled the memory in a 1976 Hartford Courant interview stating, “I didn’t believe him then, but I did later in my second year when I batted .292 with no homers.”

Widholm’s professional career came to an end in the state of Mississippi. There he played 117 games with the Chicago Cubs-affiliated Vicksburg Hill Billies of the 1955 Cotton States League. He may have forgotten, but Widholm swatted 4 home runs and finished third on the team in RBI (45). Knowing the big leagues were out of reach, he decided to make a new life back in Connecticut.

After marrying his fiancée Joyce Papetti, Widholm settled in East Hartford before moving to Glastonbury. He resumed work at Hamilton Standard while continuing his passion for baseball, playing as a standout catcher for the Meriden Merchants and the Bloomfield Athletic Club. Over the next decade, Widholm became a fixture in statewide tournaments and competed in both the Hartford Industrial League and the Greater Hartford Twilight Baseball League.

His Hamilton Standard team of 1958 remains one of the greatest in GHTBL history. The Propellers lost only one game in the Regular Season to capture the league title, and they swept the Playoff Tournament. Widholm called nearly every pitch that season. A year later with the Meriden Merchants, he was named Most Valuable Player of the 1959 Merchants Invitational Tournament at Ceppa Field.

For most onlookers, there was no catcher in the state with more ability than Widholm. His physical traits on the field were unmistakable and long-lasting. His right arm stayed healthy enough to afford him occasions on the mound as a relief pitcher into his later years. Widholm had his most dominating season in 1966 when he served as player-manager for Hamilton Standard and won Most Valuable Player at 39 years old. Former big leaguer and manager Frankie Frisch presented him the award at Stonehaven Restaurant in West Hartford.

Widholm suited up in the Twi-loop until the age of 43. He switched clubs a few times from the Hamilton Props to Herb’s Sport Shop, and to the Manchester-based super team, Moriarty Brothers. He collected 7 Season Titles and 8 Playoff Championships in the GHTBL. Widholm retired from playing in 1970 as a member of Moriarty Brothers. Afterwards he became a successful head baseball coach for East Hartford’s Post 77 American Legion.

After an impressive athletic career and a full life, Wally Widholm passed away on March 4, 2005, at age 77. He was survived by his wife Joyce and their two children, Leslie and Wallace. Today, Wally Widholm is remembered fondly by old friends and fans. His character reflected the archetype of a well-rounded athlete. He was a great catcher, a power forward, a family man, an animal lover, a generous soul, a gentleman, and a quiet leader of men.

“The greatest thing about sports is the people and the ballplayers. It’s a healthy environment. You get to know a lot about yourself.”

Wally Widholm

Other star catchers of the GHTBL:

– Francisco Ascensio, Meriden Merchants
– Andy Baylock, Hamilton Standard
– Bob Blinn, Herb’s Sport Shop
– William “Sonny” Carroll
– Dennis Casey, Riley’s Redlegs
– Bill Chapulis, Moriarty Brothers
– Dave Chicon, Bristol Cassins
– Art Clune, Hartford Knights
– Kyle Cooney, Meriden ProCare
– Edward “Red” Cox, East Hartford Anchors
– Theodore DeMaio, Herb’s Sport Shop
– John Dione, Columbia A.C.
– Marek Drabinski, Newman Lincoln-Mercury
– Walter Dunham, Savitt Gems
– Douglas G. Elliot, Malloves Jewelers
– Douglas S. Elliot, People’s United Bank
– Ray Fagnant, Vernon Orioles
– Max Festa, Ellis-Slavkins
– Jake Fournier, Bill’s Sport Shop
– Allan Garray, Society for Savings
– Willie Gonzales, Bank of Boston
– Simon Greenbaum, Tuckel’s Radio Rhymers
– Mike Gulino, Record-Journal Expos
– Matt Hackney, Bristol Merchants
– Dan Hickey, Ferguson Waterworks
– Albert G. Huband, Savitt Gems
– Matt Hukill, Society for Savings
– Skip Jutze, Valco Machine
– Ronald “Rollie” Johnson, Hartford Orioles
– William “Hank” Karlon, Savitt Gems
– Stanley “Mickey” Katkaveck
– Nick Koback, Puritan Maids
– Ronald Kozuch, Wethersfield A.C.
– Mike Leonard, Vernon Orioles
– John Liptak, Valco Machine
– Michael J. Lombardi, Check Bread
– Felix Lupia, People’s United Bank
– Kevin MacIlvane, Vernon Orioles
– Richard Magner, Volkswagon
– Justin Morhardt, People’s United Bank
– Bill Nardi, Hartford Imagineers
– Jim O’Connor, East Hartford Jets
– Frank Orefice, Tuckel’s Radio Rhymers
– Jim Penders, East Hartford Jets
– Ron Pizzanello, Vernon Orioles
– Matt Pliszka, Hamilton Standard
– Jeff Rustico, People’s United Bank
– Sebby Salemi, Hamilton Standard
– Guy Settino, Yellow Cab
– Thomas Shortell, Mayflower Sales
– Zac Susi, Foss Insurance
– Dick Teed, Herb’s Sport Shop
– Chris Thomas, Malloves Jewelers
– Jim Tucker, Superior Auto
– Francis “Woody” Wallett, Savitt Gems
– Edward Wojcik, St. Cyril’s

Greater Hartford Twilight Baseball League’s 7th Annual Buzzy Levin Golf Tournament is officially scheduled for Sunday, September 15, 2024 at Blackledge Country Club – 180 West Street, Hebron, Connecticut.

Here’s the itinerary:

Check-in: 12 PM Noon with lunch served
Shotgun start: 1 PM
Dinner: directly after golf
GHTBL Annual Awards: presented to award winners in attendance
Golfers to receive a complimentary gift

Tee Sign Sponsor: $100
Silver Sponsor: $300
Gold Sponsor: $500

The general public, alumni, current players, family and friends are welcome to participate.

Become a sponsor with a donation (W-9 available to all donors) or sign up your foursome before September 1st.

Download and fill out the form below to register and/or sponsor:

You may also download a W-9 form for your tax records:

This event helps the GHTBL to differ league expenses year after year.

We’ll see you there and feel free to message Marc Levin of Malloves Jewelers with any questions or comments via email: marc@malloves.com.

Recently, a local talent named Nicholas Furino has been selected as GHTBL’s official League Photographer. The Twi-loop looks forward to sharing his candid photos and drone shots of each team amid the 2024 Regular Season and Playoff Tournament.

Hailing from East Haven, Connecticut, Furino is a graduate of East Haven High School and is going into his senior year at Eastern Connecticut State University. In 2023, Furino was a left-handed relief pitcher for the ECSU Warriors and tallied 12 innings and 9 strikeouts on the season. Then Furino decided to lean into media studies, becoming a photographer and videographer for the Warriors Athletic Department. He now works as a freelance photographer. Nick’s parents are Amy and Mario Furino and his siblings are Nathan and Natalie Furino.

Please join the league in welcoming Nicholas Furino to this new role.

See more of Nick’s work on Instagram: @nick.visions.

The Greater Hartford Twilight Baseball League bids a fond yet somber farewell to our former President, Mark Foss. He headed the league from 2006 to 2013.

Mark and his wife Jane served the Twi-loop as steady leaders and perennial Foss Insurance franchise sponsors during the 2000s and 2010s. They were crucial directors and contributors who held the league together behind the scenes. Mark and Jane bridged the gap between generations and guided GHTBL towards a more competitive brand of baseball.

Mark was a Korean War veteran with the United States Army, a father of four children and an avid Boston Red Sox fan.

Funeral service celebrating Mark’s life will be Thursday (June 13, 2024) at 5 pm at the D’Esopo East Hartford Memorial Chapel, 30 Carter Street, East Hartford. Mark’s family will receive relatives and friends on Thursday afternoon from 3-5 pm at the funeral home chapel.

See more: https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/east-hartford-ct/mark-foss-11848162

On Thursday, May 23, 2024, the GHTBL Regular Season will begin. Managers and players alike are itching to reunite with teammates at Connecticut’s top venues. Ranging from Palmer Field in Middletown to historic Muzzy Field in Bristol, the league has spared no expense in organizing top-notch baseball action at a semi-professional caliber. With the start of a new season, one question lingers: can anyone down the East Hartford Jets and stop them from winning a fifth consecutive Playoff Championship?

All eight returning clubs have been busy this offseason improving rosters and preparing to compete for both the Regular Season Title and Playoff Championship. It’s the opinion of this author that a pennant-winning club will require a combination of established veterans and young talent. Game one of Opening Day will feature the South Windsor Phillies against the Vernon Orioles at 6:00 PM McCoy Field in Vernon. Undoubtedly, the game will be witnessed by the home team’s “Left Field Legion” of diehard fans.

The Vernon O’s, one of last year’s Regular Season co-champions, welcome the return of their offensive stars, especially 2023 GHTBL home run leader Peter Kelley. The Trubia brothers are back again. So is the O’s best all-around player and former minor leaguer, Jimmy Titus. The O’s will also feature Eastern Connecticut State University prospects, Alejandro Soriano and Hank Penders, in their second twi-loop campaign. Manager Jack Ceppetelli has headed the Orioles since 2002. Steve Krajewski, a former O’s skipper, is the current General Manager, while Kevin Powell serves as an Assistant GM and Bench Coach.

Manager Ron Pizzanello and his South Windsor Phillies seek to take down the O’s in game one, though Vernon is tough place to win. The Phillies are headlined by moundsmen Luke Mathewson and Trevor Moulton as well as longtime outfielder Jack Petrozza. Successful newcomers from last season, Justin Oquendo and Javier Irizarry, are returning for their second year. A rookie addition to South Windsor is Kaden Murphy, a pitcher from University of Saint Joseph. Gary Burnham Jr. has stayed aboard as General Manager and hitting guru.

That same Thursday night the Record-Journal Expos will travel to McKenna Field to face the East Hartford Jets, and over in Manchester at Northwest Park, the Bristol Greeners look to steal an early win against Rainbow Graphics. Both games begin at 7:00 PM.

The Jets hope to continue their dynasty with infielders Corey Plasky and Jeff Criscuolo, who have been as lineup linchpins in on both sides of the ball. Plasky earned the Most Valuable Playoff Batter award back in August of ’23. Criscuolo will reprise his role as player-manager and Chris Kehoe, who’s been a part of the Jets since 1991, remains General Manager.

Major contributors of East Hartford’s dynasty-run have been Jimmy Schult and Taylor Kosakowski. Both men have signaled their retirement from the league or at least a role reduction. Schult played 5 GHTBL seasons as two-way all-star solely for the Jets and was probably their best all-around player. Kosakowski started his twilight career in 2007 and won 2 Regular Season titles and 7 Playoff championships.

East Hartford’s opening day opponent, the Record-Journal Expos, expect to play spoilers with an experience pitching rotation. This consists of 2023 innings leader JD Tyler, their former player-manager Charlie Hesseltine, and AJ Hendrickson, their current player-manager who’s planning a return to the mound after being injured last year. Other returners are: Kyle Hartenstein, Ben Schulz, Max Giacco, Hector Gonzalez and Jason Sullivan.

Over in Bristol, the Greeners are improving. Manager Trevor Mays has established a core of younger players and new recruits. Veteran Greeners include Jon Pierce at first base, AJ Lorenzetti in the outfield, and Trevor Nohilly and Kenny Knox on the mound. New Greeners include Eric Corhouse and Jacoby Banks. Bristol’s home ballpark at Muzzy Field is both a fan and player favorite, hosting some of the largest turnouts of the Regular Season.

Heading east of the Connecticut River, the Rainbow Graphics are formidable both offensively and defensively. Tyler Repoli, Most Valuable Player of ’23, leads the offensive charge for the Graphics. Their pitching staff is headed by veterans Evan Chamberlain and Travis Salois. With a recent Liberty League championship at Ithaca College under his belt, twi-loop sophomore John Griffin is expected to pitch at an even higher level than last season. Outfielders Mark DiTomasso and Eric Brainard are planning comeback seasons with Rainbow in ’24.

M&T Bank, last season’s postseason runner-up, wants to end this summer with some hardware. They start on May 31, 2024, armed with a dominant pitching staff, including the likes of Brandon Fry, Camden Murphy, and Matt Smith. Line drive-hitting outfielder Shaun Callahan is coming off of a recent NE10 Conference Championship with the University of New Haven. Manager Tom Abbruzzese is set to guide his team in his 49th season coaching the “Bankers” franchise. New additions include Gianni Zarrilli Jr. and Tim Pfaffenbichler.

With far less experience in the league, the Middletown Mets are seeking to improve upon their inaugural campaign. The Mets offense features two impressive GHTBL sophomores, 2023 Rookie of the Year Will Kleinhenz and Albertus Magnus graduate Ron Losacano. With a bolstered pitching staff and mainstays like Alex Koletar and side-armer Dan Livingston, the Mets seek to cause problems for opposing clubs. Livingston has pitched in the GHTBL for the last 25 years.

The 2024 Regular Season will conclude with the Stadium Series 4 Food Banks at Dunkin’ Park. On August 1 and 2, all eight clubs will play at Connecticut’s signature minor league ballpark. Proceeds from theses games will be donated to support a local food bank designated by each GHTBL team. $830 has been raised (most contributors have come from Vernon’s “Left Field Legion”) Visit the donation page here: https://givebutter.com/ss4fb

Thank you to the fans, sponsors, players, managers, and families who support the Greater Hartford Twilight Baseball League. With your continued support, the summer of ’24 will be special.

Thanks for voting and we’ll see you at the park! …Especially Aug 1 & Aug 2 at Dunkin Park.

Let’s enjoy the competitive baseball, and a great start to the summer.

The Spanswick’s of Enfield, Connecticut, were once the most talented family of pitchers in New England. Two brothers, William Henry “Bill” Spanswick Jr. and James “Jim” Spanswick as well as Jim’s son, Jeff Spanswick, excelled as amateurs and professionals. At different points in their careers, each of them also appeared in the Greater Hartford Twilight Baseball League. Let’s take a closer look at their story…

The Spanswick family lived in the Thompsonville section of Enfield. Bill’s father, William Henry “Harry” Spanswick Sr. originally hailed from Hartford, while his mother, Bonnie Spanswick was from Enfield. Harry was an employee of the Hartford Machine Screw Company, an amateur ballplayer, a local bowling champion, and a soon-to-be Little League coach. Harry and Bonnie had four children: Bill, James, Barbara and Nancy. Bill Spanswick Jr. was born in Springfield, Massachusetts, on July 8, 1938, and Jim arrived three years later.

Both Bill and Jim Spanswick developed into standout athletes at Enfield High School. The brothers once pitched no-hitters in the same week for American Legion Maciolek Post 154. Bill was a 6’3″ left-handed pitcher with a lively fastball. He threw seven consecutive shutouts, one no-hitter and seven one-hitters in his senior year of high school. Nicknamed “Span,” Bill matriculated to the College of the Holy Cross and starred on the freshman baseball team.

Then in 1958, Bill Spanswick signed with his favorite team, the Boston Red Sox. However, his quick decision was costly. He accepted the contract over the phone from Jack Onslow – a Red Sox scout and former manager of the Hartford Senators. Onslow showed up at the Spanswick residence the next morning, and the $4,000 contract was inked at the kitchen table. And yet, Major League Baseball soon revoked a bonus rule and Spanswick lost out on $60,000.

Nevertheless, Bill Spanswick traveled west to join Boston’s Class-D Midwest League affiliate in Waterloo, Iowa. He was quickly promoted to the Lexington Red Sox of the Nebraska League and posted a 7-4 record with a 3.13 ERA and a league-leading 142 strikeouts. In an August 21, 1958, game against the Superior Senators he tallied 22 strikeouts, a Nebraska League record.

The following season he advanced to the Carolina League and dominated for the Raleigh Capitals. His win-loss record soared to 15-4 behind a 2.49 earned run average. He led the league in both categories and Raleigh went on to capture the pennant. “Span” was considered a top prospect in the Red Sox organization, which included other arms such as Dick Radatz, Dave Morehead, Earl Wilson and Wilbur Wood.

That same year Jack Onslow signed Bill’s brother, Jim Spanswick to the Red Sox organization. He was another hard-throwing southpaw who chucked three consecutive no-hitters at Enfield High School. In the minors, Jim tossed a total of 407 innings with the Red Sox (1960-1962) and the Washington Senators (1963). After being released by the Winston-Salem Red Sox in 1964, he took the mound at Colt Park in the Greater Hartford Twilight Baseball League for Herb’s Sports Shop and later for Royal Typewriter.

Meanwhile, Jim’s older brother was nearing the major leagues. Bill endured minor bumps along the way with Boston’s Triple-A affiliate, the Seattle Rainiers. In 1963, he mastered control problems to become an All-Star and the Pacific Coast League strikeout king (209). He had a 14-8 record for last place Seattle, and three of his defeats were by a difference of one run. During this time, both Spanswick brothers served their country as reserves for the United States Marines Corps.

Coming out of 1964 Spring Training in Tucson, Arizona, Red Sox Manager Johnny Pesky admired Spanswick’s ability and judged him to be ready for the majors. The Associated Press ranked Spanswick, “…the brightest pitching prospect in the Boston Red Sox organization.” When he made the team, the 25 year old lefty credited his minor league coach, Mace Brown, for helping him prepare mentally. It would be Spanswick’s only big league season.

Spanswick made his debut by tossing three innings of hitless relief at Fenway Park on April 18, 1964, against the White Sox. His first win came on May 8, versus the Washington Senators in a 9-3 victory. Bill’s teammates started calling him “Crow” for his dark and bird-like physical features. He was known to have a habit of stashing Camel cigarettes in his cap – something he may have learned in the Marines.

On June 12, 1964, Bill Spanswick faced his toughest opponents yet. Mickey Mantle and the New York Yankees beat up on the Red Sox, 10-6 at Yankee Stadium. Mantle had two hits and a pair of RBI. The contest was indicative of Span’s 1964 season. He pitched in 29 games with a bloated 6.89 ERA, 55 strikeouts, 44 walks and a 2-3 record. The Red Sox sank to eighth in the American League. He showed flashes of brilliance, but reporters described his time in Boston as a failure.

In 1965, Bill Spanswick was traded to the Triple-A Toronto Maple Leafs. He earned a 6-3 record before being released again. The California Angels organization picked him up in 1966, but his career was coming to an end due to elbow injuries. He returned to Connecticut once more to be with family and took a sales job in the trucking industry. In a surprise appearance, he pitched his last game for Hamilton Standard of the Greater Hartford Twilight Baseball League – beating Moriarty Brothers 4-3 on June 28, 1967. Bill would later established Spanswick Trucking, which remains a family business to this day.

Bill Spanswick stayed connected to baseball through coaching. In 1991, he managed American International College to the NCAA Division-II College World Series. He was inducted into the inaugural class of the Enfield Athletic Hall of Fame as the town’s only major leaguer. Upon retiring to Naples, Florida, he became an usher for Red Sox Spring Training games at JetBlue Park. Bill Spanswick died peacefully in Florida on December 2, 2020, and was buried at Thompsonville Cemetery.

I feel good about saying I pitched in the big leagues. Back then, there were only eight teams in the American League. You were one of 72 guys pitching. You had to prove yourself in the minor leagues. It’s pretty special.”

Bill Spanswick Jr.

Bill’s nephew and Jim’s son, Jeff Spanswick, represented the next generation of the family. Naturally, Jeff was an ace pitcher at Enfield High School. The young right-hander had expert level coaches including Enfield’s longtime skipper, Bob Bromage. Jeff suited up for American International College where his Uncle Bill was head coach. At AIC, Jeff became an ECAC All-Star and a Division-II Second Team All-American. Though he was never drafted, Jeff followed his family’s footsteps by pitching at Fenway Park in the 1992 College All-Star Game (the Division-I All-Stars defeated the Division-II & Division-III All-Stars, 6-3).

Jeff Spanswick took time off from baseball after college, and in 1994 he married Lisa Noyes of Enfield. Four years later he made a return to the diamond with the East Hartford Jets of the Greater Hartford Twilight Baseball League. Thanks in large part to Jeff’s 7-0 record, the Jets and their manager Hal Benson were co-champions of the 1998 Regular Season. Jeff Spanswick played for East Hartford until 2002 when he changed teams to Mr. G’s (Giansanti) of South Windsor. Mr. G’s won the 2002 Regular Season in Spanswick’s last year in baseball.

Sources

1. Bill Spanswick by Bill Nowlin, SABR Bio Project, 2021: https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/Bill-Spanswick/.

2. Bill Spanswick Dies, Enfield’s Only Major League Baseball Player by Tim Jensen, Patch.com: 2020, https://patch.com/connecticut/enfield/bill-spanswick-dies-enfields-only-major-league-baseball-player.

3. Mass Live article by David Dorsey, The News-Press, 2012: Bill Spanswick, formerly of Enfield and Boston Red Sox, finds new home at Jet Blue Stadium

With summer around the corner, the Greater Hartford Twilight Baseball League is gearing up for our next Opening Day. Though an exact date has yet to be determined, you can expect more announcements as the schedule unfolds. Eight GHTBL franchises will return to action around late May of this year. The 2024 Regular Season should include another charity series at Dunkin’ Park. Each team will fundraise for a different food bank around the state. Read more about this effort called Stadium Series 4 Food Banks at Dunkin’ Park: Givebutter.com/ss4fb (more to come on this).

The twilight league continues to present a uniquely competitive experience for players of all ages. A mix of young and old teammates – local amateurs, college players, high school prospects, and ex-professionals – have developed talent, camaraderie and lifelong friendships. Deep into each season, teams seem to melt together in one way or another in pursuit of a common goal. To describe the GHTBL, one might say we’re a meritocracy operated by a large group of friends with help from umpires.

Maybe that’s why GHTBL has staying power? For the last 95 years, the league has clung to a classic style of the game. Baseball purists seem to appreciate that the league requires nine players to a lineup while disallowing leniencies like metal bats, courtesy pinch-runners, and free-for-all substitutions. Whatever the reason, the tradition continues. After all, traditions are important, and they don’t go unrecognized. When a sport as beloved as baseball is played and witnessed in a pure form, virtually unchanged from years gone by, that’s something people can appreciate.

On behalf of President Holowaty and the Executive Committee, enjoy the rest of your off-season and here’s to another summer!

To apply for a roster spot, players are asked to fill out a Player Application found at GHTBL.org/join. Here’s a list of our current teams and managers:

League Management

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

GHTBL Executive Committee

---

Recently, Rainbow Graphics player-manager Jason Valliere accepted a role as Assistant Sports Information Director at the United Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut. Congratulations to Jason on his latest career move! Jason is on a path to a promising career in sports. He joins the countless number of twilight players who have worked for high profile institutions – men who have led inspiring careers in athletics, business, and public service.

Hundreds of twilight leaguers have made their mark in a wide array of professions and careers. From coaching to teaching to sales and management, you might say that GHTBL alumni help keep the economy going. And you might be wondering, “where are they now?” Well, here’s a list of former twilight players and their current occupation followed by their company or organization:

• Ryan Aiken, Operations Manager & Treasurer, High Grade Gas Service, Inc.
  
• Greg Annino, Senior Field Technician, Greenskies Clean Energy
  
• Chris Anselmo, Realtor, Marino Realty
  
• Brian Archibald, Special Education Teacher, Bristol Central High School
  
• Jeff Bagwell, Special Advisor, Houston Astros
  
• Steve Bartunek, Insurance Agent, RDDK
  
• Andy Baylock, Director, UConn Football Alumni/Community Affairs
  
• Ken Bratina, Program Director, Connecticut Junior Republic
  
• Conor Bremer, Supplier Program Manager, Dynetics, Inc.
  
• *Brett Burnham, Financial Advisor, Northwestern Mutual
  
• *Steve Cannata, Head Coach, Kingswood-Oxford School Baseball
  
• Clarke Caudill, Area Sales Manager, Intuitive
  
• Tony Cekovsky, Regional Account Manager, Monster Energy
  
• *Jack Champagne, Teacher, Longmeadow School District
  
• *Paul Ciotto, Engineering Director, Aetna
  
• Rob Cipolla, MSSP Sales, IBM
  
• Chris Corkum, Founder, Chris Corkum’s Baseball, Inc.
  
• *Scott Cormier, Vice President of Purchasing, Katsiroubas Produce
  
• *Tony Dedominicis, Musician
  
• Tyler Dew, Attorney and Claim Director, Chubb Insurance
  
• Ryan DiPietro, Senior Environmental Inspector, BL Companies
  
• Mark DiTommaso, Kitchen Designer, EHL Kitchens
  
• Doug Elliot Jr., Financial Advisor, Marcum LLP
  
• Doug Elliot Sr., President, The Hartford (retired)
  
• Jake Fournier, Financial Manager, Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP
  
• Paul Gallo, Lead Instructor, Los Angeles Dodgers Training Academy
  
• *Ralph Giansanti Jr., Financial Advisor, Infinex Investments, Inc.
  
• *Roberto Giansiracusa, Owner, GimaSport
  
• John Gieras, Teacher, Somers Public Schools
  
• *Kevin Gieras, Detective, New York Police Department
  
• TJ Grande, Senior IT Business Management Specialist, Burns and McDonnell
  
• Matt Grosso, EVP of Business Development, Wentworth DeAngelis & Kaufman Insurance
  
• Jerry Hasler, Vice President, Forestville Manufacturing
  
• Mike Hepple, Insurance Broker, Wentworth, DeAngelis & Kaufman Insurance
  
• Rick Hewey, Contract Administrator, Hartford HealthCare
  
• Charlie Hickey, Head Coach, Central Connecticut State University Baseball
  
• Dan Hickey, Client Manager II, Lockton Companies
  
• Nick Hock, Batting Practice Specialist, Delmarva Shorebirds (Baltimore Orioles)
  
• Matt Hodges, Off Campus Operations Manager, University of Pennsylvania
  
• Jack Hurley, Pension Consultant, PASI
  
• *Scott Jeamel, VP Financial Consultant, Charles Schwab
  
• Dave Katz, Owner, Katz Sport Shop
  
• Chris Kehoe, Technical Architect, TriZetto Group
  
• *Tom Kirby, Chief Financial Officer, JE Shepard Company
  
• *Steve Krajewski, Assistant Director, Vernon Parks and Recreation Department (Retired)
  
• John Kubachka, Operations Manager, Town of Newington
  
• James Kukucka, Financial Analyst, Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation
  
• Ryan Lamarche, Owner, RDL Painting
  
• **Gary LaRocque, Director of Player Development, St. Louis Cardinals
  
• Matt Lavatori, Vice President of Client Services, Fred C. Church Insurance
  
• Marc Levin, Owner, Malloves Jewelers
  
• Derek Litke, Business Develop Manager, Triumph Group
  
• *Jason Maule, Physical Education Teacher, Meriden Public Schools
  
• *Brian Marshall, Field Reimbursement Manager, Novartis
  
• Steve Matyczyk, Principal, Tariffville Elementary School
  
• Frank McCoy Jr., Personal Injury Attorney, McCoy & McCoy
  
• Adam McLaughlin, Senior Vice President, Webster Bank
  
• *Todd Mercier, Manager, Murray Kaizer Inc.
  
• Daryl Morhardt, Head Coach, Housatonic High School Baseball 
  
• Greg Morhardt, Professional Scout, Boston Red Sox
  
• Mike Mowel, Chief Accounting Officer, Safepoint Holdings
  
• *Walter Nakonechny, Science Department Chair, Rockville High School
  
• Tyler Olander, Assistant Coach, University of Saint Joseph Men’s Basketball
  
• Basilio Ortiz, Youth Services Officer, CT Department of Children and Families
  
• Cory Parker, Sales Manager, AnnieMac Home Mortgage
  
• Joe Parlante, Sales Account Manager at New England Industrial Supply
  
• Jim Penders, Head Coach, UConn Baseball
  
• *Adam Peters, Corporate Safety Director, KBE Building
  
• Kevin Powell, Second Vice President, Travelers (retired)
  
• *Bunty Ray, Teacher and Coach, Bristol Eastern High School
  
• Cory Riordan, Pitching Coach, Dunedin Blue Jays (Toronto Blue Jays)
  
• Kevin Rival, Founder, CT Rivals AAU Program
  
• Jake Ruder, Manager, Fastenal
  
• Peter Rynkowski, Senior Executive Recruiter, Ed-Exec, Inc.
  
• *Dave Sacco, Operating Manager, Rhino Insurance Services
  
• *Harvey Shapiro, Manager, Wareham Gatemen (retired)
  
• *Michael Schweighoffer, Chief Lending Officer, Farmington Bank
  
• Jim Shannon, Owner, Metro Communications
  
• Charlie Shover, Plant Manager, Corsicana Mattress Company
  
• *Jim Snediker, Commercial Insurance Leader, Travelers
  
• Chris Strahowski, Teacher, Windham Technical H.S. & Adjunct Professor, SCSU
  
• David Swanson, KZone Producer, ESPN and Founder of Swanson Baseball
  
• Rob Tenzca, Project Manager, Arcadis
  
• Tom Thibodeau, Head Coach, New York Knicks
  
• **Leo Veleas, Head Coach, Berlin High School
  
• Pete Walker, Pitching Coach, Toronto Blue Jays
  
• Justin Waz, Director of Revenue Operations, RecDesk Software
  
• Josue Zamora, Police Officer, State of Connecticut
  
• *James Ziogas Jr. Attorney at Law, Ziogas Law

*GHTBL Hall of Fame Inductee
**GHTBL Hall of Fame Gold Glove Honoree

Comment below with your addition to this list.

Before becoming one of the game’s greatest sluggers, Hank Greenberg began his professional career in Hartford, Connecticut. As a youngster, Greenberg attended James Monroe High School in The Bronx, New York, where he was an outstanding athlete in baseball, basketball, and soccer. At 19 years old he dropped out of New York University to sign a $9,000 contract with the Detroit Tigers. The Tigers placed him on their Class-A affiliate, the Hartford Senators of the Eastern League. Greenberg appeared in 17 games for the Senators in the spring of 1930.

The two-time American League MVP and two-time World Series champion did not perform like an all-star in his first few professional appearances. He was a scrawny and inexperienced version of the player who later became “Hammerin’ Hank.” Greenberg cut his teeth with Hartford while in search of his persona as a right-handed power-hitter. He was the youngest player on a less than mediocre team.

His Hartford teammates and his manager called him by the nickname “Bruggy.” Greenberg’s first skipper was Lore “King” Bader, a former big league spitballer known for his love of cards. Hartford’s top hitter was John “Bunny” Roser, a local first baseman and a former major leaguer who hit .322 on the 1930 season. King Bader opted to use Roser over Greenberg and after a few weeks, Greenberg was demoted to the Class-C Raleigh Capitals of the Piedmont League.

Following a 35-44 win-loss record, Hartford folded on June 30, 1930, citing financial ruin. Bad baseball and austerity brought on by the Great Depression ended Hartford’s season early. The Eastern League was reduced to four clubs, but Greenberg went on to bigger and better things. He hit .314 for Raleigh of the Carolina League that summer. Then on September 14, 1930, Greenberg made his major league debut as a pinch hitter against the New York Yankees.

What about the rest of the Greenberg story? Well, he attracted national attention during the 1934 pennant race when he decided not to play on the Jewish holy day of Yom Kippur. He was the first Jewish superstar in American sports. While enduring anti-semitic remarks and gestures, he prevailed over prejudice with a .314 lifetime batting average and 331 major league home runs. His seventeen years in professional baseball were limited by the events of World War II, when served in both the United States Army and the Army Air Corps.

On his return to a baseball in 1945, Greenberg and the Tigers claimed another World Series victory. Then in 1947, his final year, Greenberg was one of few opposing players to publicly welcome Jackie Robinson to the major leagues. Hank “The Hebrew Hammer” Greenberg was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1956. He is one of three Jewish players to be inducted (in addition to Sandy Koufax and Lou Boudrou).

Sources:
1. Hartford Courant database on Newspapers.com
2. SABR article on Hank Greenberg by Scott Ferkovich

On the evening of Wednesday, July 23, 1890, Hartford, Connecticut, became the site of a groundbreaking technological experiment. The city’s first night baseball game, illuminated by electric lights, took place at Ward Street Grounds. The event garnered national attention and was hailed as the “Greatest Novel Attraction of the Season” by the Hartford Courant. Ten arc lamps, provided by the Hartford Electric Company, were suspended above the field and powered by generators. Over 2,000 spectators attended, eager to witness Connecticut’s first-ever night game.

By that time, the leisurely pastime of “base ball” had evolved into a professional sport in Hartford, though within the minor leagues. The Hartford team was struggling, sitting at the bottom of the Atlantic Association standings, and they were in desperate need of a boost in attendance. The night game offered a solution, attracting fans with day jobs who couldn’t typically attend weekday afternoon games. A playful article in the Hartford Post joked, “The Hartford Base Ball team does well to play at night. Many of its games would look better in absolute darkness.”

The game by electric light pitted Hartford against the original Baltimore Orioles, a team that was well-known to local fans. Baltimore’s manager, William “Bald Billy” Barnie, had played for the 1874 Hartford Dark Blues. The Orioles also featured a young Connie Mack as catcher, who had started his career with Meriden and Hartford. Leading the Hartford team were the directors and shareholders of the Hartford Base Ball Association. A printer named A.W. Lang served as president, while the manager was John M. Henry, a former major leaguer. The team’s star hitter, “Gentleman George” Stallings, would later go on to manage in the big leagues for many years.

Hartford would see a boost in ticket sales, but the evening game was a debacle. Due to an insufficient amount of light, the experiment was labeled a burlesque and a parody. Players were unable to track the ball in dim lighting, and batters were bunting for base hits. Every man on defense played in, and fielders rolled the ball to first base to record outs. The exhibition was called off after four innings. No official score was taken.

While Hartford’s first night game failed, the attempt built upon previous experiments. Baseball by electric light traced back to July of 1880 – a year after Thomas Edison invented the lightbulb. The Boston Post reported on a night game between amateur nines at Nantasket Beach in Hull, Massachusetts. One of Edison’s rivals, Edward Weston, supplied the lights. Here’s a drawing of the Edward Weston arc lamp used at Nantasket Beach:

There were many naysayers and detractors to the idea of night baseball, but Hartford’s club tested it again in 1901. This time, a string of carbide lights were hung on poles around Hartford Base Ball Park (near Hanmer Street and Wethersfield Avenue). The game was described as a successful demonstration. Spectators were said to be amused, and they did not seem to care that Hartford lost to Brockton, 15-8.

Sources:

1. Eddleton, O. (1980). Under the Lights. Sabr.org. https://sabr.org/journal/article/under-the-lights/.
2. Various articles, Hartford Courant database, Newspapers.com.

The Greater Hartford Twilight League inducted a dozen into the Hall of Fame on Saturday, November, 19, 2023 at Indian Hill Country Club in Newington. Among the inductees were GHTBL President, Bill Holowaty as well as Kevin Beaudoin, Steve Cannata, Jack Champagne, Scott Jeamel, Tom Kirby, Walt Nakonechny, Adam Peters, Bunty Ray, Dave Sacco, Bobby Stefanik and Mike Susi. GHTBL Hall of Fame President, Steve Krajewski was the master of ceremonies.

Congratulations to all coaches and ballplayers! This class represents some of the top baseball names in the Greater Hartford area from the 1960’s to 2000’s. The event brochure, written by GHTBL Hall of Fame Committee Member Jack Hurley, will be posted at a later date. Here’s the presenting words given by the League Secretary inducting Bill Holowaty:

I’m proud to present the induction of our President, Bill Holowaty to the Executive Committee, recognizing league officials. Coach Holowaty is just the 10th person to earn this honor and the first since Jim Gallagher. What people might not realize about Bill is that he’s one of Connecticut’s all-time amateur sports figures.

He played basketball at UConn starting in 1964 – not too long ago. While in college he appeared in the Hartford Twilight League with Hamilton Standard. His teammates were fellow Hall of Fame inductees, Wally Widholm, Hal Lewis and Bill Risley. Holowaty only played for a few summers before graduating and embarking on a coaching career at Eastern – a fledgling college at the time. 

He built up the program by installing an attitude of toughness and hard work. His demands for excellence were unparalleled. Bill won his 1000th game at Eastern in the year 2000. The Warriors went to 39 postseasons in 45 years under Holowaty, who won 4 National Titles and a total of 1,412 games – more than any coach in New England. 

He led the project to build a baseball stadium at Eastern and it really should be called Bill Holowaty Stadium if you consider all that he achieved. Though he did help start the NECBL, Coach sent hundreds of players to the Twilight League. For example, one of his former players, Jim Schult has helped the East Hartford Jets win the last 4 championships.

After retiring from coaching, he agreed to be Twilight President in 2017. Everyone continued to call him Coach Holowaty and he immediately made us more competitive. He gave veteran players and longtime managers new energy. He started a golf tournament/fundraiser with Marc Levin. With Bill at the helm, the league has raised over $25,000 for charities with benefit games at Dunkin’ Park. A lot of his contributions have also been thanks to his wife Jan.  

Bill has has seen many obstacles for a guy born in 1945 from Little Falls, New York. He has fought through controversy and illness, and has won again and again. His sports career is rivaled by few. Before our state had Geno Auriemma, Jim Calhoun or Dan Hurley, we had Coach Holowaty winning National Championships. The Greater Hartford Twilight League is grateful for his leadership. We are in the best financial position we’ve even been in and he hasn’t asked for anything in return.

Coach, you’re now one of the Hall of Fame’s most well-known “baseball guys” – right up there with Phil Rizzuto an Honorary Member. Let’s put it this way; you’re one of two people in this room with a Wikipedia page. You are highly regarded, even today in this forgetful world. You’re a friend and a great role model. You’re one of a kind. Congratulations on the induction.

Bill Holowaty inducted to GHTBL Hall of Fame by Weston Ulbrich, League Secretary, 11/18/23.

On Sunday, September 17, 2023, GHTBL alumni, friends and family gathered for another twi-loop event on the golf course. The 6th Annual Buzzy Levin Golf Tournament went off without a hitch and was successful in raising plenty of funds for the league. There were a record number of golfers in attendance this year at 108. Right now, thanks to so many contributors, GHTBL is in great financial position to grow the league.

Thank you to the following sponsors who came through for the league in a big way:

Connecticut Lighting Centers
Famiglietti & Famiglietti
David Chapman, Attorney
SRC, Certified Public Accountants
Balaban & Raczka Law
Best Cleaners of Middletown
David and Terry Gilbert
Phil Wieloch
Larry Mchugh

GHTBL is grateful for your continued support!

Another year, another golf tournament! GHTBL’s 6th Annual Buzzy Levin Golf Tournament is scheduled for Sunday, September 17, 2023 at Blackledge Country Club at 180 West St, Hebron, CT.

The general public, alumni, current players, family and friends are welcome to sign up a foursome today using this registration form. Or become a Tee Sign sponsor – $100 donation each (W-9 available to all donors).

Click here for full details, itinerary, registration and to become a sponsor.

On August 27, 2023, a radio show called Baseball Talk with “Fast” Ed Litos interviewed Weston Ulbrich, GHTBL Secretary, who made his third appearance on the program. The topic of discussion was minor league baseball history in Hartford. Other guests on the hour-long talk show were Dom Amore, sports journalist for the Hartford Courant and David Arcidiacono, author of Major League Baseball in Gilded Age Connecticut.

Ed and Wes talked mainly about the Hartford Bees and the Hartford Chiefs and the various minor league teams and soon-to-be Major League players who have represented the capital city. Click this link to listen the latest episode of Baseball Talk: https://rb.gy/2s284.

Baseball Talk with Ed Litos, a West Hartford native, has been airing since 2020. The following stations broadcast Baseball Talk: WLIS – 1420 AM & 97.3 FM / WMRD – 1150 AM & 103.7 FMv. All of their broadcasts are also available as podcasts. Visit the homepage at http://wliswmrd.net/.

Of all the Hall of Famers to barnstorm Hartford, Connecticut, (Ty Cobb, Ted Williams, Josh Gibson, Satchel Paige and Babe Ruth – to name a few) one of the earliest stars to come here was George Edward “Rube” Waddell. The unpredictable left-hander led Connie Mack’s Philadelphia Athletics against the Washington Senators at Hartford Base Ball Park. The postseason exhibition game took place on a Monday afternoon, October 8, 1906, to benefit Newington’s Cedar Mountain Hospital for consumptives (patients with tuberculosis).

A year prior to his Hartford visit, Waddell won a rare pitcher’s Triple Crown. He paced the American League with 27 wins, 287 strikeouts and an earned run average of 1.48. Waddell was baseball’s biggest celebrity and drawing card, though he was injured for the 1905 World Series. Over thirteen big league seasons, he appeared with Louisville, Pittsburgh, Chicago, Philadelphia and St. Louis. He was nicknamed “Rube,” meaning “country bumpkin” – as many rural players were called at the time.

Born on Friday the 13th of October, 1876, in Bradford, Pennsylvania, George Edward Waddell was the sixth child of Mary and John Waddell, who worked in the oil fields for Standard Oil Company. Rube made his Major League debut at 20 years old. He garnered a reputation for unmanageable free-spiritedness. Rube was known to miss regular season games for fishing trips and he often moonlighted with amateur teams, which included appearances at Rollins College and Volant College. Sometimes dubbed “Lunatic Lefty,” Waddell indulged in drinking, gambling, firefighting and even alligator wrestling.

Despite his eccentricities and idiosyncrasies, Waddell was baseball’s top southpaw at the time of his Hartford sojourn. Rube was the talk of the city as the Philadelphia club arrived late to check-in at Hartford’s Heublein Hotel on Wells Street. The game was scheduled for 2:30 PM. Fans arrived early, packing the grandstand and encircling the roped off field. Local dignitaries such as Morgan G. Bulkeley, former U.S. Senator, Connecticut Governor and first President of the National League, William J. Tracy, Vice President of the Connecticut League of Baseball Clubs and John F. Gunshanan, former professional ballplayer, community leader and head organizer of the Rube-featured exhibition.

Before night fell over Hartford Base Ball Park, onlookers were awed by Waddell’s victorious complete game shutout. He allowed two hits and struck out 16 batters. His fastball was overpowering and his curve confounded opponents. Behind Rube at second base was another Hall of Famer, Charles “Chief” Bender who recorded a double and a run in the game. A pitcher’s duel that lasted one hour and twenty minutes ended with the Athletics downing the Senators, 2-0. Washington’s lefty, Frank Kitson earned the loss on just five Philadelphia hits.

More than 4,000 fans were estimated in attendance at $0.50 per ticket. Waddell’s Hartford game raised $1,250 for consumptives at Cedar Mountain Hospital – the reported cost of running the institution for about a month. After the game, it was claimed that Waddell has some of his teammates stopped in at Wethersfield Prison to lift the spirits of inmates (something you would never hear of Major League baseball players doing today).

Coincidentally, Waddell contracted tuberculosis less than eight years later. He died of consumption at 37 years old on April Fool’s Day, 1914. He was buried in San Antonio, Texas. The nearly unhittable “Rube” was eventually elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee.

Rube was one of a kind — just a big kid, you know. He’d pitch one day and we wouldn’t see him for three or four days after. He’d just disappear, go fishing or something, or be off playing ball with a bunch of twelve-year-olds in an empty lot somewhere. You couldn’t control him ’cause he was just a big kid himself. Baseball was just a game to Rube.”

Sam Crawford, Detroit Tigers, National Baseball Hall of Fame Inductee

Sources

1. Baseball-Reference.com
2. Rube Waddell: Baseball’s Peter Pan by John Thorn
3. Hartford Courant database on Newspapers.com
4. SABR Article: The Strangest Month in the Strange Career of Rube Waddell by Steven A. King

Recently on August 14, 2023, a former GHTBL player, Raymond E. Gliha, passed away peacefully at his home in Manchester, Connecticut. He lived a full life that was closely associated with local baseball. Gliha was passionate about the game and he excelled on the diamond for many teams.

Ray Gliha was born December 23, 1959. He was a lifelong Manchester resident who was known to have a witty sense of humor. He would often write a poem or limerick for friends and family on their birthday and anniversary celebrations. People close to Ray knew him as the life of the party, a very loyal friend and an avid Boston Red Sox fan.

Gliha played for Manchester High School and Manchester American Legion Post 102 before going on to Eastern Connecticut State College. In 1979, he batted .375 as a walk-on Freshman under the guidance of Head Coach Bill Holowaty. Throughout his college career, Gliha batted .345 with 212 hits, 20 home runs and 161 RBI in 175 games. He tied a national record with six hits in a single game. He started at all three outfield positions on four straight NCAA Division III postseason teams.

During his senior season, Gliha played center field and batted .395 with 7 home runs and 47 RBI. He was tri-captain that year, the team MVP and a 3rd Team All-American. Eastern went on to play in the 1982 Division III World Series in Marietta, Ohio. Gliha scored the go-ahead run in two of the games. Then in a 12-inning thriller, Eastern beat California State Stanislaus, 9-8, thanks to Gliha’s bases loaded single. It was Eastern Connecticut Baseball’s first of five national titles.

Gliha also competed in the Greater Hartford Twilight Baseball League for 17 consecutive seasons. His twi-loop career began in 1979 for Gene Johnson’s Moriarty Brothers and ended in 1995 with the same franchise (changed names to Newman Lincoln-Mercury in 1990). Gliha was named to the GHTBL All-Star team at least three times, and he won the league’s Gold Glove Award in 1989. In total, Gliha earned 4 Season Titles and 6 Playoff Championships as a top outfielder in the Twilight League.

In 2002, Gliha was inducted into the ECSU Athletic Hall of Fame. His game-winning hit in the National Title game was fondly remembered at the induction. His level of play raised the bar for Eastern Connecticut Baseball for years to come. Gliha was said to have enjoyed his years playing baseball, especially because that’s where he accumulated many of his life-long friends.

Towards the end of his baseball career, Ray Gliha was interviewed by local sportswriter, Ed Yost of the Hartford Courant. When asked about his long association with the game, Gliha said, “Baseball is in my blood.” Then he recalled his favorite season:

The best Twi’ team I played on was in 1980. We had a well-balanced team but when we picked up Bill Masse and Chris Peterson (both out of high school) we were even better. We won both the regular season and playoffs and by big margins. We had a lot of guys who could hit the ball out of here. We just blew the other teams away. We’ve been successful because we have been able to get guys who know how to play. All of our guys have college or pro experience. Gene has been fun to play for. He wants to win and if you give 100% he’s satisfied. His motto has been to play hard and have fun.”

Ray Gliha, 1994.

The East Hartford Jets are GHTBL’s 2023 Playoff Champion! They have now won their fourth consecutive postseason. Jim Schult was once again the ace on the mound for East Hartford. His pitching performances were unmatched.

In two complete games against M&T Bank, Schult gave up just 7 hits over 14 innings while striking out 24 opposing batters. He has been a consistent two-way player (also an outfielder and DH) for this Jets dynasty.

As for other major contributors, East Hartford’s shortstop, Jeff Criscuolo, earned his sixth career playoff title and his first as player-manager. Additional leadership was provided by General Manager Chris Kehoe who served as Third Base Coach. Kehoe is the longest contributing member of the Jets (since 1991).

Corey Plasky had an amazing postseason to match his torrid hitting pace during the Regular Season. At one point Plasky made a diving play at second base to save two runs in their semi-final game against M&T Bank.

Manny Alejandro, the player with the most seasons as a Jet, was a very reliable starting pitcher. First year player Darrion Williams was just as impressive with several complete game appearances on the mound.

Relief pitcher and Twi-loop veteran, Taylor Kosakowski has now won seven GHTBL Playoff Championships, a league-high among active players. A balanced mix of older and younger members of the team has been a winning formula.

Congratulations to this year‘s championship team as well as the other clubs who competed deep into the playoffs. Until next year, GHTBL extends sincere gratitude to all of our fans, players, managers and umpires for their commitment and dedication to amateur baseball.

(Featured image photograph by Phil Ledwith.)

The 2023 GHTBL Playoff Tournament will begin on Monday, August 7, at two sites: Palmer Field in Middletown and McKenna Field in East Hartford.

As always, a double-elimination tournament will crown a Playoff Champion. Admission will be $10 for one adult all-tournament pass. Kids ages 14 and under will be free of charge. Concessions to be available at Palmer Field.

Dave Hutchins of Vernon will serve as PA announcer.

The postseason usually brings out the twilight league’s best baseball and closest contests. That should be the case this year, though seeding is yet to be determined for the playoffs – as most teams are still contending in the Regular Season. Here is the playoff bracket to be updated during the tournament on the GHTBL homepage:

League note: The traditional format of the Greater Hartford Twilight Baseball League is to present the Regular Season and Playoff Tournament as two separate seasons. The Regular Season dictates the seed of each team for the Playoff Tournament. No less than 5 Regular Season appearances qualifies a player for the Playoffs. At the start of the Playoffs, all player stats are reset to zero.

p.s.

On Friday, August 18, the Connecticut Champions Cup will begin. The competition has been organized by four summer leagues in our state – GHTBL, Connecticut Twilight League, West Haven Twilight League and Tri-State Baseball League. GHTBL Managers will be selecting an all-star team. Special edition hats and jerseys to be provided by league. The cup format will be a double-elimination tournament held at the following sites:

8/18 – Ceppa Field, Meriden

8/19 – Fussenich Park, Torrington

8/20 – Finals at Muzzy Field, Bristol

More details to follow.

After a 1-4 start to the season, the Vernon Orioles are now in first place. The O’s have won 11 consecutive games. Dan Trubia is near the top of the leaderboard with 16 RBI, Peter Kelly is tied for most home runs (3) and Jason Ray is pacing the O’s with 5 wins and a league-leading 49 strikeouts.

Vernon is one of GHTBL’s most storied franchises. The first Vernon Orioles team joined the league in 1966. Mostly due to their success in recent years under Manager Jack Ceppetelli and several returning players, the franchise has amassed a total of 10 Season Titles and 6 Playoff Championships.

Not far behind Vernon are four other teams with plenty of time to make a run. East Hartford Jets and M&T Bank are tied for second place right now. Rainbow Graphics have the most wins (13) but have dropped a few head-to-head matchups with Vernon. Per usual, Record-Journal Expos are also knocking on the door.

League note: The traditional format of the Greater Hartford Twilight Baseball League is to present the Regular Season and Playoffs as two separate seasons. The Regular Season dictates the seed of each team for the Playoff Tournament. No less than 5 Regular Season appearances qualifies a player for Playoffs. At the start of the Playoffs, all player stats are reset to zero and a double-elimination tournament decides a Playoff Champion.

Minor League

• Eastern League (1938-1945)

Championship Season

• 1944

Major League Affiliations

• Boston Braves (1941-1945)
• Boston Bees (1938-1940)

Hartford Bees in the National Baseball Hall of Fame

• Warren Spahn, Pitcher (1942)

Notable Hartford Bees

• Del Bissonette, Manager (1942-1943)
• Ralph Hodgin, Outfielder (1939-1941)
• Bama Rowell, Outfielder (1939)
• Fresco Thompson, Manager (1939)
• Sebby Sisti, Infielder (1938-1939)
• Eddie Onslow, Manager (1938)

---

From 1934 to 1937, minor league baseball in Hartford was put on hold. The Great Depression era had left the city without a farm club and the semi-professional Savitt Gems took over at Bulkeley Stadium. Though in February of 1938, the Boston Bees of the National League moved their Class-A affiliate from Scranton, Pennsylvania, to Hartford. Bees owner Bob Quinn leased Bulkeley Stadium, bringing Eastern League baseball back to the city.

Bob Quinn appointed his son, John Quinn, President of the newly minted Hartford Bees. Day-to-day operations were entrusted to Charles Blossfield, whose dedication and charisma as General Manager made him a cherished figure in the community. Blossfield oversaw every detail, from assembling a capable staff and preparing the stadium to recruiting players. The first Hartford Bees roster was selected at Spring Training in Evansville, Indiana. At the time, Class-A baseball represented the final proving ground before the Major Leagues, and the Eastern League was a premier stage for future stars—a legacy that endures to this day.

As the final stop before reaching the big leagues, Hartford’s new team became a source of excitement and anticipation. The club garnered multiple endearing nicknames. While some fans clung to the familiar Senators mascot, the Hartford Courant alternated between calling them the Senators, Bees, or Baby Bees. Meanwhile, the Hartford Times dubbed them the Laurels. Despite conflicting mascots, thousands of fans flocked to Bulkeley Stadium, united by baseball’s return.

The 1938 Hartford Bees were managed by Eddie Onslow, a 45 year old major league veteran. He directed a youthful crew of power hitters, including Ralph McLeod, Stan Andrews and Lee Heller. A two-way player named Art Doll paced the team in batting average (.366) as well as innings pitched (244). The Bees finished their first season with an even record at 67 wins and 67 losses. 

Hartford then acquired the services of Fresco Thompson to be player-manager the following season. Thompson, 37, had been an elite hitter for the Philadelphia Phillies. He was also a former teammate and friend of Lou Gehrig at Columbia University, who had previously played minor league ball in Hartford. Expectations for a quality team at Bulkeley Stadium grew with Thompson’s connections and recruiting ability.

The Bees added outfield prospects in Ralph Hodgin and Bama Rowell. Sebby Sisti returned for a second season. In 199 at bats, Sisti had a .312 batting average before being called up to Boston. Despite a promising roster, fan expectations were dashed. The 1939 club had a miserable second half of the season, and Hartford sunk to the bottom of the Eastern League.

Hartford finally reached their potential in 1940. The turnaround came when the organization hired Jack Onslow as manager. He was a catcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates, a radio broadcaster and the younger brother of former Hartford manager, Eddie Onslow. The new Onslow was credited for his handling of his pitching staff. Starters Art Johnson, Hank LaManna, George Diehl and Joseph Rucidlo each earned double-digit-win seasons, and they were among league leaders in earned run average.

The best all-around 1940 performance came from Ralph Hodgin, whose 160 hits marked second-most in the Eastern League. Second baseman, Tommy Neill, knocked a team-high .326 batting average. A 19-year old reliever named Jim Hickey began his four-year stint with the team. Mike Sandlock, a local from Greenwich, Connecticut, served as backup catcher. Hartford placed third to qualify for the postseason. They contended in a four-team playoff dubbed the Governor’s Cup but lost to Binghamton in the finals.

In 1941, as the Boston Bees reverted to their previous name, the Boston Braves, business manager Charlie Blossfield wanted change in Hartford. He convinced franchise owners Bob Quinn and John Quinn to upgrade Bulkeley Stadium. Blossfield predicted that stadium lights would boost ticket sales if night games were played on a regular basis. Fans could go home after work and attend evening games on weekdays. The Bees’ first home game under the lights took place on June 16, 1941; Hartford lost 5-3 to Scranton.

Three weeks later on July 8, over 5,500 fans marveled at an exhibition game between the Hartford Bess and their parent club, the Boston Braves. The widely adored Casey Stengel was Boston’s manager at the time. Stengel’s Braves fielded several former Baby Bees; Sebby Sisti at third base and lead-off hitter and Bama Rowell at second base, hitting fifth. Boston squeezed by Hartford 8-7, escaping the embarrassment of losing to their minor league affiliate.

As the regular season commenced, Hartford scuffled and Jack Onslow was dismissed. Their 26-year-old first baseman Don Manno assumed the role of player-manager. The Bees were destined for a seventh place finish, yet, for major league-owned franchises like Hartford, winning minor league pennants was no longer a priority. The Bees were run as a farm system that fed top players to Boston. George Barnicle, Al “Skippy” Roberge and William “Whitey” Wietelmann were among personnel who split time between Hartford and Boston as call-ups.

Meanwhile, Ralph Hodgin continued his torrid pace for the 1941 Bees with 150 base hits. Hodgin’s dependable bat made him one of the most popular hitters to ever wear a Hartford uniform. Leo Eastham also contributed with 107 hits and nearly flawless defense at first base. Charles George, Robert “Ace” Williams and John Dagenhard led the club in innings pitched. Serviceable catchers John Stats and Red Steiner shared time behind home plate.

In Hartford and throughout the nation, the attack at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, changed everything. American troop enlistment during World War II upended the careers of countless minor leaguers – though not all of them. The 1942 Hartford Bees regrouped under a new manager named Del Bissonette. By developing the next generation of stars, he became one of Hartford’s most memorable field generals.

In his first season, Manager Bissonette welcomed a budding superstar to Hartford – a 21 year old Warren Spahn. The southpaw arrived following a stellar performance in the Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League In one of Hartford’s greatest single seasons by a pitcher, Spahn had a 17-12 record for with a 1.96 earned run average before being called up to Boston. He was the only Bees player named to the 1942 Eastern League All-Star team. Spahn later enlisted in the United States Army and was awarded a Purple Heart in combat.

With a few exceptions, the 1943 Hartford Bees were made up of Boston’s newest signings. The new roster came together at Spring Training where the Bees faced J.O. Christian’s team at the University of Connecticut. The day game at Storrs was well documented in the Hartford Courant. The Bees defeated the Huskies 8-1. Vivid photographs captured the action:

Bissonette’s Baby Bees had reliable starters in John Dagenhard and Carl Lindquist. Stan Wetzel, Tommy Neill and Don Manno were the team’s top batsmen. Because of the ongoing war, local talent found opportunities with the Bees. Homegrown players and alumni of the Hartford Twilight League, pitchers Peter Naktenis and Sam Hyman, and infielder Jimmy Francoline of East Windsor, each joined the Bees for their first of consecutive three seasons.

The success and popularity of the Bees culminated amid their 1944 pennant run. Opposing pitchers were no match for Hartford’s hitters, as Vince Shupe, Bob Brady, Roland Gladu and Stan Wetzel, all batted over .300. Peter Naktenis led the staff in strikeouts with 139, though he only threw home games due to his engineering job at Colt’s Manufacturing. Two relatively unknown starting pitchers, William Marshall and Warren Mueller both had remarkable seasons. The Bees outclassed the Eastern League to snatch the regular season title, finishing eight wins ahead of Albany.

In 1945, Del Bissonette was promoted to the Boston Braves as third base coach, and eventually manager. In place of him, Hartford employed Merle Settlemire, a retiring pitcher from their pennant winning team. Peter Naktenis performed admirably again in his final year as a professional. Mickey Katkaveck of Manchester, Connecticut, and a member of the Savitt Gems, played thirty games as a backup catcher. Hartford’s fourth place finish went down in history as an obscurity, and the Bees era came to an end the following year, when they were rebranded the Hartford Chiefs.

By Ron Buck, Special to the Record-Journal

MERIDEN — Where were you in 2002?

Charlie Hesseltine was 18, fresh out of Maloney High School and throwing his first pitches for the Greater Hartford Twilight Baseball League team that would become the Record-Journal Expos.

Fast forward to Tuesday night.

Now 38, Hesseltine was on the mound for the Expos — better than ever — in making quick work of the South Windsor Phillies.

The veteran southpaw twirled a four-hit complete game in beating the Phillies 3-1 in a GHTBL affair that lasted just over 90 minutes at Ceppa Field.

Hesseltine’s battery mate, A.J. Hendrickson, provided the offensive fireworks. The catcher not only launched a towering two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth inning, he also drove in the tying run with a solid single in the fourth inning.

Hendrickson finished the game 2-for-3, while Jack Rich was 1-for-2 with a double to the right-field fence ahead of Hendrickson’s blast.

Phillies starter Luke Mathewson matched Hesseltine through five innings before allowing Rich’s double and then Hendrickson’s home run. Mathewson had allowed just three hits — all in the fourth inning when the Expos tied the game 1-1.

Hesseltine, toeing the rubber in his 17th season for a Meriden-based squad, finished strong after allowing all four Phillies’ hits over the first three innings. Overall, Hesseltine struck out seven 20-somethings en route to lifting the Expos to 8-5. 

The Phillies fell to 3-9.

“At my age, location is the key,” dead-panned Hesseltine, who until this season had played the role of player-coach of the Expos.

“All my pitches were working; and as long as I locate my pitches, they can’t put the barrel on the ball,” Hesseltine added. “If I’m middle-middle, they are hitting it a long way.

“My goal is to miss their barrels and let my defense do the work,” Hesseltine continued. “And, tonight, they did a great job behind me.”

Hesseltine was drafted by the Texas Rangers as a teenager out of high school. He would spend three seasons in the minor leagues before returning to Meriden. 

A staple with the Expos, Hesseltine allowed his only run Tuesday in the third inning.

Down 1-0, Hesseltine proceeded to retire the Phillies in order in three of the next four innings. Hesseltine’s shutdown performance allowed the Expos to tie the game in the fourth and then for Henrickson to win things in the sixth inning.

The Phillies’ only threat after scoring came in their own half of the sixth, when they put runners at first and third with two outs. 

Hesseltine, however, got some defensive help by fellow Maloney grad Max Giacco, who made a diving catch at second base to end the top of the sixth inning and keep the game tied.

The Expos then proceeded to score the winning runs in the bottom half when Hendrickson turned around a hanging curveball and launched a no-doubter well over the left field fence.

“I was sitting on a curveball up,” said Hendrickson, who took over the coaching duties from Hesseltine this season. “He’d thrown it to me both times I was up, so I was sitting on that and put a good swing on it.”

Back to Hesseltine. Before pitching in the minor leagues, the lefty threw for the Meriden Merchants after his days at Maloney. A mainstay of the Expos since the team’s inception, Hesseltine remains a part of this season’s 1-2 pitching punch with J.D. Tyler.

Sporting a few grey hairs in his beard these days, Hesseltine has combined with Tyler for six of the Expos’ eight wins so far this season.

“It makes it so easy when he’s on,” Hendrickson said of Hesseltine. “When all his pitches are working, he makes things so easy on everybody.

“Today everything was working for him and he was hitting spots,” Hendrickson added. “He was on his game today.”

The year was 1886. Meriden was a thriving industrial city steeped in two things: cutlery manufacturing and base ball. Like most urban settings in America, The Silver City was captivated by the new National Game. Meriden enthusiasts formed a professional club – the Silverites of the Eastern League. The club’s best player was Ulysses Franklin Grant of Pittsfield, Massachusetts. Frank Grant dominated on the diamond and as the first black player to sign with a minor league team in Connecticut, his presence was polarizing.

The Eastern League featured two other African-American players in 1886 – George Stovey with Jersey City and Moses Fleetwood Walker with Waterbury. Like Stovey and Walker, Grant previously competed for all-black clubs. His first foray into organized (white) baseball was with Meriden. He debuted on April 14, 1886, in an exhibition at South Meriden’s Hanover Park where he helped to demolish Trinity College, 22-0.

After the game The Sporting Life published an article stating, “Grant is our young colored player and his home run hit was the longest ever made on our [Meriden] grounds.” The same publication later attested, “Grant was again called to the box and proved that he can play any position in good shape.”

Frank Grant appeared in 44 games for Meriden at second base and pitcher. His .316 batting average, ranked as the team’s best and their only everyday player to bat above .277. Another reporter from The Sporting Life noted, “The Meridens seem to contain some really good material, but lack the proper coaching.” In addition to thin managerial support, Meriden was a small market team compared to the rest of the Eastern League.

The 1886 Meriden’s were financially weak. Shareholders of the Meriden Base Ball Association complained about their schedule at the beginning of the season, because the team had no weekend dates and only seven home games during the month of May. This negatively affected ticket sales early in the season. The team eventually disbanded on July 13, 1886, toting a miserable 12-34 record. As a result, Frank Grant left Meriden with two teammates, Steve Dunn and Jack Remsen, to join the Buffalo Bisons of the International League.

Grant was happy to join a more wealthier club. One Hartford Courant reporter stated, “Grant gets double the pay in Buffalo he received in Meriden.” However, in Buffalo his race became more of a controversy than it was in Meriden. Several news outlets alluded to his ethnicity. According to the St. Louis Globe-Democrat newspaper, “The Spaniard is what Grant, the colored player of the Buffalos, is called.” The Syracuse Evening Herald announced, “Manager [John] Chapman of Buffalo calls Grant, his colored second baseman, an ‘Italian.’”

Some sportswriters nicknamed Grant “The Black Dunlap,” as a reference to Fred Dunlap, a top-fielding second basemen of the 1880’s. In three seasons with Buffalo, Grant welcomed loud cheers but he also dealt with numerous racial taunts and threats. Players and officials by International League tried to ban black players. Despite the animus against him, Grant hit .353 and led the league with 11 home runs and 49 extra-base hits in 1887. He hit for the cycle and stole home twice.

Grant’s departure from the International League was attributed to racial bigotry. He faced discrimination from his opponents and his own teammates. He wore wooden shin guards to protect himself from the cleats of sliding baserunners. Pitchers threw at him intentionally on a few occasions. Teammates threatened to strike if he continued to play, and some refused to pose with him in photographs. When Grant asked for the same salary as the previous year ($250 per month), Buffalo denied his request and he went elsewhere.

By 1891, Grant had become the highest paid member of the New York Gorhams – one of the best black teams of all-time. The Gorehams were granted into the Connecticut League as the club representing the Town of Ansonia. When his team traveled to Cape May, New Jersey, in mid-August, they won a game with United States President Benjamin Harrison in attendance. Harrison was the only sitting President to witness a black club in action during the era of segregated baseball.

Grant played professionally for another sixteen years. He starred for the Cuban Giants, Page Fence Giants, New York Gorhams, Cuban X-Giants, Philadelphia Giants and Brooklyn Royal Giants. His last known games were with Brooklyn in 1907. He retired from the game at 42 years old after a long and successful career. The 1910 United States Census listed Frank Grant’s occupation as “baseball player” – even though his diamond days had already ended.

After baseball, Grant worked as a waiter for a catering company in New York City. He died on May 27, 1937, at age 71. He was buried in East Ridgelawn Cemetery in Clifton, New Jersey, and his grave was unmarked until 2011. Frank Grant was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2006, along with class from the Negro Leagues.

Frank Grant…in those days, was the baseball marvel. His playing was a revelation to his fellow teammates, as well as the spectators. In hitting he ranked with the best and his fielding bordered on the impossible. Grant was a born ballplayer.”

Sol White (a National Baseball Hall of Fame Inductee and a teammate of Frank Grant)

Frank Grant

This season all 8 GHTBL teams will play benefit games to fundraise for the Hartford Police Athletic League at Dunkin’ Park. Bat raffles and concessions will be available at our Stadium Series 4 Hartford PAL:

Dunkin’ Park, 1214 Main St, Hartford, CT 06103

CLICK HERE to DONATE or to BUY TICKETS

For the seventh consecutive summer, GHTBL will go to bat for the local community. This year the Hartford Police Athletic League will be benefactors. Hartford PAL empowers the youth of Hartford to realize their greatest potential through mentoring, sports, education and a positive relationship with police officers. Learn more about this wonderful organization by visiting: https://www.hartfordpal.org.

All 4 Games at Dunkin’ Park presented by ProBats:

July 12 – 6 PM: Rainbow Graphics @ M&T Bank

July 12 – 8 PM: East Hartford Jets @ Middletown Mets

Jul 13 – 6 PM: Record-Journal Expos @ Bristol Greeners

Jul 13 – 8 PM: South Windsor Phillies @ Vernon Orioles

Concessions will be open!

Here are the results from GHTBL’s previous benefit games at Dunkin’ Park:

2017: $5,641 to Hartford’s Camp Courant

2018: $4,500 to Connecticut Children’s

2019: $7,000 to MS 4 MS

2020: $2,000 to Colt Park Friends and Foundation

2021: $5,624 to Connecticut Cancer Foundation

2022: $5,035 to Sandy Hook Promise

2023: $??? to Hartford PAL

Visit www.givebutter.com/hartfordpal to buy tickets or donate.

Be there for the kids! Together we are helping contribute to Hartford PAL and to the well-being of children and families in Hartford.

Make a donation at www.givebutter.com/hartfordpal. If not today, then we will see you at Dunkin’ Park on July 12 & 13!

CLICK HERE to DONATE or to BUY TICKETS

Share Fundraiser

The Rainbow Graphics franchise of Manchester have begun the 2023 Regular Season in near perfect form. They’ve been scorching opposing pitching so far and now sit atop the GHTBL standings at 6-0. The Graphics will seek to continue their hot play as the Canadian wildfire smoke subsides. Air quality standards have been determined to be playable and Rainbow Graphics will host the East Hartford Jets tonight at 7:00 PM at Northwest Park, Manchester.

The Graphics have managed to strike a balance between veteran players in their prime and rookie players contributing from the get-go. Some of their more experienced names have taken league leaderboards by storm: Travis Salois, Edison Galan, Tyler Repoli and Eric Anderson. First-timers like Dan Orzech and Matt Costanza have proven to be solid additions as regulars in the lineup and especially on defense.

Meanwhile, around the league, there are two other undefeated teams: Record-Journal Expos and M&T Bank. At least one of the three remaining no-loss teams will end their winning streak because the Expos and Bankers will face off at Wethersfield High School tonight at 6:00 PM. Even though four teams (Mets, Greeners, Orioles and Phillies) are mired at the bottom of the standings, plenty of their losses have been by two runs or less.

It should be another exciting season. As always, the GHTBL is proud to feature and promote some of the best amateur ballplayers in the State of Connecticut. With longtime veterans, former professionals, high school prospects and with so many new talents added to the league this year, the future is bright for twilight baseball in Greater Hartford.

To players: please do your best to keep your cool when taunted by opposing players or when you disagree with an umpire’s call. The league needs to maintain a working relationship with umpires and we must show them respect. Like it or not, GHTBL players reflect the character of the league. It’s in our best interest to keep our good reputation in tact. Everyone should act appropriately, even when it’s the hard thing to do – out of respect for each other, opponents and in front of fans of all ages. Sportsmanship still matters.

The league extends a sincere thank you to players and contributors who are representing the league well day in and day out. The season is going well thanks to so many of you. Be well and have a great summer! -Weston Ulbrich, League Secretary

NEXT GHTBL EVENT: JULY 12 & 13, 2023 – STADIUM SERIES 4 HARTFORD PAL

With three consecutive Playoff Championships under their belts, the East Hartford Jets have selected Jeff “Crisco” Criscuolo as their first-time Manager.

When he began his GHTBL career in 2012 as an infielder from Saint Anselm College, Criscuolo found immediate success. He played second base for Ferguson Waterworks under Manager Greg Annino. Criscuolo’s quick bat, dependable glove and top-end speed helped Ferguson win the Regular Season Title and a second straight Playoff Championship in his rookie year. He moved over to shortstop the following year and Ferguson captured a third consecutive Playoff Championship.

Flash forward to 2020 and Criscuolo decided to play for the East Hartford Jets. Led by then Manager Taylor Kosakowski and General Manager Chris Kehoe, Criscuolo and other key players propelled the Jets to three straight Playoff Championships. In part due to Criscuolo, history was repeated and another Twi-loop dynasty cemented itself at the top of the league.

Criscuolo, originally a native of Durham, CT, will now take over in-game managerial duties in 2023. Many returners and several first year players are rumoured to be on board with the Jets this summer. Fans and onlookers can expect steady competition against East Hartford – they are presumed to be the team to beat. When opposing teams pick their starting pitcher and fill out lineup cards the Jets will likely see their best.

For the last five years, Cooper Johnson of Newington, Connecticut, has played at Adelphi University in Garden City, New York. The center fielder has recently committed to M&T Bank for the upcoming 2023 GHTBL season as a third generation player. He will be joining the same franchise as his father, Mike Johnson, who played with Tom Abbruzzese’s Bank Boston team in the 1990’s. Cooper’s grandfather Rollie Johnson was a GHTBL Hall of Fame inductee and a significant figure in professional scouting.

Here are some of Cooper’s individual accolades coming into the GHTBL as a first-year player:

• NE10 Academic Honor Roll – Academic Distinction
• NE10 Academic Honor Roll – Academic Honors
• Walked-off a win on his birthday (11th inning) w/ RBI single vs. Saint Rose in NE10 Tournament

Cooper’s grandfather, Roland “Rollie” Johnson was a professional scout for more than 40 years, including 30 year with the New York Mets. He initially scouted for the St. Louis Cardinals from 1973 to 1982. Rollie served as director of scouting for the Mets from 1986 to 1992. Rollie also co-authored influential baseball books – The Baseball Encyclopedia (1969) and The Sports Encyclopedia: Baseball (1974).

During Johnson’s tenure as Director of Scouting with the Mets, there were several notable draft picks including Todd Hundley in 1987. Johnson also remembers drafting Curtis Pride on the recommendation of an area scout. Pride was 95% deaf, but a great athlete, and a greater individual.”

SABR Bio Project, Rollie Johnson by Alan Cohen

Rollie had the rare opportunity to draft his son, Mike Johnson, in the 42nd round of the 1993 MLB Draft. Mike suited up for the New York Mets organization at Rookie ball in Kingsport. He was promoted to low and high Single-A the following year, but Mike’s professional career came to end shortly thereafter.

In 1990, Rollie earned an induction into the GHTBL Hall of Fame in the Players Division. He was a Trinity College graduate who began twi-loop ball in 1961 as a catcher for the East Hartford Merchants. Then he played for a team known as Landerman Orchestras – sponsored by Hartford’s most well known musicians of their era, Paul and Maurice Landerman. Rollie joined the Hartford Orioles in the summer of 1963. Rollie he finished his twilight career with Moriarty Brothers in 1973.

(Aside: the Rollie Johnson family is unrelated to Gene Johnson’s family.)

Rollie was a veritable baseball junkie. After publishing two books, he was hired away from the Twilight League by the St. Louis Cardinals. From there Rollie enjoyed a marvelous scouting career. He was bestowed with the A.B. “Turk” Karam Award in 1998 and was later elected to the Professional Scouts Hall of Fame in 2009.

An excerpt published in the Hartford Courant on Apr. 16, 2023:

Gary was raised in Torrington and graduated from Torrington High School, class of 1979, where he was recognized as an all-star baseball and basketball player. Following high school, Gary received a “full ride” baseball scholarship to the University of New Haven where he started at third base all four years for the UNH Chargers and compiled such strong statistics that he was inducted into the UNH Sports Hall of Fame in 2000. To date, he ranks eighth in career RBIs (126) and recently fell out of the top-10 for all-time home runs.

In 1981, Gary played for the Harwich Mariners of the prestigious Cape Cod Baseball League and was named to the All-Region and All-New England Collegiate Conference in 1983. After graduation, his love for baseball continued and he played numerous seasons (1983-1988) on the Society for Savings team in the Greater Hartford Twilight Baseball League all while continuing his education earning his MBA from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Hartford Campus.

Professionally, Gary leveraged the leadership skills he learned on the field and built a successful career as a National Account Manager for several industrial organizations such as J.M. NEY Company, Curtis Industries, and Barnes Distribution. In addition to his full-time job, he went on to have a prolific career as a women’s basketball official at the Division I, II, and III collegiate level, ultimately getting to spend time on the court refereeing teams of the Atlantic 10, Ivy League, American East and MAAC conferences.

In his personal life, Gary was an avid runner having completed the Boston Marathon and too many road races to count, namely the Litchfield Road Race, an annual occurrence with a large group of his friends and family in attendance. Over time, golf became his passion and something he enjoyed regularly with friends and family. He was a member of Indian Hill Country Club as well as Suffield Country Club where you would find him weekly trying to improve his game. We will always remember the many years filled with laughter on and off the course annually sponsoring what became known as the ZAV OPEN. Although Gary’s time with us was cut short, his memory will live on in the hearts of all who knew him for years to come.

For Gary’s full obituary go to: https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/hartfordcourant/name/gary-zavatkay-obituary?id=51601640

On Tuesday, May 23, 2023, the GHTBL will open its 94th season for local amateurs, student-athletes, ex-professionals and prospects. Wood bats will start cracking on Opening Day with a 6 PM matchup at Frank J. McCoy Field in Vernon between the veteran Vernon Orioles and the Manchester-based Rainbow Graphics. Jason Valliere, a longtime contributor to the Tri-County Legion program will assume in-game duties as Head Coach for Rainbow Graphics this season.

It will be anyone’s guess as to which players, new or old, will make an impact on Opening Day. One may expect the most firepower to come from players fresh off their college season, but it would be a mistake to overlook years of experience.

Dan Trubia and Tony Trubia of the O’s and Evan Chamberlain of Graphics have nearly 60 years of combined experience of twilight ball. At the same time, it will be interesting to see how rookie players fare for both teams and throughout the league this season.

The second game of Opening Day will begin at 7 PM at Rotary Field in South Windsor. The Meriden-based Record-Journal Expos will play the South Windsor Phillies under the lights at one of Greater Hartford’s most unsung baseball diamonds. You’d be hard-pressed to find any player who doesn’t enjoy playing at Rotary Field.

A core group for Manager Ron Pizzanello and the South Windsor Phillies since forming in 2018 has included Aedin Wadja, Jake Petrozza, Patrick McMahon and a few others returning in 2023. AJ Hendrickson, 2022 GHTBL MVP, has stepped into the Expos manager role in place of Charlie Hesseltine, who had served as manager since 2017. Hesseltine has been a dominant pitcher for Meriden since 2004 and will continue to pitch for the team this year.

Over in East Hartford, the 3X Playoff Champion Jets will take flight on Thursday, May 25 at home against their main foe, the Vernon Orioles. O’s Manager Jack Ceppetelli will square off against the Jets and their newly re-appointed Manager Chris Kehoe. Both Ceppetelli and Kehoe are the most tenured GHTBL contributors behind Tom Abbruzzese – who is going into his 48th year as manager of the “Bankers” franchise – now named M&T Bank.

There is however, a newcomer in charge of the recently consolidated Middletown Mets. A sixteen year old named Ryan Ruggiero of Xavier High School will become the youngest manager to lead a GHTBL team. As an Assistant Coach for the Hartford Colts in 2022, Ruggiero welcomed the opportunity and the idea of moving the franchise to Middletown – a closer location for its players and an upgraded home field with Palmer Field and Buzzy Levin Field. Fixtures for the Mets are expected to be Albertus Magnus standout Sean Jefferson and former Keene State right-hander Alex Koletar on the mound.

The Bristol Greeners are entering their third GHTBL season and have managed to book one of Connecticut’s best ballparks, Muzzy Field, for a majority of their home games. They return under the direction of another young manager, Trevor Mays, in his second year at the helm. New additions to the Greeners will include Gabe Zamorano Jr., a freshman at University of St. Joseph and Robert Bibisi, a graduate of Utica University.

Last but not least, M&T Bank are once again expected to have the league’s best left side of the infield: former professional Willy Yahn at shortstop and Eastern Connecticut’s Brendan Lynch at third base. Along with a contingency of players from Elms College, Tom Abbruzzese seeks to regain his title-winning ways in a new sublimated, double-sided, M&T Bank uniform.

Note: a new uniform rule will take effect this season as voted on by GHTBL managers. Any player out of uniform (wrong jersey, wrong hat, different color pants, etc.) will earn their team a $50 league fine.

On behalf of President Holowaty, thank you to all of our league sponsors, fans, families, spouses and friends who support the twilight league!

Did you know? The following four ballparks are named after longtime GHTBL players, coaches, team sponsors and GHTBL Hall of Fame inductees:

1. Matthew M. Moriarty Field at Mt. Nebo park in Manchester, Connecticut – dedicated in 1975:

2. Ray McKenna Field at McAuliffe Park in East Hartford, Connecticut – dedicated in 1984:

3. Frank J. McCoy Field at Henry Park in Vernon, Connecticut – dedicated in 2010:

4. Buzzy Levin Field at Pat Kidney Sports Complex in Middletown, Connecticut – dedicated in 2018:

On Thursday, April 20, 2023, at 7:00 PM, GHTBL will hold another off-season workout at D-Bat Bloomfield located at 62 Douglas St, Bloomfield, Connecticut.

New players and GHTBL alumni are invited to attend this hitting and pitching session. Cages have been rented and we expect live pitching to take place towards the end of the workout. D-Bat Bloomfield’s Zach Risedorf and Willy Yahn will be in attendance to offer instruction.

• Each participating player is asked to pay $10 (either cash or Venmo) at D-Bat Bloomfield on the night of the workout.
• GHTBL’s official bat sponsor, ProBats will also be in attendance to demo and sell wood bats.
• Please RSVP by messaging the league on one of our social media accounts or by emailing us at Contact@GHTBL.org.

On Thursday, March 23, 2023, at 7:00 PM, GHTBL will hold a Winter Workout at D-Bat Bloomfield (located at 62 Douglas St, Bloomfield, Connecticut). New players and GHTBL alumni are invited to attend this hitting and pitching session. Four cages have been rented and we expect live pitching to take place towards the end of the workout. D-Bat Bloomfield’s Zach Risedorf and Willy Yahn will be in attendance to offer instruction and tips.

• Each participating player is asked to pay $10 (either cash or Venmo) at D-Bat Bloomfield on the night of the workout.

• GHTBL’s official bat sponsor, ProBats will also be in attendance to demo and sell wood bats.
  
• Please RSVP by messaging the league on one of our social media accounts or by emailing us at Contact@GHTBL.org.

Leo James Bravakis, Jr., 79, of Windsor Locks, passed away peacefully on Saturday, March 4, 2023. He was born on July 26, 1943, in Middletown, CT, to Doris (Ahern) and Leo J. Bravakis, Sr.

Leo attended Middletown High School (1961), completed undergraduate studies at the University of Connecticut (1965), and received his Master of Education from the University of Hartford (1970). Leo earned varsity letters in football, basketball, and baseball in high school. In 1960, he was awarded the Thom McAn football MVP Trophy and as quarterback, led his team to a 7-2-1 record. Leo was also a two-year starter in hoops. Baseball was where Leo excelled.

He was co-captain of the 1961 Middletown High Tigers who were the Connecticut Valley Conference Co-Champions and ranked #1 in the Class M CIAC Tournament with a 19-1 record. Leo recorded 121 strikeouts in 76 innings of work. He received the prestigious Sal Mazzotta Award given annually to the best all-around senior athlete who has demonstrated proficiency in scholarship and citizenship. Leo was inducted into the Middletown Hall of Fame in 2002.

Leo pitched four years for the UConn Huskies, tossed a no-hitter as a freshman and was a key pitcher on the 1965 College World Series squad that only gave up 66 hits in 254 innings. During the deciding series versus Holy Cross at Fenway Park, Leo hit a double off the famous Green Monster. At the CWS, Leo pitched in relief and got a hit in UConn’s victory over Lafayette. His senior year, Leo received the “C’ Ring, an award for excellence in athletics, scholarship, citizenship, and leadership. As a proud Husky alum, Leo was a member of the UConn Dugout Club.

After college, Leo pitched in the Middlesex County and Hartford Twilight Leagues before an arm injury ended his career. Leo finished with a 27-9 record in the Hartford Twilight League and was inducted into the GHTBL Hall of Fame in 1997 as pitcher.

After his athletic playing career ended, Leo turned to officiating soccer and umpiring baseball. Leo was considered to be one of the state’s best in both sports. Leo worked 15 state soccer tournament title games – 8 girls and 7 boys finals-and worked 18 state baseball tournament title games. He served on the soccer officials and baseball umpires committee boards. He was President of the soccer association from 1983-1985 and was President of the Connecticut Board of Approved Umpires twice. He served as the Commissioner for the Hartford Chapter of the Connecticut Board of Approved Umpires. Leo received the 1981 Central Connecticut Soccer Officials Association Bernard O’Rourke Distinguished Service Award and also was conferred lifetime membership for his years of dedicated service. Leo was inducted as a charter member into the Connecticut Girls Soccer Coaches Hall of Fame in 2003 for officiating.

Leo was a math teacher for East Windsor Public Schools from 1965-2001. He coached girls’ basketball and baseball at East Windsor High School. His baseball teams had a record of 89-69 winning league titles twice. He coached his son Sean’s Windsor Locks American Legion baseball team for three summers.

When he retired from coaching, Leo served as the athletic director at East Windsor High School for ten years. During his tenure, Leo was instrumental in bringing about changes that have made girls’ basketball one of the most respected and valued sports in Connecticut.

He served as the President of the East Windsor Education Association and was on the East Windsor Athletic Club Hall of Fame nominating committee. He was a member of the Connecticut Association of Athletic Directors Executive Board and a member of the CIAC Girls’ Basketball Committee for five years. In 2000, Leo received Central Connecticut Board No. 6 of Approved Basketball Officials Commissioner’s Award. Leo was inducted into the East Windsor Athletic Club Hall of Fame in 2006.

Leo and his wife Carolyn enjoyed visiting various North American cities plus venturing abroad to Prague, Paris, Rome, London (2012 Olympics), Barcelona and taking the Rhine Cruise and Baltic Tour.

Leo, a devoted fan of UConn’s basketball programs, held season tickets for games both in Storrs and Hartford. He enjoyed watching sports on TV. An avid golfer, Leo was a member of Tallwood Country Club in Hebron, CT, for decades and won numerous club championships. He loved his visits with his three grandchildren and enjoyed following their pursuits.

Leo enjoyed raising many a glass of adult beverages with his numerous friends. With Leo you always knew where you stood; he loved a spirited debate about anything. He once proudly stated “I am not politically correct, I am Leo correct.” Leo was a one-of-a-kind character who made an impression on everyone he met.

He leaves behind his high school sweetheart and beloved wife of 57 years, Carolyn McCarthy Bravakis; his son Sean Emmett Bravakis and his wife Rebecca; grandchildren Emmett, Isabelle, and Timothy Bravakis. He is survived by his sister, Alice Hodge and her husband Richard; niece Leigh Hodge Fischer and her husband Sean; nephew James Hodge and his wife Dawn; and Christopher Hodge and his wife Heather; his brother-in-law Dr. Robert E. McCarthy; nieces Katharine, Christine, and Coreen McCarthy. Leo was predeceased by his parents and sister-in-law Sandra McCarthy. Leo’s family would like to extend heartfelt appreciation to the ICU Team at St. Francis Hospital for making his last days comfortable. Special recognition to Doctors Sudhanshu Mulay, Paul B. Murray and Alan Soroka for their extraordinary care, compassion, and kindness to Leo over the year

A time of visitation for family and friends will be held on Monday, March 13, 2023, from 4-7 p.m. at the Carmon Windsor Funeral Home, 807 Bloomfield Ave., Windsor. His funeral service will be held privately. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made in Leo’s name to the East Windsor Athletic Club, c/o Ted Szymanski, 166 Rockville Road, Windsorville, CT 06016 and the UConn Baseball Stadium Enhancement Fund, c/o Jim Penders, Head Baseball Coach, 2095 Hillside Road, Unit 1173, Storrs, CT 06269. To leave an online message of condolence for his family, please visit www.carmonfuneralhome.com.

Published by Hartford Courant on Mar. 9, 2023.

A long lost baseball park in the South End of Hartford, Connecticut, once hosted Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth, hometown professionals and local amateurs. Wethersfield Avenue Grounds, also referred to as Hartford Baseball Park or the Hartford Grounds was built in 1896. Hartford Base Ball Club owner and manager, William Barnie, led the construction of a grandstand, 150 feet wide and 20 feet tall. Then in 1905, James H. Clarkin purchased the Hartford Senators of the Connecticut State League and leased Wethersfield Avenue Grounds. At that time, the Hartford Courant praised the baseball diamond as “the finest in this section of the country.”

Including home stands of the Hartford Senators, thousands of games were played on the skin diamond at Wethersfield Avenue Grounds. High demand in the venue caused improvements and renovations on several occasions. The first remodel came after the Senators won a pennant in 1909. The following spring Wethersfield Avenue Grounds boasted a new ticket office, a concessions stand and carpeting in the clubhouse. Senators Manager Bob Connery expressed his pleasure with the upgrades and the ballpark became a destination for the game’s biggest names.

In the summer of 1916, the infamous Ty Cobb delighted a Hartford crowd fans at Wethersfield Avenue Grounds. Cobb guest starred for the visiting New Haven Colonials at first base and relief pitcher against the semi-professional Hartford Poli’s. Alongside Cobb on the Colonials was Torrington High School alumnus and Philadelphia Athletics shortstop, Joe Dugan. The Colonials shutout the Poli’s 7-0. Cobb would return to Hartford in 1918, though his visits would be overshadowed by another great slugger.

In 1918 and 1919 the one and only Babe Ruth played at Wethersfield Avenue Grounds as part of his annual barnstorming tour. Days after winning the World Series with Boston Red Sox, Ruth made his first appearance in Hartford on September 16, 1918. Ruth pitched the Hartford Poli’s to a 1-0 victory versus the Fisk Red Tops, by hurling a complete game shutout and allowing just four hits. He also batted third in the order, recording a single and double. The game drew a crowd of about 5,000 spectators and Ruth was paid $350 for his appearance.

In 1921, Owner Clarkin built a new ballpark a stones throw from Wethersfield Avenue Grounds. The new site was located at the intersection of Hanmer Street and George Street off of Franklin Avenue in South Hartford. Dubbed Clarkin Field, the new grandstand of steel and concrete wrapped from foul pole to foul pole. The park was completed in 1921 and baseball at Wethersfield Avenue Grounds finally came to a close.

On Saturday, February 18, 2023, at 6:00 PM, GHTBL will hold a Winter Workout at D-Bat Bloomfield (located at 62 Douglas St, Bloomfield, Connecticut). New players and GHTBL alumni are invited to attend this hitting and pitching session. Four cages have been rented and we expect live pitching to take place towards the end of the workout. D-Bat Bloomfield’s Zach Risedorf and Willy Yahn will be in attendance to offer instruction and tips.

• Each participating player is asked to pay $10 at D-Bat Bloomfield on the night of the workout.

• GHTBL’s official bat sponsor, ProBats will also be in attendance to demo and sell wood bats.
  
• Please RSVP by messaging the league on one of our social media accounts or by emailing us at Contact@GHTBL.org.

Back when most manufacturing companies organized baseball clubs, one of the longest running teams in Connecticut was Royal Typewriter of Hartford. In 1908, Royal Typewriter moved operations from Brooklyn, New York, to New Park Avenue on Hartford’s western edge. Along with their crosstown competitor, Underwood Typewriter Company, Royal Typewriter’s relocation made Hartford the “Typewriter Capital of the World.” That same year, the Royal Baseball Club joined the city’s lively amateur scene. Ownership built a baseball diamond next to their facility, supplied uniforms and the Royals would become a local powerhouse for the next four decades.

Royal Typewriter players were young working men from the factory floor. A tall, right-handed pitcher named Moses “Moe” Lenhoff from Ashley Street was the team’s ace. Lenhoff had minor league experience with New Britain of the Connecticut State League and later with Amsterdam, New York, of the Eastern Association. His Royal battery mate was John “Boggy” Muldoon of West Hartford, a catcher who later signed with the Hartford Senators of the Eastern League at 20 years old. Following a semi-pro career, in which he caught a game for Babe Ruth, Muldoon became a well-known umpire, later retiring from the factory after 42 years of service.

The Royal club was revered as one of Hartford’s top company teams. Their manager club was A. A. MacKay, recognized as “Father Baseball” by his players. In 1913, they were chosen to represent the city in a newly arranged Connecticut Independent Baseball League by sporting goods purveyor and community organizer, Harry N. Anderson. Other entries were Manchester, Meriden, Wallingford, Bristol, New Britain, Windsor Locks and Collinsville. For a company team, Royal Typewriter was elite, but as semi-professionals, they finished fourth place in consecutive seasons.

On October 9, 1926, the Hartford Daily Courant reported that Royal had made its one millionth typewriter. The thriving business also served up exciting baseball action. Thousands of fans witnessed the Royals perform after work hours. However, public interest in company teams waned during the impending Great Depression. Unemployment made sports less of a priority. Crowds of 5,000 at Royal games were now reduced to a few hundred Hartford Industrial League fans.

Royal Typewriter finally hit their stride as a baseball franchise in the late 1930s. Under a new manager, Frank Strong, they became runner-ups of the 1937 Industrial League. The next season, Royal defeated Chance Vought and captured the “Dusty” League title with a perfect 15-0 win-loss record. Many Royals on the 1938 championship team such as Pete Kapura, George Dixon, John Carlin, Yosh Kinel and Jackie Cronin were savvy veterans with plenty of diamond time as members of the Savitt Gems, Bill Savitt’s semi-professional club at Hartford’s Bulkeley Stadium.

Manager Strong guided the Royals to another victorious season in 1939. After falling behind Pratt & Whitney in the Dusty League, the Royals bounced back by competing in a statewide “Connecticut Semi-Pro Baseball Championship” against the Bridgeport Springwoods. Because Bridgeport defeated Pratt & Whitney a few days earlier, the Royals secured the semi-pro state championship with a 3-2 win. A week later, the Royals faced Rhode Island’s state champion, Club Marquette of Woonsocket, but were swept three games in row.

Royal Typewriter underwent immense changes during World War II and baseball took a backseat. The company suspended all commercial sales and converted all operations to manufacture supplies for the Allied cause. Women joined the workforce in droves as men enlisted for military service. More than 3,000 Royal Typewriter employees made machine guns, rifles, bullets, propellers and spare parts for airplane engines. When the war ended Royal averted a major strike by offering pay bumps and the company began to sponsor a team in the 1947 Hartford Twilight League.

The Royal’s most significant twi-loop highlight was a benefit fundraiser called the Pete Kapura Memorial Doubleheader. Kapura, a former minor leaguer and a Royal employee, died at 35 years old at Saint Francis Hospital due to an illness. On August 11, 1947, Kapura’s wife and two children were supported by more than 3,000 attendees at Bulkeley Stadium. It was a heartfelt ending in Royal Typewriter’s long baseball history. After a mediocre twilight season in 1948, the Royals faded away, and for a short time, the company sponsored youth teams in the Jaycee-Courant League.

Sources

1. Hartford Courant

2. Record-Journal

On Saturday, November 5, 2022, the GHTBL Hall of Fame Committee organized a night to remember at Indian Hill Country Club in Newington, Connecticut. Eleven new inductees were officially honored and inducted as the Hall of Fame’s Class of 2022. Here’s the list of players (and one manager) who earned the league’s highest honor:

Scott Cormier
Mike Schweighoffer
Jim Snediker
Brian Marshall
Roberto Giansiracusa
Jason Maule
Jeff Johnson
Brett Burnham
Todd Mercier
Kevin Gieras
Thomas Abbruzzese

Congratulations to all inductees! Special thank you GHTBL Hall of Fame Committee, its President Steve Krajewski and Jack Hurley for your diligent efforts.

On Saturday, November 5, 2022, the GHTBL Hall of Fame will officially honor ten new inductees. Tickets can be purchased in advance.

VENUE: Indian Hill Country Club, 111 Golf Street, Newington, Connecticut

TIME: 5:30 PM Check-in, Dinner at 6:30 PM, Ceremony at 7:00 PM

COST: $50 per person

PURCHASE TICKETS: Make checks payable to “ORIOLE BASEBALL ASSOCIATION” and send to:

Steve Krajewski
61 Thrall Road
Vernon, CT 06066

DEADLINE: Friday, November 1, 2022

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact GHTBL Hall of Fame President, Steve Krajewski at (860) 815-7121 or email krashtrip7@gmail.com.

Here’s the list of GHTBL Hall of Fame Inductees for the Class of 2022:

1. Scott Cormier
2. Mike Schweighoffer
3. Jim Snediker
4. Brian Marshall
5. Roberto Giansiracusa
6. Jason Maule
7. Jeff Johnson
8. Brett Burnham
9. Todd Mercier
10. Kevin Gieras

See you on November 5th!

Learn more about the GHTBL Hall of Fame by clicking here.

John “Johnny” “Jackson” “Schoolboy” Arthur Taylor

Born: 2/4/1916 – Hartford, Connecticut
Died: 6/15/1987 – Hartford, Connecticut

Johnny “Schoolboy” Taylor was a pitching phenom from Hartford, Connecticut. As a young man he set a national record for strikeouts in a high school game for Bulkeley High School. Taylor was nearly signed by the New York Yankees fifteen years before Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier, but instead, he went on to throw a dozen no-hitters as an ace in the Negro National League, Mexican League and Cuban League. When the Hartford Chiefs signed him in 1949, Taylor became the city’s first professional black athlete.

Born on February 4, 1916, to John and Etta, Johnny Taylor grew up in the South End of Hartford on Douglas Street and later on Roosevelt Street. He learned baseball in city parks and sandlots. Taylor and his sandlot teammates earned a small wage from the Hartford Senators by chasing down foul balls and home runs at Bulkeley Stadium. Not until Taylor’s senior year at Bulkeley High School did the right-hander pitch competitively.

Taylor had been snubbed by the Bulkeley baseball team as an underclassman. Alternatively, he pole-vaulted and high-jumped in track and field. When he made the Maroons baseball club as an upperclassman, Taylor joined a team comprised of an eventual major leaguer, Bob Repass and a future scout, Whitey Piurek. Bulkeley’s longtime head coach, Babe Allen, is credited with discovering the tall (6’0″) and slim (170 lbs.) Taylor, who had a high leg-kick, a whip-arm, a lively fastball and a sharp “12-to-6” curveball.

On April 28, 1933, Taylor won his first game against Hartford Public High School. Three days later he punched out 17 batters to defeat West Hartford High School. Then he tossed 19 strikeouts by the Hartford Hilltoppers, surpassing a record set by another Hartford native, Pete “Lefty” Naktenis. Taylor was also a proficient hitter, batting nearly .500 in his senior season. When the Maroons walloped an undefeated Weaver High School, he homered over the left field fence (claimed to be the longest high school home run at Bulkeley Stadium).

In Taylor’s final high school contest, he shattered his single-game strikeout record with 25 strikeouts against New Britain High school (a State of Connecticut record to this day). He won 8 games, finished with a .428 batting average and was named to the Greater Hartford Scholastic Team. The New York Yankees became interested in Schoolboy Taylor, until however, when Yankees scout Gene McCann learned that Taylor was black. McCann suggested that Taylor should claim Cuban heritage since white baseball barred black players. The light-skinned Taylor refused to falsify his heritage.

After the Yankees passed on him, Taylor competed with the Home Circle club of the Hartford Twilight League. He twirled on the many diamonds of Colt Park on Wethersfield Avenue and at Bulkeley Stadium on Hanmer Street. At the stadium on September 10, 1933, over 5,000 fans witnessed a wild-throwing Taylor and he lost the game to his crosstown rival, Pete Naktenis. Taylor would later joined forces with Naktenis, winning a New England amateur championship organized by the United States Amateur Baseball Association. 

Taylor continued to pitch on Connecticut’s semi-pro circuit. He hurled for Check Bread of the Hartford Twilight League, the Savitt Gems (Bill Savitt’s club) and Yantic of the Norwich City League. On August 21, 1934, he fired his first no-hitter for the Northwest Athletic Club of Winsted. That winter, he considered offers from Philadelphia and Pittsburgh of the Negro National League. Wanting to be closer to home, Taylor signed with the New York Cubans.

The New York Cubans hosted home games at Dyckman Oval on the northern tip of Manhattan. The Cubans were owned by Alex Pompez and business manager Frank Forbes, and they signed Taylor for $175 per month and $2 per diem. New York’s player-manager was a versatile five-tool talent named Martín Dihigo. Other Cubans included Alejandro Oms, Cocaina Garcia and Lazaro Salazar. Midway through the season, the Cubans scheduled an exhibition with the Savitt Gems in Hartford, and Taylor threw a shutout victory against his former team.

According to existing records, Taylor had 55 strikeouts for the New York Cubans in 1935. He fell a few short behind his teammate Luis Tiant, Sr. New York went 28-24 on the year, finishing third place in the Negro National League. A winning second half of the season helped them to qualify for the championship series. The Cubans faced a formidable opponent, the Pittsburgh Crawfords and Hall of Fame catcher, Josh Gibson. Taylor was tacked with a loss in game three of the series, then New York blew Taylor’s lead in game six, and they ultimately lost to Pittsburgh.

However, Johnny “Schoolboy” Taylor was elected to the Negro League All-Star team. On October 13, 1935, he faced Dizzy Dean‘s All-Stars at Yankee Stadium. An estimated crowd of 20,000 watched Taylor whiff seven batters in seven innings. This time, Josh Gibson was his battery mate. After Dizzy Dean pitched a 3-0 complete game shutout, he complimented Taylor for his breaking ball, saying it was one of the best “drop balls” he had ever seen.

In 1936, Taylor received a raise of $10 per month from the New York Cubans. He was their undisputed ace, with a 5-2 record and 58 strikeouts, second in the Negro National League to Satchel Paige of the Pittsburgh Crawfords. That June, the Cubans scheduled a rematch in Hartford to face the Savitt Gems. Taylor, the hometown star, struck out 18 to blank the Gems once again.

Encouraged by Dolf Luque, a pitcher for the New York Giants, Taylor tried his hand at winter ball in Cuba. He traveled from Hartford to Miami and boarded a steamship for Havana in November of 1936. Taylor joined Martín Dihigo’s Marianao club at Havana’s Tropical Stadium. He struggled that season due to a serious back injury caused by a street trolley accident. Nevertheless, Taylor was popular with fans and was nicknamed “El Rey de Hartford” (translated to King of Hartford).

When the New York Cubans dropped out of the Negro National League in 1937, Taylor threw for the Savitt Gems. Hartford-based jeweler Bill Savitt paid him to pitch from April to October. Taylor and the Gems defeated Will Jackman and the Philadelphia Colored Giants on three separate occasions in Hartford. One game was a 20-inning marathon in which Taylor set down 22 batters via the strikeout.

Then on September 19, 1937, Taylor stunned the baseball world. As moundsman for the Negro National League All-Stars at the Polo Grounds, he tossed a no-hitter against Satchel Paige and the Trujillo All-Stars. After holding his opponents hitless through eight innings, Taylor retired George Scales, Spoony Palm and Cool Papa Bell in the bottom of the ninth. Taylor and his catcher Biz Mackey did not allow a runner to reach third base.

Good ballplayer. Yes, I hit against him. Didn’t get much on it.”

Buck O’Neil on Johnny Taylor

Taylor’s no-hitter made him a desirable free agent. He planned on returning to New York but wound up signing with Pittsburgh for $400 per month. Crawfords owner Gus Greenlee preferred Taylor instead of re-signing Satchel Paige. Taylor turned in an excellent season with 11 wins, while batting .368 as a utility man. He was one of league’s top players and participated in the 1938 East-West Negro League All-Star Game at Comiskey Park in Chicago, Illinois.

During the winters of 1938 and 1939, Johnny Taylor appeared for the Santa Clara Leopards of the Cuban League. The Leopards nabbed the pennant with Taylor on the mound and Josh Gibson behind the plate. Around this time, the Mexican League lured Negro Leaguers like Taylor with higher salaries. For $600 a month he became the ace of the Cordoba Cafeteros. He tossed for an 11-1 record, a 1.19 earned run average and was a local folk hero in Cordoba.

Man, did he have good stuff! Taylor would have been a major leaguer for sure if he hadn’t come along before they allowed colored boys to play in organized baseball.”

Roy Campanella on Johnny Taylor

In the summer of 1939, an eight team semi-pro loop formed known as the Connecticut State Baseball League. Taylor pitched for the New Britain entry against New London on Memorial Day weekend. Because he was a man of color, the New London club protested the game. Subsequently, the league banned black players. Without comment on the matter, Taylor returned to the Negro Leagues and pitched sporadically for the New York Cubans in 1940. He also appeared for the Homestead Grays and the Newark Eagles with his regular catcher, Josh Gibson.

By winter, Taylor was back in Mexico. This time he joined the Veracruz Azules. The club owner, Jorge Pasquel, was a teetotaling liquor magnate who paid more Negro League teams. Pasquel bought Taylor a new suit each time he pitched a shutout. In 1941 with Veracruz, Taylor won 13 games while striking out 115. The club would be remembered as one of the finest Mexican League outfits of all-time.

A tall good-looking right-hander with the damnedest overhand curveball you ever did see.”

Monte Irvin on Johnny Taylor

Taylor once told Bill Lee, sports editor of the Hartford Courant, of his difficulties in the high altitude of Mexico City. His fastball didn’t have the same zip and his curve seemed to forget to bend. In September of 1941, he made a visit to Hartford with a team of Mexican League All-Stars led by Josh Gibson, Sam Bankhead, Ray Dandridge and Willie Wells. They squared off against the Savitt Gems, who started Pete Naktenis. Taylor and his All-Stars won in ten innings, as Taylor rung up 15 batsmen.

When America entered World War II, Taylor returned to Connecticut to work for United Aircraft in East Hartford. He continued to pitch for the New York Cubans on weekends. During the war years, he also tossed for the Savitt Gems, Fred Davey’s Waterbury team and Highland Lake Athletic Club of Winsted. Taylor went back to Mexico to suit up for Monterey after the war. This time he brought his wife, Estelle and son, John Jr. Estelle Singleton Taylor was a respected maternity nurse and the first black nurse at New Britain General Hospital.

Taylor hurled for Veracruz of the Mexican League until 1946, when he suffered an arm injury. At the time, the Mexican League sought to compete with Major League Badeball. White players like Danny Gardella, Sal Maglie and Mickey Owen signed with teams south of the border. Baseball Commissioner Happy Chandler blacklisted them for five years. The Negro National League handed five-year bans to eight players, including Johnny Taylor and Ray Dandridge. The suspensions were later shortened, though Taylor’s professional career was coming to a close.

That was until 1949, when Taylor signed with the Hartford Chiefs of the Eastern League. In doing so he became Hartford’s first black player in organized baseball. He went 6-7 with the Chiefs, mainly in relief. The minor league club released Taylor in November. He later made his final pitching appearances in Hartford Twilight League old-timer games, alongside Pete Naktenis and Walter “Monk” Dubiel.

After baseball, Taylor raised four children with his wife and worked for his father’s construction business. Taylor also became a trailblazer in the game of golf. He had learned to play golf as a teenager at Hartford’s Goodwin Park. Taylor frequented Edgewood in Cromwell (no known as TPC Cromwell), and he studied Ben Hogan’s book The Fundamentals of Modern Golf. Taylor was one of the first black men in Connecticut to hold a handicap card. He was made an Edgewood member in 1959, a year after Jackie Robinson had been denied membership at High Ridge Country Club in Stamford, Connecticut.

In 1975, the Boston Red Sox were World Series bound, and Taylor planned a trip to meet an old teammate, Luis Tiant Sr. The dictatorship of Cuba allowed Tiant to travel to watch his son, Luis Tiant Jr. pitch at Fenway Park. Taylor and Tiant Sr. had a tearful reunion. A dozen years later, Johnny Taylor passed away after a battle with cancer. His memory lives on as a character in Mark Winegardner’s novel, The Veracruz Blues and as the namesake of Johnny Taylor Field in Hartford’s Colt Park (dedicated 2020).

Sources

SABR article by Jon Daly, February of 2011.

Hartford Courant

Hartford Times

Alexander, Charles C. Breaking the Slump: Baseball in the Depression Era. New York: Columbia University Press, 2002.

Hogan, Lawrence D. Shades of Glory: The Negro Leagues and the Story of African-American Baseball. Washington, D.C.: National Geographic Society, 2006.

Holway, John. The Complete Book of Baseball’s Negro Leagues—The Other Half of Baseball History. Fern Park, Florida: Hastings House Publishers, 2001.

Lanctot, Neil. Negro League Baseball: The Rise and Ruin of a Black Institution. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2004.

Ribowsky, Mark. A Complete History of the Negro Leagues, 1884 to 1955. New York: Carol Publishing Group, 1995.

Bonus Photo Gallery

Last year, GHTBL Hall of Fame inductee Allan Garray passed away. His involvement in the Twi-loop spanned three decades. Garray’s baseball career began as a promising catcher at Nonnewaug High School in Andover, Connecticut. He matriculated to UConn Avery Point and set the school record for batting average (.536) in 1976. Then he transferred up to the University of Connecticut for three seasons (1977-79).

Al Garray excelled at UConn under Head Coach, Larry Panciera and became a formidable catcher with help from Assistant Coach, Andy Baylock. Garray was a starter for the Huskies’ first College World Series run in 1979. Garray posted a .291 career batting average at Storrs. In the summer months, he played in the Cape Cod Baseball League. After a spectacular college campaign, he was drafted by the Kansas City Royals in the 34^th round of the 1979 MLB Draft.

Garray caught in the Gulf Coast League and in the South Atlantic League, however, a fastball to the eye was said to have ended his professional career. In 1982, he appeared in an all-star game against the GHTBL with the Waterbury Twi-Met league and was recruited by GHTBL’s Tom Abbruzzese. With Garray behind the plate in 1983, Abbruzzese’s Society for Savings club claimed the pennant. In five summers with the “Bankers” Garray batted .338 with 23 home runs and 98 RBI. He won two Season Titles, two Playoff Championships and the 1985 Bud Mahon Award for Most Valuable Player.

In 1994, Garray founded the New England SportsPlex in Vernon, Connecticut. It was a 14-acre complex made up of softball fields, volleyball courts and horseshoe pits. That same year, he was inducted into the GHTBL Hall of Fame by its director, Jack Repass. The recognition may have convinced Garray to make a comeback to the diamond. At 38 years old Garray joined up with Gene Johnson’s Newman Lincoln-Mercury franchise (previously known as Moriarty Brothers).

As Newman’s Designated Hitter, Garray captured a GHTBL Playoff Championship in 1997 and back-to-back Season Titles in 1999 and 2000. Then he was honored as an inductee of the UConn Avery Point Athletic Hall of Fame in 2001. He continued to play locally while operating a pension consulting firm in Rocky Hill. Garray was an avid “Sunday leaguer” who competed in the Over 30 World Series and Over 40 World Series. He also served as an umpire for amateur loops throughout the state.

Allan Garay returned to the GHTBL yet again in 2004, establishing Monaco Ford, an expansion team out of Glastonbury, Connecticut. The club briefly fielded Major League slugger AJ Pollock during the summer of 2008. Baseball talent seemed to flock to Allan Garray, a lifelong contributor to the GHTBL and one the league’s all-time catchers. The league sends our best to Allan’s family and friends.

We play because we love the game.”

Allan Garray

The Vernon Orioles have continued their community involvement this year.

Chris Dehnel, Patch Staff

VERNON, CT — At a recent game, the Vernon Oriole family had Carol Hartmann throw out the ceremonial first pitch to remember and honor her son Brenden Mailloux, an outstanding Rockville baseball player.

In 2010, the Hartmann family lost a beloved family member, Brenden. He was was the son of Carol Hartmann and Len Mailloux, and grandson of Russell Hartmann of the beloved Hartmann’s Supermarket in town. Brenden died unexpectedly in 2010.

The family wanted to do something in Brenden’s memory and felt that contributing to improvements to McCoy Field, known as the Home of the Vernon Orioles, was a fitting choice to honor Brenden and benefit current and future ball players.

Brenden grew up playing baseball from Little League to All-Stars, to JC Courant League, Rockville High School Varsity, and American Legion. He was a skilled player and loved the game. His special talent was his glove at first base. He played many games on McCoy field.

The Family is thrilled that the Vernon Orioles and other teams are benefitting from the improvements made. The outfield was named as the Brenden Mailloux Alley, which is located on the scoreboard.

“The Vernon Orioles Family would like to thank the Hartmann Family for their generous donation. McCoy Field is one of the premier fields in the league,” Orioles officials said [led by Manager Jack Ceppetelli, Kevin Powell and Steve Krajewski].

The Vernon Orioles Family remembered and honored a fellow Oriole, Steve Czyz by having his daughter Kat throw the Ceremonial first pitch against Rainbow Graphics. Steve played shortstop for the Orioles from 1993 to 2000. In that time, he played on two championship teams, 1996 and 1999. He was also named to numerous All-Star teams throughout his career.

Steve grew up in Ellington and played for Ellington High School’s baseball team. He then went on to play college ball at Western New England. Steve died in 2015 at age 44. The Orioles donate each year to the Steve Czyz Scholarship Fund that goes to an Ellington High School student.

In April of this year, the Orioles made Kat Czyz, an honorary Vernon Oriole. Kat is a sophomore at Ellington High School, plays softball and has led the Knights to the NCCC Championship. She plays for the CT Bomber Travel Team, coaches an Ellington Little League team and plays Volleyball for Ellington High School.

Original article: https://patch.com/connecticut/vernon/vernon-orioles-going-bat-community

GHTBL is pleased to announce the top Twi-loop players from our 2022 campaign. League managers from every franchise have recently convened to vote on the GHTBL All-Star team. This season, 25 players have been selected. These All-Stars have been invited to participate in an interleague matchup against the Connecticut Twilight League All-Stars on Friday, August 19, 2022, at Muzzy Field in Bristol, Connecticut. At 6:00 PM there will be a Home Run Derby featuring GHTBL and CTL players. Then, around 7:30 PM, the All-Star Game will commence.

Congratulations to the following players on being named 2022 GHTBL All-Stars:

Cardinals

Evan Wilkinson, OF (9)

Colts

Dan Livingston, P (9)

Nick Landell, SS (5)

Nick Flammia, OF (7)

Expos

Justin Marks, P/OF (7)

AJ Hendrickson, P/C/OF (9)

Will Kszywanos, 1B (7)

Graphics

Ryan Callanan, P (5)

Evan Chamberlain, P/3B (9)

Dan Steiner, C (5)

Greeners

AJ Lorenzetti, C/OF (5)

Jets

Bryan Albee, P (9)

Jim Schult, P/OF (9)

Corey Plasky, 2B (7)

Nate Viera, 3B (5)

Jeff Criscuolo, SS (8)

Orioles

Matt Curtis, P (7)

Matt Cleveland, P (9)

Tony Trubia, SS (6)

Jimmy Titus, 1B (9)

Nick Roy, OF (7)

People’s

Willy Yahn, SS (9)

Brendan Lynch, 3B (9)

Phillies

Trevor Moulton, P (6)

Aedin Wadja, 2B (7)

Schult leads East Hartford Jets to third straight Twilight League playoff title
By Adam Betz, Journal Inquirer

MIDDLETOWN — Jim Schult is no stranger to success on the baseball diamond.

He had a standout career at Eastern Connecticut State University, including being named the 2011 National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Division III National Player of the Year.

Since joining the East Hartford Jets of the Greater Hartford Twilight League in 2019 “after being on the couch for a few years,” that success has remained.

And it gained another example Tuesday.

Schult finished with two hits, two RBIs, a run scored, and was the winning pitcher as No. 2 East Hartford rallied to beat the third-seeded Vernon Orioles 5-4 to win their third straight GHTBL playoff championship at Palmer Field.

“It was hard to win the first one. It was really hard to repeat,” the 32-year-old Fishkill, New York native said. “We had a special group of guys that were able to battle through the adversity. … I’m not sure I have the best words to describe how I’m feeling right now, but it means a lot.”

Schult pitched 4 1/3 innings of relief. He allowed two runs on four hits, struck out seven, and walked one. At the plate, he was the only Jet with multiple hits.

“He leads us by example and he makes everyone around him better,” East Hartford player/manager Taylor Kosakowski said of Schult. “He’s the guy you want on the mound or at the plate in a big spot. He’s the guy you want to see up there.”

The Jets, who were co-regular season champions, finish 24-7. They lost their first game of the double-elimination tournament [to the Hartford Colts] before rattling off six straight wins, including a 5-1 win over the Orioles on Monday to force Tuesday’s winner-take-all game.

“It says a lot about who we are,” designated hitter Andy Pelc said. “I feel like that first game, even though it didn’t go our way, put a chip back on our shoulder. I think that’s the reason we’re here today.”

The Orioles were making their seventh straight championship game appearance Tuesday night. They finish 20-9.

“I’m really proud of how we played a much better game tonight,” manager Jack Ceppetelli said. “We swung the bats well against a couple of the premier pitchers in the league. We just ran into one bad inning.”

Vernon held a 2-0 lead and threatened to break the game open with the bases loaded and two down in the top of the third.

But Schult came in from right field and needed only one pitch to end the inning.

Manny Alejandro led off the bottom of the frame with a single, the first Jets’ baserunner.

East Hartford would load the bases, with the help of a two-out error, to set the stage for Schult. He sent the first pitch from starter Bill Riggieri to center for a two-run single to tie the game.

“I was just looking for a good pitch to hit,” Schult said. “I worked the count in my prior at-bat, so I got to see some pitches from him. It just so happened that I got a mistake with the first one.”

Janiel Ramirez drew a bases-loaded walk to break the tie and Pelc added a two-run single as East Hartford brought 10 batters to the plate in the inning to make it 5-2.

The Orioles trimmed the deficit to one in the top of the sixth when Ian Halpin sent a two-run double to the right-field fence.

He finished with three hits Tuesday.

“That’s a huge hit to get us close in the sixth,” Ceppetelli said. “We just couldn’t quite get there.”

Schult regrouped and struck out the next batter looking to end the inning.

“I’ve got a whole bunch of guys in the dugout that are counting on me to get out of the inning,” Schult said. “We’re all hurting, we’re all tired at this point in the year. You just want to push through it. Like Bryan (Albee) threw 20-something innings for us during the playoffs, I wasn’t going to let him down. I wasn’t going to let anyone down. Just concentrating and finishing the job.”

Vernon jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first when Nick Roy scored on an error and Tyler Pogmore brought home Halpin with an RBI single.

Peter Kelley finished with two hits for Vernon. Riggieri took the loss. He allowed five unearned runs on five hits while striking out two and walking two over four innings.

East Hartford starter Albee, a member of Eastern’s National Championship team this year, allowed two runs — one of them earned — and struck out two in 2 2/3 innings.

Tuesday’s win was a bittersweet one for Kosakowski, who has managed the team since it re-formed in 2019 after folding a year prior. The Berlin native said he’s stepping down to devote more time to his family.

“Obviously, it’s very emotional,” he said. “Sixteen years playing in this league, it’s hard to come by a championship, let alone be a part of something this special. So, I hope I can continue to help out and contribute to the team as much as I can. I’m a school psychologist, and they always teach you to leave them better than you found them. For me, that’s what I’ve aimed to do with this team and I hope that I did that.”

On Sunday, September 18, 2022, GHTBL and Malloves Jewelers of Middletown will host the 5th Annual Buzzy Levin Golf Tournament at Blackledge Country Club in Hebron, Connecticut. All twilight leaguers, alumni, fans, friends and family are welcomed. Your support and participation helps to fund the GHTBL year after year.

Unable to attend? please consider sponsoring a hole for $100. Your name or company name will be displayed prominently. Players, coaches and league officials are grateful for your continued support!

Download the the Registration Form:

The GHTBL is a registered nonprofit organization. All donations to the league are used on baseball expenses such as umpiring, equipment, field rentals and insurance. This year, the golf tournament is dedicated to Buzzy’s wife, Harriet Levin, who passed away on April 9, 2022. The entire league sends our condolences to the Levin family.

Will the East Hartford Jets earn a 3rd straight postseason title? That’s the question going into GHTBL’s 2022 Playoff Tournament.

The Jets have dominated as of late in close games and have blown out a few opponents as well. Yet, it was the Record-Journal Expos who also captured a share of the Regular Season Title. The other favorites remain the Vernon Orioles who finished third in the standings. M&T People’s and Rainbow Graphics hit their own hot streaks towards the end of the season and might have what it takes to win.

As the double-elimination tournament gets underway, here are some things to know:
– Stay tuned for rainout announcements and postponements.
– $10 admission for adults to the entire tournament.
– Free for kids 14 and under.
– Higher-seed teams are home team in the 1st Round.
– A coin flip determines home team for every round thereafter.

Now that the 2022 Regular Season has come to a close, the Record-Journal Expos (18-6) and the East Hartford Jets (18-6) have agreed to split the Season Title. Both managers elected to share a co-championship this year. According to GHTBL By-laws this scenario takes place when two teams tie for first place in the standings:

VIII. Postseason Playoff 

C. In the result of a tie for Regular Season champion, a one game playoff will be scheduled to determine the champion. This game may be eliminated if both managers agree to a co-championship. If a co-Championship is elected, then seeding for the playoff will defer to:

• 1) The Co-Champions head-to-head regular season record.
• 2) If the head-to-head record also result in a tie seeding will then default to a coin flip conducted by the Executive Committee.

D. Season records determine the remaining seedings. If there is a tie for any seeding, regular season head-to-head record will prevail; if head-to-head record results in a tie a coin flip will then be implemented conducted by the Executive Committee. If there is more than two teams for any seeding position the process then be selected by lot. 

The Expos swept all three games from the Jets this summer, therefore Record-Journal will be the top seed in the upcoming Playoff Tournament. The playoff bracket is published on the homepage of www.GHTBL.org (scroll towards bottom).

As a recap of the Record-Journal Expos at M&T People’s game last night here’s an original article by Ron Buck, Special to the Record-Journal:

R-J Expos drop regular season finale, but still lay claim to Greater Hartford Twilight pennant.

HARTFORD — Even in defeat, the Record-Journal Expos won Thursday night.

Already secure in the knowledge they had wrapped up the No. 1 seed in next week’s Greater Hartford Twilight Baseball League playoffs, the Expos dropped their regular-season finale 1-0 to People’s Bank at Dunkin’ Donuts Park.

The loss prevented the Expos from winning the regular season outright and ended a six-game winning streak by the Meriden squad. The Expos finished the regular season 18-6.

People’s Bank, which scored the game’s only run in the bottom of the sixth inning, finished the season 14-9.

The Expos’ regular-season record is good enough to be, at the least, co-champions with the East Hartford Jets. The Jets (17-6) were on their way to tying the Expos for the regular-season title. At press time, they were leading the Hartford Colts 7-0 in the fourth inning of Thursday night’s nightcap of the Twilight Stadium Series 4 Sandy Hook Promise. 

The Expos, however, will earn the playoff’s top seed via a sweep of the Jets during the regular season. Looking to win Meriden’s first GHTBL tournament title since the Meriden Merchants went all the way in 2014, the Expos begin their quest Tuesday night at Palmer Field.

This is the second regular-season championship for player/manager Charlie Hesseltine, who saw his club win the 2019 pennant.

“The 1 seed was more important to us,” said Hesseltine. “I would have been nice to win. Justin (Marks) pitched great. Our bats were (just) hit and miss.” 

“But playing at Dunkin’ Donuts Park, everyone is trying to square one up and hit it a mile. It was a fun game,” added Hesseltine.

The Expos had one regular-season contest remaining — a game with People’s Bank on Tuesday at Ceppa Field was suspended by rain tied 2-2 in the top of the third — but they voted after Thursday’s game to forfeit the makeup. The decision was based on both teams’ desire to save their pitching for the playoffs.

“Our goal from the beginning of the year was to win the (postseason) championship,” said Hesseltine. “Regular-season standings never really matter because you have to beat everyone in the playoffs, but we played well all season.”

“We have four solid arms,” he added. “So as long as we hit, we have four pitchers for four games (in the playoffs).”

Marks, a tall lefty from Woodland High School, has shown why the Expos have the arms to win it all this season. He entered the game at Dunkin’ Donuts Park at a perfect 4-0 on the season with a 1.54 ERA, and he threw four more scoreless innings Thursday.

Marks hit the mid-to-high 80s in striking out seven.

“Our mindset is we got our loss out of the way (tonight) and we are ready for the playoffs” said Marks, who was making his seventh start of the season. “Tonight gives us confidence that we can beat anyone.”

Hesseltine picked up where Marks left off and struck out the side in the fifth inning.

People’s Bank scored, however, in the sixth after Hesseltine pitch brushed the jersey of Willy Yahm, who stole second and scored on a single by Brandon Lynch.

The Expos had their chances to score and, even in their final at-bat in the seventh, put a runner at second base with two outs via a ground-rule double by A.J. Hendrickson.

But Jason Sullivan struck out to end the game.

The Expos managed just four hits against four People’s Bank pitchers. And when they did come up with a few early hits, aggressiveness on the base paths were costly. A pair of Expos were thrown out at the plate in the third inning. 

Johnny Walter was out attempting to score from first base on Nhasean Murphy’s double into the left-field corner. Murphy was later called out at the plate on a close play trying to score after Sebby Grignano grounded out to shortstop.

The Expos also threatened in the second. Hendrickson singled sharply to left to start the inning. Sullivan then lined out to left field ahead of Shawn Remillard, who was thrown out at second trying to stretch a single into a double. 

Hendrickson moved to third base on Remillard’s ball into the right-center gap, but Will Kszywanos grounded out to third base to end the inning.

People’s Bank had its own struggles at the plate, managing just three hits off Marks and Hesseltine. The Expos’ hurlers allowed just two runners to reach second base before People’s broke through in the sixth inning.

This is the second regular-season title for the Expos in four years. The Expos, however, lost in the 2019 playoffs as the top seed. The Vernon Orioles won it all that year, while the Jets have won the past two championships.

“This year is a different group of guys,” said Kszywanos, who played for the 2019 Expos. “We are younger, more resilient and have a lot more chemistry.

“We have been together for so long, since Legion days,” added the first baseman. “And some of the younger guys are really stepping up at the plate. But pitching is going to win it, and Justin has been lights out. If we can string five or six hits together, we’ll be fine.”

The Jets and Vernon Orioles had been chasing the Expos all season. The O’s lost Wednesday night to the Wallingford Cardinals and finished 17-7. With a win later Thursday night, the Jets (17-6) were poised to earned the No. 2 seed.

Visit Record-Journal.com for more stories on the Expos from this season.

On Thursday, August 4, 2022, Greater Hartford Twilight Baseball League will fulfill its annual mission as a nonprofit organization. Players, coaches, families and fans are invited to the Twilight Stadium Series 4 Sandy Hook Promise – a doubleheader marking GHTBL’s sixth consecutive year of charity games at Dunkin’ Donuts Park. This special event is presented by Eversource Energy, which has supported the cause with a community grant and has been named GHTBL’s Presenting Sponsor.

On the night of August 4, the Main Gate (near the Ticket Office) will be open at 5:30 PM to spectators. The first game will begin at 6:00 PM between the Meriden-based, Record-Journal Expos and the Wethersfield-based, M&T People’s franchise. At 8:00 PM the 2020 and 2021 Playoff Champions, East Hartford Jets will face the Hartford Colts.

• Admission: $10 for adults. Free for kids 14 years old and under.
• All proceeds: donated to Sandy Hook Promise.
• Concessions: available on the first base side of the stadium, brought to you by facility hosts, the Hartford Yard Goats.
• Buy tickets or donate online at www.givebutter.com/twi.
• Parking: available in LAZ Parking lots for $5. (Public/metered parking within walking distance.)
• Raffles: 50-50 Raffle hosted by GHTBL for $5.00 & Bat Raffle hosted by Probats (free with admission ticket)

More about Sandy Hook Promise (SHP), a charitable organization in Newtown, Connecticut:

Since the tragic events at Sandy Hook Elementary School nearly ten years ago, SHP has led a bipartisan movement to protect America’s children from gun violence. Most recently, the organization has engaged in educational workshops at schools across the United States. Over 23,000 “Know the Signs” programs have taught youth and adults how to prevent school violence. Students and educators learn how to identify at-risk behaviors and how to intervene to get help. According to SHP, “These early-prevention measures empower everyone to help keep schools and communities safe.”

Help us take action for the well-being of children and Sandy Hook Promise by attending the Twilight Stadium Series 4 Sandy Hook Promise. Or you can make a donation online:

• DONATE or BUY TICKETS ONLINE in lieu of paying admission in person.
• You will receive an email confirmation but there’s no need to print your tickets, as donors will be on a “Donor List” and admitted into the stadium at no additional charge.
• ALL DONATIONS & TICKET PROCEEDS GO TO SANDY HOOK PROMISE.

*Both Greater Hartford Twilight Baseball League and Sandy Hook Promise are registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations. W-9 forms are available at your request. Send any questions or correspondance to Contact@GHTBL.org.

On Friday night, Jeff Massicotte steered the Record-Journal Expos to the franchise’s first no-hitter in nearly a decade. Massicotte’s gem came against the Wallingford Cardinals in an 8-0 victory. Massicotte is going to be a senior next year at St. Peter’s University where he plays Division-I ball. He’s from Meriden, Connecticut, and graduated from Maloney High School. He has been a part-time member of the Record-Journal Expos since 2016.

The last time a no-hitter was thrown by the Expos, it Kevin Jefferis in 2013, when the club was called the Connecticut Expos. Today, the team is currently a game back from the first place East Hartford Jets.

In a bit of good news off the field, Andrew Cohen, pitcher for M&T People’s, has recently been hired by his team sponsor, M&T Bank. The career opportunity came about this past Spring and he will report to work in Wilmington, Delaware starting next week. Between then and now, Andrew has earned two wins and a save for Tom Abbruzzese’s “Bankers” franchise. Cohen graduated this past May from Bowdoin College. He grew up in Glastonbury and is a graduate of Loomis Chaffee. The GHTBL wishes Andrew all of the best in his professional pursuits!

The Twilight League would like to also express our gratitude to M&T Bank for sticking with the GHTBL as a team sponsor. The Buffalo, New York-based M&T Bank is currently acquiring the Bridgeport-based People’s United Bank in a high-profile merger. Here’s to a hundred years!

By Joshua Macala
raised || by || cassettes

On July 10, 2022, the M&T People’s at Rainbow Graphics game started at 5 PM. It ended around 6:30 PM. Both teams started this quick contest with the same record and were fighting for fourth place. While the Jets, Expos and Orioles hold the top three spots, this was a battle for the middle of the standings.

These are the next two best teams in the GHTBL in my opinion. Both teams can hit the ball and can categorized as be wildcard teams. You can’t always predict if the Graphics or People’s will win, but they usually grind out close games. This game was evenly matched too.

M&T People’s struck first. In the first inning, with two outs, Brendan Lynch would hit a home run out towards center field. People’s went up 1-0 early on but in the bottom of the second inning Bryan Rodriguez came home after an RBI single and then Austin Martin drove in another run with runners on second and third to give the Graphics a 2-1 lead. 

In the top of the fourth, the tying run scored for People’s when a bloop over second base. A number of Graphics players were caught watching it. Then the Graphics’ right fielder made a spectacular diving catch and it seemed to provide a boost of energy.

Graphics put up two more runs in the bottom of the fourth. After a HBP, a run was scored via a double and there was a bad throw to home. Had that throw been on target it might have very well gotten the runner and left the game tied. A sac fly by Austin Martin brought in the second run of the inning and the Graphics led comfortably, 4-2.  

I wasn’t the only one confused in the bottom of the fifth inning when Travis Salois singled in the fifth and final Graphics run of the game. People’s right fielder appeared to have caught the ball. There seemed to be some confusion by coaches and players alike, as it looked to have been caught. However the umpires said the ball was trapped, ruled the hit and the run scored. 

The good news coming out of this game was that the Graphics seem to have found another consistent starting pitcher in Ryan Skaff, who had a great game. The rarely seen bat of Travis Salois also proved to be effective and the offense shined when it needed to. Rainbow Graphics could be putting together a solid run towards the postseason and they might take some people by surprise.

Rainbow doesn’t play until Thursday when they go to Vernon. If the Graphics manage to get a win against the Orioles, it could push into third place. The Graphics will also meet the Colts on Friday at Northwest Park at 7 PM.

For People’s, Brendan Lynch has been a consistent bat but their club has had their ups and downs offensively. People’s has days when they can’t be stopped but on other days, they might fail to produce at the plate. Their pitching staff can also be spotty at times but they have pulled together some good performances lately.

M&T People’s are going to Ceppa Field in Meriden on Tuesday, where they last defeated the Record-Journal Expos. People’s then also returns home on Thursday night to welcome the Phillies, who have had a rough but resilient season.

With so much happening this week in the GHTBL, the standings could see some major changes by the end of it. The Expos could move into first, the Orioles could move down to fourth and the Colts could climb up as People’s sink down. Many factors make this week a big one for the league and it’s one week closer to the Playoff Tournament in early August.

Greater Hartford Twilight Baseball League is nearly halfway through the 2022 Regular Season and once again, the Vernon Orioles are up to their usual habits; winning ball games. Yet the two-time reigning Playoff Champions, the East Hartford Jets, are currently tied with the Orioles for first place. The Jets also have the upperhand in terms of runs scored and runs allowed.

Then there’s the Record-Journal Expos, who are only a game behind from a three-way tie atop the standings. They have two wins on the year against the Jets in games decided by one-run margins. Expos also have a slightly easier schedule in the second half of the 2022 season.

Here are the remaining games between these three clubs:

See the full schedule at www.GHTBL.org/Schedule.

By Joshua Macala
raised || by || cassettes

After meeting each other this past Sunday in Vernon, the Record-Journal Expos and Vernon Orioles were ready to do battle once again. Only this time on the Expos’ home turf. The Orioles won the game on Sunday but the Expos were coming off of a win over Rainbow Graphics, who are having a good season start. The Expos went into this game with a 4-2 record while the O’s were 6-1.  

This game had a lot of implications, such as if the Orioles lost they would have two losses – same as the Expos – and the Jets would become the only team with only one loss. As the O’s did lose, this put them at 6-2 and the Expos at 5-2 which seems to put them closer together in the rankings. Had this game gone differently the Expos would’ve seemed to dropped down.

This game started off with both teams getting runners on in scoring position but nothing coming of it. The first two innings saw nothing happen on offense and only behind the pitching of Charlie Hesseltine did the Orioles seem to not be able to even get a hit off. The first two innings alone saw four strikeouts for Hesseltine who was on his game in the best possible way this evening.  

In the bottom of the third the Expos got the bases loaded and then on a wild pitch a run would score- the first run of the game. It would take all the way until the top of the fifth inning for a single to score a run for the O’s and it was all tied at 1-1. This would not last very long as the Expos needed some insurance runs going into the last two innings for the Orioles and they were going to get them in grand fashion.

AJ Hendrickson brought in the go ahead run in the bottom of the fifth inning. This would keep the bases loaded and another run would walk in. Jonathan Walter would hit a huge single to drive in a runs. Justin Marks would also RBI in another run, the fifth and final run of the inning. This would put the Expos up 6-1, and it appeared the O’s were all but through. The burst of offense really broke the game wide open and it was so great to see.

With this win, the Expos continue their battle for second place as they face the first place East Hartford Jets on Monday in East Hartford. The Orioles are off to face the Bristol Greeners in a doubleheader on Tuesday and even though the odds seem to be in favor of the O’s, with doubleheaders you never know who might prevail. Next week seems like it could reshape the standings depending upon who wins and who loses. 

Recently, five GHTBL alumni were victorious on the national stage for Eastern Connecticut State University. Bryan Albee, Jack Rich, Zach Donahue, Aidan Dunn and Andres Jose earned a D-III College World Series Championship ring over LaGrange University in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Congratulations to Head Coach Brian Hamm, who has captured Eastern’s fifth national title. Guided by Hamm, Albee, Rich, Donahue, Jose and Dunn have become proven winners, on and off the field. GHTBL is grateful to have these men as representatives of our league.

Graduating senior Bryan Albee plans to pitch for the East Hartford Jets, who are currently in first place in the GHTBL standings. Albee nabbed the Mike Abbruzzese Award for Outstanding Playoff Pitcher last season with the Jets. Jack Rich is also aboard the Record-Journal Expos as their perennial all-star outfielder. Last year, Jack was the Frank McCoy Award winner for Most Valuable Player in the league.

Want to rewatch the clinching World Series game? CLICK HERE

By Joshua Macala
raised || by || cassettes

One of the things I knew going into this game was that both teams were winless on the year up to this point. Wallingford Cardinals and M&T People’s are off to rough starts. What I hadn’t considered going into this game was that this would be my third time seeing the Wallingford Cardinals play and that’s as many times as I’ve seen the Record-Journal Expos play. Perhaps this season will brew a rivalry between cross town teams, as Ceppa Field and Pat Wall Field aren’t too far apart.

The Cardinals came out hot and started this game like they were going to make a statement about it. There have been certain last place teams in the league over the years who ended up disbanding like Malloves Jewelers – so in many ways it felt like the Cardinals wanted to get on a winning track. A double and two singles put together two runs for the Cardinals in the first inning. Then a walk and another double brought home two more runs after yet another double and a run scored to give the Cardinals a 5-0 lead right away. This would be the theme of the game, though it would only happen over two innings when the Cardinals offense exploded. 

People’s pushed a run across in the bottom of the third, making it a 5-1 game. They found life in their offense with a single and a stolen base, but they couldn’t figure out the pitching of Wallingford’s Alex Koletar. Meanwhile, People’s had some pitching problems. The staff would give up a hit, walk someone, then a passed ball would move the runners over, then another walk or single and ultimately the runs would home. It was small ball in that way – advancing the runners – but the pitching helped Wallingford by missing the mark. People’s changed their pitcher and would go on a good defensive stretch. They kept the Cardinals from scoring up until the fifth inning.  

The top of the fifth started with a home run deep to left field by Evan Wilkinson. That started a big inning for the Cardinals. A walk and a single brought about another pitching change, but then a walk loaded the bases. A strikeout got the first out of the inning but then a run scored on a wild pitch. Another walk loaded up the bases and a single scored two runs as People’s catcher went down looking hurt. A quick strikeout for two outs in the inning but then a run scored on a wild pitch. And after that, a run scored on another wild pitch. 

A final pitching change led to back-to-back walks but a third strikeout finally ended the fifth inning. People’s got out of it with the Cardinals putting up six runs. It was now 11-1 and People’s would have a long path to stage a comeback. People’s had a runner on second base in the bottom of the fifth but a strikeout and double play put that inning to an end. They would keep the Cardinals from scoring for the rest of the game but they weren’t done on offense yet. People’s had some catching up to do and they almost did it.

In the bottom of the sixth inning a double brought in a run and then a three run homer by Isaiah Rivera gave People’s some hope, as they were now down 11-5. Just like that, things can change and even when you’re up five runs or even ten runs you never quite know what will happen. People’s had that chance to walk it off. In the bottom of the seventh a run scored for People’s on a wild pitch with two outs but then a strikeout ended the game at 11-6.

This game took M&T People’s to 0-3 as they struggle to find a win this season. But it took the Cardinals to 1-4, which might not seem great but it’s a win that could push them to keep winning. Though they started their season 0-4, the Cardinals also took those losses to the Expos, Orioles, Colts and Graphics. While the Cardinals are meeting the Expos again on Wednesday night at Pat Wall Field, perhaps a true test for the Cardinals will come next Tuesday when they meet the Phillies.

By Joshua Macala
raised || by || cassettes

What makes the Hartford Colts vs. Wallingford Cardinals such an intriguing matchup is that both of these teams are fairly new to the league and both feature former Ulbrich Steel players. The Wallingford Cardinals (brand new for this season) went into this game 0-2 with losses to the Expos on their Opening Day and then the Orioles after that in the Cardinals’ home opener. The Expos and Orioles are generally considered to be amongst the top teams though, so having those losses isn’t really a cause for alarm.

The Hartford Colts are a somewhat new team, and they went into this game 1-1, with a huge victory over the Greeners and a loss to the Champion Jets.  While the Cardinals, led by Manager Jeff DeMaio, were looking for that first win, the Colts were looking to stay above .500. And rightfully so, both teams toughed it out, neither wanting to be the losing side. Sometimes you go into a game where one team is favored over another, but this felt like a game either team could win, and it stayed that way until the last inning.

Both the top and bottom half of the first inning went 1-2-3. The second inning came and the Colts got on top. And it would stay that way. A series of singles drove in two runs, the second run not even being contested at the plate when there was a chance that the Cardinals could’ve had a play. That very well might have been the key moment of the game, where the Colts went up 2-0 and stayed ahead of the Cardinals until the very end. The Cardinals scored a run of their own to answer back in the bottom of the second and make it 2-1, but then a runner was caught stealing with only one out, which makes you wonder why they’re taking such chances in a close game.  

In the top of the third inning with runners on first and third, a run scored for the Colts on a balk. A gapped double in the bottom of the third scored another run for the Cardinals, keeping the game close at 3-2. By the third inning, the rain had come in. It started off just a little bit where I could see some droplets, but eventually, it opened up for an inning or two where it was coming down steadily. It wasn’t that heavy, as other fans went under umbrellas or took cover somewhere, but I stayed in it, and so did the players and umpires. It’s not quite warm enough yet into summer where the rain felt refreshing, but it also isn’t cold enough to where I had to hide from it. I was most concerned about the handling of the ball.

The fourth inning went by without any runs scored but then in the top of the 5th the Colts went up 4-2 as a runner was able to score on a wild pitch. This game was a lot about putting the ball into play, getting those hits and moving the runners to score.  A few errors also helped, but this game remained close throughout, and up until the end, it was either team’s game to win. In the bottom of the fifth, the Colts escaped trouble with a double play followed by a pop-up to first. In the bottom of the sixth, the Cards would double then a single would bring in a run, leaving it 4-3 with one inning left to play. There was a solid chance here that if the Colts didn’t add some insurance runs the Cardinals could be motivated to walk it off.  

This game started in somewhat overcast weather and even though it rained a bit and then the rain stopped, this was one of those games where you had to watch until the end to see who won. In the top of the seventh inning, the Colts got runners on first and second, but they eventually did a double steal to advance. This wouldn’t really matter as the Cardinals changed pitchers and then a hit-by-pitch loaded the bases. 

A huge single past first base scored two runs for the Colts. It was what they needed to win this game. A pitch got by Cardinals’ catcher Adam Leone for a third and final run to score, making this game 7-3. The fact that the Cardinals put up three runs all game seemed to infer that they wouldn’t be able to put up three or more in one inning and that was all they had left. A huge double play and then a slow-rolling groundout to first ended the game and secured the Colts’ win.

There are several factors to consider why this game went the way that it did. First off, if the Colts did not put up those three runs in the top of the seventh and this was a different team, the Cardinals could have easily tied it or even walked it off and got the win. It really felt like the pitching by Alex Koletar for the Cardinals kept this game within reach for them the entire time. And yet the complete game pitched by Matt Goldman was what also helped the Colts get the win here. A pitching effor like that is often needed to win games. Both teams had it going on this night, but the Colts took advantage of more breaks. Perhaps if Goldman wasn’t pitching, the Cardinals would’ve had a win, but that’s hypothetical

Coming out of this game, the Hartford Colts improve to 2-1 and have People’s and the Orioles on deck to face. This will be an interesting next few games for the Colts because if they can defeat the Orioles and hand them their first loss, they’ll be right up there in the top of the league. At the same time, the Cardinals are up against People’s, the Graphics and the Expos again. It might be a tough week coming for them, as they have their work cut out for them, but one of these games might be their chance to get their first win. People’s are the interesting team coming out of this game because thus far they have only played once and it was a loss so what fate awaits them against both Colts and Cardinals will be fun to see.  

By Joshua Macala
raised || by || cassettes

Exactly one week after their season opener, the Record-Journal Expos returned to Ceppa Field to take on the South Windsor Phillies and scored 7 runs once again. The Phillies and Expos have quite the rivalry going, and so this was promising to be a stellar matchup. Both teams have, in recent seasons, finished in first place even though the then champions would go on to become either the Orioles or Jets. Some teams are at the top of the league, the middle of the league and the bottom of the league. The Expos and Phillies are both top-of-the-league teams, so playing each other should be exciting baseball.

The Expos scored five runs during the bottom of the second inning. It was a deficit from which the Phillies were unable to overcome. A hit-by-pitch, two walks and then a run was walked in as well before AJ Hendrickson hit a deep shot to center field to clear the bases. That double drove in three runs. It would’ve been a grand slam if it went over the fence (I thought it did at first). In the bottom of the sixth inning, Hendrickson would do the same as he hit a long shot out to left field to score two more runs. Five of the seven runs in the game would be AJ Hendrickson’s runs batted in.

While this might not seem like a big deal because players can have big offensive nights, the fact is that AJ Hendrickson was also pitching the entire game and he managed to shut out the Phillies, barely giving up any hits. There were only one or two occasions where it really felt like the Phillies might have a chance to score and then those opportunities quickly got shut down. In many ways, it felt like Hendrickson was doing everything in this game and that just feels even more surreal considering how he played last game, but this was definitely a team effort when you don’t just consider the statistics of it all.

For one thing, the Expos have a new player in Javon Malone and he not only drove in a run but also had a few well-made defensive plays. Everyone seemed to step up offensively for Record-Journal; taking the walk when they needed to, and going that extra mile defensively to make it so that the Phillies couldn’t score. To start off this season with these first few games, everything is clicking for the Expos and their offense and defense are both delivering the way they should.

But with this game it should also be noted that the Phillies played well. The second inning was their biggest downfall and aside from that the combined pitching efforts of Noah Shaw and Connor Egan left the Expos scoreless for five innings. Offensively, the Phillies were missing Brody Labbe and Mike Lisinicchia, as well as Trevor Moulton as a pitcher, but these are just things which happen at the beginning of the season. Jack Rich has yet to play for the Expos as he is off doing great things with the ECSU Baseball team.  

With only two games into the season for the Expos (and the most games being played is three) it might be a bit early to see this as being a runaway season for the Expos. What the standings look like now- with the Expos, Jets and Orioles on top. But it is interesting to see that the new team of the Cardinals is 0-2 while the somewhat new team of the Greeners is 0-3. Whether they can turn their seasons around or not remains to be seen but there is a lot of baseball to be played still so it’s anybody’s game.

While the Expos only had one game last week, they play three this week. They go to Muzzy Field on Thursday night to take on the Greeners, who will be looking for their first win. Then on Friday night they welcome the Jets to Ceppa Field – a matchup to anticipate because the Jets are the reigning and defending Twi Champions. Baseball is one of those unpredictable sports though where it seems like the Greeners should be an easy win but they might not be. I’ve seen it before where first place teams fall to last place teams (mostly the Mets in previous years) and it doesn’t make sense but it happens.  

So even though it feels like Thursday should be an easy win and Friday will be more of a competitive game, anything can happen and you never really know until that game happens. The historic Muzzy Field is a great place to watch baseball and these two games just feel like they’re going to set an important tone for the rest of the season. Either way, win or lose, it’s a nice time of year to be outside watching baseball again. 

On this Memorial Day the Greater Hartford Twilight Baseball League honors the legacy of every United States military service member who made the ultimate sacrifice. Since the forming of our nation, soldiers have fought for freedom and justice. This most somber of national holidays is a reminder to be grateful for those who defended America.

After all, our way of life hinges on the valorous acts of military servicemen and women. Because of their unwavering commitment to duty, millions of Americans prosper today. Due to the significance of our fallen heroes, communities like Greater Hartford can have trivial things like amateur baseball. GHTBL players, coaches and league officials express our sincere gratitude this Memorial Day.

Greater Hartford Twilight Baseball League returns for the 93rd year!

This summer, GHTBL will utilize some of Connecticut’s top ballparks, including Muzzy Field, Palmer Field, Trinity College and Dunkin’ Donuts Park. Players from as far as Boston, Massachusetts, to Stamford, Connecticut, will compete in the league. A 24-game Regular Season will open at 3 PM, Sunday, May 22, 2022. The Rainbow Graphics are to host Jack Ceppetelli’s Vernon Orioles at Mount Nebo Park in Manchester, CT.

Ceppetelli has managed the Orioles since 2001. Before then Jack was a pitcher with the O’s for two decades. Kevin Powell, another Oriole of the 1980’s, will serve his second year as bench coach. Powell recently retired from Travelers Insurance after a 38 year career. Mainstay Orioles like the Trubia brothers and the Halpin brothers are expected back for another season. Former minor leaguer Jimmy Titus has also declared for Vernon.

Rainbow Graphics has their own share of experience. Along with player-manager Tyler Repoli, fixtures like Evan Chamberlain, Travis Salois and Eric Anderson will suit up for the Graphics. Other than the season opener, Rainbow home games will be hosted at Northwest Park in Manchester. Many thanks to Fred Kask and the Rainbow Graphics team for sponsoring GHTBL’s longest-running franchise.

Meanwhile, Manager Taylor Kosakowski and the East Hartford Jets are seeking a three-peat. Another Playoff Championship run will require solid performances from Kosakowski’s fleet of everyday position players. They include Jeff Criscuolo, Jim Schult, Nate Viera and Corey Plasky, who’ve been consistent on both sides of the ball for East Hartford. Bryan Albee of Eastern Connecticut State University is also expected to return to the mound.

Nearby in South Windsor, the Phillies and Manager Ron Pizzanello are preparing for the summer. The Phillies also have a solid core of players who have been with South Windsor since 2018. They are Brody Labbe, Pat McMahon, Aedin Wadja and Jake Petrozza. A few additions to the team are Wendell Anderson, the 2002 GHTBL MVP and AJ Pietrafesa of Massachusetts Maritime Academy.

As for Tom Abbruzzese’s Wethersfield-based franchise, the team has been renamed M&T People’s (formerly People’s United Bank). First-year players will include Jordan Valentino of Saint Joseph’s College of Maine, Nick Tuozzola, a graduate of SUNY Purchase and at least four players from Elms College. The most veteran players on People’s are Brendan Lynch and Eric Malinowski.

Recently, President Holowaty has welcomed Ryan Ruggiero as the newest member of the Executive Committee. Ryan joins the league as the official Statistician. He’ll also assist with operations for the Hartford Colts franchise. The Colts expect to field many players currently in college including Kyle Darby of Westfield State University, Kiernan Caffrey of American International College, Sean Jefferson of Albertus Magnus College and AJ Desarro of New England College.

The most newcomers of 2022 will likely appear for the Wallingford Cardinals, who have become sponsors in place of Ulbrich Steel. General Manager Chris Bishop and Manager Jeff DeMaio will welcome numerous collegiate players like Evan Wilkinson of Post University and Zach Pincince of University of New Haven. Returners such as Sam DeMaio, Alex Koletar and Brendan O’Connell will continue to be key contributors for Wallingford.

The league’s westernmost franchise, the Bristol Greeners, will play eight games at Muzzy Field this year. Trevor Mays takes the reins as a first-time player-manager. Greeners catcher, AJ Lorenzetti, will look to repeat his 2021 All-Star performance.

Last but not least, the Record-Journal Expos will be directed by player-manager, Charlie Hesseltine, who’s been a part of the twi-loop since 2005. Other veteran players like AJ Hendrickson, Jonathan Walter and Sebby Grignano will perform under the lights at Ceppa Field. Current college athletes for the Meriden-based franchise are Jason Sullivan of Albertus Magnus, Carson Coon of Manhattan College and Kameron Hartenstein of SUNY Cortland.

On August 4, 2022, the league will hold our 6th annual charity series at Dunkin’ Donuts Park. Hosted by the Hartford Yard Goats, the GHTBL will fundraise for a charitable cause by selling $10 tickets at the Main Gate. Tickets are valid for both games of the doubleheader at 6 PM and 8 PM. Concessions will be open. More details to come!

The 2022 Playoff Tournament will follow a few days after the Regular Season. Our double-elimination championship will transpire at Palmer Field in Middletown and at McKenna Field in East Hartford. Five appearances are required to qualify a player for the postseason.

Note to new players seeking a team in the GHTBL: Fill out a Player Application. Amateurs with collegiate-caliber abilities are most likely to be contacted by GHTBL managers who immediately receive these applications.

Recently, Hartford Colts ace, Nick Hock accepted a job with the Baltimore Orioles organization. This spring Hock will ship out to Salisbury, Maryland, to work for the Delmarva Shorebirds of the Single-A Carolina League. He’ll be a member of the Player Development Department serving as an assistant to the coaching staff. Hock also expects to throw batting practice and simulated games. Shorebird home games are played at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium.

Hailing from Wethersfield, Connecticut, Hock has played twilight ball for the last five years. He’s thrown 252.2 innings, tallying 215 strikeouts, 9 complete games and 3 shutouts. Hock was named a GHTBL All-Star three times and won the Mike Liappes Award for Most Valuable Pitcher in 2020. Please join us in congratulating Nick Hock on his next baseball chapter!

Coming soon to a ballpark near you, the GHTBL will begin its 93rd year of play. This season’s Opening Day will be held at Mount Nebo Park in Manchester, Connecticut, at 5 PM, Sunday, May 22, 2022. Manager Jack Ceppetelli and the Vernon Orioles will face Manager Tyler Repoli and the Rainbow Graphics. Last season, these teams split their head-to-head matchup with one win each.

This season, the GHTBL will go back to its traditional format. Each franchise will play three games against every other franchise. The 24-game schedule will be the most Regular Season games planned by the league since 2019. Things are finally back to normal for the time being.

However, since there are 9 clubs competing this year, the GHTBL Playoff Tournament will include a “play-in” game of the 8th and 9th place finishers. An 8-team double-elimination tournament will follow the “play-in” game.

As for the players; 225+ athletes are expected to suit up this summer. Plenty of returners and newcomers will fill a variety of roles throughout the league. From everyday position players, to relief pitchers and part-timers, local amateurs will travel from as far as Groton, Connecticut, and Longmeadow, Massachusetts, to contend for a championship.

A vast majority of GHTBL players are also current or former college players. A handful are ex-professionals. A few are high school prospects. They join the twi-loop for various reasons: to develop into a better player, for the love of the game, camaraderie with teammates. Whatever the reason, the GHTBL is grateful to remain one of most talent laden summer leagues in Connecticut.

GHTBL provides a pure, throwback style of the game while representing a highly competitive class of baseball. Wood bats and MLB Rules are enforced in a 7-inning format. To learn more about playing in the GHTBL, go to www.GHTBL.org/join.

Recently, the naming rights of Hartford’s oldest outdoor sports facility were sold to corporate interests. The time-tested Dillon Stadium has taken a bow to make way for Trinity Health Stadium. Though some people will refuse to call it anything other than Dillon Stadium, perhaps a review of its backstory will enlighten fans and provide some understanding amid the change. Long before Hartford Athletic played soccer at Dillon, the venue first began as a baseball diamond called Municipal Stadium.

Municipal Stadium was built on Huyshope Avenue in the spring of 1935, driven by public demand for an enclosed baseball field. After more than a decade of persistent lobbying by Harry N. Anderson, founder of the Hartford Twilight League, the city finally constructed a fenced-in diamond at the eastern edge of Colt Park. The project was funded by the Federal Emergency Relief Administration, part of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal. The Depression-era ballpark featured 8-foot fences, a chain-link backstop, and bleachers that lined foul territory.

Hartford’s amateurs were pleased with Municipal Stadium, and they no longer had to rent Bulkeley Stadium for big games. The first contest at “Munie” Stadium featured two Hartford Twilight League clubs on Saturday, June 29, 1935. The stadium opened with a parade led by a marching band led by Mayor of Hartford, Joseph W. Beach. He dedicated the field by hoisting an American flag up a flagpole alongside the facility overseer and Recreation Supervisor, James H. Dillon. President of the Hartford Twilight League, John A. Barrett, tossed the ceremonial first pitch. The league’s defending champions, Tuckel’s Radio Rhymers defeated Check Bread, 10-3.

Less than a year later, a massive flood hit Hartford and heavy rain overflowed the Connecticut River and Park River, engulfing much of the city and Colt Park. The Flood of 1936 sunk Municipal Stadium and the Hartford Twilight League. Many players defected to the East Hartford Twilight League and the Central Connecticut Twilight League while the stadium was out of commission. However, Supervisor Dillon spearheaded a rebuilding effort and “Munie” Stadium was quickly revived.

The ballpark was rededicated on September 19, 1936, when city officials marched down to Colt Park to celebrate the recovery with another flag raising. The ceremony was followed by a doubleheader featuring Hartford’s Senior All-Stars and Junior All-Stars. Hometown pitching ace and GHTBL Hall of Fame inductee, Yosh Kinel won the afternoon for the Seniors; whipping a traveling club from Springfield, Massachusetts.

Municipal Stadium had became a hotbed for regional baseball talent, and in the summer of 1937, a professional tryout came to town. Greater Hartford’s best showcased their ability before scouts of the Rochester Red Wings. It was the first of many minor league tryouts held at the facility. Between the 1930s and the 1960s, dozens of players signed professional contracts on the main diamond at Colt Park.

During the autumn seasons, Municipal Stadium doubled as a football field. As a result, a fieldhouse was constructed on the premises in 1939. The facility was reported to accommodate 10,000 spectators at that time. It was a fan favorite for its affordability and walkability. Aside from the occasional flood, South Hartford’s riverbank provided a central location for regional sporting events.

Onlookers witnessed high school baseball at Municipal Stadium including Weaver, Bulkeley and Hartford Public. There were also several amateur loops using the stadium during the 1940s: the Industrial League, Public Service League, Catholic League, and the Central Connecticut Twilight League. Semi-professional clubs like the Savitt Gems hosted benefit games at “Munie” Stadium to fundraise for wartime initiatives.

After World War II, Hartford Twilight League action returned to Municipal Stadium. The league was re-established in the summer of 1946 by President John “Bud” Mahon, who later served as City Treasurer. Many players who carried packs and rifle across Europe and Asia were relieved to be home playing with bats and gloves. Dozens of young war veterans were fixtures at Municipal Stadium, such as U.S. Army veteran John Buikus, who starred for the Royal Typewriter company team.

By 1955, Municipal Stadium was worn down. Sports Editor of the Hartford Courant, Bill Lee wrote a subpar review of the ballpark in his “With Malice Toward None” column. He called it, “…a poorly maintained baseball diamond of sorts.” The following year, Hartford Mayor James H. Kinsella passed a resolution to rehabilitate and rename Municipal Stadium. From then on, the facility took on the name of Hartford’s beloved supervisor, James H. Dillon, whose accomplishments had won the city national acclaim in parks and recreation.

The newly christened Dillon Stadium took over as Hartford’s sole baseball field in the late 1950s. Nearby on Hamner Street, an abandoned Bulkeley Stadium was eventually sold to the highest bidder. Hartford had neither a minor league stadium nor a minor league team and consequently, the Greater Hartford Twilight Baseball League became the only game in town at Dillon Stadium. On August 12, 1959, a team of GHTBL All-Stars trounced a club of rookie professionals picked by the New York Yankees.

Due in part to exposure at Dillon Stadium, the Twilight League earned a prestigious reputation during the 1960s. The league was considered the most competitive in Connecticut, and second only to the Cape Cod Baseball League in New England. Season openers, playoff tournaments and old-timers games were popular and widely-heralded in newspapers. The Hartford Courant and the Hartford Times were awash with baseball recaps at Dillon.

Despite the stadium’s deep connection to America’s National Pastime, it’s baseball era would eventually expire. An aging Dillon Stadium needed a makeover and the city decided to permanently reconfigured the site. The stadium has since been used mostly for football, soccer and concerts. Not until many years later did a glimmer of hope appear for baseball at Dillon Stadium.

In 1987, city officials organized the Dillon Stadium Task Force Committee to bring professional baseball back to Hartford for the first time since the Hartford Chiefs left in 1952. The task force was conducted by a firefighter, Michael P. Peters and namesake of Mayor Mike Peters Baseball League. Peters and the task force sought to renovate Dillon Stadium into a minor league ballpark. Designs were drawn and models were presented for a $20 million revamp, however the project lacked enough public support.

Skeptics included City Council members, real estate developers and business leaders. The Dillon Stadium Task Force was unable to attract a minor league club to the negotiating table. Som potential investors considered the Hartford market as overlapping with the New Britain Red Sox of the Eastern League. By 1991, the deal withered away, though the campaign did help Mike Peters become Mayor of Hartford (1993 to 2001).

“It was a very fine baseball stadium in terms of the field and ground. It was what I call a Class-A stadium. In the 1940’s it might have been the best baseball diamond in the Connecticut area.”

Victor Jarm, former Recreation Supervisor of Hartford, gushes over Municipal Stadium, 1989.

These days, baseball is a long gone memory at the former Dillon Stadium. In 2019, Hartford Athletic owners, Hartford Sports Group, partnered with Connecticut’s Capital Region Development Authority and Hartford Foundation for Public Giving to refurbish the city-owned facility for $14 million. As part of the quasi-public deal, Hartford Sports Group reserved the right to sell the name of Hartford’s oldest remaining sports venue. Trinity Health Stadium is now home to Hartford Athletic soccer of the United Soccer League.

Sources

1. Hartford Courant: “Jon Lender: $14M Dillon Stadium renovation was marred by ‘charade of an RFP’ that ‘undermines public confidence,’ says watchdogs’ draft report”.
   
2. Hartford Courant: Football, The Rolling Stones, elephants and soccer: A look at Dillon Stadium through the years.”
   
3. Hartford Courant database at Newspapers.com
   
4. Hartford Athletic: Hartfordathletic.com/dillon-stadium
   
5. USL Soccer News: USLsoccer.com/news_article/show/1216699

As the NCAA season gets underway, the Greater Hartford Twilight Baseball League wishes every college ballplayer all of the best this Spring. Special shoutouts go to those players who have recently honed their skills in the GHTBL. From Jack Rich and Brian Albee at Eastern Connecticut State University to Josh Pabilonia and Julian Gonzalez at Western Connecticut State University, players from the Twi-loop are expected to make their mark on the NCAA*.

There are roughly 34,500 college baseball players who compete each year in the United States. Student-athletes commit to their sweat, tears and sometimes blood to university programs. GHTBL is proud of our many college players who manage to juggle school, baseball, career and family life. Living up to these tall tasks is never easy.

However, nothing worth doing is ever easy. GHTBL Managers are seeking new recruits who have the work ethic, character and experience to compete at the college level. Our franchises have one goal: to improve baseball players on and off the field. We welcome current, future or former college athletes to fill out a Player Application found here: www.GHTBL.org/Join.

*GHTBL abides by strict amateur rules. No gifts, favors or money are dealt to players. These are violations of our By-laws found here: www.GHTBL.org/by-laws.

We’ll see you this summer and in the meantime…swing away!

The MLB Lockout has been raging on for three months, and following the cancelation of the first two series of the MLB season, this fiasco needs some explaining. The CBA, or Collective Bargaining Agreement, occurs between the MLB and the MLBPA (Major League Baseball Players Association), and without one, games cannot commence. The CBA needs to be renewed every five years, and if an agreement is not reached before the end of December 1st, there are three options for proceeding.

The first of these options is that the MLB can enforce a lockout, which is voted on by the owners. A lockout means that players cannot be in contact with coaches or a team’s front office, and it is the option currently in effect. At any time, the owners can vote to remove the lockout and start a new season using the expired CBA, which is the second option. Using this, they can completely prevent a loss of games, but in this case the MLB believed that instating a lockout would stimulate negotiations.

Playing under the old CBA has one downside, and that is the fear of the players striking if they are unhappy with the ongoing negotiations for a new CBA. This would mean that no games would be played until an agreement is reached, and that is what happened in 1994, the only season not to have a World Series since 1904. A strike allows for the owners to have a season, but not with any members of the MLBPA. In the case of 2022, the owners have instated a lockout, and regular season games have already been canceled.

Right before the lockout, MLB had debatably its most exciting week of free agency in recent history. With the lockout impending, many free agents wanted to guarantee a contract before the lockout, knowing that there would not be much time to sign after the lockout ends. Between November 26 and December 1st, the free agent market was explosive. On Black Friday, the Mets stole the show, signing Eduardo Escobar, Mark Canha, and capping off the night with Starling Marte (note that all of the players mentioned who signed a contract agreed to the contract on the given date, but officially signed it at a later date).

Following the Mets spending spree, that weekend saw many other free agent signings. Saturday, November 27th, was a relatively quiet day and there were not any major free agent signings. However, there was a trade between the Seattle Mariners and the San Diego Padres which sent Adam Frazier to Seattle in exchange for two prospects, one a lefty reliever and the other an outfielder.

The following day, there were an abundance of contracts being signed. The day began with a headlining 100 million dollar extension for noted speedster Byron Buxton, who will be the Twins center fielder for the next eight years barring a trade. Not too long after, Marcus Semien, who broke the record for most home runs by a second baseman in a single season, signed a deal with the Texas Rangers. The Rangers, who had a lackluster 2021 season, were far from done with signings for the next couple of days.

This was followed by a few smaller deals, including Avisail Garcia agreeing to a four year deal with the rebuilding Marlins, as well as Jon Gray leaving the pitching nightmare that is Colorado and joining the up-and-coming Rangers. Then, Kevin Gausman, one of the biggest pitching names on the market, signed a five year, $110 million deal with the Toronto Blue Jays. Toronto, who had a stellar offense in 2021, was in desperate need of pitching all year, and Gausman, who was relatively affordable considering his dominance in the last two seasons, is hoped to fill that role.

Late that evening, reports came out regarding Max Scherzer, an almost certain first-ballot Hall of Famer who has dominated the sport for the past eight years, signing a deal with the New York Mets. At the 2021 trade deadline, Scherzer did not want to be traded to a cold place, including New York, so this news came as a shock. Most of the baseball world expected Scherzer to stay with L.A, or if not there another team on the west coast. The reports continued through the night, providing more details on what a completed contract would look like, but Mets fans were still skeptical, as a similar situation occurred the prior offseason, resulting in Trevor Bauer signing with the Dodgers after he was reportedly signing with the Mets.

As morning came, a deal was still not agreed upon. Mets fans grew wearier by the minute, but when the clock hit quarter to one in the afternoon, Max Scherzer agreed to a record-breaking 3 year, $130 million deal, giving him the highest annual salary in baseball history. Scherzer is on the board of the MLBPA, so the baseball community was anxious to see whether he would wait to sign until after a new CBA is agreed upon, but most believe his signing was due to the incredible offer made by the Mets, one that is almost impossible not to accept.

Just a mere two hours later, the Mariners had found their ace, signing AL Cy Young award winner Robbie Ray to a five year deal worth $115 million. Ray, though shaky in the past, had a breakout year in 2021. This deal hurts the Blue Jays almost as much as it helps the Mariners, as the Blue Jays had in essence replaced their Cy Young Award winner with a pitcher of a similar caliber, but instead of growing their pitching staff, it become more of a replacement. Also, less than an hour later, the Rangers made their third splash, signing perennial all star shortstop Corey Seager to a 10 year, $325 million deal.

The Texas Rangers had gone from a weak middle infield, with the likes of Nick Solak and Isiah Kiner-Falefa, to a record- breaking second baseman and a young, extremely talented shortstop. The day ended with two relievers signing rather insignificant deals, one involving Daniel Hudson to the Dodgers, and the other involving Kirby Yates, a pitcher with incredible potential, but an inability to stay healthy, to the Braves.

Early in the morning of November 30th, the MLB and MLBPA had another bargaining session prior to the lockout. The meeting was extremely unsuccessful, almost confirming the fears of a lockout going into effect. The last day of November brought fewer significant signings than the previous day, but the catching market was almost completely exhausted, with Roberto Perez and Yan Gomes signing that day. As the sun went down and all optimism between the two sides was dissipating, Raisel Iglesias, closer for the Angels, resigned for four years.

Then came December 1st, the final day before the lockout was instated. The meeting held between the MLB and MLBPA was brief, lasting seven minutes and completely killing any hope of the sides striking an eleventh-hour deal. After the likes of James Paxton (Red Sox) and Corey Knebel (Phillies), two injury-riddled pitchers, signed in the morning, fans were not sure how the rest of the day would unfold. Javier Baez agreed to a deal not too long after with the Detroit Tigers, the last $100 million deal signed before the lockout.

As the day went on, Chris Taylor resigned with the Dodgers, and Mark Melancon signed with the Diamondbacks. With only a few hours remaining before the lockout, Marcus Stroman, via Twitter, announced his deal with the Chicago Cubs, marking the last non-international signing before the lockout. As the lockout loomed just thirty minutes away, the Boston Red Sox traded star outfielder Hunter Renfroe to the Brewers, for two promising prospects and Jackie Bradley Jr. That is the last deal the MLB has seen involving Major League Players.

Although the lockout is negative, a case can be made that it created the best week of free agency in baseball history. Over the past ten years, free agency has been marked with sporadic deals, ranging over a three month period. The fear of a lockout changing the way contracts are structured scared almost half of the notable MLB free agents to sign a deal in a week’s time. Over the past five seasons, there were very few weeks where there were multiple $100 million contracts signed, and the best of those weeks was headlined by Manny Machado and Bryce Harper, who both signed $300 million plus contracts. In the weeks before the lockout, there were seven $100 million plus contracts.

That week was more exciting than many off-seasons put together. Once the lockout finally ends, it will create a similar free agency wave, but even more condensed. With the MLB hoping to start spring training games a week after a CBA is agreed upon, it will not give players much time to choose a destination and make arrangements to be there for their first game. With the likes of Carlos Correa, Freddie Freeman, and Kris Bryant still yet to sign, the immediate time after the lockout ends will make fans forget parts of the despair the lockout brought. Hopefully a CBA is agreed upon soon, resulting in at least 130 games played. Meanwhile, new excitement surrounding free agency may change the player signing process forever.

Meet a Local Ex-Pro Ballplayer: Mike Schweighoffer, Farmington

By Tim Jensen, Patch Staff

FARMINGTON, CT — If Mike Schweighoffer was playing baseball today, no scout would even give him a look. The way the game has changed, no one would be interested in a pitcher who throws 83 MPH sinker balls, who never tossed a varsity inning until his senior year of high school, who attended a Division III college in Connecticut best known for its outstanding academic standards.

Fortunately for Schweighoffer, times were different in the early 1980s. Not only did a scout sign him to a professional contract, he spent four solid seasons in the Los Angeles Dodgers organization before embarking on an even more successful career, which continues today, as a banking executive.

Now 59, Schweighoffer grew up in Hartford’s South End, and moved to Wethersfield just in time to start high school. He played football and baseball at now-defunct South Catholic High School, but even he never harbored dreams of someday becoming a professional athlete.

“I was a very late bloomer for my position,” he said in an exclusive interview with Patch. “I was an All-State shortstop, but had no expectations of playing pro ball.”

He chose to stay near home and attend Trinity College, where he majored in economics. He also went out for the baseball team, and made the squad as a pitcher. In his freshman campaign, “I was just a thrower,” but Schweighoffer learned the finer points about pitching from Bill Severni, who had played at Amherst College and overseas.

“Bill taught me more about pitching than any coach I ever had,” he said. “He taught me about mechanics, thinking about pitching and setting up hitters.”

As a junior with the Bantams, Schweighoffer played third base on days when he wasn’t pitching, and Trinity won the ECAC New England Regional championship. He also kept active during the summer by pitching for the Newington Capitols of the Greater Hartford Twilight League.

“By my senior year, my arm was hurting a bit,” he recalled. “I was still playing with Newington, but I graduated and accepted a position at Connecticut National Bank (CNB).”

That is, until fate intervened, in the form of longtime baseball scout Dick Teed of Windsor. Much to Schweighoffer’s shock, Teed offered him a contract with the Dodgers organization as an undrafted free agent. He signed the contract in late 1984, and resigned from the bank training program.

His first pro stop was Vero Beach in the Class-A Florida State League. Starting all 25 games in which he appeared, he posted a 10-11 record with an excellent 3.11 earned-run average. He was selected to the league all-star game, though he did not appear in the contest.

The next season, Schweighoffer expected to play at Double-A San Antonio, and worked out with that club during most of spring training, but again fate intervened, this time in the form of Mother Nature.

“We had a few days of rain, and they needed someone to go to Melbourne for a game against the Twins,” he said. “I threw eight or nine pitches, all resulting in ground balls, and [San Antonio manager and former University of Hartford standout] Gary LaRocque said they wanted me in Triple-A. I didn’t believe it until the plane actually touched down in Albuquerque.”

After skipping an entire level, Schweighoffer was used as a relief pitcher for most of the 1986 season, making 43 appearances. In the final month, the Dukes moved him back into the starting rotation, and he wound up with a 7-3 record.

His manager in Albuquerque was Terry Collins, who later piloted the New York Mets to the 2015 World Series. He also benefitted from a Connecticut connection.

“Terry was fiery and demanded a lot from the players, and Dave Wallace [of Waterbury] was a tremendous pitching coach,” he said.

Schweighoffer was asked to work on some new things during spring training in 1987, which he described as “mediocre.” He learned something during that training camp, however, which has stuck with him for more than three decades.

“Every day is a tryout, because no matter what you’re told, you still have to perform,” he said. “I use that to this day.”

Back under LaRocque in San Antonio, and converted again into a full-time starter, Schweighoffer posted a 4-4 record before being promoted back to Triple-A. Returning to Albuquerque meant returning to high elevations, and a switch back to the bullpen resulted in a 2-3 record and 5.33 ERA. The Dukes captured the Pacific Coast League title, which Schweighoffer dubbed one of the highlights of his professional playing career.

The next spring, he was told he would be sent back to Double-A San Antonio, now guided by future Boston Red Sox skipper Kevin Kennedy. The Dodgers did not grant his request for a release, and he appeared in 43 games, including eight starts, with a 7-8 record and 3.96 ERA. At season’s end, he made the difficult decision to leave the game.

“I was 26 years old, had worked two winters at CNB and decided to give up playing,” he said. “I was also tired of dragging [his wife] Liz around the country.”

With a number of former teammates making significant contributions, Los Angeles won the 1988 World Series in a shocking 4-game sweep of the heavily-favored Oakland Athletics. Despite never making it to the big dance, Schweighoffer said he had “absolutely zero bitterness and no regrets” about giving up the game.

“I got to pitch to Barry Bonds, Ken Caminiti, Sandy and Roberto Alomar,” he recalled. “Gary Sheffield took me deep one day; that ball is still rolling down I-10 in El Paso. I remember that at-bat like it was yesterday.”

He began working full-time at CNB in 1989, and is still active in the banking industry today. He is currently regional manager for commercial lending at People’s United Bank. He and Liz reside in Farmington, and they have three adult children – a daughter and twin boys.

Despite having played professional baseball and being associated with some of the top stars in the game, Schweighoffer said his biggest baseball thrills came far away from any stadiums filled with paying customers.

“My best baseball memories are from Trinity, the Newington Capitols, coaching travel ball and Unionville American Legion, and being an assistant coach when my kids won Little League state titles in 2004 and 2005,” he said. “I just wanted to give back to the game.”

Original news article: https://patch.com/connecticut/farmington/meet-local-ex-pro-ballplayer-mike-schweighoffer-farmington

Other stories in this series:

• Brad Tweedlie, Enfield
• Gary Burnham, South Windsor

The long gone stadium known as the Polo Grounds was home to five different professional sports teams from 1890 to 1963. Originally built in 1876, the venue was intended for the equestrian sport of polo. The site was owned by a newspaper publisher James Gordon Bennett and a German-American financier, August Belmont Sr.

1880: The New York Metropolitans began playing base ball at the “polo grounds” used for the sport of polo and horse racing. The venue was located between 110th and 112th Street, and 5th and 6th Avenue. Since baseball fields, like English soccer fields, were usually called “grounds” in those days, it would later officially become known as the Polo Grounds.

1882: The Metropolitans joined the American Association and played most of their season at the Polo Grounds.

1883: The Troy Haymakers of the National League left the Albany area for Manhattan, moved into the Polo Grounds, and become the New York Gothams.

1884: The Metropolitans won the the American Association pennant

1886: The Metropolitans preferred not to share the Polo Grounds and moved to the St. George Cricket Grounds on Staten Island. After the 1887 season, financial concerns led to the demise of the original New York Mets club.

1887: Harvard and Yale football faced off on Thanksgiving Day at the original Polo Grounds.

1888: Giants won the National League Pennant.

1889: New York City extended its street grid to West 111th Street, cutting through the Polo Grounds. The New York Giants had to vacate. They moved to the St. George Cricket Grounds again, and won the National League pennant.

1890: A new ballpark was constructed at the terminus of the 9th Avenue Elevated line, at 155th Street and 8th Avenue, and at the foot of Coogan’s Bluff. That same year, the Players League challenged the established leagues. The Players League formed a new team called the New York Giants, and built a larger ballpark next door named Brotherhood Field. That league folded after a season, and the National League Giants moved in. The 1890 ballpark was renamed Manhattan Field, and Brotherhood Field became the new Polo Grounds (II).

1891: The New York Giants of the National League played their first game at the new Polo Grounds on April 22, 1891. This version of the Polo Grounds had a seating capacity of 16,000. The main double decked grandstand arched around home plate and down the baselines.

1904: The New York Giants hired John McGraw as manager, traded for pitching icon Christy Mathewson and won the NL Pennant.

1905: New York Giants won the Pennant and the World Series.

1908: New York Giants lost the pennant to the Chicago Cubs on Fred Merkle’s “Boner”.

1911: The ballpark burned down on April 14, 1911, at the dawn of a new season. As a friendly gesture, the New York Highlanders offered the Giants the use of Hilltop Park while the Polo Grounds was rebuilt in fireproof concrete and steel. Later that year, the Polo Grounds (III) opened. The Giants faced the Boston Rustlers, and won, 3-0. Christy Mathewson pitched, allowed nine hits and zero walks to keep the shutout. A home run was hit by “Laughing Larry” Doyle, a man who once said, “It’s great to be young and a Giant.” (The Rustlers were named for their owner, William H. Russell, who died right after that season ended. They were bought by James Gaffney, who held the rank of “Brave” in New York’s Tammany Hall “political machine,” and the team’s name was changed to the Boston Braves.)

The Giants won the Pennant in 1911, but lost the World Series to the Philadelphia Athletics.

1912: The New York Giants won the Pennant again, but lost the World Series to the Boston Red Sox.

1913: The Giants lost another World Series to the A’s for three straight World Series losses. The only other team ever to do that has been the 1907-08-09 Detroit Tigers.

In 1913, noting that the Highlanders, who had just officially changed their name to what people were already calling them, the Yankees, had their 10-year lease at Hilltop Park ended, offered them a 10-year lease at the Polo Grounds, as a way of thanking them for the use of Hilltop in 1911.

1917: The Giants won another Pennant, but lost the World Series to the Chicago White Sox.

1920: The Yankees signed Babe Ruth, and started bringing more fans into the Polo Grounds than the Giants. McGraw said, “The Yankees will have to move to Queens, or some other faraway place, to wither and die.” Little did he know that, one day, the New York team in the National League would play in Queens.

1921 & 1922: The Yankees won their first two American League pennants, but lost the World Series to the Giants both times. The Giants remained the better franchise, but not for long.

1923: Yankees owner, Jacob Ruppert, planned on vacating the Polo Grounds. He wanted a ballpark that he could control, so he built a stadium across the Harlem River from the Polo Grounds at 161st Street and River Avenue in The Bronx. Yankee Stadium dwarfed the Polo Grounds. When Giants owner Charles Stoneham expanded the Polo Grounds, but it remained smaller than Yankee Stadium. That Autumn, the Polo Grounds hosted the Heavyweight Championship fight in which challenger Luis Firpo knocked Jack Dempsey out of the ring, but Dempsey got back in before the count of 10, and knocked Firpo out. A few weeks later the Polo Grounds hosted another World Series. This time, the Yankees beat the Giants.

1924: The Giants won another Pennant, but lost the World Series to the Washington Senators. Later that year, the football team at the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, New York hosted the University of Notre Dame, and Notre Dame won. Nationally-syndicated sportswriter Grantland Rice covered the game, and named Notre Dame’s backfield “The Four Horsemen,” after the Biblical riders of the Apocalypse.

1925: A football team named the New York Football Giants began playing at the Polo Grounds. They won the NFL Championship in 1927, 1934 and 1938, but lost it in 1944. They moved to Yankee Stadium in 1956.

1933: Baseball’s New York Giants won the World Series, beating the Senators. This team featured slugging right fielder Mel Ott and ace pitcher “King Carl” Hubbell.

1936 & 1937: Giants defeated by the Yankees in the World Series.

1951: The New York Giants came from 13 1/2 games back to beat their archrivals, the Brooklyn Dodgers – winning the pennant in a playoff game, on what we would now call a walk-off home run by Bobby Thomson. However, the Giants lost the World Series to the Yankees.

1954: The Giants won the pennant again, led by Willie Mays, who won the NL batting title. Game 1 of the World Series against the Cleveland Indians featured Mays making his signature over-the-head catch, and a walk-off home run in the 10th inning by Dusty Rhodes. The Giants swept the Series.

1957: The stadium and its surrounding neighborhood had begun to fall apart. The Giants left for San Francisco after the season. Their last game was as 9-1 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates on September 29.

1960: The American Football League was founded, and the New York Titans began play at the Polo Grounds. They would become the Jets in 1963. The stadium hosted one last title fight, with Floyd Patterson regaining the Heavyweight Championship from Ingemar Johansson.

1962: The New York Mets, a National League expansion team began to call the Polo Grounds home. They played two terrible seasons at the Polo Grounds before moving into Shea Stadium in Flushing Meadow, Queens.

1963: The Mets played the last baseball game at the Polo Grounds on September 18, 1963, losing 5-1 to the Philadelphia Phillies. The last event was a New York Jets football game on December 14, 1963, a 19-10 loss to the Buffalo Bills.

1964: Six days before Shea Stadium opened, the same company that demolished Ebbets Field, used the same wrecking ball, painted to look like a baseball, to demolish the Polo Grounds.

1968: The Polo Grounds Towers opened on the site of the former baseball stadium. It included a playground known as Willie Mays Field. Across 155th Street is Rucker Park, now one of New York’s most famous pick-up basketball sites.

Sources

1. Uncle Mike’s Musings: A Yankee Blog and More at Unclemikesmusings.blogspot.com
2. www.Baseball-reference.com
3. Hartford Courant database on Newspapers.com

A 24-game Regular Season schedule is expected by GHTBL Executive Committee members and leagues mangers in 2022. Next season will get underway in mid-May followed by a double-elimination tournament that usually wraps up by mid-August.

In the meantime, GHTBL franchises will be recruiting players from colleges, high schools, AAU and Legion programs and from local communities. You do not have to live in Greater Hartford to play in the league. No age requirements. The GHTBL is an amateur nonprofit organization. Players do not get paid.

You can fill out a player application by clicking here.

All the best wishes and have a great holiday season,

GHTBL Executive Committee

Bill Holowaty, President
Andy Baylock, Vice President
Marc Levin, Treasurer
Wes Ulbrich, Secretary

David “Doc” Bidwell is the career wins leader of the Greater Hartford Twilight Baseball League. As a tall and imposing right-handed pitcher, he struck out countless twi-loop batters for more than forty years. Bidwell was a longtime pupil of GHTBL legend, Gene Johnson. Doc and Gene won several championships at the helm of Moriarty Brothers, Newman Lincoln-Mercury and the Foss Insurance franchise. Altogether, Bidwell achieved ten season titles, eleven playoff championships and a reputation as an all-time twilight pitcher.

Bidwell was born in Manchester, Connecticut, on July 5, 1956, to Ted and Betty Bidwell. He once described his parents as, “My biggest fans, who probably saw ninety percent of our games, only missing some when they went to New Hampshire for vacation.” As a youngster, Bidwell was a standout player for Manchester High School and Manchester Legion. In a Legion game on July 8, 1974, he threw a perfect game with nine strikeouts against Ellington.

The following year, Bidwell became a freshman pitcher at Assumption College in Worcester, Massachusetts. Then he joined player-manager Gene Johnson and the Manchester-based Moriarty Brothers. Bidwell, a rookie, and Pete Sala, a former professional, overpowered the competition. Moriarty Brothers of 1975 proved to be one of the greatest teams in league history. They lost just four games on the year, winning the season title and sweeping the playoffs.

In 1978, Bidwell took his Assumption College team to the NCAA Division-II Regional Tournament. The Greyhounds lost to Porky Viera‘s University of New Haven in Bidwell’s final game at Assumption. He posted a 19-11 win-loss record in four college seasons, ranking among Assumption’s best pitchers across multiple statistical categories. Bidwell became a proud member of the Assumption College Athletics Hall of Fame in 2005.

Throughout college, Bidwell played summer ball in the GHTBL. He had perfect 10-0 record in 1985 and in 1988. When Moriarty Brothers changed their named to Newman Lincoln-Mercury in 1990, Bidwell toed the rubber as their ace. He steered the Newman club to seven championships. Bidwell was a baseball junkie, who also pitched on Sundays for the Connecticut Men’s Senior Baseball League. In 1994, his talents were recognized by the Manchester Sports Hall of Fame. At the induction ceremony, Bidwell credited his brother Mel for being his spring training catcher.

The 6-foot-4, 230-pound hurler threw in the high-80 mile per hour range for the first leg of his career. Later, Bidwell developed into a pitcher who confused hitters with various speeds and the occasional knuckleball. He tossed for dozens of winning ball clubs under manager Gene Johnson. Some of Bidwell’s teammates included Steve Chotiner, Corky Coughlin and Mike Susi. Veteran players like Bidwell were the backbone of the Newman Lincoln-Mercury franchise, which became Foss Insurance in 2004 when Mark and Jane Foss signed on as sponsors.

In late 2014, Gene Johnson passed away, leaving a giant baseball legacy. Bidwell and the Foss Insurance team were determined to win a championship in Johnson’s memory. He promptly stepped into the role of manager and guided Foss Insurance to the 2015 playoff championship. Bidwell finally retired in 2017 after a 43-year twilight league career. He handed the team over to player-manager, Mark DiTommaso who gave way to Tyler Repoli, the current player-manager of the same franchise – the Manchester-based, Rainbow Graphics.

Bidwell, a 12-time All-Star, was inducted into the GHTBL Hall of Fame in 2018. Bidwell’s journeyman career was one of the best amateur feats in Greater Hartford baseball history. According to Bidwell, he won, “More than 250 games and lost about 80…a few no-decisions, but not many.” In recent years, Dave has been spotted attending GHTBL playoff games as a fan.

Outside of baseball, Bidwell obtained a political science degree from Assumption College in 1979. Since 1981, he’s an employee at Kaman Aerospace in Bloomfield, Connecticut. Bidwell has been an avid music fan and concert goer for most of his adult life. He now resides in Manchester, Connecticut, and is a father of two daughters. Join us in congratulating “Doc” on an incredible baseball career.

Meriden, Connecticut, native Jack Barry was a reliable shortstop in the early years of the American League. Most notably, he played on Connie Mack‘s fabled $100,000 Infield. Mack, who also began his baseball career in Meriden, signed Barry to the Philadelphia Athletics in 1908. At the time of his signing, Barry was captain of the Holy Cross baseball team in Worcester, Massachusetts. He wound up playing eleven seasons in the majors and won the World Series five times.

Though Jack Barry had a mediocre .243 career batting average, he was a defensive wiz. He suited up for winning clubs every season of his career except for his rookie year and his last year. With Philadelphia, he earned World Series victories in 1910, 1911 and 1913. During the 1911 World Series, he slashed .368 against John J. McGraw‘s New York Giants dynasty, beating them in six games. Barry also appeared in the 1914 World Series but lost to the miracle Boston Braves. He was lauded by sportswriters as the A’s best glove and perhaps the best infielder in the American League.

Despite his talents, Barry was sold midseason in 1915 by Connie Mack to the Boston Red Sox, in part due to financial pressures caused by the nascent Federal League. Barry joined a Boston roster which included rookie pitcher, Babe Ruth. Alongside Ruth, Barry continued to win with a playoff bound club. At the 1915 World Series against the Philadelphia Phillies and their ace, Grover Cleveland Alexander, the Red Sox took the series in five games.

In 1916, Barry appeared in 94 games during the Regular Season and Boston would repeat as champions. However, Barry did not appear in a playoffs game due to an injury. Instead, he served as Assistant Manager during the postseason under Holy Cross teammate and Red Sox manager, Bill Carrigan. The next season Boston’s owner Harry Frazee promoted Barry to player-manager. However, by the middle of 1917, a patriotic Barry became one of the first professional ballplayers to enlist for World War I.

I consider it my duty to do all I can for my country…I’m no slacker. If I can be of any use, I’ll quit baseball.”

Jack Barry, Washington Times, July 29, 1917.

Barry and four other Red Sox players enlisted as yeomen in the Naval Reserve. They were called to active duty and ordered to report on November 3, 1917. Barry and his teammates were stationed at Charlestown Navy Yard in Boston throughout the 1918 season. Meanwhile, Babe Ruth and the rest of the Red Sox captured another World Series. On the orders of his commanding officer, Barry managed a major league caliber team on the base. The servicemen were known as Jack Barry’s Charlestown Navy Yard nine, but they called themselves the Wild Waves.

Barry’s Navy Yard All-Stars featured two future Hall of Fame inductees: Herb Pennock and Rabbit Maranville. Other star players included King Bader and Ernie Shore. The Navy used their star power to boost morale at home and abroad. The Wild Waves matched up against amateur, college and professional clubs and on a few occasions, performed before an estimated crowd of 40,000 fans at Braves Field and in Boston.

Due to Barry’s year-long absence from the Red Sox, owner Frazee hired Ed Barrow as Boston’s manager in 1919. Then in June, Barry was traded back to Philadelphia as part of a four-man deal. At 32 years old with an ailing knee, Barry was no longer the player he had once been. He retired a few weeks later. In his major league career, Barry compiled 1,009 hits, 10 home runs and 429 RBI in 1,223 games. Even though he never made the AL All-Star Team, Barry exhibited defensive dependability and winning intangibles.

In 1921, Jack Barry was tapped to be head coach at his alma mater, College of the Holy Cross. His coaching days were just as successful as his playing career. He compiled the highest career winning percentage (.806) in collegiate baseball history and won the 1952 College World Series. Barry was head coach at Holy Cross for more than forty years until his death in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts at age 73. In 1966, he was among the first class of inductees to the American Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame. Barry also became an inaugural veteran inductee of the College Baseball Hall of Fame in 2007, along with Lou Gehrig, Christy Mathewson and Joe Sewell.

A few miles away from where he grew up on Grove Street, Jack Barry was laid to rest at Sacred Heart Cemetery. The City of Meriden and its residents honored his legacy by creating Jack Barry Little League. The youth league existed from 1950 until 2020, when it merged with Ed Walsh Little League, after Ed Walsh – another major leaguer from Meriden. In Worcester, Massachusetts, the Little League program has retained the name Jack Barry Little League to this day.

Sources

1. Meriden’s Jack Barry and the Wild Waves by Michael Griffen on Slideshare.net.
2. Jack Barry SABR Bio Project entry by Norman Macht.
3. Various articles found on Newspapers.com.

Back in September of this year, outfielder/relief pitcher, Jack Rich of the Record-Journal Expos was unanimously voted Most Valuable Player of the Regular Season by league managers. The Expos were 10-8 on the season and 3-2 in the playoff tournament. Jack batted an impressive .475 while appearing in all 18 games with the Meriden-based franchise. In 59 at bats, he had 28 hits, 9 runs, a home run, 22 RBI and a league-leading 9 doubles. He also pitched 9 innings in relief. Jack has been a mainstay for the Expos since 2019.

Jack Rich grew up in South Meriden, Connecticut, playing baseball and basketball. He’s a graduate of Wilcox Technical High School and now attends Eastern Connecticut State University. As a key part of the Warriors baseball team, Jack has compiled a .315 batting average with 4 home runs, 49 RBI and a .399 on base percentage thus far during his college career. He will begin his senior year this coming spring, seeking a Little East Conference title and a Division-III College World Series.

Manchester, Connecticut’s Bill Masse is an Olympic gold medalist and a minor league insider. He spent nine seasons in the minors as an outfielder, thirteen years as a coach, another thirteen years as a scout and one year in a Hollywood movie. Masse’s story began at East Catholic High School in Manchester, CT, where he won a State Championship in 1983. The following season, he led the Eagles to a conference title and was selected to the Class-L All-Star Team.

After an impressive run with Manchester’s American Legion Post 102, Masse joined the Greater Hartford Twilight Baseball League. In the summer of 1984, he was a rookie in the Moriarty Brothers lineup and won the Season Title and Playoff Championship. Masse went 10 for 13 at the plate with 12 runs scored to secure the Playoff Most Valuable Player. He matriculated to Davidson College in Davidson, North Carolina, and made instant waves as a freshman center fielder.

In 1985, Masse snatched the Southern Conference batting title with a .430 batting average. He tied Davidson’s single-season home run record (10) as a leadoff hitter and he set the school record for stolen bases (28). At 19, Masse earned All-Conference laurels and the SoCon Freshman Player of the Year Award. He achieved another All-Conference season in 1987 at Davidson and was honored as an ABCA All-American.

Throughout college Masse spent summers with the Cotuit Kettleers of the Cape Cod Baseball League. He performed exceptionally, earning two Cape League All-Star nods (1985 and 1987). Masse was selected by the Chicago Cubs in the 12th round of the 1987 MLB Draft, but he pursued a dream to compete in the Olympics. Team USA Baseball recruited Masse for the Intercontinental Cup of 1987 and he mashed a .317 batting average with 3 long balls. Along with teammates, Robin Ventura, Tino Martinez and Charles Nagy, Masse won the silver medal.

Then Masse transferred to Wake Forest University to play for his Cape League coach, George Greer. Masse batted .422 for the Demon Deacons in his senior year. He wrapped 24 homers with 77 RBI, 83 runs and 35 steals in 58 games. Masse was sixth in NCAA Division-I in total bases (197) and named a 1st Team All-American. At the 1988 MLB Draft, the New York Yankees picked him in the 7th round, however Masse decided to forgo professional baseball once again, in favor of international competition.

Though he was offered a roster spot in Double-A, Masse choose to reappear for Team USA. As their regular right fielder, he hit .200 and scored 11 runs in 11 games at the 1988 Baseball World Cup in which Team USA finished runner-up to Cuba. A few weeks later, Team USA seized first place at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, South Korea, where Masse had a .314 batting average. To this day, he remains the only person from Manchester, Connecticut, to win an Olympic gold medal.

In 1989, Masse finally reported to the minor leagues with the New Yankees organization. He was assigned to the Prince William Cannons along with his high school teammate, Larry Stanford. Masse batted .239 for the Cannons with a league-high 89 walks. After splitting the 1990 season between Fort Lauderdale and Albany, he served a full season with Albany in 1991. That year, he deposited a .295 batting average and led the Eastern League in on base percentage.

Masse eventually earned a promotion to the Triple-A Columbus Clippers in 1992. He swatted new career-highs in 1993: a .316 batting average, 81 runs scored, 91 RBI, 19 home runs, 17 stolen bases and a league-high, 82 walks. He finished fourth in the International League in batting average and second to Jim Thome in on base percentage. Masse was named an All-Star and bestowed with Player of the Year among Yankees farmhands.

“I feel like I deserve to go up because I’ve proved myself all year. I feel like I could go up there and perform if I could just get my chance.”

Bill Masse, Hartford Courant, 1993.

Though he would never reach the majors, Masse competed alongside several legendary Yankees including Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera. After a taste of the big leagues during Spring Training, Buck Showalter cut Masse from New York’s 40-man roster. In 1995, the Yankees released him after 47 games with Columbus. The following year, the Boston Red Sox signed Masse to a minor league contract, though back problems prevented him from continuing.

In 1998, Masse was cast as the character of Mike Robinson in Kevin Costner’s “For the Love of the Game.” Then he pivoted to coaching and became an assistant coach at his alma mater, Wake Forest. Masse spent four years in the Montreal Expos system working his way up from hitting coach to manager. The New York Yankees organization welcomed him back as hitting coach of the Tampa Yankees in 2001. He managed the Greensboro Bats in 2002 in Greensboro, North Carolina.

In 2003, Masse went back to manage the Tampa Yankees and stayed in that position until the end of 2004. Then he was promoted to manager of the Trenton Thunder in 2005. Next, he managed the New Hampshire Fisher Cats in 2007 and then the San Antonio Missions in 2008. MLB All-Stars such as Brandon Phillips, Cliff Lee, Robinson Cano and Melky Cabrera developed in the minors under Masse’s watch.

“I turned over a TV, a microwave, a coffee pot. It cost me a little bit of money. It was not a pretty sight. It was ugly. But it worked.”

Bill Masse recalls a successful clubhouse tactic in 2007.

In 2009, Masse concluded his on-field career as hitting coach for the Double-A Binghamton Mets and the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons. He pursued a new role as a scout for the Seattle Mariners. From 2011 to 2013, he was Seattle’s Eastern Supervisor of Pro Scouting. Around this time, Masse owned a training facility in Hartford, Connecticut, once known as Baseball City. When Derek Jeter became President of the Miami Marlins in 2017, Masse sold his business and accepted a new scouting role from his former teammate, Jeter.

Former Hartford Courant sports editor, Ed Yost, once ranked Bill Masse among the ten best male athletes from Manchester. Masse’s spectacular baseball career garnered him an induction into the Manchester Sports Hall of Fame. His family resides in Manchester. His sons, Easton and Rowan Masse, play baseball and hockey at Westminster School in Simsbury, Connecticut. Masse continues to work as a scout for the Miami Marlins.

Sources

1. Bill Masse player profile on Baseball-Reference.com
2. Hartford Courant database on Newspapers.com