Malloves previously sponsored a franchise from 1980 to 1993.
The Greater Hartford Twilight Baseball League is pleased to welcome back a longtime team sponsor next season. Malloves Jewelers will once again support our Middletown-based franchise.
From 1980 to 1993, Malloves Jewelers and their owner, Jerome “Buzzy” Levin were a vital part of the GHTBL. Buzzy would later be named to the GHTBL Hall of Fame (Sponsor Division) recognizing his generous support of the league. His son Marc Levin, current owner and President of Malloves Jewelers, graciously agreed to fund the existing Middletown team for their 2019 campaign. Marc is a GHTBL alumni himself who was part of the original Malloves team.
Back then, Malloves featured pro-caliber players such as Middletown’s Bob Bruzik who became a shortstop in the Seattle Mariners farm system, John Giudice, outfielder at Eastern Connecticut State University who played in the Colorado Rockies system, Dave Guild of the University of Connecticut, and Chris Thomas, a Stetson University graduate and minor league catcher in the Milwaukee Brewers organization. Other standout players were pitcher, Todd Mogren, outfielder, Carl Vazquez, third basemen, Pete Daniels and catcher Jay Hickey.
In 1988, Baseball Hall of Fame inductee, Jeff Bagwell played a handful of games for Malloves before turning pro. That same year Bill Denehy, who was famously traded from the New York Mets to the Washington Senators for manager Gil Hodges in 1967, pitched for Malloves Jewelers at the age of 42.
After 25 years, the Middletown-based franchise previously known as the Middletown Outlaws will be once again known as Malloves Jewelers. The team will be led by first-time manager and former ECSU baseball captain, Christian Budzik. The roster will be composed of current and former collegiate players from in and around Middlesex County. The GHTBL Executive Committee is searching for a General Manager to help with the team’s administrative tasks.
About Malloves Jewelers
In 1928, Malloves originally had 5 stores in Middletown, Danbury, Norwich, New London and Fitchburg, MA. The Malloves’ family sold their business to their in-laws, the Levin’s in 1938. When owner Max Levin passed away in the year 1940, he left the store to his brother Joseph Levin, wife Beatrice Levin and their son, Jerome “Buzzy” Levin. Then just 13 years old, Buzzy had begun to work at the family business.
During Buzzy’s senior year at Woodrow Wilson High School (Class of 1944), his Uncle Joe decided to take a break from the business. It was then that Buzzy decided to commit himself to the family business, even though he was a promising baseball player, who had a tryout with the Brooklyn Dodgers. Buzzy pursued business instead of baseball but would not let go of his love for the game.
Buzzy prided himself on building a business based on hard-work and hand-shakes. Buzzy ran Malloves Jewelers through times of great success as well as great struggle including a fire on December 20, 1972 which completely destroyed the store. Malloves desperately wanted to remain on Main Street so Buzzy moved to a temporary, smaller store for two years before permanently relocating to the current location at 404 Main Street Middletown, Connecticut in 1974.
Marc Levin joined the business side of things in 1983 after graduating from University of Tampa. In 1992, Marc decided he could be very happy in the jewelry business and took over in 1992. Marc is entering his 28th year as President of Malloves Jewelers.
Buzzy Levin passed away in 2017, but the family tradition and his charitable legacy lives on. The jewelry store is one of the most successful in the region. Most of the staff has worked at Malloves for over 15 years and the business is now 90 years old. The store’s longevity is a tribute to the fortitude of the Levin family.
Most recently, the Middletown Town Council named a new 90-ft diamond baseball field at the Pat Kidney Sports Complex in honor of Jerome “Buzzy” Levin. The GHTBL will be hosting the 2nd Annual Buzzy Levin Golf Tournament & Awards Banquet on Sunday, April 28, 2019 at Blackledge Country Club in memory of Buzzy Levin.
Click here to attend the 2nd Annual Buzzy Levin Golf Tournament & Awards Banquet.