Sorry to hear bout the discouraging news on the church situation in Lockport, Hank, but good to know DeSales is back in action---let's see if I remember the Big Five: St. John's, St. Joseph's, St. Mary's, St. Patrick's and . . . St. Anthony's---Aloha to everyone at Danny Sheehan's and Buon Appetito!!!
Lest I forget, Hank, I would like to extend my sincerest appreciation and gratitude to you and all the other members of the Class of 1966, who faithfully served our country with honor following graduation from LSHS, especially those of you who witnessed firsthand the horrors of the Vietnam War and subsequent armed conflicts involving so many of the young women and men of this country---"Through the Darkness Bring Us to the Light."
Bullet Bob Drew - I remember him well, good pitcher but.... Babe Ruth league? I dont remember that in Lockport. After little league it was Anjo league and midget league. I have no memory of a babe ruth league. I played for the bad boy Eagles in the first ward. None of our parents came to games. We would go to the house of our coach ray stauder and he would call 2 cabs and we would tumble out of them at the game. When we cae off the field, the hitter and on deck hitter would grab bats and the rest of us would go to Ray and bum Pall Malls and go off to the side to smoke. W e won a lot of games behind Tommy Seekins pitching, Tommy Wilson, Larry Wilson, Paulie Sharkey, Larry Roberts, Mike Heiman, Flash McGreevy, Danny Lagraff, Bernie Dolan, Harry Gill, Louie Giansanti, Pete Nard Sharkey, Mark Young
As you're recall, Dan, the AnJo (Anthony Joseph which I've always assumed was the result of the league originally being formed by interested/concerned parishioners at St. Anthony's and St. Joseph's) League played on the softball fields around town so the infield dimensions were the same as a Little League diamond---the two Midget Leagues, of course, played their games as did the Babe Ruth League, which lasted for only 2-3 years in Lockport, on regular-size diamonds---I played for the Washington Senators in the first year of the league's existence and, as I recall, there were only four teams and games were played on the two LSHS baseball fields---Ralph Moll, Class of '65, was the ace of our staff and what I particularly enjoyed was the league had a "traveling" all-star team although I distictly remember only one such away game when we played a team from Newfane and came away victorious---oh, yes, Ray Stauder and the Eagles with your green and white shirts and caps---"bad boys" is so right---many of you also played for Outwater Park in the softball Pee-Wee, Small-Fry and Junior Leagues sponsored by the Department of Parks and Recreation under the summertime direction of Coach Smith, fortunately, you had Jimmy Grundy on the mound most of the time so your teams were always highly competitive with those of us who played for the Pee-Wee (no "corporate" team sponsor because of our tender age), Plaza Texaco and Grants Cleaners teams at Willow Park!!!
one correction, Chris. Anjo league did play on regulation diamonds, not softball. I remember pete cervoni and I used to argue with larry rinaldo who played in anjo. we were 11 and larry played anjo while pete and I played LL. Larry argued we played on baby fields while he played on mans field. Well I went to one of his games and shortstop couldnt make the throw from the hole. My father got involved in LL not just because his sons were baseball crazy but because he remembered trying to play on full sized diamond when he was too young. He said bad habits develop. He thought the smaller diamoond was a brilliant idea for young kids, and I know you agree.
I stand corrected, Dan, mahalo for setting me straight---I guess I was remembering my early umpiring days in Lockport when I'd be assigned by Joe Kibler, Jr. to AnJo "B" League contests played on the softball field at Dolan Park---I'm not sure how much I was paid for those games, but I'm sure I blew all of it at Reid's afterwards!!!
Ahhh, Curveball Pete, one heck of a southpaw for Auto Dealers and quite the contrast to Smoke-Throwing Sully, another southpaw for Kugler's, obviously, your Dad and mine should've turned us completely around while there was still some hope!!!
chris my brother mike was a southpaw pitcher, pretty good one as well. In first grade, the teacher insisted he learn to write right handed which didnt go well. He didnt say anything but the D on his report card (only grade below A he ever got) brought it to my mothers attention. She walked to 5 blocks to the school the next day and said: He is left handed - stop. he wrote left handed after that.
btw, turning completely around leaves you facing the position you started from.
Point well taken, Dan, if only our Dads had turned us halfway round, who knows where we'd be today maybe even Cooperstown and, yes, I do remember Mike being a crafty lefty on the mound mixing junk with an occasional heater or was it the other way round to keep hitters off balance---I'm thinking he played for the Kiwanas like Silky Sully in the Midget "A" League, but that's strictly a hunch on my part!!!
Chris Dix
Sorry to hear bout the discouraging news on the church situation in Lockport, Hank, but good to know DeSales is back in action---let's see if I remember the Big Five: St. John's, St. Joseph's, St. Mary's, St. Patrick's and . . . St. Anthony's---Aloha to everyone at Danny Sheehan's and Buon Appetito!!!
Chris Dix
Lest I forget, Hank, I would like to extend my sincerest appreciation and gratitude to you and all the other members of the Class of 1966, who faithfully served our country with honor following graduation from LSHS, especially those of you who witnessed firsthand the horrors of the Vietnam War and subsequent armed conflicts involving so many of the young women and men of this country---"Through the Darkness Bring Us to the Light."
Dan Fitzgerald
Bullet Bob Drew - I remember him well, good pitcher but.... Babe Ruth league? I dont remember that in Lockport. After little league it was Anjo league and midget league. I have no memory of a babe ruth league. I played for the bad boy Eagles in the first ward. None of our parents came to games. We would go to the house of our coach ray stauder and he would call 2 cabs and we would tumble out of them at the game. When we cae off the field, the hitter and on deck hitter would grab bats and the rest of us would go to Ray and bum Pall Malls and go off to the side to smoke. W e won a lot of games behind Tommy Seekins pitching, Tommy Wilson, Larry Wilson, Paulie Sharkey, Larry Roberts, Mike Heiman, Flash McGreevy, Danny Lagraff, Bernie Dolan, Harry Gill, Louie Giansanti, Pete Nard Sharkey, Mark Young
Chris Dix
As you're recall, Dan, the AnJo (Anthony Joseph which I've always assumed was the result of the league originally being formed by interested/concerned parishioners at St. Anthony's and St. Joseph's) League played on the softball fields around town so the infield dimensions were the same as a Little League diamond---the two Midget Leagues, of course, played their games as did the Babe Ruth League, which lasted for only 2-3 years in Lockport, on regular-size diamonds---I played for the Washington Senators in the first year of the league's existence and, as I recall, there were only four teams and games were played on the two LSHS baseball fields---Ralph Moll, Class of '65, was the ace of our staff and what I particularly enjoyed was the league had a "traveling" all-star team although I distictly remember only one such away game when we played a team from Newfane and came away victorious---oh, yes, Ray Stauder and the Eagles with your green and white shirts and caps---"bad boys" is so right---many of you also played for Outwater Park in the softball Pee-Wee, Small-Fry and Junior Leagues sponsored by the Department of Parks and Recreation under the summertime direction of Coach Smith, fortunately, you had Jimmy Grundy on the mound most of the time so your teams were always highly competitive with those of us who played for the Pee-Wee (no "corporate" team sponsor because of our tender age), Plaza Texaco and Grants Cleaners teams at Willow Park!!!
Dan Fitzgerald
one correction, Chris. Anjo league did play on regulation diamonds, not softball. I remember pete cervoni and I used to argue with larry rinaldo who played in anjo. we were 11 and larry played anjo while pete and I played LL. Larry argued we played on baby fields while he played on mans field. Well I went to one of his games and shortstop couldnt make the throw from the hole. My father got involved in LL not just because his sons were baseball crazy but because he remembered trying to play on full sized diamond when he was too young. He said bad habits develop. He thought the smaller diamoond was a brilliant idea for young kids, and I know you agree.
Chris Dix
I stand corrected, Dan, mahalo for setting me straight---I guess I was remembering my early umpiring days in Lockport when I'd be assigned by Joe Kibler, Jr. to AnJo "B" League contests played on the softball field at Dolan Park---I'm not sure how much I was paid for those games, but I'm sure I blew all of it at Reid's afterwards!!!
Chris Dix
Ahhh, Curveball Pete, one heck of a southpaw for Auto Dealers and quite the contrast to Smoke-Throwing Sully, another southpaw for Kugler's, obviously, your Dad and mine should've turned us completely around while there was still some hope!!!
Dan Fitzgerald
chris my brother mike was a southpaw pitcher, pretty good one as well. In first grade, the teacher insisted he learn to write right handed which didnt go well. He didnt say anything but the D on his report card (only grade below A he ever got) brought it to my mothers attention. She walked to 5 blocks to the school the next day and said: He is left handed - stop. he wrote left handed after that.
btw, turning completely around leaves you facing the position you started from.
Chris Dix
Point well taken, Dan, if only our Dads had turned us halfway round, who knows where we'd be today maybe even Cooperstown and, yes, I do remember Mike being a crafty lefty on the mound mixing junk with an occasional heater or was it the other way round to keep hitters off balance---I'm thinking he played for the Kiwanas like Silky Sully in the Midget "A" League, but that's strictly a hunch on my part!!!
Chris Dix
Coming full circle on this, Dan, Dave Root was a lefty, too!!!