The Year In
Review: <2001> <2000> <1999> <1998> <1985> <1982> <1981> <1979> <1978> <1976> <1974> <1973> <1970> <1968> <1967> <1966> <1956> <1954> <1953> <1952> <Clips and Quips>
For current
information on the Brookline Little League, visit their website
at www.brooklinelittleleague.com.
The Brookline Little League Association History Website designed and maintained
by Clint Burton.
 Little League Baseball - Official Williamsport
Website
I Trust In God
I Love My Country
And Will Respect It's Laws
I Will Play Fair And Strive To Win
But Win Or Lose, I Will Always Do My Best
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Senior League All-Star
Patch - 1976 |
Little League All-Star
Patch - 1974 |
Senior League All-Star
Patch - 1977 |
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American Legion Baseball
Patch - 1980 |
The Brookline Little League has
been a neighborhood institution since it's founding back in 1951. Early
pioneers like John Pascarosa, Morris Grumet, Frank DeBor and Sam
Bryen got together, built a field, and sowed the seeds of a youth sports
program that over a half century later is still bearing fruit.
It's fair to say that the vast
majority of children that have grown up here in Brookline have played
Little League baseball at the old Community Center fields, or at the
new Brookline Park Fields. Many have come back in their later years as
managers, coaches, umpires and even as League Presidents.
It's difficult to overestimate
the importance of youth sports of any kind in a child's athletic, mental
and social development. Little League baseball has and always will be the
#1 youth sport in America, and its roots run deep here in Brookline.
In researching the history of the Brookline community, some of the most
talked about memories have been from adults and teens reminiscing about
their glory days as a player in the Brookline Little League and Senior
League.
From the humble beginnings of
one traveling Pony Team in 1951 to the multi-league magnet of today that
attracts over 500 kids a season, the Brookline Little League Association
has always been a source of pride and trust in our community. Over the
years, the standards of safety, competitiveness and spirit have continued
to evolve. Just ask the thousands upon thousands of Brookline kids who grew
up playing Little League baseball.
As for myself, it seemed as if I grew
up in the Brookline Little League. Back in the early 1970s there wasn't a
whole lot more to do. It wasn't like today, where kids have so many choices.
We played baseball from dusk to dawn, every day. We hung out at the fields
and watched the games every night. We waited patiently by the outfield fences
for a home run ball to clear, then retrieved the ball and returned it to old
Sam Bryen, who sent us to the stand for a complimentary iceball. Little League
baseball was like a rite of passage. It was the place to be.
For those of us who played "back in the
day", who can forget the anticipation of waiting for the Thursday mail
to see a copy of the Brookline Journal. Editor Dale Noah and his wiley staff
of reporters (Mas Neyrb, Gna Ollusam, Gib Nad Eht Nam and Ink Scribes) brought
the Little League games alive in print. The previous weeks games would
be covered in grand style, and kids eagerly scanned the text to see their
names, just as if it were the Major Leagues!
My playing days were from 1970 through
1980, and during those eleven years I was coached by Joe Powers, Danny McGibbeny
and Sharkey Romano. From 1998 through 2001 I returned to coach a Senior League
team. As a player and coach I had some terrible teams, and I had some really
good teams. I learned to lose with pride, and I learned to win with grace. I
learned teamwork and I learned discipline. I learned to respect authority and
I learned about relationships. Most of all, I learned a lot about myself,
and have carried that knowledge around with me the rest of my life, along
with a myriad of good memories.
The Brookline Little League Association
is one of our community's best and brightest assets. It's so much more than just
baseball. We hope you enjoy this look back
in time.
Disclaimer: Little League and LL
are registered trademarks of Little League Baseball, Inc. This page is
provided as a public service by the Brookline community,
and is in no way affiliated with, registered with, or approved by Little
League Baseball Inc., Williamsport, Pa. The term Little League and the
Little League logo are trademarks of Little League Baseball Inc., extended
only to chartered leagues for purposes of identification and
publicity. |
