Brookline's 1978 World Champion was 11-year old Donna Caterino, who set a baseball throwing record for her age group in the National Jesse Owens Games in California. Donna tossed the hard ball 195 feet, 8 inches, proving why she (and her sister Cathy, a two-year star for Quaill's Cleaners 1976-77) became the first sister duo, or for that matter girls period, to play in the Brookline Little League in 1977.

Donna had just completed her second season in Little League with American Legion. She credited the three "men" in her life with her success in setting the world record; her dad, who taught her how to throw, catch and bat; Angelo Masullo , who was her first Little League manager in 1977; Jack "Stanky" Lombardi , who managed her in 1978 and 1979.

I remember Donna Caterino from her days as a Little League wonderkind. She was a few years younger than myself but always held her own when playing baseball with us big boys. She was quite a ballplayer, and proved it to everyone when she pitched a regular season no-hitter and won MVP in the Robinson Township All-Star tournament in 1979 . Not only could she throw, but Donna could also bat with authority. She was one of the league's leading hitters with several homeruns to her credit.

Most Brookliners remember the caging McConnell sisters, Maureen, Kathy and superstar Suzie , who is now the coach of the Minnesota Lynx of the WNBA. But let's not forget the Caterino sisters, Cathy and Donna, who burst onto the Little League scene and, from 1976 through 1979, taught us all a little bit about the game of baseball.