The first-ever class of inductees was on October 9, 2020, consisting of 13 individuals who have contributed to the leagues creation and continued success over its first 10 years of existence in a variety of ways. The Intercity Baseball League Hall of Fame induction dinner will be held on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2017, at Montvale Plaza in Stoneham. John Pancho Webb Mustangs & Chiefs, JIM ADAMSON-Melrose Rams His imposing size alone was enough to get an opponent's attention, but it was his consistent night in night out, year in year out production that rendered him the heart and soul, the presence, in Arlington's Grannan and Holovak & Coughlin lineups, one of which, the 1986 Grannan Club, Centola led to the Intercity League playoff finals won by the Melrose Rams. He led the Giants to the 1951 pennant, and helped them capture their final World Series title in New York three years later. Cranberry League Hall of Fame Member; Career Batting: 343 Games, .279 Avg., 218 Hits, 152 RBIs, 137 Runs, 5 Doubles, 3 Triples; John O'Brien. Mike Kalfopoulos Rams, Chiefs & Americans The figures immortalized here inspired generations. share. Teams of "great achievement" for at least 1 season. The Baseball Hall of. Second base was just the beginning for the lanky Cuban native, who would master every position on the diamond save catcher as he filled out his frame. Hall of Fame manager Connie Mack once said Johnson could write his own price on a Major League contract if he were white. Thats why I say dont give up on a players, Centola said. . Steve Ring- Malden Merchants A man remembered even more for the awestruck stories he inspired than his statistics, Paige was named by many who saw him -- black and white -- as the greatest pitcher who ever lived. His prowess on the diamond has earned him a spot in the Intercity Baseball League Hall of Fame. Centola hit well over .300 every year. The Watertown Community Foundation (WCF) in collaboration with Life Sciences Cares and five Watertown-based life science companies has awarded record setting $45,000 in grants for Watertown Public Schools. After college, Centola began playing in the Intercity League, and began coaching. Mike Langston-Andre Chiefs She was the Negro Leagues champion for team compensation once players began jumping to the Majors, and she argued for Negro Leaguers' inclusion in the Hall of Fame in her later years. Watertowns Peter Centola Named to Intercity Baseball League Hall of Fame. Irvin fought in World War IIs Battle of the Bulge before returning to star as an all-around threat for the Newark Eagles and New York Giants. The Intercity League's Hall of Fame Ceremony and Awards Dinner has been scheduled for Thursday evening June 8, 2023 at Anthony's in Malden. Your the best and congrats. a spot in the Intercity Baseball League Hall of Fame, Council Approves Replacing Victory Field Turf with New Artificial Turf in Divided Vote, Record Amount of Grants for Watertown Schools from Life Science Companies, YardArt Returns in 2023, Two Upcoming Events to Help Inspire You, Youth Sports Program Comes Together to Remember a Hockey Mom & Raise Money, Mosesian Center Hosts Heart Truth: Mental Health Stories from the Deaf Community, Share Your Memories of the Shootout & Capture of the Boston Marathon Bombers, OP-ED: How Safe is Watertown from a Bio Lab Emergency? AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://twitter.com/ap_top25, FIFA World Cup - Best Goals from Every Angle, Draw for the FIFA Women's World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023, FOX SPORTS, SPEED, SPEED.COM & 2023 Fox Media LLC and Fox Sports Interactive Media, LLC. More >, Gibsons exclusion from the Major Leagues evokes as many what ifs as any Negro League star. He first worked for Watertown Recreation in 1976 as a Camp Peqoussette Apache Counselor. The Monarchs featured plenty of star power as they claimed six Negro American League pennants in the late 1930s and early 40s, but Home Run Brown -- as he was called by none other than Josh Gibson -- was probably their biggest lineup threat. Quiet and unassuming, with a funky running style and a corkscrew batting stance all his own, Norman Stearnes play did all the talking that was needed. Atlantic City, New Jersey - September 2-4, 2023. 3 , InterCity Express (ICE) 101 88 . The inductees will be enshrined at the ICL's 5th annual Hall of Fame, Awards & Reunion. Nominations can be submitted here. The 2023 season will be the last in which the playoff has a four-team format. The Intercity Leagues Hall of Fame Ceremony and Awards Dinner has been scheduled for Thursday evening June 8, 2023 at Anthonys in Malden. Charlie BreitroseMothers from the Watertown Youth Hockey skated a lap of honor in memory of their friend Jami Curley at John A. Ryan Arena. Steve Donovan-Somerville Elms & Melrose Rams Richie DiGiacomo- Hosmer Chiefs They left their mark, brought fans together, and made dreams come true. BILL BRASSIL-Wakefield Merchants & Hosmer Chiefs Listed below in alphabetical order by last name are the current members of the BMBL Hall of Fame. 11/13/10: A capacity crownd of almost 400 friends, fans and Intercity League legends were on hand for the ICL's "First Hall of Fame, Awards and Reunion" Dinner that was held on Friday at the Montvale Plaza in Stoneham. ANDY HARTUNG-Wakefield Merchants JOE SARNO- Wakefield Merchants Eddie DiGiacomo Player-Manager (Mustangs) Fred Knox Player (Chiefs) IRVING, Texas (AP) Hall of Fame coach Chris Ault of Nevada, Washington athletic director Jennifer Cohen and Miami (Ohio) athletic director David . Both players were listed on Pro Football Talk Mike Florio's top 10 receivers of the 2010s decade. A national shrine, the open-air colonnade looks down on the northern limits of New York City and stands high over the . Hard work and dedication you always had. From 1983 when he joined the Grannan Club and soon settled in as their everyday first baseman and four hitter, until 1992 when he closed his career in the same roles, Centola could be counted on to supply the team with the requisite home runs and RBI. Great as Ozzie Smith is, wrote Buck ONeill, old-timers in St. Louis who saw Willie play for the St. Louis Stars still haven't seen his equal." Please order your tickets early as space is limited. BUTCH MARTEL- Melrose Rams Whites greatest contribution was likely his first book, History of Colored Baseball, which provided the first in-depth anthology of African-American ballplayers before the Negro Leagues formed in 1920. Hall of Fame, in full Hall of Fame for Great Americans, monument which honours U.S. citizens who have achieved distinction or fame, standing at the summit of University Heights on the campus of Bronx Community College (originally the uptown campus of New York University). He has been the commissioner of the Watertown Men's Summer Basketball League for 33 years. We are proud of you! Tommy Haugh Blue Sox Stearnes routinely challenged for home run crowns and stole plenty of bases, too. Then he became athletic director at Newbury College, where he restarted baseball as a club sport and later became a varsity team. Pete Frates- Lexington Blue Sox Here youll find household names and overlooked heroes. Pittsburgh Courier sportswriter Wendell Smith wrote that Posey was the smartest man in Negro [League] baseball, and certainly the most successful.. STEVE DALEY-Andre Chiefs JIM CLARKE-Lexington Blue Sox Grant may have been the best African-American player in organized baseball during the 1880s, succeeding in spite of intense racism both on and off the field. Mike Romano-Andre Chiefs & Somerville Red Sox The figures immortalized here inspired generations. Fifteen years ago, the Baseball Hall of Fame inducted 17 people from the Negro leagues. Dave Vigliotti As ROGER UELTZEN-Hosmer Chiefs Centola got cut from youth baseball at the age of 7. Players Season Award Winners, significant contributor to successful teams, went on to a professional career. These days Peter Centola can be seen around Watertowns recreation facilities as the towns Director of Recreation, but in his younger days baseball was his life. The inductees are listed in chronological order, beginning with Satchel Paige's landmark election to the Class of 1971. A gift in any amount helps us continue to bring you the news. He put his career on pause to serve in World War II, but he came back in 1946 to no-hit the Philadelphia Stars in his first game back on the mound. In 1902, White organized the Philadelphia Giants and built them into a true force of the decade; the Giants won four consecutive Eastern championships from 1904-07, including a 108-win season in 06. Travel through history via artifacts and documents that highlight the games greatest heroes and teams, exploring how baseball has changed throughout the years. The following announcement was provided by DEAFinitely, Inc.: His baseball career did not get off to an auspicious start. For players to be eligible for induction into the Premier League Hall of Fame, several criteria are taken into consideration, primarily players who have an "exceptional record of on-pitch success and have shown significant contribution" since the inception of the Premier League in 1992. Lenny Dempsey Player-Manager (Chiefs) : 1998: 101 . Mackey was a pitchers dream in his ability to receive, call the game and throw out baserunners with his rifle arm -- and he was plenty gifted as a hitter, too. Often called upon to take the mound, it wasnt overpowering velocity that got batters out, it was location and guile. The ball actually didnt clear the fence on the fly but [], 2022 INTERCITY LEAGUE PLAYOFF SCHEDULE & RESULTS PLAY-IN GAME Tuesday, August 2 #4 Melrose Americans 10, #5 Reading Bulldogs 1 SEMI-FINALS (Best of three) Wednesday, August 3 Melrose Americans 7 at Lexington Blue Sox 5 (Americans lead series 1-0) Andre Chiefs 6 at Middlesex Expos 5 (Chiefs lead series 1-0) Thursday, August 4 Lexington Blue [], https://ov14bc.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Hall-of-fame.gif?time=1677484196, https://ov14bc.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/logo_bar.jpg, Hall of Fame/Awards Ceremony Set for June 8, 2023 at Anthonys in Malden, https://ov14bc.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Facebook_Share_Logo.jpg?time=1677484196, https://ov14bc.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Middlesex-accepts-trophy-2.jpg?time=1677484196, https://ov14bc.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Les-DeMarco-Championship-Trophy.jpg?time=1677484196, Copyright 2016 - intercityleaguebaseball.com -. The election came with some controversy and has been followed by silence. The National Baseball Hall of Fame features over 300 members in its famous Plaque Gallery, but the path for 37 of them was longer than the rest. Ellis Sonny Lane, Chiefs Green recently announced his retirement after 12 seasons in the NFL. Emailed daily. Centola played for 10 years in the very competitive adult baseball league for the Arlington-based Grannan Club, which turned into Holovack and Coughlin. STEVE CAPOZZI Melrose Rams AL LANNI- Umpire In short, stories that connect us all. BOB MERLINA- Melrose Rams Rube Fosters younger half-brother authored a legacy all his own with a golden left arm, mixing a high-octane fastball with a famous ability to change speeds that left hitters flailing. BOB IANDOLI-Somerville Red Sox & Elms, Andre Chiefs & Melrose Rams All rights reserved. 1 team, gave up four runs in the first inning and pitched two innings. From 1983 when he joined the Grannan Club and soon settled in as their everyday first baseman and four hitter, until 1992 when he closed his career in the same roles, Centola could be counted on to supply the team with the requisite home runs and RBI. Pioneers and builders of dynasties. Contributors/Administrators No waiting period for eligibility. Sammy Steed As & Blue Sox He went on to play for Stonehill College, and he got the opportunity of the lifetime, pitching at Fenway Park during theUniversity and College All-Star Game. New members will serve three-year terms on the committee. Phoenix World Series. Karens mother, Nana, also shares the Centola home. Plus, his teams never did anything notable in the playoffs, and he only racked up one All-Pro selection (2012). VIN MARTELLI- Hosmer Chiefs & Wakefield Merchants The consensus pick as the Negro Leagues best third baseman, Johnsons glovework evoked comparisons to Major League stars Pie Traynor and Brooks Robinson. If a single was needed against a tough lefty, he'd get the single. He was also one of its best hitters, finishing with a career average of roughly .340 and a slugging percentage around .525. An all around athlete, Centola, who in 1978 graduated from St. Patricks High School in Watertown having been chosen Herald All- Scholastic in basketball as a senior and the Catholic Suburban League MVP in baseball following both his junior and senior years, also flashed an above average glove at first base, saving numerous infield errors with agility that complemented his 64 target. With Centola, batting and fielding credentials tell two-thirds of the story. All champions of baseball. Here he is seen playing for Stonehill College. Doug Lentz-Wakefield Merchants While arm injuries moved Mndez from pitcher to shortstop in the mid-1910s, he later returned to the mound in style, pitching a shutout in the decisive game of the inaugural 1924 Negro League World Series. On Sunday, O'Neil, who rose to fame as a first baseman for the Kansas City Monarchs, will be posthumously inducted into. MARK SULLIVAN- Augustines As & Somerville Red Sox & Somerville Elms Arthur Hartung, Merchants He ranks fourth among active wideouts in both those aforementioned statistics over the course of his career. KEVIN OBRIEN- Hosmer Chiefs, Medford Mustangs & Somerville Elms MIKE TURILLI- Melrose Rams MARK SANTINI-Somerville Elms, Medford Mustangs & Hosmer Chiefs MIKE BROWNE Umpire More >, A 1952 Pittsburgh Courier poll of African-American sportswriters determined Williams -- not Satchel Paige or Leon Day -- to be the greatest pitcher in Negro League history. The ICL will welcome in the following inductees on June 8: Chuck Andre - Chiefs [] Read more He came to Watertown High School to coach in the early 1990s and was a volunteer coach for the Harvard junior varsity while also serving as assistant athletic director at Mount Ida College. Bill Smeglin- Melrose Rams & Medford Mustangs He fielded 11 separate Hall of Fame players on his roster at various points, aggressively assembling top-end clubs year-in and year-out. Wilson ranked among the strongest men to step foot on a Negro League diamond, earning the nickname Boojum for the sound of his line drives bouncing off the outfield walls. Big Bill Foster starred for his brothers Chicago American Giants, winning 26 straight games during the 1926 season -- including both ends of a doubleheader victory over "Bullet" Joe Rogan and the Kansas City Monarchs that clinched the pennant. And Dandridges hands were just as magical when holding a bat, routinely topping .300 with ease as he sprayed the ball to all fields. Leon Paulino closed out the first inning scoring with a 2-run home run to right. In December 2009, when former Recreation Director Tom Sullivan retired Centola struggled with whether to go for the job, but decided to go for it because it was best for his family. A maximum of 10 individuals will be inducted into the Hall of Fame every other year. Your email address will not be published. Dave Marsters, Chiefs That advice was not lost on Centola who time and again would get the job done in a multitude of situations. [3], The first two inductees were originally to be announced in March 2020,[11] but the announcement was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He had a rubber arm, often pitching in relief between starts, and he was revered for his control despite all the innings. But thats likely selling him short. Contributors/Administrators Responsible for building and enhancing the FCBL or a franchise, Committee Members will attend the regularly scheduled selection meetings as set by the Commissioner, Approve only those individuals who had significant contributions to the FCBL, Evaluate and update the policies and operational procedures and provide recommendations to the Commissioner for positive change, Keep all action of the Selection Committee confidential. Take the mound, it was location and guile, Centola said prowess... Youll find household names and overlooked heroes honor in memory intercity league hall of fame their friend Jami Curley at A.! To an auspicious start mike Kalfopoulos Rams, Chiefs & Americans the figures immortalized here inspired generations, Chiefs recently. Baseball as a Camp Peqoussette Apache Counselor slugging percentage around.525 listed below in alphabetical order by last are... 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