WHAT TO WEAR AT THE OLD BALL GAME

REPRISING THE SALTY SPRAY

We have long been fascinated by the quality of writing of muppets who wrote and edited The Salty Spray 1968-1972, much as old timers lament the loss of the New York Herald Tribune or the old Brookly Eagle.

The Saltaire Historical Society has reprinted all of the Salty Spray issues and bound them, and has made them available at cost of reprinting -- $10. We urge you to pick up the whole volume, through the Historical Society and/or Saltaire Historian III Eliz. Starkey.

We also can’t resist taking some excerpts and posting them here from time to time.

We found a Salty Spray story that goes with a pictorial we ran a few months ago. We take pleasure to rerun those pictures now with the full story as reported in the Salty Spray on August 1, 1969:

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WHAT TO WEAR AT THE OLD BALL GAME

The Salty Spray

August 1, 1969

On Sunday, July 27, at 3 p.m., just half an hour late, a roaring game of softball was played by the women of the west side of Saltaire against the women living on the east side of town.
The captain of the east side was Marie Bitzer.









Before the game started, her team assembled at Mary Jane Scanlan’s house. There is a rumor that whisky sours were served.



The captain of the west side players was Florence McManus and she invited her teammates to her house. More rumors.
Before the game started, two east side children, Steve and Susan LeMay, armed with pads and pencils, tried to spy on the west side women—to learn their strategy.
When the teams met at 3 p.m., catcher Mary Jane Scanlan of the east brought her raft. Pitching to her was Grace Gallagher. First Lady Virginia O’Brien caught for the west side and Joan Gowan pitched.
There were two wolves in ladies’ clothing. Matilda (or was it Peter?) Reilly came in her long blue and white culottes which matched the blue bonnet she wore over her lovely long brown hair. Penelope (maybe Mike?) McAllister wore black and yellow flowered culottes.
As the spectators said, “What a game!” It was thrilling from start to finish.



Your Salty Spray reporter noted these other fashionable costumes.






Peggy Cunningham wore long blue jeans, her son’s track shoes and unmatched sun glass lenses. Rita Connelly wore an old lady’s dress, yellow bonnet, old men’s sneakers. She sat in a rocking chair to bat, knit, smoked a corncob pipe, and had to be pulled around in a wagon. She made a tremendous hit which led her team to the victory the west side claims.














Virginia O’Brien wore red long-johns and a “Queen Elizabeth” sailor hat. Her pigtails were tied with a rope. Claire Marcus wore a football shirt numbered “21”, sweat pants and a sailor hat. Marion Scott wore a baseball shirt numbered “32”, baseball pants and navy blue knee socks.
Anne Reilly wore a pair of old fashioned men’s pajamas with a red and blue striped shirt. Her hair was braided and beribboned.
Georgie Hull wore boys’ pajamas, a sailor hat and old men’s sneakers.

Florence McManus wore a blue Snoopy sweatshirt, a pair of old golf pants and an old golf hat.





Joan Gowan wore a pair of sweat pants, a WMCA Good Guy sweat shirt and a sailor hat topped with a Raccoon pompom.
Dottie Campbell wore farmer clothes and a straw hat. Grace Gallagher wore her husband’s surfing pants and a miner’s hat.



As we reported, the west side says it won.
















East v. West (late 60s)


All photos copyright J. Wolford, Chicago Il..






























Sept 29, 2008:
Michael McAllister said...
Thank you Saltaire38. Not only do I get to see a picture of my Greatgrandmother, my grandmother and me in my mother's belly, but I get to scroll up and see my father in drag.

JOH: Hey Mike: we ran these pictures before. So what is the big surprise? Do you mean to say your father hid this secret from you all these years?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
OTHER COMMENTS ON THE BIG GAME:


We don't know about Marie's coaching prowess, but there is no doubt she was a Saltaire original:

"Marie Bitzer was without a doubt one of the most flamboyant and memorable characters ever to grace the boardwalks of Saltaire. Her sense of high fashion and dress could have gained her admission to the most high brow costume parties.

I remember specifically one Saturday night in the early fall of 1968. I decided to take a date to the old Oak Beach Inn, which in those days was a great local night club. The only problem was a means of transit from Saltaire to Oak Beach. My father agreed to take us over to the OBI in his boat. Invited along for the trip was both my mother and Marie Bitzer.

Marie got a few drinks poured into her and the entertainment for the evening began. She regaled us with her stories of trips to foreign lands. Among her circle of friends was King Farouk of Egypt and I believe the Shah of Iran. She was house(or more likely palace) guests of both.

Marie's best story was the experience she and her extremely near-sighted husband John had during the Hurricane of '38. As the wind and waves rose Marie(who owned the current Ickes/McElhone residence on Pacific) felt that it would be prudent if both she and John made tracks for higher ground in the Village Hall. Marie related how, as she looked back the tidal surge had ripped up boardwalks behind her. She implored John, who could barely see the nose in front of his face to "hurry the waves are destroying the boardwalk behind us" John, looking back, and barely seeing anything, responded, "Oh Marie, you've always had such a vivid imagination." Thankfully, for Saltaire Marie and John survived the storm with no injuries.

Marie also, in her day, was the preeminent realtor in Saltaire. No one, at that time could out-hustle her for either a sale or rental. Captain Al, out of either respect(or disgust) always would tell us that "if there was a vacant telephone booth in the Village that Marie would rent it to someone for the summer."
--Beaver

Jean Campbell said...

That softball game must have taken place in 1969 because my Mom is using my crutches with her "costume" and I broke my leg in 1968 and would have needed them that summer.

On the "East" team, I recognize Dottie Campbell (my Mom), Grace Gallagher, Mary Fontanals, Lee MacAdam, Dorothy LeMay, Marie Bitzer and I think that's Pat Corrigan on the end.

In the shot of the Florence Gibson with the question of her being the best coach ever, I believe that's my Dad - Ken Campbell - sitting in the bleachers.

Great photos - thanks for posting them. I remember them also being published in the Salty Spray that summer. Hope you've been able to contact the former editors - Elizabeth Elkind, Jane Markus and I think the 3rd one was India Ely.

************************************************************
Was this Saltaire's Greatest Team Ever?


Click Photos to enlarge


Saltaire East
copyright J. Woolford, Chicago, Il


Or was this?
click photo to enlarge
Copyright J. Woolford, Chicago, Il
Saltaire West

We have a half a dozen more pictures to come, one each day, subject to people properly identifying the personalities in these team portraits.

So if you want to see more of these exclusives (there are no "negatives" out there; these originals were Polaroids) you have to tune into http://www.saltaire38.blogspot.com/


"We report. You decide"

FOSSIL FUELS THE LEGEND: THE BALL HIT OVER THE CHOCOLATE CHURCH

ROBIN WRIGHT RECALLS THE DAY A BALL WENT OVER THE CHURCH AND OTHER STORIES OF INTER COMMUNITY SOFTBALL GAMES IN THE 1950'S

ROBIN WRIGHT WRITES, AND RIGHTLY SO:

Hi Jim,

It was Wednesday a warm day at Saltaire field.  The year 1958.  Dana
Wallaces team from Ocean Beach had challenged us to a beer game.  As usual
the team was made up of mostly lifeguards.  Two that I remember was Kenny
and George Ryder.  We had played Ocean Beach before, as well as Fair
Harbour, Kismet Inn and POW before.  Saltaire had the best team and the
best field on Fire Island.  Charlie Ludlow was pitching.  Sid Greer was
catching.  Art Mol first base.  Pete Banta second base.  Joe Callahan at
short.  Robin Wright at third.  Bruce Banta at center field.  Pete Callahan
left field.

Dave Banta at right field.  We did not have short fielder or woman at the
time.  The game was a blast.  Balls flying everywhere.   We won the game
8-6.  Kenny Ryder however, hit the longest ball I have ever seen at
softball.

Batting right, he hit the ball completely over the roof of the church.  It
was still climbing as it past over the peak of the roof.  It never hit the
far side of the roof.  We send a searching party looking for the ball,
never found it.  If Dick Starkey was at the game, he would have found it.

Robin.

1973 Saltaire Softball League Schedule Exhumed

Click to enlarge to read

Courtesy Jon Lyon and an understanding Mary B. Keane, Village Clerk, who let Jon type this up on Village equipment, if not Village Time.

Saltaire Memories

click image to enlarge

And how time flies. Post below as many names as you can name, and guess the season.

Thanx, ValerieJeane for this great pix.

Keep 'em coming, gang.

Here is a little history of where this team evolved from:

In the late 1960's pre-league Sunday evening games did include many "Daddies" who either worked for the Village (Beckel, Braddish) or others who probably took the Monday 6 A.M. Death Boat. We don't know who dubbed the Jon Lyon/Danny Weinlandt Team "Danny's Boys, "and they wer never known by that name, but it has been noted on the historical plaque. This team that played in the Sunday evening games in the late 60's against a team who became the Men. There were really only two teams in the "majors" at that time. "The Men" consisted of the likes of Mel Beckel, Kevin Braddish, Bert Pogrebin, Bruce Simon, Hill Farber, Dick Starkey. Can't remember if big Mike McA and Judge Latham were part of this team, or if they came alive with the Wrecks.The Men played the Boys who consisted of hurler Danny Weinlandt (hence, I guess Danny's Boys), Jon Lyon Dennis and Phil Keane, Allen Aherne, and at various times any of the three Cunningham boys, John Standard, Johnny Glascock, Paul McGarrity (of Kismet bar fame), and Noel the Feustel. Noel, eventually dubbing the rest of us too serious about winning, started the Z Team, which eventually became the Dogfish. The Boys begat the A Team.

FROM: "A Brief History of Saltaire Softball" http://saltaire38.blogspot.com/search?q=VOTE

This Just In: Saltaire's Greatest Ballplayers. 1940-1969 to be Announced

click image to enlarge. Copyright JOH

JO'H:

This just in: The long anticipated results of our fans' voting for the greatest Saltaire Ballplayers from the 1940's 1950's and 1960's are soon to be announced.

The votes are all in and the results are being tabulated by our 1955 era UNIVAC Salt-Air 1000 computer in Palo Alto, Calfornia.

Scientists anticipate the complex logarithmic computations will be completed by by midnight Sunday.

To insure integrity of the vote and to avoid another "Bush v. Gore" nightmare, we decided to go retro. Katharine Harris is sooo 2000-ish, so we opted for a change you can believe in:

Since everybody knows that things were so much better in the old days, we dug up an old hero to vouch for the results of our vote.

Once the UNIVAC totals are fully tabulated, the results will be sealed in a zip-lock bag and turned over to former Columbia Prof. Chas. Van Doren who will take the Sunday night red-eye back to New York and securely hand us the envelope at JFK.

We will post the results here Monday morning.

Will your favorite be on this immortal list? Who did the fans vote for as the best from the Forties, Fifties, and Sixties?

Keep your browser tuned to http://www.saltaire38.blogspot.com/

The results will be posted here Monday morning.

Only on : www.Saltaire38.blogspot.com

J. O'Hare

Derf

Co editors

1958

click images to enlarge

Summer, 1958

VOTE FOR SALTAIRE ALL TIME ALL STAR SOFTBALL PLAYERS

Saltaire All-Star Voting
NOMINEES FOR SALTAIRE SOFTBALL ALL TIME ALL-STAR TEAMS

VOTE NOW BY E MAIL TO:

SALTAIRESPORTS@AOL.com

A BRIEF HISTORY OF SALTAIRE SOFTBALL

by Jim O'Hare and Jon Lyon
copyright 2008



"Saltaire is known for its great softball league in the summer."
--- Wikipedia




For generations, softball has been one of the main sporting attractions in the Village of Saltaire.

From the 1940’s and 1950s, with great weekend contests with such names as “Marine Walk v. The World,” and “DEKES v. the World, “ through almost ten years of softball games between Saltaire Teenagers and Ocean Beach Teams, to the creation, in the early 1970s, of the Saltaire Softball League, all the way through 2008 with the expansion of the League to admit the Outsiders and the Rip Tide, softball has been a major sporting attraction for players and spectators alike. Through all these years, the games at Wright Memorial field and grandstands have been center for some of the most long-standing and exciting Saltaire traditions and rivalries.



We have no direct records of softball before the late 1940s. The venue, simply called “The Field” has always been pretty much the same size as today except there was more room north of the right field foul line before the fire house expanded in the 1970's. The Field was enclosed by a chicken wire fence. Until the late 1940s in the early 1950s the outer perimeter of the field consisted of a cinder track, making running in barefoot a painful experience. Gradually the cinder was covered or sank into the sand; it was finally eliminated with landscaping renovations in the 1970’s. There was dense brush where the playground is now until it was cleared and sand was pumped in in 1954. That made for a lot more lost balls because anything fouled off to the left side across Neptune Walk wound up deep in a thicket of poison ivy and blueberry bushes.

Home plate was always in the northeast corner, but a laid out dirt diamond was not introduced until well into the 1970’s .

Before the present day basketball courts were constructed, there were three basketball backboards in the ball field. One was along the right-field line, and there were back-to-back boards in right center field. The portable backstop came some time in the early 1970's, and at some point (we need some help here, pals) the right field fence was raised? While the backstop certainly has saved many a ball from getting lost in never never land it also prevents a catcher's ability to make a sliding catch of those pop-ups. Jon Lyon: "I always loved these opportunities when I was catching. I remember well Mike Kuracheck taking special batting practice to line balls over the lower right field porch."

In the 1940s and 1950s, weekend games were the rule, often pickup games with informal and varying rosters and teams. No running statistics were known to be maintained. Teams informally developed over themes or locale: “Marine Walk v. The World” games pitted players from Marine Walk against all comers. There were some “DEKES v. World” contests. There must have been a lot of guys from college fraternities in those days to man the “DEKES.” Sometimes such theme games were preceded by parades, with banners and noise makers.


Through the organizational skills of Athletic Director Pete Kurachek http://saltaire38.blogspot.com/search?q=metaphors in the late 1950’s inter community games were scheduled between teenage teams from Saltaire, Ocean Beach, and Point of Woods. Those Saltaire-OB-POW games developed into series that became the main focus of interest in Saltaire Softball in the 1960s.

This started two new trends:

First: the 1940’s and 1950’s teams had been made up of “grownups,”

http://saltaire38.blogspot.com/search?q=touch and they were strictly weekend affairs. The 1960’s teams were made up of Saltaire teenagers and they were played during the week while all the “Daddies” were back in the city. The 1960's teams were made up of kids who grew up in Saltaire under the aggressive coaching of Uncle Pete Kurachek, and they they were now teenagers working at summer jobs in the Village as counselors for Uncle Pete, or at the Market, or on the Ferries.

Secondly, those Saltaire-OB-POW series also started the trend toward regularly scheduled games with regular rosters, which would develop into a formal intramural league by the early 1970's.

These two trends: kids growing up developing their own teams, and organized teams with regularly scheduled games, were the genesis for the need, by the late 1960’s, for an organized league within Saltaire itself.

Games on continued on an informal basis on weekends of the 1960s, but the main attraction of Saltaire softball through most of the 1960s were the weekday evening contests between the Saltaire teenagers and lifeguard teams from Ocean Beach, captained by Dana Wallace. Lacking a field of their own, all of the Saltaire-Ocean Beach games were played at Saltaire. Throughout the 1960’s the OB-Saltaire games gains were always intense and competitive. The grandstands would be packed. Additionally, a couple games would be played each summer against Point of Woods, one home and one away. The Point of Woods field was a large open field with no fences. Compared to the confines of the Saltaire Field, the POW outfield seemed like an endless meadow. In the 1960’s Saltaire played several games against powerful Fair Harbor Teams led by Barry Wetherall and Billy Newman.


By the late 1960s, growth of interest in softball pickup games began causing conflicts on weekends, with several informal teams sometimes vying for space in the same field at the same time. Over a period of several years, there was talk of forming a weekend league, if for no other reason than to avoid conflicts over field time. Talks about a league were thrashed about by Dick Starkey, Noel Feustel, Jim O’Hare and the late Tom Lyon.



In the late 1960's pre-league Sunday evening games did include many "Daddies" who either worked for the Village (Beckel, Braddish) or others who probably took the Monday 6 A.M. Death Boat. We don't know who dubbed the Jon Lyon/Danny Weinlandt Team "Danny's Boys, "and they wer never known by that name, but it has been noted on the historical plaque. This team that played in the Sunday evening games in the late 60's against a team who became the Men. There were really only two teams in the "majors" at that time. "The Men" consisted of the likes of Mel Beckel, Kevin Braddish, Bert Pogrebin, Bruce Simon, Hill Farber, Dick Starkey. Can't remember if big Mike McA and Judge Latham were part of this team, or if they came alive with the Wrecks.

The Men played the Boys who consisted of hurler Danny Weinlandt (hence, I guess Danny's Boys), Jon Lyon Dennis and Phil Keane, Allen Aherne, and at various times any of the three Cunningham boys, John Standard, Johnny Glascock, Paul McGarrity (of Kismet bar fame), and Noel the Feustel. Noel, eventually dubbing the rest of us too serious about winning, started the Z Team, which eventually became the Dogfish. The Boys begat the A Team.

Although news releases for the formation went out in 1971 Get out and playball,The first organized league schedule was in 1973.1973-saltaire-softball-league-schedule

The teams in 1973 were:
The As
The Zs
The Teens
The Oedipus Wrecks
The Men




For the first time, organized scores, standings, and championships were awarded. Since then, the league has constantly grown in competitiveness and size. The league has been in existence so long now that there are many people playing today who were not yet born when the league was formed. Fewer can recall the great names of the 1950’s.

Saltaire38.blogspot.com has assiduously interviewed veterans of all eras, and is pleased to announce its nominees for the all-time All-Stars on from Saltaire from the 1940s up through the present.


AND THE NOMINEES ARE:


1940-1959:

• Sid Greer
  
• Art Mol
• Charlie Ludlow
• Paul Connelly Jr.
• Bruce Banta
• Dave Eisele
• Jack Thorp
• Bill Weinlandt
• Ed Weinlandt
• Bob Marks
• Bob Wright
• Robin Wright
• Mike Fitzgerald
• Pete Banta
• Kenny O'Hare
• James Connolly
• Tom Connolly
• Doug Wright
• John Conolly
• Squirt Aherne
• CarberyO'Shea, Jr.
• Joe Callahan
• Pete Callahan
  

From 1960-1969

Ronnie Swedborg
Danny Weinlandt

• Pete Kurackeck Jr.
• Allen Aherne
• Kenny Torrey
• Kenny O’Hare
• Eugene Piper
• Billy Ervin
• Johnny Glascock
• Jim O’Hare
• Dennis Keane
• Tom Connolly Jr.
• James Connolly
• John Connolly
• Doug Wright
• Carberry O’Shea Jr.
• Paul Wilson
• Rhett Sturman
• Squirt Aherne
• Mike Fitzgerald
• Stick O’Brien
• Bob McGuinn
• Robin Wright

BONUS: The Awesome Invaders of the 1960’s. NO VOTING NEEDED:

Barry Wetherall (FH)
Billy Newman (FH)
Dana Wallace (O.B.)



The 1970’s and 1980’s:

• Bobby "Turtle" Cerveny
• Mark Heller
• Noel Feustel
  
• Dick Latham
• Chris Boyman
• Michael Bernstein
  
• John Zaccaro Sr.
• Rudy Schott
  
• Kevin Braddish
  
• Mel Beckel
  
• Kevin Cunningham
  
• Chris Wright
  
• Charley Shaw
  
• Dan Klagsbrun
• Jonathan “Herc” Maier
  
• Jon Lyon
  
• Terry "Tubes" McGowan
  
• Mike McAllsiter Sr.
  
• John Standard
• Hillay Farber
• Tim Scanlan
• Robin Wright
• Danny Weinlandt
• Allen Aherne
• Dennis Keane
• Hank Bjorklund
  
• John Starkey
  
• Jeff Heller
  
• Todd Wright
  
• Bill Cunningham
  

1990-present:

• Tom "I" Sconzo
  
• Jon Metzler
• Brian Bier
• Harold Weinzweig
• Andy McAllister
• Ken "OI" Savelson
  
• Matt Newman
  
• John "Zuke"Zaccaro Jr.
• Ronnie Rudzin
• Lisa Jacobson
• Pete Starkey
  
• Paul Kahn
• Chris Clarkin
• Dougie Rosabella
• Andy Lipsitz
  
• Peter Hull
• Andy Macs
  
• Andy Sosa
• Teddy Nagangast
  
• Steve Carroll
  
• Steve Mathis
  
• NickyDolan
  
• Jeremy Mindich
  
• Mark Valente
• Matt Sirovich
  
• Adam Kupersmith
  
• John Goldberg
  
• Dave Mederrick
  
• Danny Rappaport
• Jeff Heller
  
• Todd Wright
  
• Ben Berman
• Sam Mathias
  
• Jon Cucci
• Chris Wright
• Robin Wright
  

SPECIAL HONORARY VOTES

SPECIAL VOTE: WRITE IN YOUR VOTES FOR "BEST NICKNAME" FOR ANY BALL PLAYER WHO EVER PLAYED IN LEAGUE, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THEY ARE ON ONE OF THE ABOVE LISTS











SPECIAL VOTE: WRITE IN YOUR VOTE FOR "LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT" AWARDS FOR ANYONE ASSOCIATED WITH THE SALTAIRE SOFTBALL IN ANY WAY WHO HAS MADE SIGNIFICANT AND LONG LASTING CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE EXPERIENCE OF THE SALTAIRE SOFTBALL SCENE.




VOTING PROCEDURES


THERE WILL BE FOUR TEAMS SELECTED: ONE FOR EACH OF THE ERAS.


VOTE FOR ANY TEN CHOICES YOUR CHOICES MAY COME FROM ANY ERA OR ERAS.

WEIGHTED VOTING:



SOME PLAYERS PLAYED IN TWO OR MORE ERAS. YOU MAY VOTE FOR THE SAME PERSON IN DIFFERENT ERAS. IN THAT CASE, YOU WILL GET AN EXTRA VOTE FOR EACH TIME YOU VOTE A PERSON IN A SECOND OR THIRD ERA.




EXTRA WEIGHT WILL BE GIVEN FOR ANY VOTE THAT IS ACCOMPANIED BY A DESCRIPTION OF WHY SUCH PLAYER IS DESERVING ENSHRINEMENT. YOUR COMMENTS MAY BE POSTED. IF YOU WANT TO REMAIN ANONYMOUS, PLEASE SO INDICATE.



This is how you vote:

By simple E mail. Send us your choices.

This is where you vote:







1) CUT AND PASTE THIS ADDRESS INTO YOUR E MAIL: SALTAIRESPORTS@AOL.COM

2) type in all your choices




3) E MAIL IT OUT


THEN PASS THE WORD AND FORWARD OUR WEBSITE TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW:

WWW.SALTAIRE38.BLOGSPOT.COM





GOOD LUCK AND THANK YOU FOR VOTING


DERF FONTANALS
JIM O'HARE

EDITORS



WE REPORT YOU DECIDE

SALTAIRE38.BLOGSPOT.COM

The Birth of the Dogfish, A's and Z's

The Birth of the Dogfish, A's and Z's



By Noel Feustel




Come on guys--do the research--"Danny's Boy's" sounds like a team that would play the Cherry Grove "Grovettes". They were in reality the self proclaimed "A" team. Being a sporting egalitarian. I said, along with Terry Cunningham, his brothers Bill and Kevin, Turtle Cerveny and assorted other athletically challenged Uncle Pete alums--"nuts" to such elitism--we would become the "Z" team, letting the fan base decide who were the top dogs of Saltaire softball. We eventually grabbed Alan Aherne as a "Z: teamer and set out in those fog shrouded days to create a new name. Turtle suggested the "Mudsharks", Alan wanted the "Dorkomorph's". We sat down for a beer fueled team confab and cooked up THE DOGFISH!, the rest is history. Many outstanding "stars" saw action back in happier times--Dogfish Joe Scanlan, Cosmo Hull, Chris and Jimmy Sconzo, Chip Jones, Ernie Galt and Mac Hill, to name a few--the pre-game warm-ups on the Hill porch were legendary. The funniest although potentially most tragic catch of all time (beside Dogfish Joe's "stand-up sit down beer in hand" right field snag) was when Cosmo almost got riddled with Secret Service bullets while chasing a fly that was headed toward that "historic" woman who ran for high office back in 1984. George Orwell never would have predicted such a happenstance event--"softball right fielder shot by government agents". THE FEW, THE PROUD, THE DOGFISH---ALL DESERVE DESIGNATION AS THE WORST WHO BECAME THE BEST----a team that were always "contrary to ordinary". 1976 Bicentennial Champs--1986 Liberty Centennial Champs--ALL ELSE PALES IN COMPARISON--and what other team had a "live Gorilla" a.k.a. hirsute Abie D. Baby as a guest catcher? Add to this the shattering of the sexist glass softball ceiling by placing Jean Campbell in shortfield--eons ahead of the Starkey token female rule.--

Captain-emeritus-Noel--1969-1989.,

high up in the hills of Pennsylvania where I've taken up golf and lawn bowling, both activity skills helped by those competitive days on the Saltaire ballfield.

Saltaire All-Star Voting To Begin During All Star Game

NOMINEES FOR SALTAIRE SOFTBALL ALL TIME ALL-STAR TEAMS TO BE ANNOUNCED, AND VOTING TO BEGIN FOR FINALISTS DURING THE MLB ALL STAR GAME ON JULY 15


NEW YORK, JULY 10, 2008

SALTAIRE 38.BLOGSPOT.COM, THE WEB'S MOST POPULAR SALTAIRE-RELATED BLOG, ANNOUNCED TODAY THAT THE NOMINEES FOR SALTAIRE'S ALL TIME BEST SOFTBALL PLAYERS WILL BE POSTED ON THEIR SITE DURING THE SEVENTH INNING STRETCH OF THE ALL STAR GAME AT YANKEE STADIUM ON JULY 15.

FANS WILL HAVE A CHANCE TO VOTE FOR THE NOMINEES FOR BEST PLAYERS FROM FOUR SEPARATE ERAS:

THE 1950'S

THE 1960'S

THE 1970'S-1980'S

1990-PRESENT


THE WINNERS WILL BE ANNOUNCED LATER IN THE SUMMER, ACCORDING TO BLOG SPOKESMAN TOM QUINN. "THE VOTING PROCEDURES WILL BE UNIQUE FOR THIS POLL," SAID QUINN, WITH FANS BEING ABLE TO VOTE FOR THEIR FAVORITE PLAYERS IN ANY OR ALL FOUR OF THE ERAS. "THERE WILL BE NO LIMIT ON WHO CAN VOTE, OR HOW MANY TIMES, BUT VOTING WILL BE WEIGHTED, WITH VOTES ACCOMPANIED BY DESCRIPTIONS OF WHY A PARTICULAR NOMINEE SHOULD BE ENSHRINED WILL BE WEIGHTED MORE THAN A MERE CHECK MARK VOTE. "THE PURPOSE IS TO CREATE A SELF-JUSTIFYING POLL WHERE THE REASONS STATED FOR VOTES CAN BE SUBJECT TO SCRUTINY WHEN THE RESULTS ARE ANNOUNCED." ALTHOUGH COMMENTS MAY BE PUBLISHED, A VOTER CAN REQUEST AND WILL BE GRANTED ANONYMITY.

QUINN ALSO ANNOUNCED THAT REQUESTS FOR NOMINEES WILL STILL BE CONSIDERED. ANYONE WANTING TO REQUEST A PARTICULAR PLAYER TO BE NOMINATED MAY DO SO BY CONTACTING THE BLOG AT: SALTAIRESPORTS@AOL.COM


MARK IT ON YOU R CALENDAR NOW: SEVENTH INNING STRETCH OF THE ALL STAR GAME AND THE NOMINEES WILL BE POSTED AND VOTING WILL COMMENCE FOR THE BEST SALTAIRE PLAYERS EVER.

We report. You decide



ONLY ON WWW.SALTAIRE38.BLOGSPOT.COM

Saltaire Softball Schedule

click to enlarge


courtesy Jon Lyon, scheduler, working on Village Time

A Preview of 2008?

America loves a winner

Today's Teams Could not Touch These Guys

Click to enlarge close up

Four of the men in the front row of the bleachers in 1959 could play with and beat any team playing in Saltaire today. And these are just a few of the great players from the 1950's that could dominate today.

They include from left: Ed Weinlandt; Jack Thorp. Fifth from left: Bill Weinlandt. Seventh from left: Bob Marks.

WAS THIS SALTAIRE'S GREATEST SLUGGER?

click to enlarge
Bob Marks, 1957

photo by Bill Weinlandt
Courtesy William J. Weinlandt


Could anyone hit with the power of Bob Marks?
Ask your grand-dad.



There is still time to get your nominations in for the best softball players of all time in Saltaire. Just click "comments" below and place your nominations for the best players you ever saw in Saltaire in the pop up window.



Or you can send your nominations to: Johareny@aol.com

Saltaire Ballplayers 1959

click image to enlarge

"Babe" Dobie and "Lou" Weinlandt, 1959

photo courtesy Duncan Dobie

IS THIS THE GREATEST SALTAIRE SOFTBALL TEAM EVER?

CLICK TO ENLARGE
PHOTO COURTESY DUNCAN DOBIE
rear from l: : Mike Keegan, Danny Weinlandt, Larry Lynch, Johnny Glasscock, Bill Ervin
front from l: Kevin McGuinn, Jim O'Hare, Mike Kuracheck, Allen Aherne Hans Hommels

THIS JUST MAY BE THE CORE OF THE BEST EVER SALTAIRE TEAM. NO, NOT AT THE TIME THIS PICTURE WAS TAKEN ( LABOR DAY 1959) BUT A FEW YEARS LATER THESE RAGAMUFFINS, TEMPERED BY THE TEACHING AND COACHING OF UNCLE PETE, WERE THE FOUNDATION OF THE BEST SALTAIRE TEAMS OF THE 1960'S.

OF THESE TEN KIDS, FIVE HAVE RECEIVED AT LEAST SOME MENTION IN THE PRELIMINARY ROUND OF NOMINATIONS FOR INCLUSION IN THE GREATEST SALTAIRE SOFTBALL TEAMS.


THERE IS STILL TIME FOR YOU TO PLACE A NAME IN NOMINATION FOR THESE TEAMS:


PRE 1960'S
1960-1972
1972-1982
1982 TO PRESENT

JUST SEND THE NAMES OF ANYONE YOU THINK SHOULD BE CONSIDERED FOR THE BEST PLAYERS OF THOSE ERAS TO JOHARENY@AOL.COM.


NOTE ON THIS PICTURE: CHECK OUT THE BASKETBALL BACKBOARD SMACK IN THE MIDDLE OF RIGHT CENTER FIELD.

2008 SOFTBALL LEAGUE EXPANSION FIRST SINCE 1994

SALTAIRE SOFTBALL LEAGUE COMMISSIONER ALEX CHEFETZ ANNOUNCED THAT THE LEAGUE IS EXPANDING TO AN ALL TIME HIGH OF 8 TEAMS, IN 2008. THE UNPRECEDENTED 33% EXPANSION OVER A YEAR AGO IS THE RESULT OF THE INDUCTION INTO THE LEAGUE OF LAST YEAR'S EXPERIMENTAL TEAM THE OUTSIDERS, PLUS THE ADDITION OF THE ALL NEW RIP TIDE.

In a statement issued to League Members, Chefetz explained that growth and expansion were the major themes discussed at the owners’ winter meetings resulting in the "almost unanimous approval" of permanently adding the Outsiders to the league after a highly successful 2007 Experimental Season. Additionally the application of the Rip Tide was approved. the Rip Tide is composed mostly of Saltairians, bringing together many part-time players into a league of their own. Captained by Pete Notaro, the Rip Tide may have some roster space available. Chefetz stated that "We welcome the RipTide and will be watching closely to make sure they field a full team for every game. Players from existing teams that aren’t receiving enough playing time or in contract dispute can negotiate with Pete for trades."

The League Expansion is the first for the league since the Clippers were added in 1994, and , Chefetz says, "will allow more members of our community to share in the joy and harmony we create every weekend."

Chefetz, perhaps in an oblique reference to earlier eras in the Saltaire Softball League, stated that "We have a strict drug policy, enforced by random urine testing, but a liberal alcohol policy."

(Editor's note: That kind of makes it tough to compare eras of Saltaire Softball.)

Chefetz also noted that time and space are limited: "While we can’t rule out the addition of Saltaire teams in the future, field playing time has now become scarce."



Editors note: to all Saltaire Softball Players: Please submit team photos to this site and we will post them. E mail to Johareny@aol.com, or to gfontanals@bhshamptons.com


Also: please forward to us all your stories, reminisces old photos or anything of interest, including your discussions about your thoughts on the best Saltaire softball players ever.


The Editors.
Jim O'Hare
George Derf Fontanals Jr.


Only on Saltaire38.blogspot.com, the WEB'S MOST POPULAR SALTAIRE FIRE ISLAND WEB SITE.

Will History Repeat Itself in 2008?

AFTER 32 YEARS, WILL THE DOGFISH REGAIN THEIR PAST GLORY IN 2008?

(P.S. These two pictures are from the early 1980's.)

Saltaire Dogfish c. 1986

Chris Wright on the Mound
Bilbo at Bat
Some Avid Fans
Saltaire Softball League Champions



JOH'S CHALLENGE: THANKS TO COSMO FOR THESE REMARKABLE PICTURES. THIS IS THE CHALLENGE- COSMO WILL BE THE ULTIMATE ARBITER--


WHO CAN NAME THE MOST PEOPLE IN THE ABOVE FOUR PHOTOS?????????????

CLICK ON COMMENTS BELOW, AND THANK YOU COSMO FOR BEING A GREAT TEAM PLAYER.


EVERYONE ELSE: GET OUT YOUR OLD TEAM PHOTOS AND E MAIL THEM TO joh OR DERF.

More of the Dogfish Parade

Cosmo O with IV of Vodka
Pete Hull with Supply of Beer for Game
Chris Wright (Who let the dogs out?)