So far...here's the list of players from the DVD, help out if you can

Al Uhl wrote:

Here’s the list based on input so far from me, Cassidy and Phil :

Movie Position	Player
(R to L)
1	Gemmo or Cagen??	Gemmo?
2	Fitz ??
3	Felson??
4	Sherwin?
5	Les Storch
6	Cassidy
7	Gemmo or Cagen??	Cagen?
8	Citera
9	Al Mercatante
10	Bob Ritter??	Anyone else recognize this name from Phil? Could it be John Crawford?
11	Schweiger
12	Sopko
13	Zwerling
14	Uhl
Manager	Bob Raben
"Coach"	Herman Dunsay

Al Uhl wants your help in indentifying the players from the dvd....

Hi All!

Assume by now you all have received the latest DVD which includes Al Mercatante’s home movie clip. I was talking with Mark Eisenberg last night and said it would be neat if we could identify all the players as the camera pans us right to left. So guess who got the job to make this happen? J

In the movie they pan the VZ team twice (once with hats on and once with hats off) left to right.

Then it pans us once right to left. I can only make out or identify four of us; Cassidy, Sopko, Pete Z and myself.

Counting right to left that would make Cassidy 6^th and Sopko, Zwerling and me 12^th, 13^th and 14^th respectively. Then comes the mgr and coach (Bob Raben and who?)

I was thinking that maybe each of us could at least find ourselves if nothing else (and maybe others).

If each of you could tell me which position (1^st, 3^rd, 10^th, etc.) in the pan you are (going right to left with the pan) I would be willing to be the focal point for coming up with a complete list.

If you are sure about anyone in addition to yourself pls pass that on too (in case that person doesn’t/can’t respond). Since the movie is a bit fuzzy, if you can’t identify yourself, let me know that too. Someone else may be able and/or we may be able to ID you by the process of elimination.

Hope to hear from you all and I will get the completed list to everyone.

Al Uhl

The DVD's are in the mail....

I mailed the dvd's out this morning. Keep an eye out for your mailman!!!

Vic Riccardi from Joe Gemmo

Just received a call from Vic’s son-in-law informing me that Vic, who has been very ill and confined to a wheel chair previously, has now suffered a stroke and upon release from the hospital, he’ll be admitted into a nursing home since he’ll be needing constant care.

All of our prayers go out to Vic who we all remember as a great and fun loving guy.

Fifty years ago today.....Joe Gemmo wrote.....

On this 27^th day of July 2007, exactly 50 years from that historic date back on July 27, 1957, I will be making a video clip and photos of me making some closing remarks and making a presentation to the league for everyone’s donations which is around an unbelievable $1,385!!.

And this just in from Hawaii

The old pictures of the 1956 and 57 league and the 57 picture of the Eagles are a treasure for me. It was a shock to see myself as an ungainly kid again and to see my dad as a vibrant 32 yr old. He had just been promoted to Sergeant in the NYPD about that time. He retired after 38 years as a Deputy Chief Inspector and moved to Hollywood FL later on. He loved being part of the Little League.

Those were the days when people got what they earned, and worked for what they wanted. I remember the tryouts too...and my dad saying "Just because I'm a manager doesn't mean that you get on my team" I remember that I REALLY wanted to do well to get on a team with REAL uniforms...tops and bottoms and winding up on the Cubs my first year with a T shirt and baseball pants. I tried a lot harder after that to get on the Eagles!

I never could hit a curve...and Ritchie Cseckits (Sp?) really intimidated me with his fastball where it seemed that he hopped up in the air to fling the ball in. I remember that he cut the sleeves off his uniform too...big arms...next time I saw that was on Roger Maris!

I remember that Pete had one of the best curves I had ever seen...sorry that it hurt his arm later on...I do remember that one of the Venezuelan players commenting on his "magnifico cuerve". I also remember Phil Placencia's mom trying to make the Venezuelan players welcome (she was one of the few people in Glen Oaks that spoke Spanish) and cheering "Arriba Venezuela!" at the game.

I was always an outfielder...couldn't really get in front of a hot shot on the ground in the infield so...but I do remember throwing pitches into a bushel basket for months so that I could be a pitcher...Pitchers were the kids who got all of the glory (or so it seemed when I was 11). I finally had a chance in a game when my day brought me in from Center Field and I struck out the side...three in a row! I still had that box score sheet for YEARS! I think that Pete was the catcher. That was my only real success as a pitcher, and I realized that center field was my real place....

the blog is a great one and brought back a flood of memories.

Thanks again

Bob Raben Jr

63

Honolulu, HI

Peter Zwerling's memories

Pete Zwerling Fond Memories

• Like everyone else, Herman Dunsay and that nasty Blackjack gum is a vivid memory. I can still taste it.

• That red-headed umpire who seemed to ump every game.

• Hitting the first HR over the fence in the 1956 season. The next batter Bobby Tabita followed with another over the fence HR. Back to back in the Little League. Amazing.

• Arnie Goldfarb teaching me how to throw a curveball. It had a great effect back then but my continued use of it was the probable cause of my arm being blown out at the age of 15. (Tommy Fitzgerald had a similar experience)

• In 1956 we played the Floral Park Nationals in the first game of the tournament at the Oval. We went up against a great picher named Raleigh Woj…… and some how scratched out a 2-1 win. Richie Csekits pitched magnificently for us. In the second game of the tournament we played the Floral Park Americans(who were supposed to be inferior to the Nationals) at their place. I was the starting pitcher and got absolutely rocked ; being knocked out in the first inning. We knew we were in trouble when half the team drove cars to the game and had tufts of hair protruding from the tops of their jerseys.

• Of course the Venezuela game,which has been well chronicled, remains my fondest memory. It was the greatest game I’ve ever played in at any level.

• I’d like to pay special tribute to the managers and coaches who made it all possible. In no special order:

1. Arnie Goldfarb
2. Mr. Storch
3. Dick Jacobson
4. Mr. Sperling
5. Nick Gemmo
6. Lou Cassidy
7. Irv Fendel
8. Lou Cagan
9. Herman Dunsay
10. Bob Raben