Front Row: Marty Klos, Walt Miller, Shawn Kelly, Mike Morgan, Danny Schumacher, Barry Griffith, Joey Fundo, Chuck Haley.
Standing: Coach Joe Power, Bobby Beveridge, Timmy Gremba, Rino Primiero, Clint Burton, Gerard Loy, Billy Toskey, Chuck Warnecke, Coach Jerry Burton.

Click on image for a larger photo.

* Photo provided by Clint Burton *

Some 1974 Season Highlights

Brookline Journal Little League Write-Ups
(missing three editions)

MAY 26 - BYMC, managed by Joe (Old Pro) Powers and coached by Jerry (Big Bite) Burton, unloaded its big sluggers while Clint (Big Bo) Burton and Jughandle Joey Fundo shared another shutout with a 7-0 shutout of Tony's Barber Shop. Rino Primiero sparked the slugging parade with a long homer over the hill in left center. Burton, Chuckie Haley and Tim (Grumbles) Gremba slammed doubles while Fundo reached base four times and scored three. Haley, Gremba and Jerry Loy cracked two hits each. Pitchers Burton and Fundo have yielded only one unearned run in 18 innings.

MAY 27 - Bobby Forster's ringing single in the 5th drove in the winning run as St. Mark, guided by Walt (Silver Top) Evans, spilled Quaill from the unbeatedn, 5-4, behind Scott Mathews pitching. Ronnie Hitt, Jackie (The Swinger) Walters and Vince Gianella smashed two hits each for St. Mark. Bobby Frey slugged four hits and Ron (Heavy Duty) Schmude a pair for Quaill, managed by Jack Henry.

MAY 28 - Manager Bob Schwemmer's Brookline Pharmacists outlasted Legion in seven innings, 10-9, despits two homeruns by Ray Benvenuti, who drove in three runs, and Carmen (The Silent One) Tripodi's 2-run blast to deepest center. Dan (The Little Man) McCarthy, charged with two losses in relief, picked up the pitching victory by chucking one frame in relief of Johnny Miller, who fanned 10 in his six frames and left with the game tied at 9-9. Tripodi also slammed a stinging single while Scott Petere hammered a double and single for BP.

MAY 29 - Quaill became a formidable contender as Ron (Heavy Duty) Schmude bombed a homerun and double to help Bobby Frey record a 6-2 victory over Tony. Catcher Dave Meyers doubled and singled for Quaill while Dan Haley spalled two singles to lead the losers.

MAY 30 - Manager Ange Masullo indicated that the Legion Italian Battalion is back in action as Ray Benvenuti whiffed 12 and Carmen Tripodi survived a final frame uprising to protect a 4-3 victory over previously undefeated BYMC. The game was scoreless after five innings before Legion came up with four in the top of the sixth on three errors, three walks and a hit batter. Then, with Benvenuti out in the sixth, BYMC bounced back for three runs on one hit and had the sacks packed before Joey Fundo flied out to center for the final out. Clint (Big Bo) Burton stoked two singles and drew a walk in three trips to lead the BYMC attack. Burton and Fundo yielded only three hits while Benvenuti and Tripodi matched that performance.

JUNE 1 - Bobby FOrster southpawed two line-drive homers and Jimmy Marshall smacked another to left-center while Johnny Boyle was twirling a two-hitter as St. Mark clubbed Brookline Pharmacy, 11-2. Forster also doubled. Ronnie Hitt and Vince Gianella belted three hits each, including a pair of doubles, while John Thomas and Frank Meta collected the only safeties for BP.

JUNE 2 - Manager Jack Henry's Quaill's Cleaners grabbed undisputed possession of first place by outslugging BYMC, 12-11, in a free-hitting, error prone game. Clint (Big Bo) Burton bombed a homerun, his 2nd of the season, over the hill in deep center, to pull BYMC from behind to take an 11-10 lead, but Quaill battled back to score a pair in the home half of the final frame. Brian Phillips slapped three hits, including a double, and scored four runs. Bobby Frey also slapped two singles and a double while Ron (Heavy Duty) Schmude rapped two singles. For BYMC, Chuckie Haley drilled a double and two singles, Tim Gremba doubled and singled, and Mike Morgan rapped two singles.

JUNE 3 - Ray-Ray Benvenuti slammed a 2-run homer and pitched Manager Ang Masullo's Legion Italian Battalion to a 5-4 squeaker over tough-luck St. Mark, managed by Walt (Silver Top) Evans. Davey Williams swatted two singles and Keith Sciulli doubled to share in the Legion victory attack. Johnny Boyle drilled two doubles and a single while Bobby (The Stroke) Forster drove in two with a double to pace St. Mark.

JUNE 4 - Johnny O'Toole, who smacked a double and single, was the pitcher of record as Tony was forced to go seven innings and talled ten runs for a 14-4 conquest of Brookline Pharmacy. Johnny Miller gave Bob Schwemmer's Pharmacists an early edge with a 2-run homer, his 1st of the season. Rick Alter cracked three singles and Danny Haley stroked a pair for Tony. Billy (the Half Pint) Dapper stroked a 2-run single to highlight the ten-run 7th which also featured seven walks and four errors.

JUNE 5 - Tim (Grumbles) Gremba went on a hitting spree, smashing three long homeruns and driving in seven, as BYMC routed St. Mark's, 27-4, to snap a two-game losing string. Bobby Beveridge also homered, a line drive shot to right, singled three times and reached base six times. Jughandle Joey Fundo - one of the LL's top defensive stars - hammered three singles and walked while Clint (Big Bo) Burton, who was credited with the victory, a LL high 4th against no losses, also hammered three hits. Chuckie Haley rapped a pair and walked. Ron Hitt socked a homer while Vince Gianella, Johnny Boyle and Bobby Forster collected two safeties each for St. Mark. Burton pitched the first three innings and limited St. Mark to one hit and no runs while BYMC rolled up a huge lead.

JUNE 6 - Johnny O'Toole followed Tim Gremba's slugging act by smashing three homers and driving in six as Tony managed to barely hang in there for a 20-19 victory over rampaging Legion, which trailed at one stage, 17-3. Tommy Kienzl socked three hits and Danny Haley belted a pair. Carmen Tripodi bombed three ropes, one a double, and Ross Rao smacked two doubles and a single during Legion's comeback. But it was o'Toole's slugging that turned the trick.

JUNE 7 - Quaill squeezed another one run victory by nipping Brookline Pharmacy, 5-4. Brian Phillips swatted a bases-empty homer, his 2nd of the season, and young Paddy McGrath picked up the vidtory in seven innings. Bobby Frey drove in the winning run with a double, his second hit. Joe Panucci drilled two hits for hard-luck BP, now consigned to last place.

JUNE 16 - Vince (Fuzzy) Gianella bombed a homerun and double to back Bobby (Super M) Forster's 4-hitter as St. Mark spilled Brookline Pharmacy, 8-2. Forster also slapped two doubles for Manager Walt (Silver Top) Evan's while Johnny Miller, the losing pitcher, stroked two singles for Manager Bob (Plush Four) Schwemmer's Druggists.

JUNE 17 - Chuck (Lon) Warneke slammed his 1st LL homer while Clint (Big Bo) Burton and Bobby (Slush) Beveridge combined to twirl a two-hitter as BYMC bombed Legion, 8-0, and virtually clinched the first-half pennant. Burton, who fanned seven in three innings, also doubled to drive in two. Beveridge chucked hitless ball for three innings, walking only two.

JUNE 18 - BYMC backed into the first half championship as Tony came out of its hitless spell to whip runnerup Quaill, 9-3, in seven innings, scoring six runs on one hit in the extra frame. Jeff Stanek drove in a pair with two singles and Johnny O'Toole also drilled two hits, including a double, for Tony. Brian Phillips socked two singles for the losers. Carmen Cirigliano picked up the victory in relief.

JUNE 20 - Quaill, already eliminated from the first half running, rebounded to beat 1st place BYMC, 6-4, as Brian Phillips smaked a bases-loaded triple through second base in the 5th inning for the clinching runs. BYMC, managed by Joe Power and coached by Jerry Burton, had held a 2-1 lead through three frames. Pat McGrath slapped two hits for Quaill while Mike Morgan doubled, singled and drove in two for BYMC. Clint (Big Bo) Burton also doubled and singled for the losers. Burton also whiffed seven in three innings on the slab.

JUNE 21 - Pat Camarco drilled three hits, driving in the winning run, as Brookline Pharmacy edged Tony, 4-3. Johnny Miller also singled twice. For Tony, Tommy Kienzl doubled, singled and drove in two while Rick Alter smashed two singles. Terry Bonner was the winning pitcher in relief.

JUNE 30 - Legion unloaded its 1-2 homerun punch as Ray Benvenuti and Carmen Tripodi connected to support Tony Esposito's pitching in a 6-2 victory over Brookline Pharmacy. Esposito twirled three and was relieved in the 4th by Benvenuti, the pair combining to chuck a 3-hitter. Benvenuti also doubled while Tripodi singled. Keith Sciulli slapped a double and two singles to drive in two while Davey Williams drilled three singles and Esposito connected for a pair.

JULY 1 - Bobby Frey smashed a grand slam for his 1st homer, rapped three singles and twirled a 3-hitter as Quaill clouted St. Mark, 15-1. Quaill scored eight in the 4th and six in the sixth as Frey coasted to his 5th straight pitching victory, 2nd only to Clint Burton's 7-0 chart for BYMC. Davey Meyers rapped two hits and drove in a pair while Shawn (Pie) Trainor also knocked in two.

JULY 2 - BYMC's first half champions came up with a new wrinkle as they used three pitchers - Clint Burton, Joe Fundo and Bobby Beveridge - who combined for 16 strikeouts - while Tim (Big Blue) Gremba smashed a 2-run homer, his 6th, in a 6-1 rout of Tony's Barber Shop. Gremba also doubled and singled. Burton fanned five and gave two hits in two innings. Fundo worked the middle pair and yielded the only run and four hits, but he fanned six. Beveridge was effective as he allowed only a scratch hit and whiffed five. The pitching win was credited to Fundo, his 2nd against three losses. Danny Haley and Tommy Kienzl smacked two hits each for Tony.

JULY 3 - Ron Hitt socked his 3rd homerun with the sacks unoccupied and Bobby Forster was tough in the clutch as St. Mark downed Brookline Pharmacy, 4-1. Forster socked three hits while Hitt and Jimmy Marshall rapped two each. Wee Pat Camarco swatted two for the losers.

JULY 5 - Brian Phillips whiffed 11 and swatted his 3rd homer as Quaill staved off Tony's late drive, 7-4. Bobby Frey and Ron (Heavy Duty) Schmude smacked two hits each for the winners and Johnny (Little O) O'Toole a pair for the losers.

JULY 7 - Legion, playing sans the managerial genius of Ang Masullo, went on a homerun spree as Ray Benvenuti bombed two (a third was wiped out when he failed to touch first base), Carmen Tripodi blasted one to right, Ross Rao drilled one to left and Keith Sciulli sent his Pop (Phil-ling in for Masullo) into an ecstatic leap with his 1st during a 15-4 rout of St. Mark. Johnny Boyle gave St. Mark an early 2-0 lead by slamming his 2nd, but it didn't last long. Benvenuti moved into the LL lead with his 6th and 7th. Tripodi boosted his season total to five.

JULY 20 - Johnny Miller socked his 3rd homerun and young Don Thomas collected the slab victory as Brookline Pharmacy, managed by Bob (Easy) Schwemmer, upset Quaill, 8-7. Dan (The Young Man) McCarthy drove in three runs and Johnny Nomides made two strong throws from left field to spark the Druggists. Tommy Alexander swatted two hits for Manager Jack Henry's Cleaners.

JULY 21 - Bobby Frey Rebounded from his 1st pitching loss to notch his 7th win as Quaill knocked over Tony, 9-5, behind the hitting of Don Graham, Brian Phillips, Shawn (Pie) Trainor and Dave Meyer. Graham smacked his 1st homer and singled, Phillips drilled three singles, Trainor whacked a double and single and Meyer stroked two singles. Johnny Thomas homered with two on for Tony, singled and drove in four runs.

JULY 23 - Legion, managed by Ang (The Shark) Masullo, pulled out the "biggy" and halted BYMC's drive for a sweep of both halves with a 6-5 squeaker with Carmen Tripodi clicking for his 1st mound win of the season. Pat Kelly drove in the winning run off Bobby Beveridge with a double in the sixth. Ray Benvenuti rapped two singles and walked for Legion. Beveridge, who relieved Joe Fundo in the fourth, was on base four times, slapping two singles and luring two free rides. Fundo also rapped three singles.

JULY 24 - Rotund Carmen Cirigliano, a 10-year old pitching find of Manager Rich (Indianapolis Skinny) Anderson, chucked a 2-hitter, yielding Johnny Millers 4th homer, as Tony upset Brookline Pharmacy, 3-1. Miller was again the hard-luck loser, his 4th straight without a victory this season. Danny Haley drove in a run and batted 2-for-2 while Cirigliano slammed in another run with a single.

JULY 25 - Legion, with Carmen Tripodi winning his 2nd game in a row and Ross Rao slamming a homerun, thrashed St. Mark, 14-2. The victory pushed Legion into first place with a 7-1 record and two postponements yet to play. Legion also has a first-half postponement with St. Mark to play. Tripodi also bombed three hits in five trips. Rao socked a pair and Pat Kelly drove in two with a 2-for-2 night.

JULY 26 - Tim (Big Blue) Gremba smashed a pair of long homers to drive in six runs, Bobby Beveridge hammered home three with his 2nd of the season and Clint (Big Bo) Burton fanned 10 as he went the full six innings to propel BYMC to a 15-3 crushing of Quaill's Cleaners. The win ran Burton's record to 9-0, the LL high, plus his 2-0 record in All-Star competition. In the fourth inning, with the game tied 3-all, the Cleaners loaded the bases against Burton, who responded by whiffing the heart of the Quaill lineup - Joey Masullo on a fastball, Brian Phillips on a curve and cleanup hitter Bobby Frey on with his patented palmball, a pitch that left Frey swinging awkwardly at the disappearing ball. From then on it was all peaches and cream for Joe Powers BYM boys. For Gremba, he took over the LL homerun lead by blasting his 8th and 9th (one that landed near Oakridge Street), giving him two more than Legion's Ray Benvenuti. Beveridge hit 4-for-4 and Marty Klos tripled in other BYMC hitting highlights. Pat McGrath stroked three singles for Quaill.

Playoffs

AUGUST 12 - Clint (Big Bo) Burton and Ray-Ray Benvenuti clashed head-on in the pitcher's battle of the year and for the third time this season BYMC's righthander Big Bo shut out Legion, 2-0, in the opener of the annual playoffs. The 5' 10" Burton struck out 14 and permitted only four hits, yielding only one walk, that intentional. Benvenuti whiffed 13 and yielded only five hits, walking three. Bobby (The Big Bomber) Beveridge and Mike Morgan, a pint-sized shortstop, slapped doubles to drive in the only runs. Beveridge also singled and walked while Morgan singled. It was Big Bo's 10th LL victory, to go with three tournament triumphs, finishing with a Brookline Little League season-high 13-0 record.

AUGUST 13 - Carmen Tripodi, who always lets his actions speak for him, pitched and batted Legion's defending champions back into contention as Manager Ang Masullo assigned him the difficult task of halting BYMC, managed temporarily by Nick Rossi in Joe Power's absence. Carmen was equal to the task, whiffing eight, twirling a two-hitter and driving in all of Legion's runs in a 3-2 squeaker. It was a toughie for half-pint Jughandle Joey Fundo to lose as an error and wild throw to the plate let in the winning run. Fundo struck out seven as he returned to the pitcher's box after a long layoff. Keith (Tuss) Sciulli and Ray Benvenuti also rapped two hits each for Legion.

AUGUST 14 - BYMC, which like the late General Douglas MacArthur, promised sponsor Angie Capuano three years ago that "we will return" after being stripped of the LL championship trophy because of an ineligible player, made good on the promise by bombing Legion in the finale, 8-2. Bobby (The Big Bomber) Beveridge, a clutch hitter all season, switched roles with his buddy, Clint (Big Bo) Burton, and became the pitching hero as he whiffed 10 and had'em all the way. BYMC never trailed. Two other pals, Tim (Big Blue) Gremba and Rino Primiero, also waved big sticks to back Beveridge's southpaw slants. Big Blue socked his 10th homer, two shy of Legion's Ray Benvenuti, who stroked three singles in this game, and Primiero smacked a 2-run double. Burton shook off his batting slump by blasting a triple and double to account for a pair of runs. Carmen Tripodi spoiled Beveridge's shutout by smashing his 7th homer with a mate aboard. For BYMC, Mike Morgan singled and walked twice. The BYMC players express appreciation to Nick Rossi, who agreed to step in as a temporary manager, and their two coaches, Jerry Burton and Bob Schwemmer.