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The Final Year For The
Old Field
This picture was from one of the
last games played on the old field, featuring B.Y.M.C. (at bat) versus
Legion in 1981. Gregg Gielas, who has the honor of hitting both the last
homerun on the old Little League field and the first homerun in the new
Sam Bryen Complex, is in the on-deck circle, with commissioner Angelo
Masullo behind the backstop sitting in Sam Bryen's familiar spot as the
scorekeeper and announcer.
The final game at the old "Community
Center" fields was played on June 20, and the first game at the newly
completed Sam Bryen fields was played the following night. For 30 years,
since 1952, the Brookline Little League made its home on these lower
ballfields, which had been carved out of the fields of the old Anderson
Farm. Now, in the summer of 1981, the league had a new park, and a new era
in Brookline Little League would begin.
As for the old fields, they would
soon become the site of a new swimming pool and tennis courts, scheduled
for completion sometime in the summer of 1982. The photo above is a final
reminder of days gone by, and the vista would soon take on an entirely
new look.
The old hillside behind the field,
the concession stand, the rusting fence, the weeds along the third base
line, the old rusting dugout, the fans behind the backstop fence, the
official scorer and announcer, the little corner on-deck area and the row
of bicycles all seem so familiar, like it was only yesterday that these
were everyday sights. Soon they would be gone. The passage of time
would replace their spot in Brookline's baseball heritage with a new
era of memories, forged on the new fields, but it can't replace the
memories of the generations that grew up on the well-trodden diamonds
of the old "Community Center" fields.
Summary Of First Game At
Sam Bryen Field
JUNE 21 - Legion 4, BYMC 2:
Mike Forster pitched a fine three-hitter to pick up the 4-2 victory for
Legion in the inaugural game on Sam Bryen Field. Billy Johnson had two
singles, Chuck McCormick had two doubles and John Boris helped out with a
triple. For BYMC, Gregg Gielas and Chris Sestilli smacked homeruns, Dom
Panucci hit a double, and Billy Lonero chipped in a
single.
Sam Bryen Field At Tournament
Time
By All-Star time, Sam Bryen Field
was the new home of the Brookline Little League. The entire complex had yet
to be completed, and would be dedicated on opening day of the following season.
Below are a couple photos from one of the Little League All-Star tournament
games.
Click on images for
larger photos.
* Photos provided
by Gary Gielas and Dale Cuda * |
