1959 District 4 Runner-Up

Front Row: Fred Trueschel, Lenny Conway, John Demetrius, Pat Fagan, Rich Schmidt, Phil Dattisman, Jackie Daurora.
Standing Row: Bill Baumiller, Tom Samarco, Lou Blefere, Jackie Flavin, Rennie Rossa, Bill Timmons, Dave Hamill.
Rear: Manager John Leaf, Coaches Alex Favero and Leonard Zankel.
Missing: Lou Martorella and Glenn Nylander.

Click on image for a larger photo.

The 1959 Little League All-Stars were gunning for another chance at the state finals which were lost the previous year by the 1958 squad to Mill Creek of Philadelphia, 2-1. League President Sam Bryen had cajoled the Williamsport officials into holding the 1959 Little League state finals at the Community Center Field in Brookline, setting the stage for an anticipated hometown showdown.

Well, the Little League state finals were held here in our hometown, and the four best teams in the state battled it out at the Community Center, but the boys from Brookline watched from the sidelines, having bowed out in the District 4 city championship game to Sto-Rox, 1-0. Below are two articles documenting their All-Star games.

For more information on the 1959 State Tournament, including a couple photos, click here.

Brookline All-Stars Defeat Carrick

Saturday evening, July 25, the first All-Star playoff game of District 4 was played between Brookline Little League and Carrick at Carrick Field. Brookline defeated Carrick, 6-2, on a strong three-hit performance by pitcher Jackie Flavin.

After a scoreless first inning Tom Samarco walked to open the second. Lou Blefere then tripled to make the score 1-0 in favor of Brookline.

In the third inning, Flavin was hit by a pitched ball, then moved to second on a bunt by Lou Martorella. Renne Rossa then slammed a two-run homer for Brookline's second and third runs.

In the fourth inning, Blefere led off with a double. Dave Hamill, batting for Pat Fagan, singled. Fred Trueschel came in to run for Hamill. Phil Dattisman then came through with a three-run homerun to give Brookline six runs.

Flavin and Martorella both smacked singles to round out Brookline's seven hit attack.

* Reprinted from the Brookline Journal - July 30, 1959 *

Brookline Defeats Bower Hill, Then Bows Out To Sto-Rox

Brookline kept going in the All-Star playoff by defeating Bower Hill, 7-1. In the third inning, Rennie Rossa singled and scored on a homerun by Dave Hamill. Lou Blefere then homered to make the score 3-1.

In the fifth inning Rossa doubled and scored on a double by Glenn Nylander. Lenny Conway bunted to score Nylander. On the throw-in and error allowed Conway to score. Tom Samarco came through with a homerun to make the score 7-1. Rossa pitched, giving up five hits and striking out seven. Phil Dattisman was catcher.

On Friday evening, July 21, Brookline lost to Sto-Rox, 1-0. Jackie Flavin pitched a two-hitter for Brookline. Spisak of Sto-Rox also gave up two hits. Both pitchers struck out eleven batters. Lou Blefere had the only two hits for Brookline.

The Brookline All-Stars were awarded a handsome trophy for placing second in Section 4 of the Pittsburgh Little League playoffs.

* Reprinted from the Brookline Journal - August 6, 1959 *