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Two Thousand Enjoy Baseball Opening Day in Putnam Valley
by Edward Paul Greiff
Under rain-threatening skies on Saturday, April 5, 2008, the Putnam Valley Parks & Recreation Department and the Putnam Valley Baseball Association launched their fourth annual "Opening Day" parade and celebration. The Putnam Valley Fire Department and Ambulance Corps led the parade of over 500 kids and team sponsors from the Elementary School to the Leonard Wagner Memorial Park. A crowd of approximately 1,500 family, friends, and spectators were at the park waiting for the colorful arrival of the young baseball players.
The parking lot was muddy, puddles of water were everywhere. The hope was the fields would dry off before the young baseball players had to take the field. As the parade reached the Park Pavilion at 2:20pm bright sunshine broke through the clouds as if to shine a spotlight on the event.
The short march from the Elementary school didn't tire the kids - instead it supercharged them. As hard as P&R Supervisor Frank DiMarco and event Coordinator Ray Gallagher tried to keep the kids lined up in an orderly fashion, they were no match for the unbridled boundless energy of these young kids who were hopping like jumping beans. However, when it came time for Putnam Valley Town Supervisor Bob Tendy to deliver his a cappella rendition of our national anthem everyone stood still, removed their baseball caps, and held them over their hearts and sang the Star Spangled Banner. The bright sunshine and beautiful park setting with the mountains in the background and a crowd of over 2,000 people singing is the kind of image that makes Putnam Valley different from most other communities.
It was now time to celebrate. It seemed like all 2,000 people converged at the same time on the food table. Needless to say, the volunteer servers deserve medals for the way they handled the crowd. Earlier in the day the Putnam Valley Fire Department started their barbecue and began cooking fifty hamburgers at a time on the large outdoor grill. Hot dogs, baked beans, and cheeseburgers were also available as were sodas and snow cones. The Fire Department donated the food.
This is a spectacular heartwarming event that reinforces why sports and recreation are important and what a positive part of both a kid's and an adult's life this is.
We asked Ray Gallagher what was different this year and he replied that it was the rapid growth in the number of boys and girls of all ages that want to participate in the program. It is now up to 500 kids. This means more teams and the need for more sponsors. Ray's official title with the Parks & Recreation Department is that of "Crew Chief." He is responsible for maintaining the park facilities but has added Athletic Director to the repertoire of activities he performs. Besides baseball there is softball, basketball, lacrosse, volleyball, and for the first time this year, they conducted a wrestling clinic, which he says was a big success.
Following the Minor League season opener, the first Major League game (ages 10-12) to be played in Putnam Valley in more than thirty years was scheduled to take place. Starting next Saturday there will be baseball games being played on six different fields throughout town, Town Park, the Elementary School, and the High School. The season will culminate with Championship Weekend on June 14. The teams cover all age groups starting with "T-Ball" for ages 4-5, "Coach & Pitch" for ages 5-6.
There are two girls' softball leagues. The Minor League for ages 7-9, and the Major league for ages 10-12. And then there are the men's and women's softball leagues.
Gallagher said they have two tributes planned. One is to name the baseball field in the Park after former Parks & Recreation Commissioner Phil Keating who Ray says is always there for them and has been a constant driving force to help make the Town Park what it is today. A second field in the Park is to be named after former Councilman Steve Johnson who labored tirelessly to get the raw material needed to build the park in the first place. You can catch Steve Johnson umpiring some of the games.
Ray pointed to Tommy Patterson as the person responsible for getting the increase in the number of sponsors they sorely needed to support the teams. Sponsors pay for the uniforms for the teams. When questioned as to what his super sales technique was to get sponsors Tommy Patterson replied, "I just asked them and most gladly opened up their checkbook. Right now there is a waiting list of people who want to become sponsors."
As with most things in life nothing just happens. Behind each great event there's an equal great human effort. The Putnam Valley Baseball Commission is to be congratulated along with the Putnam Valley Volunteer Fire Department, Putnam Valley Volunteer Ambulance Corps, and the many sponsors who make Opening Day and the entire baseball season possible. Their names are listed below:
Putnam Valley Baseball Association Commission: Ray Gallagher Commissioner, Kevin Gallagher, Ed Lent, Joe Nolan, John Gutierrez, Gene Yetter, Irv Bemba, Rick Anderson, Ron Ferraro.
2008 Baseball Team Sponsors: Sabco Construction, Home Décor Solutions, Allen Keating Insurance, Affordable Carting, Hanlon's Steakhouse, Camp Floradan, Bud's Driveway Services, Oregon Hardware, Kenna's Gym, Genext, Cabinoors, Anderson's Well Drilling, Elite Environmental and Tank, Bounce Haven Rentals, Chazen Companies, Chung Ma's Taekwondo, Michael & Sons, Memory Auto, Putnam Waste Disposal, Bolger Heinz and Zutt Attorneys, Rose Hill Memorials, Putnam Petroleum, Fowler Fuel, Golden Arm Sports, Carlsen Electric, Pine Grove Day Care, Colonial Fence, Heritage Funeral Home, Hollowbrook Wine & Spirits, Lussier Tree Service, Hudson Valley Motorcycle Parts, Darcy's Dance Academy, Putnam Valley Pharmacy, Simply Bagels, Kappus Pumps, Zimbaldi Painting, Duct Dusters, Mahopac National Bank, On Earth Plant Care, MALT Construction, and The Window Gallery.
Commissioner Gallagher expressed his heartfelt thank you to all the many volunteers who helped make this day possible. To quote former Town Supervisor Carmelo Santos, "Without volunteers there would be no Putnam Valley."
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