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"The Year Brookline
Went All The Way"
by Bobby Healy III
We've always played good baseball
here in Brookline, and since the city's B.I.G. League organization
started having a Little League Tournament in 1994, we've been a force to
be reckoned with. The tournament features local Little League champions
from participating Pittsburgh communities, playing a single elimination
tournament that culminates with a championship game at Three Rivers
Stadium. The winner claims the prestigious Mayor's Cup and carries the
honor of being the best Little League team in Pittsburgh.
In the inaugural year of the
tournament, 1994, Brookline was well represented by Droz Steel, who had
just captured their second consecutive in-house league championship with
a 19-1 record. Led by Justin Phillips, Kenny Rayl, Mike Woleslagle, Andy
Tsangaris, Tom Kapinsky, Ryan Osbourne, Joe Moriss, and a solid group of
younger players, this team roared through the South Region with wins
over Carrick, Bon-Air, and Mt. Oliver. Brookline lost to a tough Elliott
team at Three Rivers Stadium in the semi-finals, 2-0. Despite a
masterful one-hit pitching performance from Justin Phillips, it seemed
as if every break went the opponent's way. Elliott left the field enroute
to the championship game with Brightwood, while Brookline took home
valuable experience that would prepare them for the coming
season.
The following season, Droz Steel
became Bob Hayes Photography after a sponsorship change, but aside from
the name nothing much changed. This young squad, with a solid nucleus,
struggled early, but came on strong at the end of the season to beat out
three tough teams, Resurrection, Legion, and Gordon's, for their third
straight league championship. They also earned their second shot at the
Mayor's Cup.
Brookline's Best went into the
1995 B.I.G. League Tournament with a handful of players who had picked
up valuable experience the previous year. Bob Healy III, Dave Morgan,
Scott Gaugler, Joe Bucci, and Dan George had all played key roles in
1994, and with the addition of Sean Rayl, Andy Cibrone, Jason Casciato,
Bill Sharkey, Devlin Robinson, John Hankle, and Mike Bonner, this was a
deep, solid team. Under Mayor's Cup rules, three players from the
second place team, Legion, were added to the roster. Fortune shined as
John Wolsko, Sean Gallagher, and Chaz Fascetti, all solid contributors,
were chosen.
Brookline 1995 Mayor's Cup
Team
Top
Row: Manager Bob Healy Jr., Coach Dick Morgan, Bob Healy III, John Wolsko,
Coach Tony Bucci, Mike Bonner, Dan George, Coach Dan George.
Middle
Row: Chaz Fascetti,
Scott Gaugler, Dave Morgan, Joe Bucci, John Hankle, Sean Rayl, Coach John
Moroney.
Front
Row: Jason Casciato,
Devlin Robinson, Sean Gallagher, Andy Cibrone, Billy
Sharkey.
Click on image
for a larger picture.
Roaring once again through the
South Region, Brookline defeated Lincoln Place, Carrick, and Mt.
Washington on their way to the semi-finals. Only the final game was to
be played at Three Rivers Stadium this season, and Brookline drew the
unenviable task of playing the defending champions, Brightwood, at
Martin Luther King Field on the North Side. Brightwood was again at the
top of their game and held the lead until the 5th inning. It was 90
degrees, humid, and the chips were down, but the Brookline players never
let up. Key hits by Rayl, Bucci, Morgan, Gaugler, and Healy put
Brookline on top, and a strong pitching performance by Dave Morgan
sealed the win. Brookline's Best were again on their way to Three Rivers
Stadium, this time for a chance to become Pittsburgh's
Best.
The opponent in the championship
game was "The Next Level", a travelling team from the East End
consisting of players from East Hills, Homewood, East Liberty, and other
neighboring communities. This team was tough, and brought with them a
reputation as a hard hitting steamroller who had thus far toyed their
way to an unbeaten record.
It was a hot day on the turf at
Three Rivers Stadium (100 degrees) for the big showdown. For the second
year in a row, Brookline chose the Pirates dugout, hoping for better
luck the second time around. The game began ominously as "The Next
Level" showed why they were considered the favorites, jumping off
quickly in the top of the first with a 2-run homer by catcher "Big"
Darryl Weston, followed by two doubles, for a 3-0 lead. Only a great
play by catcher Scott Gaugler prevented a fourth run.
In the bottom half of the first
inning, Brookline returned the favor by scoring three of their own on a
walk to Sean Rayl, and double by Scott Gaugler, and an inside the park
homer by Bobby Healy. "The Next Level" had met their match, and thanks
to a steady pitching performance by ace Dave Morgan, and clutch
infielding by Rayl, Bucci, Wolsko, Gaugler, Hankle, and Healy, they
slowly sunk to the "second level" while Brookline rose to the "highest
level". The Brookline squad picked up four more runs and held their
opponent scoreless through the remainder of the game to walk away with a
7-3 victory. The 1995 Mayor's Cup trophy was theirs, and Brookline's
Little Leaguers were now Pittsburgh's Best.
Tournament sponsors Lou Polito
and Sam Mastriano awarded the Brookline players their individual
trophies at Three Rivers Stadium two weeks later before a Pirates game,
congratulating the boys on a fine season, and for defeating such worthy
opponents.
We always knew we played good
baseball here in Brookline, and now the rest of the city did
too!
Manager Bob Healy Jr. and son Bob Healy
III after their
stunning 7-3 victory over "The Next Level". Bobby's
homer in the bottom of the first inning tied the
game at 3-3. Brookline never looked back.
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