12 APRIL 13 - APRIL 19, 2018 BROOKLYN MEDIA GROUP
St. Anselm begins its softball and
baseball season in new fi eld of dreams
BY JAIME DEJESUS
JDEJESUS@BROOKLYNREPORTER.COM
Opening day in their fi eld of
dreams.
The unseasonably cold
spring day couldn’t dampen the excitement
of young ballplayers on Saturday,
April 7 as St. Anselm Catholic
Academy held its soft ball and baseball
opening day ceremony, followed by
the chance to play some ball. This year
had extra signifi cance as it took place
at the team’s newly renovated ball
fi eld at McKinley Park, Fort Hamilton
Parkway and 73rd Street.
Eileen Johnson, one of the soft ball
commissioners at St. Anselm, declared
the special opening day a success.
“It went very well considering the
weather was freezing. We had a pretty
good turnout and this year it was
exciting because this is the fi rst time
we’re using the new fi eld,” she said, recalling
that she and a colleague in 2006
had approached then-Councilmember
Vincent Gentile about getting a new
fi eld. “We’ve been waiting a very long
time for this to be fi nished and we
were very excited to fi nally be using
it this year. We just hope have many
years to enjoy this, because it’s a great
fi eld.”
The ribbon was cut on the field
during a ceremony in November of
last year when Gentile, Brooklyn
Parks Commissioner Martin Maher
and members of the community
gathered at the fi eld to celebrate its
opening.
Opening day is always a special
time for the youngsters, who range
from pre-k to eighth grade. The league
serves 200-250 children.
“It means a lot to them,” said Johnson.
“Starting soft ball and baseball is
always exciting. My kids are in high
school now and I coached for several
years at St. Anselm. They practice
indoors during the winter, then they
get ready, get new uniforms, and are
ready to come out and start playing.
Hopefully, the weather is going to start
getting warmer.”
Before the three games that were
played, Monsignor John Maloney
blessed the fi eld. Also in attendance
were Gentile along with State Senator
Marty Golden.
St Anselm Baseball Commissioner
Christopher Auletti also stated that
the day was a success.
“Considering that it was a cold day,
it turned out to be great,” he said. “We
had a big turnout with our kids. Marty
came, Vincent Gentile was here, Justin
Brannan was here in spirit because he
helped us so much with the fi eld.”
He also stated that having the new
fi eld gave the league incentive not
to cancel the celebration despite the
weather.
“If it weren’t for the fact that we were
doing opening day for the brand new
fi eld, we probably would’ve called it
off too, but we were really excited so
we told the kids, we are going to bundle
you up and get you out there,” he
said. “This is something that has been
in the works for 10 years, and it’s here
and it’s great.”
Auletti added that having a place to
call home for games will lift the spirits
of all involved in the league. "We’ve
been playing at everyone else’s home
for so long. Now we have our own
home and it felt great. The families
and kids loved it.”
During the fi rst game, which began
at noon, St. Anselm beat OLA 16-4. Auletti’s
son C.J. was the fi rst St. Anselm
player to hit a home run in the new
fi eld.
BROOKLYN MEDIA GROUP/Photos by Arthur de Gaeta
Opening day for St. Anselm’s baseball and softball league
was extra special because it took place on its new fi eld in
McKinley Park.
Local panel supports app to co-name Ridge
street corner in memory of Arthur Schack
BY MEAGHAN MCGOLDRICK
MMCGOLDRICK@BROOKLYNREPORTER.COM
Community Board 10 on
Monday, March 19 voted
unanimously to greenlight a
street naming application for the late
Arthur Schack.
Schack – a Kings County Supreme
Court Justice, former civil court judge,
attorney and educator – wore his
dedication to the community on his
sleeve, according to the board’s Traffi
c and Transportation Committee
Chair Jayne Capetanakis, who spoke
of a detailed application submitted to
the panel by Schack’s wife, Dilia, that
she said, “exceeded the guidelines for
both Community Board 10 and the city
application for street naming.”
“The documents provided
evidence of a lifetime of sustained
community service,” Capetanakis
said. “As a local high school teacher,
as an attorney for the Major League
Baseball’s Players Association and
ultimately as a New York State Supreme
Court Justice, Arthur Schack
continued to volunteer his time to
many organizations.”
Among them were the Boy Scouts
of America, the Guild for Exceptional
Children, Friends Of Historic New
Utrecht, the Bay Ridge Historical
Society and CB 10.
The street naming, should it be approved
by the city, will see the corner
of 89th Street and Ridge Boulevard
become “Arthur Schack Way.” Dilia,
his wife of 41 years, was present at
the Monday board meeting – held at
the Fort Hamilton Senior Center, 9941
Fort Hamilton Parkway – to see her
application get the board’s approval.
Schack died on May 2, 2016 at the
age of 70.
BROOKLYN MEDIA GROUP/fi le photo
The late Arthur Schack.
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