On Saturday, April 17, the Gerritsen Beach Little League held their 58th Opening Season Ceremony for the 2010 Season. It is the oldest Little League in all of Brooklyn.
The parade kicked off at 10:00 am at the Resurrection Church Parking lot. Each of the teams, along with Resurrection Sports marched from Whitney Avenue to Larry Veiling Field (Cryus Avenue).
An opening prayer was given by Father Farrell followed by the National Anthem, by the Gerritsen Beach Marching Band.
During the ceremony, President Sal Mattaliano said “We are really trying to incorporate the Baseball and the Softball this year even though we are separate organizations. We are all one big family down here.”
The first pitch was thrown out by Tom Chandler, 85, who was with the little league since its inception. Tom started out as a umpire and moved to coach the senior division for many years.
Dan Cavanagh, District 25 Little League Administrator, said “Not only was he a great coach but he was an inspiration to all of us both on and off the field.”
Here are some of the Teams this year with their respective sponsors.
Tigers – New Dutch Farms
Sabers – Cort Club
Chiefs – Doreen Greenwood Real Estate
Mets – Victorias Pizza
Knights – Matthews Council 5989
Photo Gallery – Flickr
Photo Gallery – Facebook
[Parade Clip]
[Whole Ceremony 13 Minutes]
For those of you not able to attend here is a video, enjoy! Here is a friendly reminder for some you of : “you can’t have it both ways”.
Just as I expected no comments. Will no one will say anything good about the little league or the pictures unless it's some sort of "gate". "Wahhh the site is negative" it needs to be shut down… go screw.
I will be the FIRST to say: Good job GB LL on being the oldest league and continuing to teach our children
Hot debate. What do you think?
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are they really the oldest little league ? Saw the parade, very small but nice, remember the days of playing baseball but also remember a lot more players, where did they all go
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A credit to our community. We're all proud of you!!! Keep up the great work with the kids.
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I wish that more spectators had come out to see the Community Marching Band and all the Little Leaguers. We are a small community, and we need to have more community spirit. All of our band members take time from their busy lives and give of our selves to the spirit of the community, we are happy to do this, if more people came out to cheer us on, the better it would be. Please come out in community spirit for the Memorial Day parade. Let us remember those who have gone before us,who have died for our freedom, and the men and women fighting for our freedom today.
Carol
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Carol, I think part of the attendence problem is that unless you play in the band, or have kids in Little League, you aren't aware that there is to be a parade. I am guilty myself of not checking the community calender on this site more often. Good Luck to all the kids this season though! I wish you fair skies, fair play and lots of home runs! Thanks to all the people who make our beautiful Little League possible and of course to our band, who do give their time to make so many events special. Let's see a big reminder by gb.net for time and place for the Memorial Day parade. You are so right, Carol, the whole neighborhood should turn out for it. Well said!
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
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The men and women who give their time and energy on behalf of the Little League and other sports activities, e.g. softball, basketball and soccer, deserve even more credit than they get, and our children are still the epitome of American youth. Agreed, it would be great to have more spectators for each parade, but most of the spectators in Gerritsen Beach are usually marching. Each parade in Gerritsen Beach, whether it be for Little League, Memorial Day, Kiddie Beach –or the recent St. Patrick's Day parade, in squall weather and marching on the sidewalk– is right out of a Norman Rockwell Americana painting. Carol, you and the members of the marching band have become an institution in our community, and we can only hope there is never a conflicting date, when the band plays somewhere else instead of here.
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
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What a sweet parade. Old home town style ..beginning with the Vollies Fire truck, the band, the kids…wonderful… Thanks Little League. We're proud of you!
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i remember a long time ago when i was a kid(the 80's), wearing costumes for the parade,,,,we dont do that anymore? why not?
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Are you confusing the Little league Parade with the Thanksgiving Ragamuffin Parade? That's when the kids (and adults) wear costumes.
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maybe but i dont remember it being cold….
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Oh, lol, your probably thinking of the Kiddie Beach Opening Day parade! I don't know if they still wear costumes, but I remember as a kid that they did. I am REALLY going back now, but I think there was a time when they were themed, I remember one year that it was Old Fashioned Bathing Suits, or maybe they did an old fashioned bathing suit contest every year? Anyone out there older than I (?) who can help with this vague memory?
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Definitely not costumes for the Little League Parade – they wear their uniforms… I don't remember costumes for Kiddie Beach Parade – just the Ragamuffin Parade.
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I'm positive that for a time after it's founding, there were costumes worn in the opening day parade. I clearly remember the old fashioned bathing suits, it was funny. I also remember one year my mother dressing me up like Snuffy Smith (from the cartoon) and actually glueing a piece of fake fur to my upper lip for a moustache. Lol, Moms were crazy back then too! I think it was a theme every year, but I was really young in the 60's, I wish someone could fill in the blanks.
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There were no costumes in the 60's or ever. Maybe you went to dance school.
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You are wrong. There were costumes worn for the opening day parades in the early years, as well as oldfashioned bathing suits worn. There are pictures on Gerritsen Memories.
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yes it mustve been kiddie bch parade i was remembering!!!…
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Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
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Why would families from GB have their kids registered in any Little League outside the Beach? I know-your too good for us! And since you mentioned it, I saw a write up on the other opening day ceremonies in the Bay News, without mention of GB, why are you looking for trouble? If you have your kids in other leagues, and don't support the neighborhood that you live in, who really cares what you think anyway.
Hot debate. What do you think?
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Plenty of time and reports about other things outside GB are posted thats all. A lot of useless information to me
It would have been nice if you're reporting about happy kids to mention other leagues and parades, everyone loves a nice parade FYI since you obsviously know nothing about little leagues, people may go to other leagues because of special needs, childrens ages, scheduling, costs, along with about a dozen other reasons. My kids stopped playing a few years back. I have always supportted this community and many of the organizations.
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Your right, BallFour. I don't know much about Little League and didn't know there were other factors besides neighborhood that would decide which league to belong to. I stand corrected and apologize for the snarkiness!
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The same goes for the people of the beach go to another church outside the neighborhood. If Resurrection Church closes then I blame them for abandoning the neighborhood.
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I grew up in the beach and was an inaugural season member of what memory tells me was the Fox Lumber Cubs. Now retired a few states away I've never lost affection for the Beach, have family living there and since retirement have had the time to check in on GB.NET often. This Little League spread brought back instant memories including early life lessons on the value of teamwork, the satisfaction that comes from doing your best – however inept (I think I may have committed around 8 errors in one game), and the beginning of the ability to deal with public audiences. Congratulations to you all for keeping a great thing going all these years.
By the way – I grew up on Cyrus Avenue but noticed that GB.NET now often calls it Cryus. Did a name change slide by me?
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No it's still spelt Cyrus! I must misspell it a lot!
BallFour,
As soon as I can control the 65 reporters that work here I will be sure to send them over to cover that area.
If your interested, I would accept most anything that people would email in.
Just follow Marty, he gets enough exposure on here
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Just to be fair, I think Marty gets a lot of exposure on here because he's the only one doing events for the community.
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To Carol : Thank you, well said.
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Nice to see that they still have the little league going. I do hate the fact of the small turn out of players for the league. Remember playing the seniors division with 4 teams Card's were red, Pirates blue, Nats can't remeber if they were yellow or green and I cant remember the 4th team.
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Although I live in Florida for many years the Beach is still considered "home" As a teen I marched in the band when it was in the vollies. I am so very proud of my sister Carol and all you members of the marching band. The Beach is the most patriotic place on the map so come on out and show your spirit at the next parade for these great people !
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Thank you sister Min. Gerrittsen Beach is one of the most patriotic places you can find, just look up and down the avenue at all the beautiful flags waving, also up at the Little League field, thanks to GB Cares and many sponsors who have helped purchase these flags, and many thanks in part to my brothers Buddy and Ray for putting the flags up every year. I'll have GB sand in my shoes forever, just like you Minnie!! Wherever you go, wherever you live, your heart is always "home" here in Gerrittsen Beach.
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Carol, that is beautiful! And so true. My heart swells with pride every time I go up or down the Ave., watch a parade or attend any other community function or fundraiser. Sometimes the comments on here make me cringe, so many people who don't seem to 'get' it. So many willing to stand by while others criticize it and not defend it. Many thanks to Buddy and all the others who give their time and talent for their community and thanks to all the generations of your family that have been a part of many memorable moments in mine.
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Sal does so much good stuff for the community with the little league,
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Who were some of the best Gerritsen Beach little league players from the 60s?
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