By Tony Procaccini
30th Reunion Committee President
Andrew Warde High School Class of 1976
I was at the Yankee game last night (Sept. 12), and we blasted the Devil Rays, 12-4. Yes, "we," since I'm a HUGE Yankee fan, as are many others from Connecticut. Classmates Bob Henry and Billy DiStasi are two guys I have rooted for the Yanks with going back many years.
During my last visit with Billy, we just happened to see the last three innings of the Yankees' final victory in the 5-game sweep of the hated Red Sox. This was a few days after the reunion, when I brought him the clock (first prize from our reunion raffle) given to him my classmate Mark Vida, and donated by Alan Klein. Mark is another rabid Yankee fan, by the way.
Billy and I reminisced on the Yankees' great 1978 season, noting that the weather that day was eerily similar to the weather on the day of the famous 1978 playoff game against Boston. Yes, the famous "Bucky Dent home run" game.
Tony Procaccini, Billy DiStasi, and Bob Henry, all Warde 1976. (Photo circa 2002.)
OK, back to last night. The Yanks scored nine runs in the first inning. Bobby Abreu had 6 RBI in that first frame, ended with seven for the game and made a great catch. Hidecki Matsui (first game since May) went four-for-four and a walk, and Mike Mussina pitched well. Perfect weather, too.
My great friend Lew Blaustein (AWHS 1977) and I caught up on a million things. This was my first game at Yankee Stadium this year, thus my record of being at the Stadium every season since 1970 is intact. I have that first ticket stub, by the way, from Sunday, 6/28/70, vs. the Boston Red Sox. The price was $2.75 for a doubleheader, and the place was sold out, like it always was back then for this greatest of American sports rivalries. The teams split the games, and many HRs were hit, as I recall, by Tom Satriano, Carl Yastrzemski, and others.
Last night our entry price was $30 (for a $40 ticket, scalping still works), for a seat in the Loge area, in the first row of the second deck, very close to the rightfield foul pole. Great view and we were covered from the elements (though that was not necessary last night).
Some things have changed (especially ticket prices), but the game remains basically the same one we played as kids in the 1960s and 1970s. Anyone out there remember "Yaz" bread? (I know classmate Mark Brown does. He's a Red Sox fan.) Joe Pepitone? Tom Tresh? Jake Gibbs? By the way, I still have all my Topps Series 1968 baseball cards; Willie Mays, Mickey Mantle, Hank Aaron, Bob Gibson, I've got 'em all.
Someday we'll have a baseball (card) reunion just for the old days. I swap baseball trivia often with many Warde 1976 classmates: Bob Henry, Steve Schempp (now in Afghanistan with a subsidiary of Halliburton), Paul Rossitto, Tony Krushinski, Joe O'Brien, John Varholak and others. We must also include my great friend and baseball buddy Paul Liptak, who is AWHS 1975. Mike Fetcho added some words on the Yankees' recent sweep in Boston (five straight), so now that I know he's a Yankee fan, he'll hear from me more often.
How did I become a Yankee fan? Simple. My older brother Vinny (Notre Dame 1969) "learned me" well when I was young. We played many Wiffle ball games on our front yard, with the pitcher throwing from the street. He played sports at NDHS, and stays in touch with many of his classmates, too, especially from grammar school. He's Assumption School Class of 1965, and helps organize their reunions. He and his wife live in Fairfield. He's a CFP (Certified Financial Planner) for Ameriprise Financial (formerly American Express Financial Advisors) in Westport. His two sons, Timmy (29) and Stevie (25), graduated Fairfield High School. Timmy (FHS 1995) was in a band with Grammy-winner classmate John Mayer all four years. Their band, Villanova Junction, played for their graduation ceremony, and I remember it well. Tim and John stay in touch often.
Many of Vinny's clients derive from his school and sports connections. He is also a baseball umpire and basketball referee. Warde 1976 classmates Tim Kelly and Greg Aiello, among others, know him quite well from the umpire angle, since they play(ed) softball in Fairfield. They also tell me he's a good ump, always focused and fair in his judgments. If there are other baseball fans out there from our class, I ask them to contact me (via the class Web would be easiest).
My memories of the two years I spent on the Varsity baseball are among my favorites. I still have my Warde baseball cap and the ball I caught as the last out of our victory over Ludlowe on May 12, 1976. A large group of the 1974 JV team players met with Coach Ed Bengermino in 2004, the 30-year anniversary of our 12-4 season. A great article was written about that meeting in an issue of the Fairfield Minuteman by award-winning writer Andy Hutchison. I have copies for those who may want to read it now. Someday I'll get it scanned and put on our Web.
Future blog installments from Tony Pro: George Janda (Ludlowe 1975), "Networking Page" for our Web, 'almost' classmates, Thanksgiving weekend ideas for the class, and Frank Sinatra. Now, you may very well ask: What does 'Ole Blues Eyes' have to do with AWHS 1976? Hold your breath, fans! All in good time, all in good time.
Tony Procaccini
Astoria, Queens (NYC)
Sept. 13, 2006
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