Sean Gormely greeted relief pitcher Paul Klecko with a two-run single to highlight Andrew Warde High School's four-run seventh-inning rally as the Crimson Eagles defeated arch-rival Roger Ludlowe, 4-2, in an FCIAC baseball clash 43 years ago today.
Ludlowe entered the game as the heavy favorite on its march toward a state tournament berth in 1976. However, as cliche as it sounds, whenever Warde and Ludlowe met on the playing field, it was time to throw the record books out the window. In fact, Warde's Tony Procaccini said the players felt upbeat on the bus ride to Ludlowe.
"The collective attitude was very positive," he wrote via email. "We had suffered through a disastrous start to the season, to be followed by greatly improved fielding and pitching as the season moved into the warmer and more comfortable playing weather. We defeated three teams much stronger than us: Wilton, Trumbull and finally Ludlowe."
Senior lefthander Bob Henry, making only his second start of the season, teased the Flying Tigers with a three-hitter. He struck out seven in going the distance for the winning Eagles. "I told coach Bob Jackson, 'I want the ball,' for that game against our arch-rival Ludlowe," admitted Henry.
"I was very upset when Ludlowe's Jim Barletto hit a seeing eye two-run single off me that left us trailing, 2-0. My Dad was never prouder of me after the team came back to win that game," he added. Henry is pictured below pitching during a 1975 home game with centerfielder Jeff Hannon in the background.
Tigers' righthander Brian Lee, 1-2, was pitching a three-hit shutout entering the last inning when the Crimson Eagles rallied, sending 10 players to the plate. Scott Thornton opened the top of the seventh with a walk, one of four free passes issued by Ludlowe hurlers in the fatal frame.
Procaccini stepped to the plate next. "This at-bat is still crystal-clear in my mind," he wrote. "I was facing Brian Lee, a solid right-handed pitcher and multi-sport player, against whom I would eventually have much good fortune," added Procaccini, who had three hits against him in one Senior Babe Ruth game played that summer.
"The count went to three and two, and I fouled off about three or four pitches, battling Lee all the way," he remembered. "I recall concentrating on not falling behind the pitches; his fastball was quick, and I could have easily been whiffed. Then, I sliced a fastball on the outside part of the plate into left-center field, a solid line-drive single, advancing the runner to second."
Pinch-hitter Paul Rossitto laid down a perfect bunt along the third base line for a hit, loading the bases with nobody out. The pressure then fell squarely upon the shoulders of pinch hitter John Zadrovitz to keep the rally going. "I started the scoring by hitting a deep sac fly to the left field fence with the bases loaded in the seventh," pointed out Zadrovitz. His fly ball cut the deficit in half, 2-1.
"I was down, 0-2, on the count, and Brian Lee threw me a knuckleball that didn't do squat. He had thrown me a curve ball the previous pitch, and I was in a hole. I guess he was cocky, so he figured he would mess with me. Unfortunately, I had only warning-track power, but I still got us on the scoreboard. The rest is history."
Ludlowe coach Jack Mullady then brought in Klecko, and Gormely belted a 1-1 offering to centerfield, plating two more runs and giving Warde a 3-2 advantage. Frank Fekete walked with the bases loaded, allowing the fourth run to score.
Henry set down the Tigers in order in the last of the seventh inning, his fourth perfect inning of the game. He said his Dad had the game clippings, including a story from the
Fairfield Citizen-News seen below, plastered all over the walls at the family gas station, Wells Rest Texaco, on Stratfield Road, until he finished managing the station in 1978.
Procaccini caught the last out, and he still has the baseball to this day. "I was absolutely ecstatic," he remembered. "Bob Henry, my close friend since grammar school, had pitched a great game, and we had defeated our cross-town enemies, in an otherwise dismal season."
He appeared with the baseball on
News 12 Connecticut's Education Notebook program to promote the AWHS Class of 1976 30-year reunion 12 years ago, and he even brought the ball to the class reunion in August of 2006. "Having caught the last out, I decided to keep that ball forever," Procaccini admitted.
"It has remained with me ever since, along with the glove with which I caught it, and my cap, which sports a white italic-style W against the crimson color of our school. "TONY PRO," my nickname in high school, is still on the under-bill."
It was just the third league win in 10 outings for Warde, while Ludlowe's FCIAC record dropped to 6-5. Overall, the Crimson Eagles improved to 3-9 and the Tigers dropped to 9-5. Ultimately, the Eagles finished the season with a 6-12 record, while Ludlowe made the state tournament.
"Coach Ed Bengermino told me he remembers that game vividly," Procaccini pointed out. "Bob Jackson was the varsity coach in 1976, and Bengermino was JV baseball coach. But 'Bengie' came to our games when the JV games ended. Defeating our crosstown rivals in those circumstances was extremely satisfying, and meant much to us. We had decisively won 'bragging rights' which, for the seniors, means we keep it forever."
Paul
