The outlook wasnt brilliant for the Flushing nine that night, The score stood one to one for most innings of the fight.
They had been spared disaster by a Chavez highlight pull.
Theyd had the bases loaded and they had left them full.
An out, a hit, an errant throw, a walk and hearts did fly;
But Valentin, who had been hit, struck out despite his try.
Then after almost entering into eternal lore, With three on, Chavez flied out and those hearts were on the floor.
And so it went into the eighth when Heilman took the mound;
The set up man whod owned the frame and had become renowned.
Again he toed the rubber, again towards home he glared, Again he mowed the villains down, again our boys were spared.
Then top o ninth he does return, where he is not so sure, Yet gets the leadoff strikeout, to the fans volcanic roar.
A hard won single, then a pitch and then a dreadful crack;
Into their bullpen goes a ball Chavez cannot pull back.
But Heilman gets the next two, and scowls back to his seat;
It’s last licks for the Metsies, or else they will be beat.
Valentin cracks a single, hero Chavez does the same;
And hobbled Floyd pinch hits for Heilman, though hes nearly lame.
A hundred thousand eyes are glued, ten thousand more are shut.
And more that dont see Floyd go down or Reyes mighty cut
A drive into right center! A triple, from above?
But wind and mist and gentle rain convey it to the glove.
Two out and three score thousand throats give out a mighty yell;
They walk Lo Duca, bases full, the roar proceeds to swell.
Beltrn owns their pitching, hes homered thrice before;
He cuts a foul, then takes a strike, then bristles like a boar.
Oh! Somewhere in this favored land the sun is shining bright;
The band is playing somewhere and somewhere hearts are light,
And somewhere men are laughing and somewhere children shout;
But there is no joy in Metsville mighty Beltrn has struck out.
Victor G. Mimoni
(With apologies to Ernest Lawrence Thayer)
Throw Away The Key
I was shocked to hear that Assemblymember Brian McLaughlin was indicted for stealing $2.2 million dollars. However, the most shocking of his alleged actions was stealing from the Electchester Little League. It really amazes me that those who are elected to serve the public, end up stealing from those who put them in office. I guess greed knows no end. I believe that if Brian McLaughlin is guilty, they ought to put him in jail and throw away the key.
Frederick R. Bedell Jr.
Bellerose
Thoughts About Democrats
Democratic State Assemblymember Brian McLaughlin is charged with defrauding labor unions, New York State, a local Little League, his own local Democratic club and personal campaign reelection committee for a combined total of over $2.2 million dollars.
If convicted of these charges, McLaughlin would join three other members of New York State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silvers Democratic majority, including former Kings County Democratic Party Boss Clarence Norman, Roger Green and Gloria Davis. They all have been convicted of serious crimes.
This follows the recent scandal of New York State Comptroller Alan Hevesi who used a taxpayer-funded staff member to drive his wife to medical appointments for several years. These actions illustrate the collective arrogance of those public officials.
There may be a clear conflict of interest between past Pay for Play campaign contributions made by his own International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) along with various unions belonging to
the New York City Central Labor Council previously chaired by McLaughlin and many fellow Democratic public officials. This may explain their reluctance to bite the hand that feeds them and not criticize him.
Rest assured, a good time will still be had by all when Queens County Democrats gather to hold their annual pre-election day fundraising gala later this month!
Larry Penner
Great Neck
Police Blotter Fan
My name is Violet, a 9th grader of Francis Lewis High School, and I just wanted to send you a letter of appreciation for your great reporting of criminal news. Your articles help me every week for my Law homework when I have to write about two criminal cases including the date of occurrence, the defendant, the prosecution, summary, result/sentence and personal comment and it has become so easy for me because I could always expect to find it in your articles when I cannot in others.
Thanks,
Violet
Francis Lewis High School
Traffic Light Wanted
This letter is concerning a badly needed traffic light at 19th Avenue and Utopia Parkway in Whitestone the scene of numerous traffic accidents and near misses.
For many years, the Clearview Community has been trying to get a light installed at that crossing used by many senior citizens in their 80s & 90s but to no avail.
Iris Weinshall, head of the Department of Transportation, and Maura McCarthy have ignored our request for years. In 2000, Ms. Weinshall put in a bike lane that absolutely no one uses, a waste of the taxpayers money.
Why must someone God forbid get killed before these people wake up? Perhaps someone above Ms. Weinshall can finally get us a light. It is impossible to cross there.
Sadie Goldstein
Whitestone
