Bearing banners and carrying balloons and pom-poms, hundreds of kids paraded up Bell Boulevard to mark the opening of the Bayside Little League season.
Parade officials estimated that about 700 children, parents and siblings turned out in total for the event on Saturday, April 14.
“I thought it was fantastic,” said Bob Reid, the league’s Commissioner. “The 111th [Precinct] did a great job. We had a nice detail so the whole street was closed off.”
After beginning at 43rd Avenue and Bell Boulevard, marchers ended up at Crocheron Park, where elected officials - Councilmember Tony Avella and Assemblymember Ann Margaret Carrozza - tossed out the opening pitches to Reid’s nine-year-old grandson Matthew Santagato. Santagato also read the Little League Pledge, which promises fair play.
League games began immediately after the parade, as baseball enthusiasts Andrew and Taylor Wolfe and their dog, Cassie, as well as Eric Bak and his pup, Bella, ran around the Crocheron Park fields.
“It was a huge success, and we got the kids out playing baseball,” Reid said.
Reid said he believed that the league had held a parade almost every year since 1953 - on several occasions, including last year, the parade had been rained out.
Bayside Little League Roundup
TEXAS DIVISION
Imperial Paint & Hardware won their season opener. Daniel Griffin gave up just one earned run and struck out five and Ruaziaro DiBella pitched two innings of shutout relief. Anthony Castagliola provided the offensive punch, smacking a three-run homer, knocking in five runs and adding three hits. Conner Magee added a two-run shot and drove in four runs.
JLS Designs topped Pal Mal Plumbing & Heating, 6-2. Brandon Simone pitched four shutout innings and Tristan Curmi hit a two-run double and David McCarthy made a great catch in the outfield with the bases loaded to end a rally. Nicolas Palmieri and David Drum drove in runs for Pal Mal Plumbing & Heating.
Bourbon Street got off to a nice start, topping Covanta Energy, behind Joseph Leuthner’s three hits and six runs batted in. Nicholas Theocharidis drove in four and had a triple. Christian Cardenas gave up just one run and struck out seven for Bourbon Street.
Delta Electric beat Covanta Energy, 7-5. Jonathan Low threw three strong innings, Sophia Karamatzanis chipped in with a clutch hit in the five-run fourth inning, and scored twice, and Michael Athens had the game-winning two-run double.
Fresh Meadows Mechanical beat Hartsko Financial Services behind the pitching of Steven Bellanie and Kevin Cunningham. Charlie Neuweiler had three doubles, Ryan Neuweiler added three hits and John Turano had two.
Fillmore’s won their second straight over Burke Supply. Nickolas Pravata drove in a run, Anthony Vieto tossed three no-hit innings and scored three runs, and Santiago Agosti slammed the door with six strikeouts in two innings of shutout relief.
