Connecticut Tri-State Baseball League

“To permanently honor, document, and preserve contributions to the heritage of the Tri-State Baseball League.”

2010 Class

Doug McArthur: played for Lakeville from 1968 – 1976.  Doug played shortstop and occasionally pitched for Lakeville.  An excellent defensive shortstop, Doug usually was in the fourth spot in a great Lakeville lineup that won championships in 1970, 1973, 1975 and 1976.  He hit for a .416 batting average in 1970 and the following year batted .444.  In 1971, he was also voted MVP of the Tri-State league.  In his final season, 1976, he was given an award by the league for ‘outstanding and dedicated service to baseball in the area.’  That year he announced that he was moving to Japan to work for the National Council of Churches of Christ and was there until 1979.  In 1984 he graduated from the seminary and has now been an ordained minister for the past 27 years.

     Doug is very appreciative and honored to receive this award, however he wished that this award be accepted in honor of his father, Frank McArthur Sr. for his thirty plus years of being involved with baseball in the Lakeville area including serving as head coach of the Fireman during their stint in the old Inter-State league and the current Tri-State league.

Dave McArthur:  played for Lakeville from 1968 through the mid 80’s.  He started out as a slick fielding second baseman then moved to center field where he played most of his career.  He batted at the top of the lineup using his outstanding speed to set up the Lakeville offense.  Dave was a master of the drag bunt for base hits. A left handed slap hitter who hit to all fields, he was a career .300 hitter and in 1983, in the twi-light of his playing days, hit for a .367 average. Affectionately nick-named “Daisy” by his teammates; Dave was a free spirited player on five Lakeville championship teams.  Many opposing hitters were robbed of extra base hits at Lakeville Park when he would go up the embankment to the railroad tracks and haul in long fly balls.  Routine fly balls to center were also something to watch as Dave put them away with a “basket catch”.

     He was a natural on the field who could hit, run and play centerfield.  His longevity in the game can be attributed to the fun he brought to the ball park, his teammates and fans.  Dave will always be remembered to those who saw him play as the guy who played in sneakers rather than spikes.  He finished off his baseball career by managing Lakeville for his final few seasons.

John McKenna: is best known these days for his voice in local publications, but his time on the diamond can never be forgotten.  John played for the Litchfield Cowboys from 1983-1986 and 1991-2002 with a four year stint for the Thomaston Spoilers sandwiched in the middle from 1987-1990.  He was the kind of player that could hit anywhere in the lineup but never was an easy out.  If you ask him for some of his favorite moments during his extensive career, he’ll surely mention winning a Tri-State League championship with Thomaston in 1989, or hitting a homerun in the 1989 All-Star game, or beating Torrington 3 out of 4 games in 2002 including an epic 2-0 playoff victory, or belting a homerun in his final game with the Cowboys.  If you ask anyone else about their favorite moments with John, they’ll surely mention just playing with him.  He was a great teammate on and off the field who played the game the right way.  In 8 years as manager of the Cowboys, John found a way to bring the baseball interest back to Litchfield.  The Cowboys went from barely fielding a team to eventually branching into two full squads thanks to John’s work. John continues to support the Tri-State league and Cowboys baseball with his press coverage although he will always be welcomed to grab a bat and dig in.

Dave Post: fell in love with the game of baseball when he was just a kid as a member of the 1968 Thomaston little league championship team where he was bestowed the teams pitching award. He played American Legion baseball at age 13, when Thomaston had its own Legion team. By 15 years of age, he was pitching nine innings in a loss (5-2) to a #1 state-ranked Legion powerhouse Bristol team.  As a senior at Thomaston High School (1973), he was All-Berkshire League/All-State as a pitcher/first baseman who hit .337 for the Golden Bears with a ‘couple’ of  Home-Runs. At 5’6’’, 225 pounds, Dave’s fastball was clocked at 91mph. He was the third fastest pitcher during a Cincinnati Reds tryout and was also invited to a Chicago Cubs tryout camp. A bicycle accident then damaged his throwing shoulder and ended his dream of pursuing the Major Leagues.

After trying modified softball for a few years, Dave joined Greg Hunts Bethlehem Plowboys and in his first game, as the #9 batter in the lineup, he hit two home runs in a 13-2 loss to Amenia. Three years later, he started his own team – the Thomaston Spoilers – leading them to championships in 1989 and 2003. Dave still holds the Spoiler record for home runs in a season with seven in 1986 and also played in the Waterbury Twi-Met league from 1973 thru 1999. A feared hitter during his prime that teams pitched around in the lineup, one does not mention ‘Postie’ without mentioning the other love of his life, his wife Lucy. She is known as the Spoilers’ scorekeeper, videographer, team mom and Post’s stabilizing force. They met at an American Legion game, and were married on a baseball field in Amenia, N.Y. Postie is regarded as quite the character, and never one to be shy with the umpires. Antics such as smashing himself in the helmet with the bat after a swing and miss, pulling off the hidden ball trick at first base, and the guy who once chased a heckler over the fence at a game, had a heart attack and was life-starred out of the parking lot and then banned from playing for the first half of the following season – will signify his on-field legacy.

RJ Poniatoski: carved a niche in Torrington’s High School’s outfield and then moved on to star in the Tri-State league playing for Litchfield before ending his baseball career with the newly formed Torrington Rebels. Known as arguably the best defensive centerfielder of his era, RJ used his aggressiveness on the base paths to become one of the leagues premier leadoff batters. Though small in stature, RJ followed in his fathers footsteps and inherited the same great speed that gifted his father Ray, and used that speed, and knowledge of the game, to be able to compete with the ‘Big Guys’. RJ also earned MVP trophies while playing in the Canton and New Britain softball leagues.

Following 13 years of graduate lessons as assistant coach to the now-general manager Biff Pond, RJ is in his first year as head coach of Torrington’s American Legion baseball team. Always volunteering his services to raise money for the Legion program or to help run a clinic through the Torrington Park & Rec Department, he is also a committee member for the profiled Dick’s Restaurant Scholarship Fund and the John Ponte Scholarship Fund. RJ credits his wife Linda for ‘being an angel’ to allow him to devote so much time to charity and baseball work. He is also known in the Northwest Hills of CT as being one of the prominent umpires in the area. RJ is serving in his 33^rd season with the Torrington Board of Umpires and is currently the boards Spring Commissioner.

Jay Lemere: was a graduate of Gilbert High School in Winsted, and was a member of the 1976 CIAC state championship team. Jay continued his baseball career playing in the Tri-State League where he was the starting shortstop for a Winsted team that won four league championships in eight seasons. He was also the starting shortstop representing the Tri-State league in three different all-star games played during his playing days. In the latter part of his career, it was legendary coach Greg Hunt who first approached Jay about the possibility of someday becoming an umpire, citing he felt Jay was very knowledgeable about the game of baseball. Known for having a fiery demeanor,  how ironic that a man who had a reputation of ‘being thrown out every Sunday’ would find his next baseball love to be wearing a mask behind home-plate. The respect that Jay earned on the field as a ballplayer has certainly carried over to behind the dish as these days he is easily the most requested umpire in the Tri-State League. Jay has served as the Torrington Board of Umpires state representative for the past two seasons. This year he was also elected as their summer commissioner.

 Charlie Thornton: played for the Amenia Monarchs for a quarter of a century, from 1970 to 1994 and always in the starting line-up.  He was given the nickname of “Old Reliable” by the late “Doc” Bartlett.  He was the Tri-State league MVP in 1985 and in three different seasons during his career was voted team MVP by his teammates.

In his early years he played shortstop when he was not doing the pitching for Amenia.  Being over six feet, he was ahead of the times for big infielders but had the quickness to cover the position and cannon of an arm to play a deep short. As a starting pitcher with excellent control he used his heavy fastball with a variety of speeds on the breaking ball to put down opposing hitters.  A highlight of his mound career was in the early 80’s when he was called on as a last minute starter against Washington Depot.  He tossed nine innings of no-hit baseball with one walk in a 1-0 Amenia win.  Charlie lived up to his nickname in the Stan Musial tournament in 1985 when he threw 7 innings in an Amenia win and came back the next night to toss another 5.  In his later years he developed a knuckle ball and would come in from first base to seal many Monarch wins. Charlie played all the infield positions and a few years in the outfield.  He became a clutch RBI hitter who batted in the sixth spot in the order for a power filled line-up. It would be hard to imagine that Amenia would have had such a championship run for that period without Charlie.  He was admired by his teammates for the always positive attitude and leadership he displayed both in the field and on the bench.  A fan favorite for the infamous “Hill Gang” at the old park in Amenia, he will always be known to them as simply “Thunder”.

Chris Caron: was a graduate of Terryville high school who played his college baseball at the University of Hartford, Chris was known for a smoking fastball on the mound and a big bat at the plate. A 6’4’’ masterpiece who threw in the mid-90’s, Chris was the Tri-State league MVP in 1989 when Thomaston when its 1^st league championship. In 16 full-time years with the Spoilers as their starting centerfielder, he had a career batting average of .355. On the mound, he threw a no-hitter as recently as 2007, at the age of 37. “We should have been watching him on TV” stated head coach Dave Post, musing at Chris’ talents as a centerfielder and pitcher.

In 2002, married with a young daughter and a job, Chris lied about his age to go to a major league pitching tryout camp, where scouts troll for undiscovered talent. He got a call-back, then a call with an offer to report for AA ball. “If you’d called me 12 years ago, I’d have done it,” Dave Post quotes then 32-year-old Chris Caron saying. “I just wanted to know if I still had it.” But Chris, wasn’t just a good ballplayer, he was a good teammate and a good guy. He taught his daughter Alexa, age 10, how to pitch. His son Adam, at age 6, can do a great Kevin Youkilis impression — not surprising, considering his dad was a Red Sox fan. “He would help you, talk to you,” Joe Deming said of Chris Caron. “He was the friendliest person you’d ever meet. Never negative about anything.”

On March 27^th of this year, Chris Caron passed away at the tender age of 40 years old. The time for and with Chris ended too soon. Those of us that knew Chris, consider ourselves lucky.  Now Chris is one of the leagues legends. On May 16^th, 2010, the Thomaston Spoilers retired Chris Caron’s #6 jersey. No player will ever-again wear the #6 jersey for the Thomaston Spoilers. His demeanor as a player and person constitutes it. Sure enough, from the day he passed away, it rained 6 consecutive days until the day of his funeral when the skies opened up and it was a beautiful day. We knew on that day that God had called Chris up to be the starting pitcher for his team in the Baseball Heaven League.

2009 Class

Robert ‘Barney’ Mestek
Robert grew up in LaGrange Park, Illinois. At the age of 7 years old, Robert’s brother Chuck starting calling him Barney and the nickname stuck with him his entire life. A graduate of Riverside-Brookfield High School in Illinois, Barney was named ‘athlete of the year’ his senior season after playing football (where he played center and linebacker), baseball and was a member of the wrestling team.  He continued his education at Northern Illinois University where coincidentally he was named ‘athlete of the year’ following his junior season in college. In 1971, at the age of 21, he was drafted by the Dodgers organization. After spending time in the Florida State League, the California League, and winter ball in Arizona, Barney was invited to Dodgers spring training camp in 1973 and was placed with the AA affiliate Waterbury Dodgers where he pitched during the 1973 and 1974 seasons. It was in 1973 that Barney met his wife Sandy and they have been married for 36 years with two children, Brian and Alison. Sandy was a school teacher and held the steady job while Barney pursued his dream of the major leagues. In May of 1974, Barney was named ‘Eastern League Player of the Month’ followed by the making of his Topps Baseball card. In 1975, he was promoted to AAA Albuquerque, New Mexico where he was converted to a relief pitcher. The 1976 season brought Barney back to AA Waterbury but again as a starting pitcher. Known for a devastating curveball and sneaky fastball, at the age of 26 years old and following the 1976 season, Barney decided it was time to forego his big league dreams to concentrate on a future outside of baseball and spend more time with his family. He attended the University of Hartford where he earned an MBA and then continued his education at the University of New Haven earning a masters degree in Science and Taxation at the age of 33 years old.  Barney continued his amateur career playing in the Twi-Met League where his personal favorite memories were the battles he had in pitching duels against former major leaguer Gary McKenna. In 1980 he also joined the Winsted team in the Tri-State League where he played in 4 championship finals before finishing out his Tri-State career playing for the Thomaston Spoilers. Today, he still plays in the state-wide over-40 league and in 2008 helped his Naugatuck team reach the title game. At age 59, the love of the game brings Barney back to the mound each week where you can dream again that you’re just a 12 year old kid playing sandlot baseball.

Greg Hunt
Greg is known as one of the greatest teachers of the game of baseball. He was a player/manager for the Bethlehem Plowboys from 1981 to 1999, leading the club to back-to-back Tri-State League championships in 1998 and 1999. A graduate of Nonnewaug High School, he then attended UConn where he dabbled in boxing as a hobby. Greg has worn many hats over the years. On the high school level, he has coached baseball at Thomaston and Terryville High Schools, leading the Bears to the 1985 Class ‘S’ state title game and the Kangaroos to the 1992 ‘S’ final, as well as being an accomplished basketball coach with 1 state championship final game appearance under his belt. He is currently the varsity head coach at Wamogo High School for both the boys baseball and basketball programs. Greg is perhaps best known in the Torrington area for managing the Torrington Twisters of the NECBL. He led the Twisters to five first-place finishes and four appearances in the NECBL championship series. This season Greg moved on to coach for the Manchester Silkworms in the NECBL when the Twisters left Torrington. He is the winningest manager in NECBL history. His legacy will always be remembered as how he taught numerous boys and men the game of baseball and how to play it the right way.  He has always earned immense respect and undying loyalty from his players.  Coach Hunt has always been, and continues to be, a great ambassador for the Tri-State League, as well as an ambassador for good old-fashioned, country baseball.

Richard Thomson
Richard is a graduate of Torrington High School and has been a life long resident in Torrington. Known for his wit and humor, Rich joined the Air Force in 1963 where he played fast pitch softball while serving our country.  Upon his return in 1967, Rich played in the Torrington Twi-light Baseball League and won a championship also playing softball for Moosehead Tavern in the Torrington Softball League. Rich was known for being a good fastball hitter and a lousy curveball hitter during his playing days but it was on the hard court that Rich made a name for himself as an accomplished basketball player.  He served as head coach for eight seasons in Little League and won city league championships in 1990 & 1991 coaching the Babe Ruth league while his son Richie Jr played. He retired from his baseball/softball playing days in his late 40’s but continued to play basketball well into his 50’s. Rich states the greatest joy of his life was watching his son playing ball and that one of his treasured golden memories was playing on the hard court side by side with his son ‘Shaq’. In 1993 he needed a job. He decided to become an umpire. Nobody wanted to umpire Tri-State Baseball League games during the lean years of the mid-90’s but Rich fell in love with his new job and fell in love with the Tri-State League.  He enjoyed umpiring so much that he felt like he was stealing money when he was paid. Seventeen years later, Rich is regarded as one of the premier umpires in the league and states that he would rather go watch a Tri-State baseball league game than go to Yankee Stadium or Fenway Park. Married to his lovely wife Nikki for over 40 years, Rich is the current president of the Torrington Board of Umpires.

John Gardner
John started his Tri-State baseball career in 1969 when he lived at Salisbury Private School with his parents and was an infielder for the Lakeville Fireman. The word “reliable” comes to mind when talking about John’s longevity in the league.  It was always appreciated to see him travel from Avon, CT., where he still teaches at Avon Old Farms Private School, to all of his games which made for many long days and road trips. He is a former Tri-State League MVP who won three batting titles with his always steady, consistent left handed swing and great eye with many bases on balls.  His left center deadly long gappers and home runs were always considered his trademark right through his final season in 1993.  The Lakeville Firemen truly benefitted from all of John’s enthusiastic leadership and fine overall performances and are proud to have him inducted into the Tri-State Baseball League Hall of Fame.

Howie Mann
Howie began his playing career with the Amenia Monarchs in the early 60’s when the league was the Inter-State League.  For almost 35 years, until the team disbanded in 1995, Howie made the 25 mile trip from his hometown of Rhinebeck NY to meet up with the team and travel to games.  In all those years Howie only missed a couple of games later in his career so he could go to Shea to watch his Mets. Howie played second base almost to perfection and was very adept at pulling off the “hidden ball trick” on some opposing player almost yearly.  At the plate he was the leadoff batter with great speed on the bases and an excellent bunter for base hits.  A line drive hitter to all fields, Howie had a career batting average well over .300. Howie was an important part of the Monarch Team that won 9 Tri-State titles and he was voted the league MVP in the 1982 championship year.  He is a member of the Dutchess County Hall of Fame, given that honor in 1989.  Later in his career he was part of the coaching staff helping out younger players.

Paul Giroux
Paul played for the Amenia Monarchs in the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s.  Anyone who witnessed Paul at the plate saw one of the greatest hitters ever to play in the league. Paul was the number three hitter in the Monarch lineup during all the championship years.  He could do it all with the bat.  Whether leading off an inning with a base hit, dropping down a bunt for a hit or picking up an RBI if the situation warranted.  However he was most feared by opposing pitchers when he unleashed his long swing with blurring bat speed that sent many a baseball over the outfield fences throughout the league.  Paul patrolled centerfield for Amenia for almost 20 years. His speed also made him the team leader in stolen bases, as he perfected the walking lead to compliment his quickness.  Later in his career he took over playing second base.  Year in and year out, Paul was the team leader in many categories including batting average, home runs and stolen bases.  He was the league MVP in 1979 and 1988 and finished with a career batting average over .350, with a couple of years hitting in the .400’s. Paul was inducted into the Dutchess County Hall of Fame in 2001.  He spends his free time now hitting another ball….a golf ball, with the same left handed blur the Tri-State League saw for 2 ½ decades.

Jim Davidson
Jim graduated from the Gilbert High School in Winsted and played varsity baseball for four years. The slick fielding first baseman then went one year to Loomis Prep School in Windsor, also to play baseball. He entered the United States Navy in 1943 and was honorably discharged in 1946, serving time in the Pacific Theater. He then went to Yale University and split time at first base with former 41st U.S. President, George H. W. Bush. Jim returned to Winsted to play in the Winsted Industrial League and then the Interstate League. In the years of the late 50’s and early 60’s, Winsted was always near or at the top of the league. Jim Davidson Sr. could have been called the George Steinbrenner of his era. He hated to lose. Jim, known for his constructive criticism, brought and sometimes paid some of the best players in the area to play baseball in the Interstate League and helped put Winsted on the map with championships in 1960, 1961, 1962, 1964, and 1965. He last managed in 1967. Always an ambassador for the league, Jim brought in the Indianapolis Clowns (the Harlem Globetrotters of baseball) for an exhibition game to raise money for the league and is extremely proud to see how the Tri- State League has grown into the number one adult league in the area.

Jim Davidson III
Jim began as a batboy at age 7 for his father’s Winsted team in the Interstate League. Jim learned the game from the many minor and ex-major leaguers on the team. He played both Little League and Babe Ruth for his father, Jim Sr. as coach. He lost one championship in six years. He graduated from Northwestern Regional # 7 in 1973. In his senior year Regional went to the Class S finals in the state for the only time in school history, only to lose to Shepaug High School. After high school Jim went to Southern Connecticut State College in New Haven where he started shortstop on the varsity team for three years. His sophomore year, Jim led the Owls in batting and his team defeated both Army and Navy that season. During the summers of his four college years, Jim played American Legion baseball for George Case and Moe Morhardt in Winsted. Jim played for the Winsted Tri-State team from 1973 to 1986 playing every game to win with passion. During that time, Winsted won championships in 1973, 1977, 1979. In 1981, Jim singled home Bob McCarthy in the bottom of the ninth inning to defeat Amenia 2-1 in the title game. A two-time Tri-State League MVP, Jim served as player/coach for Winsted from 1982-1985 and helped keep the team and league going during some tough Tri-State years. Last season (2008) when Winsted won the league championship, Jim’s two sons, Mo and Chris, played on the team, becoming the third generation to win the league championship. For the past eight years, Jim has been co-varsity coach with Tom Germano at Regional #7 in Winsted.

2008 Class

Bob McCarthy

Considered one of the greatest players to ever come out of Winsted, this feared left-hander began his career by helping The Gilbert School win a state title his freshman year in 1973. He then moved on to Division II Florida Southern where he helped lead them to the 1979 National Title. Bob began playing Tri-State baseball in 1980 with the Winsted franchise, and also spent time playing in the Twi-Met league of Waterbury. He played for 23 years in Winsted from 1980 – 2002, winning two league MVP awards (‘86,’87) and lead Winsted to nine Tri-State finals, and two championships. The legendary stories of Bob’s career are still talked about throughout Winsted and the Tri-State league today. He will forever be a member of the Winsted Whalers and is still asked to play each year, which he turns down graciously.

Lou Fracasso

An umpire in the Tri-State league since 1978, Lou joined the Navy right out of high school where he continued his own sports career playing fast pitch softball while serving his country from 1962 – 1965. Stationed in California, he met his wife Charryl and 47 years later they have three children (Chris, Scott, and Kelly) and seven grandchildren. His baseball career was revived as a member of the Winsted Little League board while his children were young, where he helped organize the umpires.

In 1992 he was selected by his peers to umpire in the high school baseball state championship games. Today, he is the current president of the Torrington Board of Umpires and also serves as the rules interpreter of the committee. 

Jeff Dombrowski

Known as an intelligent, hardworking, tough player during his baseball career, Jeff served as league treasurer from 1988-1999 and helped with the bookkeeping throughout the 2000’s.  He was instrumental in helping to maintain the Tri-State League during that time period, along with Greg Hunt, when the two of them worked every facet of the league as the only league officers. Jeff’s baseball career began at The Gilbert School where he helped lead them to the state championship his senior year in 1979.  He then went on to be a 4 year starter and a captain, senior year, at Bentley College.  Jeff played in the Twi-Met league for Modern Motors from 1983-1995, coached them from ‘92-95, and once played all 9 positions in a game. He began playing Tri-State baseball in 1980 for Winsted, where he was part of two league championships, ‘86 and ‘87. He managed the Winsted team from 1990-1999 when he retired from coaching and playing.  Now a days Jeff can be seen as an assistant coach with the Torrington Twisters, which he has done since their inaugural season.

Peter Wallace

Known for his wit, humor, and talented writing skills, Peter has become a fixture at Tri-State games throughout the entire summer. His coverage for the past 10 years in the Register Citizen newspaper has been a major factor in bringing the Tri-State league to the forefront of amateur baseball in the Northwest Hills. A graduate of Newington High School, he began his career in public relations through his own company ‘Peter Wallace Advertising’ before moving on to work for a chain of companies in suburban Hartford in 1990. He was awarded the ‘Boys State Soccer Award’, considered to be one of the most prestigious media awards given out by the coaches association, for his work during the 2002 season. His respectful approach to interviews and writing about ballgames will always center on the players who make the story. He is the first-ever sports writer inducted into the Tri-State baseball league Hall Of Fame.

George Simmons

Was born in New Bedford, Massachusetts in 1926 and moved to Winsted in his late teens with his family. After serving our country in the navy, in the South Pacific during World War II, George, better known as ‘Lefty’, returned home to Winsted and began playing baseball for the Veterans team in the Laurel City baseball league where he won the league batting title in 1947 by hitting .444 for the season. In 1953, he played a short time in the Cotton States league with the El Dorado Oilers, a minor league affiliate of the Boston Braves. After returning to Winsted to start a family of his own, he played in the Inter-State league and Tri-State league through the 50’s, 60’s and early 70’s. While Lefty played the majority of his Tri-State days for Winsted (coached by Jim Davidson), he also played a few years for teams in Canaan and Unionville. During the early mid-seventies, Lefty stopped playing and directed his attention to coaching the Winsted team. In 1981, he was awarded the C.B.U.A. award by Roger Pollick for his many devoted years to the Tri-State league and coaching accomplishments. Overall, Lefty was involved in the Tri-State league for over 30 years.

The family of George and Kay Simmons ‘lives’ evolved around the Tri-State league every summer. Son’s Jim and Bob, and daughter Laurie, traveled each weekend around Massachusetts, New York, and Connecticut to support their team. Lefty enjoyed attending Tri-State league games every Sunday at Walker Field up until the time of his passing in 2006. The family always loved to hear Lefty tell stories about the rival games between Winsted, Amenia, and other teams around the league. George ‘Lefty’ Simmons will never be forgotten.

Tommy Downey

Known as a respected player and coach who personifies Amenia baseball, Tommy was an All-Duchess County selection at Webutuck Central in 1967, after posting a .478 batting average.  He played his entire semi-pro career with the Amenia Monarchs in the Tri-State baseball league from 1967 to 1995 where he won multiple MVP awards including being the top hitter of the league in 1980 with a .528 mark.  In 1967, he hit three home runs and had nine RBI in a playoff game versus Lakeville.  He was player-manager from 1972 to 1995 and led the team to 17 finals and 9 league championships.  Tommy was part of the volunteer committee that designed, built and raised money for Amenia Park, and was instrumental in getting the fields built at Beekman Park, even getting lights installed on “Doc” Bartlett Field.  In recognition of his efforts, the road at the field was officially ‘named’ Downey Drive in his honor prior to the 2007 Tri-State Old-Timers day game. Tommy coached the Mid-County Senior League All-Stars (1996-1998) and the Connie Mack League (1993-2001) and won championships in 1995 and 2000. In 2001, he was inducted into the Dutchess County (NY) Hall of Fame. When there was talk of resurrecting the Monarchs in 2005, Tommy was there again, this time with his son Tommy Downey IV as a player, and has served as an advisor on the Tri-State board of directors ever since.

Scott Arigoni

A member of the 1975 Torrington American Legion state champions, Scott joined the Atlantic Coast League in NY following high school and was selected in the 33rd round of the major league draft in the summer of 1978 by the St. Louis Cardinals. With a fastball that topped out at 95 mph, Scott played minor league baseball for 5 seasons before an ankle injury ended his professional career following the 1982 season. He continued his baseball career playing in the Hartford Twi-light league and Waterbury Twi-Met league. His Tri State league career began in Thomaston as the Spoilers’ ace and brought a league championship in 1989. Over that winter, he introduced the Torrington Rebels to the Tri-State league as he felt that there were a good number of local players from Torrington that did not have the opportunity to play beyond high school or college. After a year of building, the Rebels won their first title in 1992.  They went on to repeat in 93, 94, and 95. Because of Scott’s efforts as a player/manager, they went on to win titles in 97, 04, 06, and 07, bringing his personal total to 9 league championship teams. 

His devotion to his teammates existed on and off the field.  He worked hard to gain the confidence and support of local sponsors.  The full coolers of fruit and snickers bars before every game were just a taste of what Scott brought to his team.  Of course he did the most important jobs as a manager such as sponsorships, lineups, and uniforms, but it was the little things that made him a special player/manager.  If you needed advice, he had it.  If you needed a fishing partner, he went.  If you needed help with a job at your house, he helped.  Most of all, he showed up at your house at the end of the season with a framed team picture.  Scott’s role as a player was just as important.  His performance can be summed up in one short statement, “He dominated.”  In 1995, there was one occasion where he struck out the first 9 Bethlehem sluggers he faced only to have it ruined by a famous Fussenich Park thunderstorm.  Not one batter reached first, not one even made contact.  Despite an ankle that simply did not work, his performance dominated.

In 2007, he won game three of the Tri-State league championship series for the Torrington Rebels.  Amidst tears of emotion on the mound, the love for his family, friends, teammates, and the game of baseball was evident. When you mention Scott Arigoni, everyone thinks pitcher.  His identity as a hitter was underestimated.  He is simply known as the ‘tall guy with the antique 36 inch Louisville Slugger’ he got in the Cardinals organization in 1978.  Oh, and we can’t forget his CRAFTSMAN leather work gloves he used as batting gloves. Let’s just say that there are probably still some balls in the Naugatuck river that came from Scott’s bat. Scott has moved on to the state-wide over-40 baseball league but he is also still pitching these days for the Torrington Rebels and has not missed a baseball season in 38 years. His 20+ year Tri-State league career has not only shaped the Rebels as a team, but the Tri-State league as well.  Usually, hall of fame inductees are recognized when their careers are over.  But in Scott’s case, will his pitching days ever be over?  Well, with new additions to the family, Sean, Noah, and Yondell, he will be pitching well into his 70’s.  And of course, the Rebels will always need a crafty lefty.  .

2007 Class

George Cantadore

Well-known baseball umpire and basketball official for over 40 years, southpaw Cantadore, known as Lefty, played for the Torrington High School baseball team class of 1939 that went on to become state champions. George then entered the Navy during WWII and played for the Navy all-star team that traveled from base to base. He was later signed to a minor league contract with the Boston Braves. Upon his release, he continued his baseball career playing in the old Torrington Twi-light league and the Twi-Met league.

Marc Damelio

A 5-foot-8, 170-pounder with Popeye forearms, Marc Damelio hammered baseballs with ferocity. First at Holy Cross, then at Mattatuck Community College, where he was a two-time All-New England pick and a junior college All-American. In 1993, he earned NEC Player of the Year honors playing for Sacred Heart University . From there, it was Modern Motors in the Twi-Met League and the Bethlehem Plowboys in the Tri-State League. Marc was a two-time Tri-State baseball league MVP who was regarded as one of the best players to come out of Waterbury . As a school teacher, his students respected him and loved being with him. One of the sentiments expressed was about how Marc’s baseball friends never had any idea what a great teacher he was and how his teaching friends never knew what a good baseball player he was. Maybe so. But they all knew what a great guy he was. Marc Damelio will never be forgotten.

Eddie Freimuth

Pitched for the Litchfield Cowboys for over 25 years and led the cowboys to the tri-state league championship series in 1990. Known for baffling the oppostion with a tenacious curveball, Eddie is remembered by his former teammates as a class act, great teammate, and great competitor on the mound.

Bud Kniffen

For over 25 years Bud was a strong influence on both the Amenia Monarchs and the Tri-State Baseball League. He worked behind the scenes raising funds to support the Monarchs and the Tri-State league. Bud was a league officer for over 20 years, starting out as the league secretary for 4 years before becoming league president from 1980-1995 overseeing the league activities. Bud can still be found at a Monarchs game these days and is still a supporter of all the team’s functions.

Mike Kohut

Catcher for the Amenia Monarchs with a reputation of being tough as nails. Mike was a fierce competitor who was respected by his teammates and oppenents for his work ethic. Known as an outstanding defensive catcher who called his own game, he retired at the age of 57, still as the starting catcher for Amenia. A 5-time team MVP of the champion Monarchs during their historic run in the 80’s and was league MVP in 1983. A lifetime .300 hitter who occupied the six spot in the lineup with a countless number of RBI’s. As a high school baseball coach, he has a record holding 334 wins against 142 losses with 10 league championships at Pine Plains High School. In 1991, his team was the New York state southeast regional champions.

Bill Neller

Co-founder of the Litchfield Cowboys baseball team, Bill led the team in hitting during thier expansion season in 1973 and was an important member of the board of directors who helped keep the league alive through the 70’s and 80’s. Bill has financially sponsored the Stan Musial tournament over the past 3 seasons which has allowed the Tri-State league to host the tourney.

Hall of Fame Information

1. Tri-State Board of Directors is the Nominating Committee.
2. Credentials:
   1. The individual must have gained prominence or recognition as a player, coach, or umpire for the Tri-State Baseball League.
   2. The individual must be ‘retired’ as a player (or 40 years old) and have played in the Tri-State Baseball League for a minimum of 5 seasons.
3. In the event of a serious illness or death an individual will be eligible immediately.
4. Any sponsor, sportswriter, broadcaster, administrator or any other special category selected by the Board of Directors may be included if such individual has made a noteworthy contribution to the Tri-State Baseball League.