THE MALDEN ADVOCATE–Friday, March 15, 2024 Page 17 Inaugural Malden Baseball LEGACY Hall of Fame Induction Banquet packs house at Malden Moose Hall Rotondi, Brickman, Caraco, Mazonson, Summers, Turilli, Verges ushered in new Hall of Fame; Mayor Christenson, City Councillors Sica, Simonelli and Council President Winslow on hand to greet, congratulate honorees Special to the Advocate I t was a night to remember last Thursday, March 7, when a new page in the rich history of baseball in the city of Malden was written. The Inaugural Malden Baseball LEGACY Hall of Fame induction ceremony and banquet was held at the Malden Moose Hall (562 Broadway/Rt. 99) and the first-time event drew rave reviews. A packed house was on hand to honor some of the most well-known and longest-serving coaches and contributors to the sport of baseball in the city of Malden. Malden Mayor Gary Christenson was on hand to deliver the greetings of the city and thanked the organizers of the night, including event co-chairmen Steve Freker and Bob McVicar, for their efforts, while congratulating all of the night’s honorees. Also on hand from city government were Malden City Council President Steve Winslow (Ward 6), longtime Ward 8 Councillor Jadeane Sica and Ward 7 Councillor Chris Simonelli. All three have been consistent supporters of all the Malden youth sports leagues and coaches in the city for many years, even before their years in office. Malden High School Athletic Director Charlie Conefrey was on hand as well to offer his congratulations to all of the inductees for the evening. Included in the inductees was LEGACY Inductee Bob Rotondi, who has dedicated most of his life in nearly 70 years of coaching and mentoring baseball. Also honored and inducted in MBL Hall of Fame the 2024 Class were: • Shawn Brickman, a star pitcher and ballplayer in every level in Malden baseball, including an all-time single-season record of 11-1 on the mound for Malden High in 1976; played Varsity Baseball and Football at Northeastern University in the late 1970s/early 1980s; then became the youngest baseball head coach ever at Malden High at 25 in 1984 and spearheaded the most successful decade of success in MHS Baseball history from 1984-1993. • Joe Caraco Sr., former longtime Malden Babe Ruth Manager and BRL Board Member and Officer • Kenny Mazonson, present 50-year-plus Malden Little Malden Baseball Legacy Hall of Fame inductee Shawn Brickman and his children: Molly (left), Samantha (right) and Earl (second from right, with his daughter). (All Advocate Photos/Henry Huang) League and Malden Youth Baseball Manager, League Officer and Board Member; former Malden Babe Ruth coach and former Malden Senior Babe Ruth Manager • Deano Summers, present Malden Babe Ruth Field Director (nearly 20 years), present Malden Babe Ruth Manager (Colonels, nearly 30 years), former Malden Senior Babe Ruth Manager (Marlins), former Malden High School Assistant Baseball Coach • Sal Turilli (posthumously), former longtime Malden Babe Ruth (Stars) and Malden Little League (Tornadoes) manager; coached many, many future high school stars in Malden • Pearl and Perry Verge Sr., (posthumously), one of the early “First Lady of Malden Babe Ruth” contributors and her husband, who was a former longtime Malden Babe Ruth Manager and League Officer. Pearl Verge was also a former Malden Babe Ruth Officer and Fundraising Assistant to the League Treasurer. Longtime Malden High Athletic Department assistant, MHS Football Team assistant coach and former basketball head coach Peter Carroll – a veritable walking encyclopedia of Malden High sports spanning over 60 years – served admirably as the evening’s master of ceremonies. Coach Carroll introduced all of the evening’s inductees in tremendous fashion, mixing biographical details with his trademark unique witticisms and sometimes barbs for either the inductees, their entourage or both. Longtime former Malden Babe Ruth manager and still Board Member Dave Allan spoke eloquently on behalf of Bob RotonThe 2024 Malden High Varsity Baseball Team and coaches were on hand for the big night. Pictured from left to right: Billy Gavin, senior captain Jake Simpson, Ryan Bowdridge, Tommy Cronin, coach Mike DiCato, Aidan Brett, senior captain Ezechiel “Zeke” Noelsaint, Gino Spadafora, senior captain Ryan Coggswell, Joe Hatch, Brayan Jose, Ryan McMahon, Bo Stead, Chris Macdonald and Coach Phil Cook. di, who was unable to attend that evening, and accepted the award and gifts on his behalf. Shawn Brickman thanked all who had worked with him at Malden High and played on his teams, including varsity assistant Steve Freker and the captain of his 1985 Greater Boston League championship team, Bob McVicar, who was in attendance that evening, for contributing to his success in turning MHS baseball around in the right direction. Brickman also thanked his large family – over 20 in attendance – for their support. Joe Caraco Jr. spoke for his dad, Joe Caraco Sr., who stood beside him at the podium, noting that his father was eternally grateful for the honor and that Joe Sr. cherished “all the relationships and memories” he took from his 40 years in Malden Babe Ruth’s echelons. Kenny Mazonson, a 50-yearplus baseball manager and assistant coach at many levels in Malden baseball, most notably as the only coach the Dolphins in Central Little League ever had, also thanked his former coaches first, then players and finally his family and friends for all their support through the years. He also stressed the satisfaction he received personally through serving as a mentor to so many players through the years. Deano Summers, the nearly 40-year Malden Babe Ruth manager and Board executive member, filled up more than four tables of about 40 people with guests/supporters and told an ironic story of his start, when his brother Chris made a last-minute decision not to coach a team and Deano took over... then never left! He also had thanks for his coaching partners through the years, his many solid players – many in attendance – and, of course, his wife Janelle and two sons Nick and Jacky, whom he was lucky to have been able to coach on the Flames. The late Sal Turilli was represented by his wife, two sons Mike Turilli and Dave Turilli, and several other relatives and friends. Mike spoke for his dad and recalled a Little League and Babe Ruth coach who always put the players first and got a thrill every time he stepped on a baseball field – practice or game – as he spent time on the sport that All of the night’s inductees, or their representatives, are shown with Mayor Gary Christenson (at right) before the dinner. Pictured from left to right: Kelly Verge and Mr. and Mrs. Perry Verge, Jr., Shawn Brickman, Deano Summers, Mrs. Sal Turilli, Kenny Mazonson, Joe Carco Sr. and the Mayor. Mayor Gary Christenson talked baseball to the audience and greeted everyone on this momentous night. he loved: baseball. Three former players, from the Malden BRL Stars team of the early 1980s – Bob McVicar, John Montecalvo and John “Doc” Doherty – were on hand to help honor their former manager as well. All three went on to have stellar careers at Malden High, Doherty and McVicar being installed in the Malden High Golden Tornado Hall of Fame. Pearl and Perry Verge Sr. were also inducted posthumously and were spoken for by their son, Perry Verge, another Malden High Hall of Famer. Perry Jr. recalled that his mom, Pearl, never said no to a request for help and had so much energy for all the kids and all the teams. She and his father never missed one of Perry Jr.’s high school or college games. **** LEGACY HALL of FAME NOTES: Some of the many luminaries in attendance on Inaugural Night: Malden Babe Ruth President and former Malden City Clerk, Councillor-at-Large and School Committeeman Greg Lucey and his wife Marie; Malden Recreation Dept. Coordinator Joe Levine; his assistant Laura Perez; popular Malden Advocate columnist Peter Levine; former Malden High Principal and ex-City Councillor Dana Brown; former Malden High star pitcher Buddy DeMontier; the entire Malden High School 2024 Varsity Baseball Team and coaches Phil Cook, Mike DiCato and Steve Freker; Malden High Hall of Famer Peter Donoghue and his brother Matthew, both former Flames BANQUET | SEE PAGE 18
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