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From Mike Kelly,
Original 1974 EYL player
February 7, 2005.
I HAVE SPOKEN WITH MY DAD, BILL KELLY, WHO WAS ONE OF THE FOUNDERS OF THE ELMORA YOUTH LEAGUE. HE WAS ALSO THE FIRST HEAD UMPIRE. THE
LEAGUE WAS STARTED BY A GROUP OF FATHERS FROM ELMORA IN 1974. THE GROUP WOULD MEET IN CARMEN LIOTTA'S OFFICE AT 27 PRINCE ST. CARMEN LIOTTA WAS AN ATTORNEY IN TOWN. THE FOLLOWING PEOPLE WERE THERE FROM THE
BEGINNING; GENE AHERN, JOE BREENAN, TONY SALUCHIO, GUY MASTRIONI, JIM DEMBEK, BOB HEALY, CARMEN LIOTTA, BILL LEAR AND BILL KELLY. THIS LIST MIGHT NOT BE COMPLETE. THE GROUP STARTED SMALL BUT GREW VERY QUICKLY, ALL THE PARENTS WANTED TO BE INVOLVED IN SOME WAY OR ANOTHER.
IT IS TRUE THAT THE BEGINNING GAMES WERE PLAYED AT KIAWAMEH FIELD IN UNION. WE ALSO PLAYED ONE OR TWO GAMES AT CRAY PARK IN UNION. THAT IS THE PARK BEHIND THE BUY RITE ON MAGIE AVE.
THAT PARK HAD A BASEBALL FIELD. WE ONLY PLAYED ONE OR TWO GAMES THERE BECAUSE THE RESIDENTS DIDN'T LIKE THE CROWDS AND THE UNION POLICE ASKED US TO LEAVE AND NEVER RETURN. I THINK THEY HAD TO DO MORE THAN
ASK...BUT ANYWAY WE DIDN'T RETURN.
THEN THE KEAN FAMILY LEASED THE ELMORA YOUTH LEAGUE THE PROPERTY AT NORTH AVE, AND MORRIS AVE FOR $1.00 A YEAR BUT NO PERMANENT STRUCTURES COULD BE PUT ON THE LAND. I CAN REMEMBER GOING
TO THE PROPERTY AND HELPING PREPARE THE LAND FOR BALL FIELDS. THERE WERE MANY DADS WHO PUT IN COUNTLESS HOURS TO TURN THAT AREA INTO PLAYABLE BALL FIELDS. THE ONE PERSON I CAN REMEMBER WHO REALLY PUT IN A TREMENDOUS
AMOUT OF TIME TO PREPARE AND MAKE BALL FIELDS THERE WAS MR. SALUCHIO.
ALSO THE ELMORA YOUTH LEAGUE STARTED A SOCCOR LEAGUE IN THE LATE 70'S, WE PLAYED AT THE MORRIS AVE AND NORTH AVE LOCATION. I DON'T KNOW WHEN THE SOCCOR LEAGUE STOPPED.
IF I CAN REMEMBER ANYTHING ELSE I'LL LET YOU KNOW,
MIKE KELLY
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