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Metro N.Y. Cadets Capture ACBL Kaiser Division Title
BY BERNIE BEGLANE
“I’d rather be golfing!”
Doug Manfredonia usually felt that way every summer. But not this year.
Word reached him that the Atlantic Collegiate Baseball League was expanding by adding the Long Island Mustangs.
And when Doug also discovered that talent from the Brooklyn-Queens CHSAA – particularly from Holy Cross H.S., Flushing – was on the team, he was singing a different tune.
It was entitled “I’d rather be coaching.”
Doug Manfredonia, far left, with the 2007 Holy Cross H.S. Baseball Team
And it made sense. Manfredonia, a graduate of Holy Cross, has been coaching at the Flushing school since 1988 after earning his degree from New York Tech, Old Westbury.
“Some of my friends had told me that an expansion team (it was to be called the Long Island Mustangs) was being formed,” explained Doug, a financial advisor, “so I decided to concentrate on coaching rather than playing golf.
“Two of my Holy Cross players – Effrey Valdez (an infielder) and George Carroll (catcher) were on the team.
“Then there was T.J. Greig of Xaverian (Bay Ridge), an outstanding hitter. To say nothing of Sandy Sussman, a pitcher from Archbishop Molloy (Briarwood).
“Before I forget, Greig batted .403 to lead the league.”
As a result, the Mustangs posted a record of 21-19 to finish one-game behind the Metro New York Cadets for the regular season title of the Kaiser Division.
Metro New York was under the guidance of Frank DelGeorge, former coach of St. Francis College, Brooklyn Heights.
The Kutztown Rockies captured Wolff Division honors at 24-16.
In the divisional playoff semi-finals, Long Island ousted Stamford, 3-2, and Kutztown toppled Jersey, 5-2.
Once in the best-of-three divisional finals, Long Island swept Metro New York, 12-4 and 4-3, while Kutztown had an even easier time against Lehigh Valley, 8-1, and 10-3.
The Rockies were 5-2 victors over Long Island in the championship contest.
The league, behind the efforts of Tony Russo, then the coach of LIU; Bob Wolff, longtime sports announcer, and Jack Kaiser, then the baseball coach of St. John’s University, was formed 41 years ago.
Craig Biggio, who retires from the Houston Astors at the end of this season, Jamie Moyer, a pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies, and John Lannan, currently with the Washington Nationals, are some of the league’s graduates.
Biggio has over 3,000 hits and Moyer has 2,000 strikeouts to go with being among the top 15 left-handed pitchers with 226 career victories or better.
Kaiser, incidentally, served as commissioner this past season while a search committee was formed to choose someone permanent for the role.
He was quite happy this summer because the competition was keen. Stamford, Kutztown and the Metro New York Cadets were battling for positions on the final day.
“Stamford beat the Mustangs, 5-3, to clinch third place and drop them into second,” offered Jack.
“Then the Cadets won the title with that 12-3 victory over the New York Generals.”
Once everything was settled, Manfredonia took a step backwards to speak about his getting involved in coaching.
“When I graduated from Holy Cross, I went to St. John’s University,” he began, “but I transferred after two years to New York Tech.
“Once I received my degree, I went back to Holy Cross to help out. I figured I’d be there a short time.
“Eight years later…”
When he took over the Flushing school, Manfredonia inherited a program that had finished in last place in the Brooklyn-Queens CHSAA.
“These last two seasons we won the title and advanced to the city playoffs,” he explained.
The ACBL held its annual All-Star game at Lafayette College (Easton, PA) and saw the Wolff Division prevail, 6-2, as 20 scouts were on hand.
Another nine attended the Wolff Division Scouts Day at Northampton Community College and Austin Newell of Texas-Tyler was voted MVP.
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