New Hartford, New York Little League Baseball

LEAGUE HISTORY AND MILESTONES

April 1954 – NHLL begins its inaugural season under the leadership of Little League President Frank Perry and Vice President Clark Heburn. The league is sponsored by the Lions Club and its President Edgar Ireland Bushinger. Six teams take the field: General Electric, Mohawk Containers, NH Shoe Shop, Aurora Bowlaway, P&C Food Stores, and Partlow Corporation.

June 1955 - A ceremony is held to dedicate the league's field, which sits at the end of Graham Ave. It is named Eldred Memorial Field, to honor the late Mayor Ambrose D. Eldred. After two seasons it is decided that the sun, which shines directly from behind home plate in the evening, is a safety concern. The field is moved slightly and rotated to the setup we know today.

May 1957 - Dugouts are completed and the field is re-seeded just in time for the 1957 season. The season is kicked off with a prayer and benediction by Reverends Thomas E. Neary and William Matz. Mayor Edward Juergensen offers some encouraging opening remarks.


May 1958 - Burt Chubb is named President of NHLL. Frank Perry, now acting as the league's very first player agent, oversees the process for holding 'player auctions' as they were called at the time, the league's earliest draft system (pictured top right).

May 1959 - Bob Wanamaker is named President of NHLL. Minor league has grown to seven teams, and Wanamaker's Furniture is now a league sponsor. Mayor Harold E. Entwistle officially declares May 23, 1959 "Little League Day" in the Village of New Hartford.

July 1960 - In one of the league's earliest known District 10 games, the New Hartford All-stars defeat Marcy 8-0. Pitcher Tom Shaul strikes out a staggering 16 batters in a stellar performance, kicking off a rivalry with Marcy-Deerfield that would persist for 60 years until the league was dissolved in 2020.

October 1960 - Former Washington Senators pitcher Ken Chase is invited to the Lions Club as the guest of honor for the end-of-year baseball banquet, where he presents trophies to players Fred Shakan and Ken LePage of the top two finishing clubs.

April 1961 - Clayton F. Wallace is named President of NHLL. More than 300 boys sign up for tryouts, a much larger count than was expected, prompting league officials to reschedule to three separate sessions. Prospective players are split up by age.

July 1962 - NHLL records its first ever District 10 win against the Whitestown All-stars 7-3. Hurler Ron King allows 4 hits and strikes out 7, while Bruce Williams and Pete LePage both homer. The game would serve as the inception of a great rivalry between the two organizations that endures today.

June 1964 - NHLL grows in popularity in its first decade of existence, which brings forth new sponsors Fire Department and NH Shopping Center. Newcomer NH Shopping Center (pictured left) wins its first league championship, going 13-2 and defeating Mohawk Containers behind the arm of pitcher Bob Tyoe and the leadership of coaches Bankit and Klopek.

August 1964 - A fence is installed at Eldred Field. At a distance of 200 feet it is the largest Little League field in the Greater Utica Area. 

July 1965 - Don Scholl is named President of NHLL. All-Star Captain Terry Goggin hits a monster home run against PLAV All-Stars in a District 10 tournament game, but no one can best Oriskany's squad, who takes home its first ever District 10 Title.

July 1966 – New Hartford Little League wins its first ever District 10 Championship in the 11-12 year old division (A All-Stars), relying on the arm of star pitcher Bob Douglas who had thrown a one-hitter against Cornhill earlier that week. The team would defeat District 9 winner Canastota in a crossover game and go on to lose to the State Champions Albany National in the section tournament.

September 1967 - Bruno Petrruccione is named President of NHLL.

April 1969 - New Hartford Mayor Norton Stanton is named President of NHLL.

August 1970 - New Hartford Little League hosts the New York State Tournament (called the Upstate Division at the time). Competing 
teams include Cheektowaga (District 1), Fairport (District 38), Watervliet (District 14), and Wappinger American (District 17). Wappinger goes on to win the championship, defeating Fairport 3-0 at Eldred Field (pictured right).

May 1971 - After a rule change from Little League International, the newly developed aluminum bat is used in gameplay. Phillip Rayhill is named President of NHLL.

May 1972 - Tony Abraham is named President of NHLL. He and other NHLL officials start a NH senior league for players age 13-15.  Two months later, to cap off their initial season, the NH Senior All-stars square off with the East Utica Senior League All-stars in a best-of-three series. Games alternate between Proctor Park and an unnamed field in New Hartford. By the 1980s, this league would evolve into New Hartford Prep League (for players age 13), and New Hartford Babe Ruth (for players age 14-15).

June 1974 - After a long legal battle in multiple states and a groundbreaking decision by the New Jersey Superior Court, the Little League Charter is amended and girls are allowed to play alongside boys for the first time.

June 1977 – Former New Hartford Little Leaguer Andrew Madden is drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the 1st round (13th) of the 1977 MLB Amateur Draft 

July 1977 - Andrew Madden pitches for the Elmira Pioneers of the NY-Penn League. This is the first time a New Hartford Little League alum appears in a minor league baseball game.

May 1979 - New Hartford Little League's enrollment reaches an all-time high of 361 players. The now-defunct Chicago Market is one of the league's biggest supporters. Mohawk Containers enters its 26th season as a team sponsor. The company would remain a supporter of the league until it was sold to an international conglomerate in 1982.

June 1979 – Former New Hartford Little Leaguer Andy Van Slyke is drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1st round (6th) of the 1979 MLB Amateur Draft.

June 1979 – Former New Hartford Little Leaguer Ron Evans is drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 23rd round of the 1979 MLB Amateur Draft.

September 1979 - Clark J. Heburn, first vice president and co-founder of NHLL, as well as former president of the Mohawk Valley Baseball Umpires Association, passes away at the age of 69.

September 1982 - Ron Wehrle (pictured left) is named President of NHLL. Ron would eventually be known for his longevity in serving the community, but his first order of business as President is to enforce a 3-inning mandatory play rule, which exceeds the Little League standard.

June 1983 – Andy Van Slyke (pictured right) debuts for the St. Louis Cardinals, marking the first time a former NHLL player appears in the Major Leagues.

April 1984 - Partlow Corporation fields a team for the 31st straight season, and remains the last of the original six sponsors of the league.

June 1985 - League President Ron Wehrle is asked to give an interview to the Utica Observer, addressing the dwindling interest in local baseball. After being provided bleak numbers by Skenandoa Little League, the reporter is surprised to hear that New Hartford's league numbers had recently grown from 221 to 303. Wehrle cites promoting baseball early and within the schools as the catalyst for growth.

May 1988 - New Hartford citizens Peter Mody and Tony Trunfio spearhead an unsuccessful campaign to get a second Little League field built in the Town, citing sloppy field conditions resulting from overuse.

July 1988 – Andy Van Slyke becomes the first New Hartford Little League alum to play in an MLB All-Star Game.

April 1989 - New Hartford Little League renames its "Tiny Tim" division, now calling it Tee-Ball to align with Little League International. Registration increases from $15 to $20 per player. Games are played behind Perry Junior High.

June 1992 - Carl Stotz, founder of Little League International, dies in Williamsport, PA at the age of 82.

June 1994 – New Hartford Little League wins its first ever District 10 Championship in the newly established 9-10 year old division (C All-Stars)

July 1994 – NHLL wins its first ever Section 2 Championship and makes its first ever appearance in the New York State Tournament (pictured below). After defeating Commack South 8-7 in the semifinal behind the arm and bat of Mike Callan, who had three doubles and allowed just five hits, Coach Callan’s team loses in the New York State Championship Game to South Shore LL. The team’s 2nd place finish in NYS remains the program’s best showing in its history.

March 1996 - Robert Calli is named President of NHLL.

July 1996 - New Hartford claims its 5th District 10 Championship.

June 2000 - Former New Hartford Little Leaguer Steve Ellis is selected by the Oakland Athletics in the 12th round of the 2000 MLB Amateur Draft.

October 2001 - William Blunt is named President of NHLL.


May 2002 - A modern, two story pressbox is built behind home plate, equipped with power, storage for field equipment, a PA system, and an elevated view of the field. The existing structure, which was at field level and located on the first base side of home plate, is demolished.

May 2003 – The league purchases its current domain name and launches its first website. The site's 'events' page invites families to opening ceremonies to kick off the league's 50th season.

June 2003 – Former New Hartford Little Leaguer Andy Weimer is drafted by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in the 15th round of the 2003 MLB Amateur Draft. 

June 2004 - Bullpens are built at the New Hartford Little League Field, behind the third base dugout.

July 2004 – New Hartford Little League wins its first ever District 10 Championship in the B All-Star Division.

October 2004 - Dan Gahan is named NHLL President.

May 2006 - NHLL Hosts the Joe Corr Game, a benefit and memorial game played in honor of fallen police officer Joseph D. Corr.

July 2006 – New Hartford Little League claims its 10th District 10 Championship.

March 2007 - Edgar Ireland Bushinger, Former Lions Club President and co-founder of NHLL, passes away at the age of 84.

May 2009 - The NHLL Field Pavilion is built using donations from McDonald's, Ray Fancett Repair and Remodeling, Jay-K, Bob Moore Construction, S.R.Sloan, Inc. and Advanced Power and Light. 

June 2010 - Former New Hartford Little Leaguer Joey Carcone is selected by the Houston Astros in the 47th round of the 2010 MLB Amateur Draft.

October 2010 - Scott Williams is named President of NHLL.

April 2013 – New Hartford Little League goes live on Facebook. Our 'roundel' style logo (pictured right), which had been in use since 2007, is used as our very first 'profile pic'.

July 2013 - New Hartford's A All-stars nearly reach the New York State Tournament. After dominating the District 10 competition and recording wins over Oneonta (District 7), Oneida (District 9), and Liverpool (District 8), they fall 9-7 to Horseheads (District 6) in the Section 2 Championship.

October 2015 - Jeff Kimball is named President of NHLL. The league has 29 teams across four divisions. Sponsors at the Majors level include McDonald's, Twin Orchards, Parkway Drugs, Saint John's, Town Crier, Zimowski Food Service, Cliff's Local Market, and NH Fire Department (entering their 52nd season as a sponsor).

July 2016 - NHLL claims its 15th District 10 Championship with a victory over Marcy-Deerfield in the "B" All-star Tournament. Coaches Durr, Suriano, Fanelli, and Roberts celebrate their 16-3 win with their team at the North Utica Little League field.  

July 2016 – NHLL wins its second Section 2 Title, defeating Rotterdam-Carman in the final game of a best-of-three series. The team (pictured below), coached by Jeff Kimball, Steve Strassberger, and John Randall, finishes #6 in the league's second trip to the New York State Tournament.

September 2017 - John Randall is named the President of NHLL.

May 2018 - New Hartford Little League dedicates the field pressbox to former League President and District Administrator Ron Wehrle, with the guest of honor throwing out the first pitch at the league's opening ceremony.

October 2018 – League officials John Randall, Dave Thornley, and Sal Paladino Sr. establish the Spartan Express, New Hartford’s Travel Program, to provide more baseball for our players. In their first travel game, Spartan Express defeats Camillus 10U 9-8.

April 2020 - Little League International cancels the entire season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. NHLL loses out on fielding an A All-Star team that won the C Tournament two years prior, and a C All-Star Team that won the Minor tournament one year prior.

March 2021 - New Hartford Little League installs a new scoreboard, made possible by an anonymous donation.

April 2021 – New Hartford Little League livestreams a game for the first time. This evolves into a paid subscription service that provides a dual picture (field and scoreboard), on-demand playback of content, and the creation of video clips, all of which is made possible due to the generous sponsorship of Nimey's New Generation Cars. 

May 2021 – Shortly after his passing, New Hartford Little League honors Ron Wehrle for his 43 years of dedication to youth baseball. On the night of this memorial, Parkway Drugs pitcher Jacob Hart throws a 54-pitch perfect game to catcher Patrick LaFountain (pictured right).

July 2021 – Coach Randall and his A All-Stars defeat rivals from Whitesboro in dramatic fashion, powered by Ben Fiorentino's walk-off single, claiming the program’s 20th District 10 Championship in the process.

May 2022 - Permanent batting cages are installed at the New Hartford Little League field.

June 2022 –Roman Kimball, pitching for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, becomes the first New Hartford Little League alum to appear in a nationally televised College World Series game.

July 2023 - New Hartford Little League wins its third Section 2 Championship, defeating Section 37 Champion North Central, 3-2. The team, coached by Andy Weimer, Andy Beaton, and Andy Klausner, finishes #6 in the New York State Tournament.

July 2023 - After the discontinuation of the District 10 Minor All-star Tournament, Commissioners Sal Paladino (New Hartford) and Tom Bogaert (Whitesboro) agree to start the Red, White, and Blue Minor Series, which becomes an annual competition between the two leagues' minor all-stars. Coach Perra's squad sweeps the inaugural best-of-three series, 2-0.

August 2023 - Ben Kidwell (pictured left) becomes the first New Hartford Little Leaguer to be formally invited to the LLWS in Williamsport, PA. After being made aware of his musical talent by District 10 Administrator Mike Gentile, Little League International invites Ben to play his rendition of the Star Spangled Banner on the piano, prior to a LLWS game at Lamade Stadium.

February 2024 - After three years of departing Fundraising Coordinator Alan Leist's efforts, sponsorship fees have increased substantially to keep pace with increased league expenses and revenue generation is at an all-time high, with the league's operating budget reaching $70,000/year. With heavy competition to sponsor teams at the Majors level and some existing sponsors bowing out, board members make the decision to grant teams to our most generous sponsors over the preceding decade. Majors teams are given to Strategic Financial Services, Nimey's New Generation Cars, and Mastrovito Hyundai, joining longtime sponsors Cliff's Local Market, Parkway Drugs, and Fire Department.

July 2024 – For the first time in league history, New Hartford wins both District 10 All-Star Championship Tournaments in the same season (pictured right).  

July 2024 - New Hartford Little League wins its fourth Section 2 Championship, defeating District 37 Champion North Central 9-6. The team, coached by Sal Paladino, Andy Weimer, Ben Perra, and Billy Ryan, finishes #6 in the New York State Tournament.

September 2024 - New Hartford Little League reinstates its fall baseball program more than a decade after it was discontinued, registering 72 players across 6 teams. 

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