LITLE LEAGUE BASEBALL IN ALBANY COUNTY
Little League baseball made its debut in Albany County on June 5, 1952 at Johnny Evers Memorial Field in
Albany. The first game saw the Patroons beat the Clinchers 5 to 4 in an extra inning game. Pete O’Neill
was the winning pitcher for the Patroons and Fritz Neulander got the game-winning RBI. The Albany
Junior Chamber of Commerce sponsored the league. An abandon dump site at the corner of Woodlawn
and Partridge Streets was converted to a little league field for the league and a boxcar donated by the New
York Central Railroad became the league’s clubhouse.
The official opening of the Albany Little League was originally scheduled for June 2 nd but was rained out
and rescheduled for June 7, 1952. Opening ceremonies included a parade from Woodlawn and Partridge
Street to the field, a marching band from Menands School and local dignitaries. Charlie Young, sports
editor for the Knickerbocker News, and Dick Walsh, Times Union sports editor, were co-commissioners of
the league. Joe Leone was the first President of Albany Little League. Other officers included Lou
Aronowitz as secretary and Robert Olcott as treasure.
The league consisted of four teams; the Red Sox sponsored by McManus and Riley, the Clinchers
sponsored by J. de Beer & Son, the Patroons sponsored by Hotel Ten Eyck and the Trading Ports sponsored
by The Trading Port, Inc. Mayor Corning threw out the first ball for the first game. Judge John Boyd
Thatcher did the honors for the second game. About 1,000 spectators attended the opening.
Each team included 15 players, ages 10-12. Each team played 18 games the first season. Alex Sokaris of
the Red Sox hit the first Little League home run in Albany County on June 9 th.
The league’s final standings for the first year were indicative of the competitiveness of the four teams. All
ended the season with 9 wins and 9 losses. A playoff series was arranged to determine the league
champion. The Trading Ports beat the Patroons and the Clinchers beat the Red Sox in a two-out-of-three
series to win the first round. In the championship series, the Trading Ports beat the Clinchers and became
Albany Little League’s first league champion.
The Albany Little League all-star team won its first 12 year-old tournament game by nipping Castleton 2 to
1 on July 27, 1952 in the District 1 tournament. They then went on to defeat the Rensselaer-Columbia allstars 2 to 1 and the Hudson all-stars 6 to 1 before being eliminated by Schenectady 7 to 0 on August 8,
1952. The players on the first Albany all-star team included Jim Williams, Mickey Sabatino, Bobby
Hogan, Barry Butler, Alex Sokaris, Vincent Berghela, Keith Willis, Fred Goldman, Terry Reilly, Bob
Snyder, Denny Slatery, Siggie Rossenbloom, Paul Ellenbogen and Don Cohen.
In 1953 Albany Little League was divided in to two four-team divisions. The original four teams made up
the National Division. Four new teams, Albertine’s, the Sons of Italy, DeWitt’s, and Army-Navy, made up
the American Division which played its games at Krank Park. The Sons of Italy won the first American
division championship with a 16-2 record. Larry Davey served as the league’s first President. American
Little League played its games at Veteran’s Memorial Field in Krank Park. It served as the site for the
1955 State Championship.
Cohoes Little League also began play in 1953. It consisted of two charters, National and American. Games
were played at Lighthall Avenue Park. At some point the two charters combined. Cohoes has won three
District Major Baseball championships (1980, 1982 and 2004) as a member of New York District 14.
In 1953 Joe Leone was designated Commissioner of Albany’s Little Leagues.
In 1954 Albany Little League expanded to three divisions with the addition of the Federal division which
player their games at George Crinan Park at Van Woert and North Hawk Streets. The four teams that made
up the league included Don Allen, Albany Television Headquarters, Pepsi Cola and Whitney’s. Don Allen
won the league championship the first year with a 12-6 record.
Tri-Village Little League of the town of Bethlehem and Watervliet Little League also began play in 1954.
The four teams making up the Tri-Village league included Studlers Sales and Service, Main Bros. Oil,
Crannell’s and Carroll’s. Its first President was Arthur Fleahman, Jr. Tri-Village Little League played its
games at Magee Park on Kenwood Avenue in the town of Bethlehem. Crandall’s was the league’s first
champion with a 12-6 record. In 2008 Tri village Little League divided into two charters, Tri village
National and Tri village American.
Watervliet Little League began in 1954. The Elks, Crannel’s Lumber, the VFW and Strecks were the four
teams in the Watervliet Little League. George E. Moore was the league’s first President. Watervliet Little
League won the District Major Baseball championships seven times (1959, 1964, 1967, 1970, 1971, 1975
and 1983). In 1970, they won the Section 3 championship and participat3ed in the New York State
tournament.
Lou Aronowitz was appointed the first District Representative for Little League in the capitol district area
in 1954
In 1955 the Federal Little League was renamed the Arbor Hill Little League. Colonie Little League
Hudson Valley Little League and Whitehall Little League began play in 1955. Colonie Little League
played at Exchange Park off of Wolf Road and Hudson Valley Little League played at Mosher Park on
Winnie Street in Ravena. Whitehall Little League played its games at Fred Green Field in Hoffman Park at
Hoffmann and McCarthy Street in Albany.
Colonie Little League included four teams; Tim’s Trotters, Rutland Lumber, Tobin Packing and
Greenhouse Foods. Tobin Packing won the first Colonie Little League championship in 1955. Albert
Foreman was the league’s first President. In 1967, Colonie Little League moved to its current location in
Cook Park in the Village of Colonie. Prior to 1967, Colonie played its games off of Wolf Road on land
owned by the Bergold family.
The Yankees, the Cardinals, the Red Sox and the Giants were the original teams in the Hudson Valley
Little League. Ira LeFevre served as Hudson Valley’s first President.
Whitehall Little League teams included Sheehy Palmer, St. James, Coburn Insurance, and the Jays. Fred
Gibson was the first President of the league. St. James won the first league championship.
Latham Little League also began in 1955. The league consisted of four teams; Don Weed, Brookview
Park, McGarry Lumber and Tri-State Overall. Brookview Park won the first league championship.
Latham Little League won District Major Baseball championships nine times (1958, 1961, 1965, 1968,
1969, 1981, 1884, 1985, and 1987). Latham Little League became North Colonie Little League and
divided into two charters sometime in the mid 1990’s.
Green Island began participating in Little League in 1955. Their first league champion was Ford.
Westland Hills Little League began play in 1956 at Brevator Street and Washington Avenue. Construction
of the State Office Campus forced Westland Hill Little League to move to what is now Frank Waterson
Park, Austain Avenue, in Albany. The original four teams in Westland Hills Little League included Fine’s,
the 13th Ward, Spector’s and Gainor’s. William Spratt was the first President of Westland Hills Little
League. In 2003, Westland Hills ended its affiliation with Little League.
Pine Bush Little League of Guilderland began its first year with six teams in 1971. The league played its
games at Tawasenta Park. In 1977 the league was divided into two charters, American and National. Philip
McGrath was the first President of Pine Bush Little League. Philip Galka was the first President of Pine
Bush National Little League in 1977. In 1997, both Pine Bush leagues moved to new facilities at Keen
Holtz Park in Guilderland Center.
St. Francis De Sales Little League began play in 1979. It became West Albany Little League several years
latter (approximately 1987). The original league included eight major division teams and played its games
at Pocket Park on Exchange Street in Albany. Edward Prince was the league’s first President.
Berne-Knox-Westerlo began Little League play in 1982. Games were played at fields located in Berne,
Knox and Westerlo. The league consisted of eight major teams the first year. Sylvia Slatcher was the first
President of the league.
West End Little League participated in District 13 starting sometime in the early 1960s. They continued
until the early 1980’s. Menands also participated in Little League (District 14) through the 1970’s.
In 1960 Colonie Little League all-star team became the first Albany County Little League team to win a
Sectional tournament and participate in the New York State Little League Tournament. Since then Colonie
has won the Sectional tournament ten times. Albany National won Sectional titles twice and Tri Village
won it once.
In 1966 Albany National Little League became the first Albany County Little League team to win the New
York State Little League Tournament and go on to participate in the Little League Eastern Regional
Tournament. Colonie Little League also won the State tournament titles in 1973, 1980, 1987 and 2004. In
1973 Colonie won the Little League Eastern Regional Tournament in Bristol, Connecticut and represented
the Eastern Region of Little League Baseball at the Little League World Series in Williamsport,
Pennsylvania.
In 1958 Little League Baseball, Inc. restructured the State of New York Little Leagues into four Sections.
Each Section consisted of various Districts. District 13 included most of Albany County including the
Albany National, Albany American, Whitehall, Westland Hills, Tri-Village, Hudson Valley and Colonie.
Pine Bush National, Pine Bush American, West Albany and Berne-Know-Westerlo leagues joined District
13 when they began Little League play. The Watervliet, Cohoes American, Cohoes National and Latham
leagues were included in District 14 along with the Little Leagues from Renssaleer County.
District 13 major championships have been won by Colonie 26 times, by Albany National six times, by
Whitehall six times, by Westland Hills two times, by Hudson Valley two times, by Albany American one
time, by Tri-Village three times, by West Albany one time, by Arbor Hill one time, by Pine Bush national
one tiem, by Pine Bush American one time and by Tri Village National one time.
Albany County Little Leagues competed in District 2 from1953 through 1956 and District 1 in 1952. The
Albany County Little Leagues, including Watervliet, Latham and Cohoes Little Leagues, were part of
District 10A in 1957. Watervliet Little League won the District 2 championship in 1955. Watervliet also
won the Section tournament in 1970 and competed in the State tournament that year. Since 1958, Latham
(North Colonie) Little League has won nine District 14 tournaments. Cohoes Little League won District 14
tournaments in 1980, 1982 and 2004.
All District 13 Little Leagues include a Major Division and a Minor Division. The Major division is
intended for the more skilled players and can include players 9 to 12 years of age. The Minor division is
divided into age brackets depending on the league structure with teams who compete against other league
teams in the same age bracket. This includes T-Ball teams for players for 5 and 6 year-olds.
The annual 12 year-old State Little League tournament has been hosted in Albany County on several
occasions: 1958 by Watervliet Little League; 1965, 1976 and 2002 by Albany American Little League;
1982 by Latham Little League; and, Whitehall Little League in 1994. Albany American Little League also
hosted the Eastern Regional Tournament on several occasions in the 1950’s and 1960’s. In 2004 and 2005
Albany American Little League served as host for the East Region Girls Major Softball Tournament.
In 1955 a city little league tournament began that included the league champions from each of the four city
of Albany leagues (Albany American, Albany National, Whitehall and Arbor Hill). The Albany National
league champion, the Clinchers, won the first city tournament. This tournament eventually became the
City-County tournament and is open to league champions from all District 13 Little Leagues.
Annually, District 13 host all-star tournaments for the various age groups. These include 7-8 year-olds, 9
year-olds, 10 year olds (may include 9 year old players), 11 year-olds, and 12 year-olds (may include 11
year-old players). A separate intermediate or farm division tournament is held consisting of league all-stars
age 10 through 12 that did not play at the major division level of the leagues. District 13 also hosts the
Albany County Police Athletic League Tournament each year.
The winners of the District 13 12 year-old, 11 year-old and 10 year-old tournaments advance to the
Sectional 3 Little League tournament (Section 2 from 1958-2008). Winners of the Sectional tournament
advance to the New York State tournament. The winner of the 12 year-old State tournament advances on
to the Eastern Regional tournament held in Bristol, Connecticut. The New York State 11-12 champion
competes with teams from the twelve New England and Mid-Atlantic States and a team from the District of
Columbia for an opportunity to represent the Eastern Region at the Little League World Series in
Williamsport, Pennsylvania.
Little League Baseball is big in the State of New York. Currently there are approximately 523 Little
Leagues in New York. Only California has more leagues. Teams from New York have won the Eastern
Regional Tournament and competed in the Little League World Series fourteen times. In addition to
Colonie, three other area Little Leagues, Schenectady, Rotterdam and Glens Falls, have played in the Little
League World Series. Schenectady has gone to Williamsport three times and won the World Series in
1954.
In 1994 Little League sanctioned Sectional and State tournaments for 10 year-old all stars. Colonie has
won five Section 10 year-old championships and three State 10 year-old championships (1998, 2003 and
2007). Pine Bush American won the Section10 year-old championship once (2000). Colonie has won the
State 10 year-old championship three times (1998, 2003, and 2007). In 2009 Litter League started a East
Region tournament for the 9-10 year-old division in Cranston, Rhode Island.
In 2003 District 13 was reduced to 10 leagues when Westland Hill dropped out of Little League. In 2006
Westland Hill Little League folded and in 2009 Tri village Little League divided into two charters, Tri
village National and Tri Village American.
District 13 began hosting a “fall ball” program opened to all District Little Leagues in 2003. In 2004,
Colonie began hosting a Challenger Division for District 13. Whitehall Little League had hosted a
Challenger Division in the early 1990s.
In 2004, Little League began a Section 2 and State tournament for 11 year-olds. Colonie won the first 11year-old District championship in 2004. Colonie also won the Section championship in 2008 and 2009 and
the State championship in 2008.
In 2008 New York State Little League was restructured from four Sections to six Sections. District 13
became part of Section 3 with included Districts 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16.
District 13 has served as host to the East Region Little League Major Tournament in the 1950’s and 1960’s,
prior to permanently moving the tournament to Bristol, Connecticut. From 2004 to2010, District 13 and
American Little League hosted the East Region Little League Softball Tournament at Krank Park, Albany,
NY.
District Administrators for District 13 have included Lou Aronowitz (1954-1957), Al Polando (1958-1969),
Bill Farrell (1970-1973), Jose Sampson (1974-1978), Bill O’Sullivan (1979-1984), Ray Engle (1985-1994)
and Lenny Ricchiuti (1995 to present).