Bill Leitz

ARPD Park Director

Player

Bill is another fine example of a kid who grew up in the Alameda park system and went on to give back to his community. Bill was an outstanding athlete in the park programs. He also captained a St. Joseph’s High School basketball squad that won the C.A.L. title and went on to play in the prestigious C.I.F. Tournament of Champions at the Oakland Coliseum.

While attending college, Leitz took the natural path of a dedicated park rat by joining the ranks of the ARPD park directors. In his time with the ARPD, Bill excelled at mentoring kids. He used his intelligence, razor sharp wit and commanding presence to connect with his park charges. For some he was a cool big brother with the big sideburns. For others he acted as a surrogate parent. For all he was the chief arbitrator, judge and jury. Woe to anyone who trangressed the written and unwritten laws of the park. Bill took kids to the movies and paid their way if they had no money. He introduced Bill’s Tales of Action and Adventure, an informal program during which he read the works of J.R.R. Tolkien to groups of kids who’s only interest in books up to that point was a scorebook. Bill and a fellow PD, Jim Curran, also created the Alameda TGWAR League. (If you want to know what that is buy the PlayBall! DVD)

Not surprisingly, after college Bill entered the police academy and began a successful career with the Alameda Police Department where he eventually retired as a captain. Bill married another former park rat, Maureen Johnson (Rittler), and raised a family on the Island.

Tours of Duty: Godfrey Park (1973), Krusi Park (1974)

Captain Bill in 1973

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Player of the Week – Mark Regan

Gopher Big Bat

The July 27, 1970 edition of the Alameda Times Star’s weekly baseball supplement, Play Ball, declared Mark Regan the ARPD’s Midget League Player of the Week.

Photo credit: Bordanaro and Zarcone

The one-paragraph article describing Regan’s heroics went on to read as follows: “Mark was the deciding factor in the Godfrey Gophers’ successful staving off of an upset-minded Woodstock Seal team and preserving their undefeated season mark. Going 2 for 4 at the plate, Mark produced a double and a grand slam homer while personally scoring seven times. With the Gophers leading in the sixth inning by a lone run 10-9, Mark totaled a pitch with the bases loaded and put Woodstock in a five-run hole with only one at bat left. Mark is currently batting at a .444 clip in Midget competition and is credited by Godfrey playground director Mel Arnerich as being one of the main reasons why his Midgets are leading the league. Mark is a fifth-grader at St. Philip Neri and both bats and throws left-handedly.”

Let’s did deeper into those numbers. Mark scored SEVEN RUNS?! We must conclude that Regan actually got to the plate seven times. In addition to his two hits in four official plate appearances, we can assume he also drew three base on balls and took advantage of two fielder’s choice plays or errors.

Nice work, Mr. Regan.

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Ready To Rumble

McKinley coach Bobby Ratto has his game face on as do some of his Midget League Bears. Appearing in this photo from left to right are: umpire Gil Navarro, Ratto, Pat Hanecak (with catcher gear on), George Hashimoto, Sean Williams (Franklin Eagles), and Mike Adkins. In the background is Mike Pola (Franklin).

Photo credit: Acamar

On this July afternoon in 1975, the Bears were victorious and remained unbeaten by handing the Eagles a lopsided 16-1 defeat. The winning pitcher was Earl Johnson. Taking the “L” was Williams. Franklin’s lone run came off a second inning home run by catcher Steve Huey.

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Seventh Inning Stretch – Family Night

Growing up in Alameda’s park system was far more than just baseball and athletics. There were many Alameda Recreation and Park Department programs throughout the summer that fostered a strong sense of community. One such activity was Family Night at your neighborhood park.

On the afternoon of the event, a white City of Alameda truck would drive into the park delivering folding tables and chairs. By 6:00 pm, the smell of BBQs at work would start to start to permeate the neighborhood.  Moms would spread blankets and table cloths to display bowls and containers filled with all kinds of delectable goodies. Tubs of iced Shasta and Cragmont sodas would appear. No one ever went hungry at these affairs.

The sound of static crackled over of the portable PA system as various announcements would begin the official portion of the evening. Sometimes there was music and other entertainment. Always there was the sound of kids and families having fun.

Family Night at Longfellow Park - 1972 (Photo courtesy of the Canalin family)

Mrs. Canalin shares the goodies at Family Night - 1974

“I distinctly remember that Longfellow Park Family Night in 1972. My dad brought with him a friend who was part of the night’s entertainment. He proclaimed to be the actual voice of Donald Duck, and proceeded to chat with the kids in “character.” Me, Phil, and John were a bit skeptical. Maybe it was just us, but we never heard Donald Duck with a Filipino accent….”

Ed Canalin

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Cat Fight

Bobcat pitcher Paul Goode strides towards the plate in this battle for Rittler Park bragging rights.

Photo by Acamar

Heading into this game between crosspark rivals, the Rittler Bobcats were 1-2, while their Little Coast League opponents, the Rittler Wildcats, sported a 2-1 record.

On the next pitch, first base coach Dennis DiFabio will send Wildcat runner Jack Russi (both shown here) in an attempted steal. Not only will Russi be successful taking second base, he’ll also nab third base and home! It seems fitting on the weekend when all-time stolen base king Rickey Henderson is inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, that PlayBall! – Alameda’s Sandlot Blog should commemorate Jack’s 1975 accomplishment on the base paths.

Unfortunately for the Wildcats, Russi’s feat was the lone bright spot as the Bobcats prevailed in the game by a score of 7-3. Goode would notch the win and seven strikeouts. Also shown in this photo is Bobcat first baseman Sofronio Dulay who had a huge day at the plate. Dulay went 4-for-4, smashing a double and two triples with five RBIs.

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Who Am I?

Pay no attention to the batter in this photo from 1979, or the fact that he’s stepping on home plate during his bunt attempt. Focus on the pitcher. Who Am I?

That’s Edison Indian pitcher Erik Schullstrom displaying form that would eventually land him in a major league uniform. PlayBall! will feature more on Erik in an upcoming Park Rat Pros posting. By the way, we still haven’t identified his battery mate  and I don’t think it’s Butch Metzger.

Unfortunately, or fortunately for this week’s Who Am I? Challenge sponsor Morris Landy Ford, only one entry was submitted. Ms. Angela Guidi of Chico, CA, sent along her incorrect guess of Dontrelle Willis. Our Grand Prize of a Ford Pinto Station Wagon from Who Am I? sponsor Morris Landy Ford on Park Street will just have to wait for another day. Sorry, Angie, but thanks for playing.

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Early Bird

You’re getting sleepy. You’re eye lids are heavy. Let your mind drift off into a deeeeeep sleeeeeeeeep.

When I snap my fingers you’re a pack rat again.

SNAP!

You woke up before anyone else in the house. You’ve eaten your CoCo Puffs and put on your park t-shirt. Now get on your Schwinn StingRay and ride down to the park.

Peddle faster to dodge that stream of water coming from the sprinkler hitting the walkway entrance to the park.

You can’t see a park director around so you keep riding your bike through the park toward the office.

Hey, wait a minute! There’s no other bikes in the rack. There’s still puddles of dew on the metal ping pong table.

What’s going on? The office door isn’t open yet.

But it’s a Thursday in July! Where’s everyone at?

Oops… it’s only 7:00 a.m.

An early morning at Krusi Park

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Colt Slugger – Donny Ratto

Photo credit: Bordanaro and Zarcone

Donny Ratto prepares to round third base at Krusi Park Diamond #3. Waiting for a throw that never arrives is third baseman Paul Hollis of the Rittler Wildcats. Ratto would score on this play adding another tally to what would eventually become a 9-5 Krusi win over Rittler in 1970 Little Coast League play.

Don, son of Bernie and Tina Ratto of Post Street, was perfect at the plate going 4-for-4 with THREE triples and 4 RBIs. This day was all Krusi. The Colts battery added four doubles with pitcher Gordon Olson ripping 3 of his own, and catcher Rick Cecconi hitting another off of Cat pitchers John Parachak and reliever Paul Hollis.

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Park Rats – Mario Mariani

Among the roll-call for former park rats who moved on to the professional ranks, Mario Mariani stands tall. The big man from the west-end towered above his fellow Washington Park rats, and then over his Encinal Jet teammates.

Mario Mariani - 1958 Encinal HS JV slugger

Mario enjoyed not only the ARPD baseball leagues, but also the flag football program. One of his park directors, Alameda High School gridiron star Dino Airale, would mentor Mariani on football and how to have fun. He must have provided valuable lessons as the ever smiling Mario would eventually play professional football in the Canadian Football League, battling for both the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and the Toronto Argonauts (16-0) from 1966-67.

Park rat Mario Mariani still lives and works on the Garden Isle. Look for the big man with an even bigger smile as he makes his real estate agent rounds about town!

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Playing Base-on-balls

In the weeks to come, PlayBall! – Alameda’s Sandlot Blog will chronicle many amazing pitching performances turned in over the years. Along with the shutouts and no-hitters you’ll also read about some of the less than stellar outings atop the hill. One such game occurred in late July 1970. Here’s the scoop…

When the Edison Indians traveled to Godfrey Park to meet the host Rodents in a Pee-Wee League showdown, they had no idea they were about to enter the ARPD record books. Steve Garrett took the mound for Godfrey and looked sharp against the Tribe striking out the side in the first two stanzas. His young counterpart, Ray Snider, was not as fortunate. Six burrowing mammals scored in his first two innings of work. But that’s when the tide turned.

Garrett would suddenly experience what can only be described as a Jekyll and Hyde performance over the next two innings. No fewer than fifteen runs would cross the plate as one Indian after another was issued a free pass. When Garrett did manage to record a “K”, his exhausted catcher, Karl Wilkenson, dropped a few third strikes allowing more of the indigenous ones to reach base and light up the overworked scoreboard. If that wasn’t enough, opposing catcher Marty Pere unloaded a blast with the sacks full, hanging a grand slam on the befuddled Garrett. Before Steve would end the fourth inning by recording his 17th strikeout, he would be charged with 22 base-on-balls and a pitch count of at least 129 tosses… likely more. This was as wild a boxscore as as anyone will ever see posted by a single hurler of record.

But wait. There’s more to this Hitchcock story.

As incredible as Steve Garrett’s numbers were, his opponent’s are even more unbelievable. Ray Snider would give up only three hits and record 11 fans of his own. Unfortunately, command was not always riding his wing. Snider would also walk a mind boggling total of 24 Godfrey Rodents before giving way to reliever Vincent Rodriguez in the sixth inning. Weary backstop Karl Wilkenson somehow managed to collect all three Godfrey hits, including a bases clearing double.

As incredible as it may sound, Steve Garrett would record the victory in this 17-15 display of how to play base-on-balls. Someone had to lose this game. On this day, poor Ray Snider would take one in the “L” column.

Both teams could have left their bats at home. In all, 46 base-on-balls were tallied, to go along with 40 strikeouts.

It should be noted that Rodent fireman, Pat Regan, came on to pitch two scoreless innings WITHOUT giving up a single free pass. He must have looked like Greg Maddux to whoever was fortunate enough to be assigned umpire duties for this most-tilted of tilts. After the game, the understated Godfrey coach Dave “Fireball” Owdom had this to say: “Walks were the story.” Right you are, Dave.

And that dear readers, is the rest of this story!

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