43 Years at the Center of Somers Slow Pitch Softball

Almost 40 years ago this summer, a Harlem Globetrotter-like six-man all-star team of windmill softball players arrived to entertain a packed park of Somers Residents. The idea was also to drub whoever the town could put up as players. Little did the California Cuties—in their comedic get up as girls—know they would run up against a 53-year-old founding member of the Somers Softball League. So while the Shenorock resident didn’t get the win, he did earn the last laugh and represents one of many moments as a player, administrator, and manager over 43 years.

“I pitched the first three innings,” says 91-year-old Stan Piekarski who left the game tied at one.

The Cuties did have the run of the park after Piekarski ran out of gas, but a return the next summer had the crafty pitcher up to the task. “I was ready this time,” he says beating them 2-0.

The Beginnings of the Somers League

But Somers softball began officially in 1972. A postal employee and part-time sports writer, Piekarski had moved here from Yonkers. As a result, he left his fast pitch days down county. “There were a bunch of factories in Yonkers that had industrial leagues,” said Piekarski.

Unfortunately, mid-40s was too old for fastpitch and too young to quit, Piekarski remembered. Slow Pitch didn’t sit well either as he tried to enlist players for a new league in Somers. “They thought it was a sissy game,” he remembered.

His longtime friend and brain trust beside him on the Hudson Valley Beverage bench was the first to draw up the paperwork. “Bob Jazwinski formed the league,” said Piekarski.

Not necessarily looking to lead, his insights at some of the early meetings prompted the others to ask him if he would run the league. Reigning for the first eight years, the league began with five “A” and ”B” league teams. The Rec Department also gave the men autonomy over the course of a 16 game schedule. “Just run it the best you can,” Piekarski was told by Earl Morehouse of the Parks Department.

The main field currently used was their single field and nightfall the curfew. The pile of rocks and uneven surface behind the short right field fence was eventually smoothed over by Ralph Boniello. “They did all the work voluntarily,” he remembered.

Bigger isn’t Better

Lights were the next upgrade in 1976. This allowed the league to expand to 16 teams and two games per night. They mostly kept the eligibility to Somers residents but allowed grandfathered in players who had moved out of town.

Eventually, fields were built on the top of Reis Park and four games a night were played. Thus, the league would expand to 34 teams in the 1990s and allowed players in from other towns. The expanse, though, did not make bigger better in his estimation. “The league got too big,” Piekarski asserted.

Restrictions were eventually put in place, 23 teams now participate in a 24 game scheduled. Happy with the smaller size, he believes the high entry fee is hurting the league long term. “The cost is so high that high school and college kids cannot afford the price so the league is getting older,” he reasoned.

Not too Old to Still be a Part

On his team, which his sons Rob and Tommy still round out his roster, it means station to station softball. “We have to get four hits in a row to get a run,” he jokes.

As such, he hung up his cleats at 72. After placing two consecutive line drives between the deep infield and drawn in outfield, slow afoot translated to outs at first. “I can’t hit it better than that,” Piekarski realized it was time.

But his thinking cap still gets its due in making strategy with his longtime Shenorock neighbor. “Age is catching up with me but I’m at every game,” he concluded.

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