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The M Street Softball League, thanks to Mark Senna, has a website, which I was checking out the other day. One of the headlines read "M Street Softball History," so I clicked on to it. I was immediately transported back to July 23, 1970 and a headline which completely threw me. It read "Brian Wallace Club On Top." Now that was more than 28 years ago and it blew my mind. I had completely forgotten about that team, but certainly enjoyed reading the stories that were online. The more I read the more I remeber and the more I smiled. My friends Jimmy Ridge and Bob "Ozzie" Orton, Bobby Dunkle, Hoppa Prendergast, Satch Crowe, Chick Hill, Chicka Noonan, Jackie Connolly, and Bobby Monteith played on that team, which ultimately won the championship that year. As I continued down the website, I came across another article that read "M Street All-Star Game Tonight." The date of that article was August 6, 1970 and the names of the all-stars read like a who's who of Southies all-time greats. First of all, the commissioner of the league was a guy named Ray Flynn, who was a probation officer in the Suffolk Superior Court at the time. Later that summer he ran for State Represenative for the first time. The all-star teams that year were called the "Lower End All-Stars and the City Point All-Stars." The Lower End was managed by Freddie Melchione and coached by Mike Larkin. The players were: Jimmy Nee 1B, Jackie Farrell 2B, Jake Fennessey SS, Joe Scully 3B, Bobby Sullivan OF, Flash Flaherty OF, Patty McDonaugh OF, Joe Casey C, and Mike Sheehan P. The rest of the team included Tubba Pierce, Joe Ronca, Ronny Lescinskas, Gerry McGrath, Jimmy Rooney, and Richie Shea. Now that's what I call an all-star team! On the opposing side, the City Pointers were managed by Chuck Noonan. The starting lineup: Satch Crowe 1B, Guy Hill 2B, Jimmy Ridge SS, Jimmy Morris 3B, Johnny Dailey OF, Tommy Murphy OF, Bob Dunkle OF, Hoppa Prendergast C, and Bob "Chick" Noonan was on the mound. The other stars were Bobby Donavan, Rocky DiLorenzo, Jackie Conley, Bobby Scarro, Gene Novicki, Bob Lancione, and Mickey Roache. I can't see how anybody got a ball through the left side of the infield with Ridge and Morris patrolling there. The game itself was won by the City Point team as Dunkle, Ridge, and Morris each had three hits. Noonan pitched half of the game and gave up only one hit. The future police commissioner and present Boston City Councilor, Mickey Roache, relieved Noonan in th efourth and pitched one hit ball through the remaining three innings. For Noonan and Roache to hold that team to two hits is almost uncomprehensible. I'm quite sure that Tommy Murphy in center and John Dailey in right must have tracked down some prodigious shots from stars Jackie Farrell, Jimmy Nee, Jerry McGrath, and Jimmy Rooney, who were all left handed batters. Those were some of the best softball games and best athletes I have ever seen in my life. The Wallace Club, I wonder where they got that name, finished the season with a 26-1 record. The only game they lost that summer of 1970 was to Mickey Roache who pitched a 1-hitter. The opposing pitcher Noonan, also pitched a 1-hitter but lost for the only time that season on an error. Thanks for the memories guys!! |