The year was 1975 and Kevin White and Joe Timilty were locked in a race for the mayor's seat. Far from the political battelfield, the softball field at M Street was comprised of the following teams: American League had The Social Club, The Corner Tavern, John Joyce Club, 220 Club, Houlihan's, Coyne's, Sully's, P.B.L., The Green Derby, and Lou's Place. The National had Chippewas Sporting Goods, Triple O's, Millers Market, YIP Club, Olde Towne, Square Cafe, Rabbit, Inn, Coachmen, Whitey's, and the Heights Tavern.

The all-star team which played on Tuesday, August 14, 1975 started the following players: American League pitcher - Bill (Boob) Elliott, catcher Bob Prendergast, 1st base Allen Gobbi, 2nd base Larry Heafey, 3rd base Jimmy Stoddard, shortstop "Broadway" Buddy Cavanaugh, left field Johnny Shannon, center field Jim O'Brien, and right field Ozzie Orton. The National League pitcher - Marty Donlan, catcher Edso Foley, 1st base Bobby Lerro, 2nd base Jack Farrell, 3rd base Jim Kelly, shortstop Carl Dimaggio, left field Brian Coughlin, center field Bobby Sances, and right field B.Concannon.

The final that year was between the defending champions, Chippewas Sporting Goods and the John Joyce Club. The defending champs proved why theyr were the defending champs as they swept the Joyce Club in three straight games. This was the second time in two years that the Joyce Club would lose in the finals to the Chips. Jimmy Rooney wss awarded the MVP as the lower end left hander came through time and time again with clutch hits, and sparkled in the field. The league MVP in 1975 was also from the Chippewas Club, his name was Freddie Melchione. The Chips men on the mound were "Marvelous" Marty Donlan, and Bob "Cab Driver" Tyler. Chippewas player/coach Jerry McGrath was alos up for the MVP trophy. Jerry, another left hander set the tone for the championship series in the very first game when he came up with two outs in the seventh inning and delivered the game winning hit. Joe Casey, the Chips outstanding catcher, also proved to be a clutch hitter as he came up in the bottom of the seventh in the third game and won the game and championship by delivering a one out single to left.

What great names and great memories. It is truly amazing that the talent level up at M Street has remained constant for 28 straight years. Some of the sponsors have changed, some have remained...The Corner Tavern, Miller's Market, Sullivan's Pub, The YIP Club, has relocated to the Quencher, for all intents and purposes, the Social Club has become the Seapoint, and is still a sponsor. Lou's place has become Molly Darcy's and they are a sponsor, Old Towne Tavern has been replaced by Olde Time Hardware, Sam Moran has never left, God Bless Jimmy Tower who sponsors everything in Southie. Some of his sponsors back in 1975, who are no longer are: Whitey McGrail, Houlihan's (now the Shamrock Pub), the P.B.L. (now the Farragut), Chippewas Sporting Goods (then owned by John Cunnif), The Square Cafe (now the Sports Connection), the world famous Rabbit Inn, which was once called scats, and which once made national headlines in 1974, as the Rabbit Inn went at it with the Tactical Police Force. The Coachmen, which was located at I and Broadway, and which is now a pizza place the Heights Tavern, which was located on Dorchester Street, which is now Baggot Inn, and is next door to Bay View Liquors, which is now an M Street sponsor.

And what about those players, Larry Heafey an all-star second baseman, who like Sam Moran, never left. Heafey is now the umpire in chief at M Street. My good friends Boob Elliott, who I played behind for so many years. One year we were playing a "corner softball tournament" down at the D Street project field and Boob had a 3-0 count on Jimmy Ridge when he called a timeout. I was playing shortstop and Boob motioned me over to the mound. "Ridge is expecting a fastball," Boob said. "Watch this, I'm going to throw him a changeup." You're the pitcher," I answered as I made my way back to my position. Boob wound up and threw Ridge a slow changeup. Ridge uncoiled and hit the ball half way up the old smoke stack that was behind the park. It was one of the longest balls I have ever seen hit. "Why do they call you Boob," I yelled. He never turned around.

Other great players on that 1975 all-star team included: Hoppa Prendergast, one of the best catchers to ever play at M Street and who for years caught the great Chicken Noonan. "Broadway" Buddy Cavanaugh and Johnny Shannon were two of the fastest best hitting fielders to ever play. The Joyce Club had Ricvk "Petra" Calnan at third and Buddy at short. To get a hit through the left side you had to hit a shot like Ridge hit off Boob.

Ozzie Orton was one of the truly unheralded sport stars in Southie. A three-sport star who had as much natural ability as anyone I had ever played with. Same for Brian Coughlin, who was a baseball, hockey, football, and handball star. If anybody hit any longer shots at M Street from the left side of the plate than Jackie Farrell, I never saw him. Prodigious, is the only word to describe the Farellesque shots that people came to expect from Jack. Bobby Lerro, another three sport star, who started at Boston Stae in baseball and was one of the bets linebackers that I ever saw in the Park league, was another all-star that year."Where have you gone Carl Dimaggio?" Carl was a gifted baseball player and was a pleasure to watch play the game. Jimmy Kelly, no notthat one, the other one, was another unheralded athlete who played and excelled in every sport. If anyone came close to Jackie Farrell it was Bobby "Nino" Sances. The opposing rigth field would ordinarily be stationed a lot closer to N Street than to M Street when Nino came to the plate. Bobby was from a great baseball family. His brothers Billy and Buddy were also great ball players. "Marvelous" Marty Donalan was Whitey McGrail's favorite pitcher and one of the guys who invited the term "trash talking" along with Jimmy Calanan. Marty was a tough competitor who gave 110% in every outing. Some magical names ann great memories.