Community Magazine August 2019

patients and their families, who were dealing with treatments in the hospital. Each team was assigned a Legend who was paired with a captain, who was either a son or dear friend of DJ’s. The Legends coached, managed, or in a few cases, played with the teams. Teams “Cherokee Jerky” and “M&S Softball” squared off in the finals, with “M&S Softball” emerging victorious, taking home customized wooden bats with the tournament’s logo. Monument Park Unveiled Yankee’s stadium has its Monument Park, and now, thanks to the hard work of Morris Kassin and Marcia Harary, our community has one of its very own! Donated in honor of Rabbi Jack Mevorah, who started the original Deal Softball League in the early 1970s, the extensive exhibition was truly a sight to behold. Community softballers of all ages loaned out over 140 items of memorabilia to be displayed, including uniforms, trophies, balls, and scorebooks. One of the oldest items on display was a bat on loan from David "Hurdle" Tawil that he had used in the mid-1970s. Over 1,000 photos were also on display throughout the exhibit, many of which were generously provided by Natalie Serure. Walking through the exhibit, you could see families strolling together including three generations. Young and old shared their stories of the game, the players, and love of softball. They admired the many trophies from community members’ homes cared lovingly for over so many years. Cherished Memories and Friendships Rekindled Legend Jackie “Peaches” Picciotto said, “It was a magnificent day, a great day for guys like myself to feel young again. It was amazing to see how important the sport of softball was and still is to the community. They truly made us, ‘Legends,’ as they called us, feel like a million dollars. Also, I was put on ‘Team Deej.’ What more could I ask for then to be a part of a team named after my son-in-law?!” Marvin Saka, one of the honored Legends, said, “My son Abe told me in January he wanted to organize a softball tournament for charity. I was amazed at what it became. He did an amazing job. Not to mention, he also played and made it to the finals! It started in the 70s, we would play and our moms, wives, and kids would come watch us. This day brought back all those amazing memories! My fellow Legends are my friends for life. When you play in a league with someone, you never forget them. It was amazing to see all those guys in that setting again.” In the early afternoon, the main field was cleared for the Legends to take turns hitting around. Their faces lit up as they wacked balls clear across the field, one after the next, just like the good old days. Towards the end of the day, right before the final game, the 16 Legends who were being honored received plaques, each with a picture of himself playing in his prime, and a sentiment thanking them for their impact on the softball community. “I want to thank Abie Saka and Raymond Esses for bringing back a tremendous amount of memories,” said Ronnie Gindi, a former community softball player who was honored at the tournament as a Legend. “Sharing the comradery of all different people who played that day as well as men I used to play with and stayed friends with all these years was incredible. It was a beautiful day and it was truly an honor to be honored.” The event was very successful, with over 100 men participating in the tournament, and over 1,000 people coming out to support the cause. The organizers plan on expanding this event next year, and are considering several ideas, such as a two-day event and an old timer’s game. Runner ups – Team Cherokee Jerky CARE Founder Meyer Safdieh and Harry Adjmi enjoying the day at Deal School. Donated in Honor of Rabbi Mevorah, Monument Park presented a full display of SY Softball League history. Legends Participating in the Tournament (L-R) Marty Gemal, Sammy Tawil, Abo Shamah, Ronnie Gindi, Jackie Picciotto, Nathan Tawil, Stevie Shalom, Charles Saka, and Stevie Fallas. 38 COMMUNITY MAGAZINE