Tuesday, July 27, 2004
Ray Repasky said his teammates were bigger and stronger than most.
By JOHN KOVACH
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
POLAND -- It happened 50 years ago this August.
But to Ray Repasky of Poland, that golden memory from the past that he was an integral part of seems just like yesterday.
The Struthers native still vividly can see the fresh young faces and hear the boyish voices of his big and competitive teammates on the 1954 Youngstown Little League Eastern Division All-Star team, which won district and state championships and just missed by one game from qualifying for the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pa.
The 14-player roster, managed by Bill Anderson (Philco), coached by Denny Barrett (WKBN) and headlined by Andy Kosco (Molnar Motors), Ernie Borghetti (WKBN) and Phil Kavulick (Philco), was one of four all-star teams created that year from the 16-team Youngstown Little League, which then was in its sixth year of organization.
Other team members were: Dick Jonda and Mickey McNally, Molnar Motors; Ed Spiezio, Ron Braidich, Charles Onufer and Paul Tokar, Philco; Dom DeMarte, Walt Dragelevich and James Menighan, WKBN; and Phil Acitelli, Parker Arnett.
Repasky and his teammates are preparing to celebrate their nostalgic Little League days and the 50th anniversary of their state championship -- in their own ways with fond recollections -- although a reunion is a possibility.
Popularity of league
Repasky remembers the popularity of Little League in the early days of organized youth baseball.
"When we would try out for a team, there could be at least a 100 guys trying out, and they would cut you down to 15 people. That's what I remember the most," said Repasky, an 11-year-old second baseman for Molnar Motors in 1954 under manager Dick Weller when he was selected to the Eastern All-Stars.
Repasky said Youngstown and Campbell had the only Little Leagues in the area at the time, Campbell's league opening in 1951.
He said players from the Greater Youngstown area were eligible to try out for the Youngstown team, creating a lot of competition.
"They were all very competitive, and that's what made them something," said Repasky, noting that you had to make the team.
They cut players, and kids went home to cry. Today everyone makes the team. They don't cut anyone until they get up to the next leagues."
He also said the players were big.
"Some of these guys were oversized Little Leaguers. That's what made them better because they were bigger than other players."
Won eight in a row
Repasky recalled that the 1954 Eastern All-Stars won eight games, including seven to win the Ohio title, before being stopped by Melrose Park (Ill.), 5-1, in their second game of the regional tourney in Joliet, Ill. -- just one win short of Williamsport. They lost despite the fact that Borghetti and Kosco combined to pitch a three-hitter.
In Eastern's regional opener, Kavulick pitched a one-hitter as the team won, 4-0, over Kankakee (Ill.).
Repasky, 61, said that Kavulick, Kosco and Borghetti were the best players on the team.
"They were big and strong, and they always performed. They threw one-hitters and no-hitters and hit home runs when they needed to," said Repasky, who played behind Kosco at second base for Molnar and Eastern.
Kosco went on to play in the major leagues while Borghetti became an All-American football player at Pitt.
Borghetti fires no-hitter
One of Borghetti's highlights for Eastern in the 1954 tournament was a no-hit, 1-0 win over Campbell in the district meet.
Barrett, a WKBN sportscaster, later became Cardinal Mooney's first football coach in 1956.
Repasky later played in the Struthers Teener League, which was managed by his father, Mike Repasky; and for Struthers High under his uncle, George Repasky, before playing in the Class B League and for Youngstown State.
Ray's son, Mike, picked up where his father left off in college baseball and became a standout for the Ohio State team a few years back.
Ray is a sales representative for Thermo-Rite Manufacturing. He and his wife Monica also have a daughter, Lisa.
kovach@vindy.com