Martins Creek's field will become ‘Patch's Place’ Sunday

By Ted Meixell
Of The Morning Call

 

On July 19, 1990, the headline for an article in The Morning Call's Neighbors Section referred to Martins Creek's Blue Mountain League franchise's home field as "Patch's Place."

Eight years and 11 months later, the Martins Creek Athletic Association is finally making it official.

Sunday, with the full blessings of Lower Mount Bethel Township and Eastern Industries (which owns the property), the A.A. will rename the quaint baseball facility "Pacchioli Field" in honor of Olimpio R. Pacchioli.

Patch.

The field will be dedicated to the 72-year-old patriarch of Martins Creek and Blue Mountain League baseball in ceremonies slated to begin at approximately 1:20 p.m., prior to the start of the Creekers' BML clash with the neighboring Roseto Bandits. The game, originally set for 1:30 p.m., will now begin at 2.

Several dignitaries will be on hand to offer comments, including league officials and local, county and state officeholders.

"Those of us who know him well refer to him not only as `Patch,' but as `Mr. Baseball' as well," commented A.A. representative Joe Dell'Alba. "We just believe that, in the future, when you play baseball in Martins Creek, we want it known that you're playing on Pacchioli Field."

At the conclusion of the ceremonies, Pacchioli, himself a member of the Blue Mountain League and Rider College Halls of Fame, will throw out the first ball.

"I'm honored, naturally," Pacchioli said yesterday. "And, until recently, very surprised. We will have nine sponsored home games this year, and I had originally scheduled one of them for Sunday. When I told them (A.A. members) that, they told me, `You can't. You'll have to change that. We're going to do this (field dedication) Sunday.' "

No matter who turns out to honor him Sunday, nothing will make "Patch" happier than if his sister, Marisa Pulcini, is able to be among them.

After 16 weeks of hospitalization and treatments for cancer that included the surgical removal of her esophagus, Marisa was able to return to her home.

"Now," Pacchioli said, "I hope she's in good enough health to be able to be at the game and see the ceremonies Sunday."

Pacchioli has been involved with Martins Creek's BML team, first as a player, later as manager and then as president and representative to the league, since 1945, the year the league was formed. He was 18 years old at the time, a year out of Easton High School and fresh from playing baseball in the Army in the Philippines.

The Martins Creek A.A. was formed that same year, and Pacchioli has been its president from Day One. Pacchioli was president of the BML from 1964 through 1975, and he founded the BML Hall of Fame in 1983. He remains chairman of the Hall's selection committee.

BLUE MOUNTAIN LEAGUE

* Recap: Catasauqua and Martins Creek have met in the finals the last three years, so it's wasn't the least bit surprising to see the Black Sox and Creekers swap first and second place in the standings twice last week.

The Creekers knocked off the visiting Sox 8-6 Tuesday to at once saddle them with their first loss and snatch first place.

But Catty rebounded with wins over Saylorsburg, Limeport and Hellertown and, when Martins Creek fell to Bethlehem Township for a second time Saturday, the Sox were back in first place.

At week's end, Catty was 8-1, the Creekers 8-2.

Banko's Orioles, Bethlehem Township and Limeport also enjoyed productive weeks, the former two going 3-0 to maintain third and fourth in the standings, the latter 3-1 to improve from 1-5 to 4-6.

The Pirates (8-4) have accounted for both of Martins Creek's losses -- and they couldn't have done so in more contrasting ways. The Pirates blanked the Creekers 1-0 behind hard-throwing lefty Jeff Wagner May 9, then outslugged them 16-12 last Saturday.

Two of Limeport's three wins came back-to-back over the Hellertown Royals.

Lower Nazareth (4-4) was victorious in its only game last week, beating Bethleon 10-3.

Hellertown, Saylorsburg and the Blue Jays all had rough weeks; each dropped three straight. The fledgling Roseto Bandits were winless in two starts.

* This Week's Biggies: Thursday: Lower Nazareth vs. Banko's at Allentown College; Limeport vs. Bethlehem Township at Northampton Community College; Saturday: Banko's at Catty; Sunday: Limeport at Banko's; Bethlehem Township at Hellertown; Tuesday: Hellertown vs. Banko's at Allentown College; Catty at Bethlehem Township.

TRI-COUNTY LEAGUE

* Recap: The newly formed (but certainly not new) Tri-City Fleetwings (8-1) and perennial title challenger Gabelsville (5-1) went 3-0 and 2-0 last week to move into first place in the East- Central and West-South Divisions, respectively.

After suffering their first loss of the season (7-3 to Gabelsville May 20), the Fleetwings, who feature a quartet of father-and-son combos, rebounded to defeat Cetronia, Gabelsville's chief divisional rival, 4-3 two days later. And they built the league's best record with wins over Stahley's, Sports Page and Milford last week.

The 'Wings hold a two-game edge over ICC and Limeport in the East- Central -- largely because the Pirates (4-1) have played four fewer games, the Bulls (5-2) two fewer.

ICC shook off a 6-5 loss to Jordan Creek and thrust itself right into the thick of things with 10-2, 7-4 and 9-1 victories over Limeport, Allentown and Lehigh Township. Limeport bounced back from the ICC loss to knock off North Division contender Northern 4-3. The Bulls will take a shot at the Fleetwings at 6 tonight at Lehigh University's Goodman Campus field.

Gabelsville stayed percentage points ahead of Cetronia (6-2) in the West-South with wins over Sports Page and Jordan Creek.

The Longhorns, who reached the playoff finals only to lose to South Whitehall last summer, won two of three last week, over Milford and Upper Perk. But they'd love to have that other one back; they fell 8-7 to previously-winless Silver Creek Thursday.

Stahley's (5-2) and the Northern Yankees (4-2) each split a pair of decisions last week and continue to run 1-2 in the North. They'll clash for the top spot at 6 tonight at Scherersville No. 1.

* This Week's (Other) Biggies: Saturday: Northern Yanks at Cetronia (5:30); South Whitehall at Limeport (7:30); Sunday: Gabelsville at ICC.



ted.meixell@mcall.com

From The Morning Call -- June 2, 1999

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