The City of Stamford Recreation Services Division in Stamford, CT held it’s 4^th Annual HR Derby on Monday, June 30 at Cummings Park.  97 participants registered for the event.  34 registered in the A Division for A/B players and 63 in the B Division for C/D players.  The event began 4 years ago as a way to try to spark some interest in the local leagues.  There was no excitement in the local softball leagues.  Too many rules, bat bans and eligibility restrictions were killing the local league.  Players looked to the local Recreation Department to bring back some life in softball in Stamford, a league with over 200 teams.  The Recreation Department changed some rules, opened up the league to non-residents and changed the structure of the leagues.  Over the course of a few years, the buzz came back and the Home Run Derby is a prime example of what a little creativity and listening to player feedback will do.  With approximately 100 participants and 300 spectators, Cummings Park was packed with friends, relatives, and teammates all cheering on their favorite participant.   

 The event was a huge success as we increased enrollment by more than 30 participants from prior years.  Players from all over CT and New York showed up to participate.  Participants varied from ages 19 –60 years old.  The most senior participant, Roger Boway, age 60 hit a total of 8 home runs with one hit over 400 feet.  The fee to get in was $15.  Each player received a t-shirt designed by Teamworkart.com and 10 swings.  The fields are 300’, the balls used were 47COR/525 Trump Rocks and all bats (except pure titanium) were legal.  It was a beautiful night and BOMBS were flying. 

 In the A Division, participants that hit at least 5 HR’s in 10 swings moved onto the Finals.  16 out of the 34 moved on to the final round.  In the preliminary round, Pat Matto from Corvi’s/Ale House went a perfect 10 for 10 to lead the charge.  Greg Kimmel hit 8 out of 10 and 7 other players tied with 7 hr’s, including local favorites Kris O’Hara from Chase/Alesium/Easton and former minor league baseball player Pete Tucci from Blockbuster Video.  Balls were routinely traveling at least 400’.  In the final round, participants hit in ascending order with those that hit 5 hr’s in the preliminary round hitting first and Pat Matto hitting last.  In the final round George Legierse, from ChecKing/Worth, began the round by hitting 9 for 10 with his Worth PST Max.  He set the standard and put the pressure on the other participants.  According to O’Hara, “there is a lot of pressure on the pitchers to give the batters good pitches”.  With the leader at 9, most participants tried to swell up and tended to over swing.  The home run numbers were down in the final round.  Only Tom Collins, from Connecticut Sportsplex/Miken, came close by hitting 8 home runs.  Greg Kimmel from Blockbuster Video and Ken Romaniello from Dickey’s Power Club each hit 7 home runs to tie for 3^rd.   Ken Romaniello, tipping the scales at 160lbs and standing 5’6”, won the 200 lb and under category in the A Division with his 7 hr’s to win a Worth Wicked Composite while Greg Kimmel won an Anderson Techzilla.

 In the B Division, participants had to hit at least 4 hr’s in the preliminary round to qualify for the finals.  23 out of the 63 qualified for the finals.  Felix Ortiz from Los Boricuas, Steve Aillo from Club Sandwich and Leszek Samsel, from Connecticut Sportsplex/Miken each hit 6 in the preliminary rounds to lead the way in the B Division.   In the finals, Frank Sessa from Club Sandwich and Felix Ortiz each tied with 7 home runs to force a 5-swing tiebreaker.  Frank went first and hit 3 out of 5 for home runs to out distance Felix who hit 2 out of 5 for home runs.   Rock Chiappetta from Pitney Bowes finished 3^rd while Leszek Samsel and Steve Aillo tied for 4^th.

 Winners in each category won a Worth Wicked Composite, $100 cash, a trophy and a free subscription to Softball Magazine.  Second Place winners won a Worth Wicked EST, $50 and a free subscription to Softball Magazine.  3^rd-6^th place finishers all received prizes ranging from bats, to bat bags, to t-shirts, caps, batting gloves…. etc.  Over $2,500 worth of bats and other softball paraphernalia was donated to the event.  Sponsors included:   the City of Stamford, Worth Sports, Miken Sports, Anderson Bats, Softball Magazine, Connecticut Sportsplex, Instant Replay Sports, Finescape LLC, RC Electric, and Bobby Valentines Sports Bar.

 Final Results:  Stamford HR Derby 

Place:                Name:                          Team                                        HR’s

1^st                      George Legierse             ChecKing/Worth                      9

2^nd                     Tom Collins               Connecticut Sportsplex/Miken      8

3^rd                     Greg Kimmel              Blockbuster Video                       7

4^th                      Ken Romaniello                   Dicky’s Power Club         7

5^th                      Aaron Valenti               Greenwich                                 6

5^th                      Joe Iannucci                         Blockbuster Video             6                                 

Place:                Name:                          Team                                                 HR’s

1^st                      Frank Sessa                Club Sandwich                                   7(won head to head tie breaker)

2^nd                    Felix Ortiz                  Los Boricuas                                    7

3^rd                     Rock Chiappetta             Pitney Bowes                           5

4^th                      Les Samsel              Connecticut Sportsplex/Miken        4

4^th                      Steve Aillo                  Club Sandwich                                   4