North Medford LL pays tribute to Angelo Veneziano

Hank Morse (right) and John Veneziano holding Angelo Veneziano plaque shortly
after its unveiling at Friday night's North Medford Little League banquet.

By Sapna Pathak
Globe Correspondent

STONEHAM — The moment was bittersweet.

Chuck Veneziano was speaking fondly of playing Little League baseball for his father nearly 30 years ago. And in a crowded room numbering nearly 300 at Montvale Plaza, tears streamed down the faces of more than a few grown men, nestled with their families, as they sat listening to Veneziano’s words intently.

The North Medford Little League hosted its first-ever Legends of the League gala on Friday night, honoring the late Angelo Veneziano, a former coach and member of the league’s board of directors.

Chuck, the second-oldest of Angelo’s four sons, touched upon the quote now preserved on a plaque that will be placed at Gillis Park in his father’s memory.

‘‘He used to say one thing to us all the time; it completely summed up the kind of coach he was,’’ said Chuck Veneziano. ‘‘He said: ‘What do I do when the ball comes to me?’ It was a question he always had us asking ourselves. He always had the kids thinking, always had us using our heads.

‘‘It was such a special night, because these guys came from all over to honor their connection to Little League and relive those memories,’’ he added.

John Veneziano, the eldest of Angelo’s sons, was the only sibling not to play for his father, who coached from 1971 to 1981 before stepping down to take on other responsibilities in the league.

In 1970, 10-year-old John was asked to join another Little League team as a lefty pitcher.

One year later, Angelo started the Angels, a team still playing in North Medford’s program. John’s younger brother, Rick, was the first to play for his father, a civil engineer who was fascinated by baseball’s ties to numbers and statistics.

Chuck soon followed in Rick’s footsteps, as a pitcher, before Dominic, the youngest, joined the Angels’ roster in the late ’70s.

When Angelo died in December 2003, his sons proudly accepted the responsibility of continuing their father’s dedication to North Medford Little League.

Instead of flowers, the Venezianos asked family and friends to donate money toward the purchase of new lights for the field.

The donations, combined with a small loan from Patriot Bank, allowed the league to install the new lights in time for the start of the 2004 season. The funds raised from Friday night’s event will go toward scholarships and helping to pay off the lights.

‘‘It wasn’t about the money, but about the memories,’’ said John Veneziano. ‘‘Some of these guys hadn’t seen each other in 20 years. The great thing about this is that almost every Little League in the state could have this kind of reunion. Everyone remembers the Little League games, no matter how old you get.’’

On a night to remember, former teammates rehashed old memories, decade-long friends renewed acquaintances, and others talked about how Angelo had positively influenced thier lives.

Local radio personality Hank Morse, who also played for Veneziano, served as the master of ceremonies in an evening that included a live raffle, formal dinner, and various guest speakers.

The format featured ‘‘six innings’’ in which six former players spoke about their former coach.

‘‘Some were funny, some were sad, but they really made the event because each one made it personal,’’ said Chuck, who now runs his father’s old company, Medford Engineering and Survey.

Morse played for Angelo on North Medford’s all-star team in 1978. A former pitcher, Morse played alongside Dominic Veneziano and remained close to the family once the boys’ playing days ended. Morse’s father, Al, played on the town’s first Little League team in 1952.

‘‘He was known for his gigantic smile. He used to joke with me about giving up 12 runs in an inning, but he always did it with a huge smile,’’ recalled Morse. ‘‘That’s the thing, there were guys from all over the place. From Florida, from out west, who were here to remember their Little League teams. My dad’s 66 and he and his friends still refer to their peers by the Little League teams they played on.’’

Though Angelo’s passion lay in his love of the game, his commitment was to his wife, Gloria, and his sons.

Now a Babe Ruth baseball coach himself, John Veneziano learned the art of balancing work and family from his father, who made it look easy with four sons each playing multiple sports and going on to play at the collegiate level.

‘‘I don’t know how he did it, but he managed to be there for our games, our practices, our travel tournaments,’’ said John. ‘‘He ran his own business, he was there for our mother.

‘‘We all played sports through college, and they were always there. He was so special because he did everything for the love of the game, the love of the park.’’

North Medford Little League will honor a different legend each year and will place Angelo Veneziano’s plaque at Gillis Park in a ceremony on Saturday, June 12.

Sapna Pathak can be reached at sportsgalsp@gmail.com

Guests who attended: Charlie Pagliarulo, Joe Grande (former coach and current
North Medford Little League commissioner), and Ben Averbook of Medford City
Hall/Medford Saving Lives.