LOOKING BACK | BY GEORGE ALBANO
10 YEARS AGO
Former Norwalk High pitcher Matt Iannazzo, who recently completed a record-setting career at the University of Pittsburgh, signed a free-agent contract with Chicago Cubs organization. The lefty pitcher, who set a programrecord with 28 career victories in his four years at Pitt, will begin his pro career with the Cubs’ Arizona Rookie League club.
The Norwalk Babe Ruth 13year-old all-stars opened the District 2 tournament with a 2-1 victory over Trumbull as Moe Ortiz doubled home the winning run in the top of the seventh. Isaac Kehn was the winning pitcher with two hitless innings of relief after Max Berman allowed only one hit in five innings. Trumbull had the tying run on second with one out in the last of the seventh, but catcher Andrew Goldstein threw out the base runner trying to steal third. Kehn then struck out the final two batters.
Despite an undermanned roster, the Norwalk Junior American Legion baseball team continues to find ways to win as Post 12 upped its record to 5-0 after defeating Greenwich 3-0. Due to injuries on the Senior Legion squad, three key Junior Legion players had to be called up. Against Greenwich, Norwalk managed only three hits, but manufactured its three runs on an RBI groundout by Jared Smith and sac flies from Dylan Hughes and Rick Liscio. Mark Ballard pitched a six-hit shutout to gain his second win.
25 YEARS AGO
Fans of the Norwalk International Little League witnessed an unassisted triple play as Austin Gardella pulled off the rare feat at the Calf Pasture diamond. The infielder caught a line drive for the first out, stepped on second to double up another runner, and then tagged the runner from first out. He also went 2-for-2 with a double and five RBIs to help his team, Renovations by Gardella, defeat Stew Leonard’s 14-3.
The red-hot Panthers remained unbeaten in the Norwalk Athletic Association Girls Softball League after posting four more wins to raise their record to a 6-0. Talia Babel and Steph Howard each had five hits while Brittany Machinello and Nicole Efstathiado collected four apiece as the Panthers routed the Sluggers 20-1 ... Babel then fired a four-hitter in a 15-6 win against the Wild, which was followed by an 8-1 victory over the Lions as Jade Mammone and Dominique Courtney each collected three hits. The Panthers closed out their successful week with a 19-4 thrashing of the Saints as Howard belted four doubles.
In Norwalk Jr. Babe Ruth action, Danny Doyle homered and drove in three runs to lead CWV to a 13-3 romp over A&J Romano ... Jason Zakhar and Dewey Raymond each went 3-for-3 as the Norwalk Fire Fighters beat Wilton 7-5. One of Zakhar’s three hits was a home run.
Randy LaJoie picked up his third win of the season on the Busch Grand National racing series as the Norwalk native captured the checkered flag at the Winston 300 in Virginia for his eighth career victory.
50 YEARS AGO
Ray Barry, the assistant basketball coach at Central Catholic High School the past four years, was named the Cavaliers’ new head coach as well as the school’s athletic director. The 28-year-old Stratford resident replaces Lou Orlando, the CCHS varsity basketball coach the last eight seasons and AD the past five years. Orlando is leaving the Norwalk private school to join the Stamford Public School System and become the first head basketball coach at the new Westhill High School. Barry played basketball and baseball at Stratford High School, serving as captain of the 1961 SHS hoop team. He went on to play basketball at St. Bonaventure and after graduating in 1966 he became an assistant basketball coach at Fort Bliss, Texas for two years prior to coming to Central Catholic.
The 1972 Norwalk City League baseball season opened this week and Shorehaven Dodge came out swinging, outscoring its first two opponents 34-1 at Vets’ Park. Shorehaven crushed the Dusters 19-1 in its opener and then blanked the Senators 15-0 as Mike Angione pitched a one-hit shutout with nine strikeouts.
Angione also collected two hits, while Larry Levine had three hits and Felix Rodriguez added a pair for the Dodgers, who broke the game open with an eight-run second inning. Joe Lynch accounted for the Senators’ only hit.
The Bermudas continued their hot start in the Norwalk Recreation Tuesday Night Softball League as they overpowered Lawrence’s Tigers 19-5 for their ninth straight win while improving to 12-1. The league leaders rapped 21 hits as every player in the starting lineup had at least one hit. Jim Farrell and Joe Sweeney led the way with four hits apiece while Bill Hotchkiss joined the hit parade with three. The Bermudas also benefitted from a couple of sparkling defensive plays by Frank Scrofani and Carm Agliotta ... In other local softball action, Chatham Oaks of Norwalk handed the Hollow Restaurant of Westport its first loss of the season 14-12 in a battle of two area powerhouses at Doubleday Field. Bob Colbert, Don Bieling and Harry Brower led the Oaks at the plate while Earl Stabell handled the pitching duties.