The Jardel Slow Pitch Story
The Jardel Slow Pitch Story
The league was founded in 1971, and was called the NorthEast Slow Pitch League. Games were played the first and second year at Northeast High, Rhawnhurst Playground, Fox Chase Playground, Five Diamonds, Keystone & Robbins, Byberry Hospital, Burholme Park, and Jardel. Since 1973, all games have originally been scheduled at Jardel Recreation Center.
Presidents of the League were : Ron Rudolph(1971-1973), Jim Powers(1974-1977), Jim McCullough (1978-1985), and Jack McLeod. Jim Powers served as Vice-President from 1971-1973. League Secretary-Treasurers included: Fran McCloskey, Skip Grimes, and Steve Poole. Commissioners were Frank McNichols 1971, Estelle Goldstein 1972, Tom Crozier 1973, Tom Corcoran 1974,75,76; and Stu Greenberg 1977,78,79,80,81,82. Jack McLeod has served as a member of the League Board of Directors from 1973 to 1990; as Chairman of the Rules Board 1973,74,75,76,77,78,79,80,81,82,83,84,85,97; League Trustee 1972 to 1986; Vice-President; 1977 to 1985; Executive Committee; 1973 to 1986; and on the Executive Board. Executive Board members were: Jack McLeod 1986,87,88,89,90,97,98,99,00; Jerry Bevenour 1986,87; Richard Tulio 1987,88,89,90,91,92; John Pisko 1986; Gary Betshner 1988,89,90; Mike McLaughlin 1991,92,93; Frank Capano 1991,92,93,94; Tom Rossman 1991,92,93,94,95,96; Ray Vassallo 1993,94,95,96; Tom Merrigan 1995,96; Dave Buonomo 1995,96,97; Mike Boyle, Mike Rossi, and Jack Gershime 1997.
Kenny Bashoff, a member of Aamco, pitched the only no hitter in league history in 1975.
Jack McLeod is an original NESPL member from the Beer Barrel Inn franchise; now called Penny Garden's Americans; and is still active in JNESPL. Ron McLeod was the last active member of the NESPL/JNESPL to play in Jardel.
Penny Garden's Americans, franchised as the "Beer Barrell Inn"; is the only original NESPL franchise still active in JNESPL (Jardel).
As part of a fund raising effort for special children, the league was the first non-baseball related group to be allowed to use Veterans Stadium. The league played the Philadelphia Flyers in a series of "PARC/ARBEC" benefit games. These benefit games with the Stanley Cup Champion Philadelphia Flyers were very successful. The Jardel league had a contract with the Flyers and the Phillies to play softball as a fund-raiser. Many celebrities and personalities participated in the Jardel fund-raising softball games. Other leagues offered to play Jardel at the "Vet", as a fund-raiser. The fund-raising was promoted on local television, radio, and the newspapers. An example of the fund-raising success is that in 1975, JNESPL and the Philadelphia Flyers raised over $60,000.00.
The league has an annual "league party", after the league all star game, at the previous year champion's sponsor, or place of choice. The league has played a series of all star games with other leagues throughout the area. As Jardel entered its fifteenth year, the league held "All-Alumni" games, where former players came back to play a game before the league all star game. There were three All-Alumni games played at Jardel.
The league held annual award banquets for the first nineteen years, from 1971 to 1989. The league would publish a league fact booklet that contained the name, and statistics of all the players in Jardel. The league would present various individual and team awards at the banquet, with the highlight being congratulating the current league champions. Individual awards were given out for offensive and defensive achievements, examples are most home runs and runs batted in; highest batting average; best infielder and outfielder; best pitcher; and manager of the year. Team awards were given out for most valuable player, most improved, best offense, and best defense. The league selected the all star game most valuable player award, and the playoff most valuable player award. Various other awards were given out for sportsmanship, and ten year players. The league also presented an umpire of the year award. The banquet also provided an avenue to highlight an individual's achievements off the field in various community awards.
The league held a "pre-season" tournament to acquaint new teams with existing teams. The pre-season tournament winner was also recognized at the banquet. There were four pre-season tournaments at Jardel.
Including playoffs, Bunny's Bar lost only 1 game during the 1972 season; a season in which they went 25 - 0 during the regular season. In 1972, Bunny's Bar finished with the best overall record for one season with 30 wins and 1 loss; 30 - 1.
The Family Tavern went 22-0 in the 1996 regular season, but lost in the semifinals.
Teams that went through the playoffs undefeated include Bunny's Bar 5-0 in 1971; and again Bunny's Bar 7-0 in 1973. In 1983 the playoffs consisted of a double elimination tournament where Chuck's A's went 5-0. With the playoff structure that has been adopted since 1976, two teams were undefeated in the playoffs; Tom Foolery's went 8-0 in 1989, and Anthony's 1 Americans went 8-0 in 1997.
Bunny's Bar, Tom Foolery's and the Blarney 2 are the only teams that have won back to back championships.
Bunny's Bar, the original Red Rooster, Tom Foolery's, Penny Garden's Americans, and the Blarney 2 are the only teams in league history to win at least three league championships, with Tom Foolery's having won five league championships; and the Blarney 2 also having won five league championships.
Tom Foolery's and the Blarney 2 are the only teams in league history to win more than three league championships. Tom Foolery's won five league championships consecutively in 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, and 1990. The Blarney 2 won five league championships in 1993, 1996, 1998, 1999, and 2000.
McCulloughs and Smylies are franchises that have won two league championships.
The Red Rooster (Rhawnhurst Ambulance) has been in seven finals; Tom Foolery's, McCulloughs, Penny Garden's Americans, and the Blarney 2 have been in six finals. Georges was in four finals; Bunny's Bar, and Smylies were in three finals; Kagney's A's, Station Tavern, Rhawnhurst Cafe, and the Sheffield were in two finals (league championship series).
There have been one hundred eleven (111) different franchises; with 228 different team names, and 491 teams in NESPL, and JNESPL history.
There have been 6,299 games played during the history of the Jardel Northeast Slow Pitch League.
The League adopted a new format in 2002; whereby the records for 2002 and 2003 and 2004 were not kept.
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History