By Chris Hunn, Register Staff
chunn@nhregister.com
@nhrbaseball

NEW HAVEN — Championship banners line the chain-linked outfield fence, showcasing Pop Smith Little League’s rich history of success.

There’s an assortment of district titles dating back as far as 1968 at the league’s Sherman Avenue complex. There’s a state championship from 1980. The most celebrated is the 1974 Eastern Regional title, marking a trip to Williamsport, Pa., for the Little League World Series.

They may come as a bit of a surprise for New Haven, a city whose youth typically chooses crossovers and touchdowns over America’s pastime. But like a towering home run, accomplishments like these — at any level of baseball in New Haven — seem to be long gone.

From other interests to financial issues and a lack of options, there are mixed opinions as to why baseball struggles in this inner city.

Pop Smith league president Lynair Walker remembers a time when a pick-up baseball game was easy to find in New Haven, whether it be on a field, in a parking lot or on the street.

Not anymore.

“This is a different genre of kids,” Walker said. “Kids want to devote their time to basketball or be home playing Playstation.”

Last spring, Pop Smith fielded 345 children (boys and girls) on 23 teams from ages 4-12. So there seems to be some kind of an interest. But after the season it’s on to football and basketball. Seldom, Walker says, do they play baseball all year. And that’s an issue.

For life after Little League, there aren’t many choices. There is a middle school program that fields just 28 players from 13 different schools. That team feeds the four New Haven high school programs — Career, Hillhouse, Hyde and Wilbur Cross.

“That’s when we lose kids,” Wilbur Cross coach Jeff Farrell said. “They get involved with other things.” Continued...

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Citywide director of athletics Joe Canzanella said now even sports like lacrosse and golf are flourishing.

For those who do decide to play baseball, the shortcomings in experience are evident. Go back to a practice last season for Hyde at West Rock Park. As the practice winds down, a handful of freshmen are taking batting practice.

“Hands together,” Hyde coach Steve DeCrosta tells one player.

“Step to the pitcher, not third base,” he says to another.

Fundamentals like these are missing. It’s an obstacle all four high school coaches face.

“The biggest issue is getting these kids experience,” DeCrosta said. “After Little League there’s not a lot of places for these kids to play. There’s interest, but the opportunities just aren’t there for these guys. Especially after Little League.”

An insufficient number of fields seems to be a drawback, too. There are essentially six playable fields for the city’s 10 combined high school teams (freshman, junior varsity and varsity), along with the middle school program.

The four high school programs finished with a combined 13-66 mark last season. Hyde snapped a 23-game losing streak. Career did have a run where it reached the Class S quarterfinals from 2006-09, but it’s a magnet school and draws from several different areas.

Aside from the Panthers, Wilbur Cross was the last New Haven school to reach the state tournament back in 2006.

“It’s the mindset,” said Edison Rodriguez, who played at Wilbur Cross last year. “There’s no expectations.” Continued...

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The financial conditions for many in New Haven don’t make it easier. Hillhouse coach Marc Potocsky said some of his players are forced to work to help out their families. He goes on to talk about how one of the Academics’ top players, Will Diaz, juggles pitching, playing infield and a job.

While some shell out thousands of dollars to play in the AAU circuit, showcases and for one-on-one lessons, that is impractical for many city players.

“Baseball is a money issue,” Career coach Brad Chernovetz said. “Basically it flourishes at places like Amity, but it’s hard in New Haven.”

American Legion baseball is the economical alternative for high school-aged players in the summer. Problem for New Haven is its legion program folded in 2009. Players from New Haven were eligible to play on another team last summer based on their home address.

North Haven picked up nine players from New Haven and helped it earn a trip to the state tournament. Most were kids from the New Haven Rookies, a successful traveling team which featured most of the city’s top players before folding following its 2009 season.

“In my opinion, New Haven wasn’t organized enough to run a junior or senior legion program,” North Haven coach Charles Flanagan said. “I don’t know if they cared either. They could be a dominant baseball team. They lack in discipline, but are very scrappy. They are tremendous kids and 100 percent committed. It’s a breath of fresh air.”

Former New Haven Legion general manager Rick Epstein said the decision not to continue the program came after players were not showing up on a regular basis. He also said New Haven could have fielded a team this season, but it needs to be an ongoing program and he was unsure if that was possible.

“If someone would like to run (the program) and has an interest, that would be outstanding,” Epstein said. “There’s no road block. There’s not a commitment with players at this time. I don’t have a franchise with this.”

Epstein said the New Haven Rookies were taking away from New Haven’s legion program, but added that it wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. The fact they have a place to play ball is most important.

This past fall, there was a similar situation. Continued...

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Chernovetz said for the past eight seasons, players from Career have played in the Greater New Haven Fall Baseball League and the New Haven Parks and Recreation Department has provided the team with a field free of charge. Chernovetz, who does not coach the team, said this year the team was denied a free field.

Parks and recreation director Bob Levine said that’s because the team is not affiliated with the board of education. Levine said Chernovetz has been portraying the team as one affiliated with the board of education, but he said he found out from “outsiders” that it is actually an AAU team.

Chernovetz denied that and said all 16 players that were set to play on the team were from Career.

There are some signs which point to progress for baseball in New Haven.

In hopes of teaching the game and luring more kids to the diamond, Pop Smith ran a 10-game instructional season, in addition to its regular season, which is backed by Major League Baseball’s Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities program.

Annex Little League official Larry Paquin said the numbers are on the rise in the developmental age groups.

As long as the New Haven players stay aboard, Flanagan said he will be smoking a cigar in the next couple of years, signifying a title is in the cards for North Haven.

And on the high school level, the four programs are led by young and committed coaches who know the game. DeCrosta, Farrell and Potocsky all played at Southern Connecticut State, while Chernovetz pitched at Wagner.

“There is an interest; they like the game,” Potocksy said. “There’s great athletes in New Haven. But it’s a city where basketball and football are the sports everyone thinks about. We just need to get them to feel that way about baseball.”

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