Photo credits – James Haupt
Amidst the MLB All-Star Weekend, another baseball league took part in All-Star activities of their own.
The Long Island Stan Musial (LISM) Men’s Baseball League held its annual All-Star games on Friday, July 12, and Saturday, July 13, at Fairfield Properties Ballpark in Central Islip, home of the Long Island Ducks.
The league, named after the legendary St. Louis Cardinal, is one of the most popular Long Island men’s leagues, playing in both Suffolk and Nassau County. It is home to 45 teams – ages 18 to 50 – that span across five divisions: Divisions 1, 2, 3, and 4, along with the Mid-week Division.
Every year the Ducks offer their field for three Stan Musial All-Star games to honor the best players in each division. This year, the Midweek Division played on Friday, Divisions 3 and 4 were set to play on Saturday at 11:30a.m., and the top two divisions played at 8:00p.m. The D3/D4 game was delayed several hours due to the morning rain but ultimately was completed around 5:00p.m.
“For 140 players representing five divisions in three games, it was truly a day to showcase the best and watch them play for the love of the game in front of family and friends at a beautiful stadium,” said Bob DePersio, Sr LISM Executive Director.
Players were either voted in or chosen by their team to become an All-Star. All three games were a huge success that saw each participant play several innings of their selected positions.
“It was an honor to be a representative at the All-Star game for both Suffolk Yankee teams,” said Brian Honka, who plays for the Suffolk Yankees, a longstanding Stan Musial team, on both the D2 and D3 level. “To receive this honor, which was voted on by my teammates, makes it even more special to me because I get to represent them as well. The experience of playing at Ducks stadium is something not many people can say they have done and let me tell you it’s amazing getting to play in a stadium atmosphere.”
Much like the MLB All-Star game, the players were competitive but were also just enjoying the sport. The field was filled with smiles and laughter as teammates and opponents shared a unique experience at a professional stadium.
“It was an incredible experience to say the least,” said KJ Dow, a participant in the D3/D4 game. “Stepping on the same field as many all-time greats is always an honor.”
Players, old and young, were able to fulfill a dream this past weekend and display their passion for baseball. The league will now continue its regular season as playoffs are fast approaching in August.
