By Bobby Panza
“It’s a beautiful day for a ballgame. Let’s play two!” –Ernie Banks (Major League Baseball Hall of Fame Shortstop and First Baseman, named to the MLB All-Century Team in 1999).
That’s what happened last Sunday when the Upper Westside League, a summer softball league started by first-generation Dominican immigrants in 1982, held its annual home-run derby and all-star game in Morningside Park.
Originally known as the Maria Trinidad Sanchez League, named after one of its founders, the league paused in 2020 amid the pandemic, but returned as soon as it could in 2022, with Roberto Gomez, 37, as its new president. “I’m from what we call ‘up the block,’” said Gomez, meaning Amsterdam Avenue from 107th to 110th Street. The term is used locally, because the area is up a hill from lower Manhattan.
I rode the subway up the hill to catch the action. It was my first Westside League event and I was blown away when I walked through the entrance at West 112th Street and Manhattan Avenue. There was an actual press box where commentary and interviews were being held, music by Power 105.1 FM, and live performances by musical artists KKingCee, SNS, CienFuegoo, Grim$, and DJ Mike Hexx. Food was served, including a custom-made all-star-game cake. Local business sponsors hung banners on the fence around the field. The crowd of around 100 people was into it, as was I. Play ball!
Seeing so much comraderie among everyone out there I had to ask: What has made this league so special for the last 40+ years?
Pedro German, from the Bronx (Winner of the home run derby)
“This is my first year, but from what I’ve seen so far, something great is going on. There’s a lot of family, a lot of Dominican, Hispanic, Puerto Rican — there’s a lot of Spanish people around here! Good people. You don’t see any trouble; you can bring your kids, have a little barbecue, and enjoy the league.
Home run derby, you got to make the show that everybody wants to watch. And then they see the home runs going back. I hit four home runs in the first round. In the second round, I hit eight. And in the final round, I hit five.”
I feel good. This is a lot of fun. A lot of people enjoy us. A lot of family watching.”
Crismely Martinez, West 140th Street and Broadway
“The people. The players, everything. There’s something different here. There are good people. We’ve been coming for two years now. Nice day for a game. I know a lot of people here. We’re like family. I used to live right around here on Manhattan Avenue. It’s nice to come back. I have some good friends playing in the game. Go Westside, of course!”
Jr. Manuel Tavarez, moved to Stratford, Connecticut in 2020 (Player on the Eastside all-star team/Commissioner of Upper Westside League)
“Well, you see here that the community is enjoying themselves on a Sunday afternoon. They get together, they play dominos, they eat, and they enjoy the game. It’s a community environment.
The all-star game was great entertainment. Everybody had fun, now it’s time to eat. That’s why we come here on Sundays: to entertain, to have fun, and to get together with friends.
My dad was the previous commissioner. He’s like a model for the community. He’s been doing this for over 40 years and we are doing this because we are very proud of him. It’s our way to honor him for the work that he has done for the community in the past.”
BIGG DOGG, a Hip-Hop artist from West 90th Street
“What makes it so special is the unity of the neighborhood and how we all come together for a common goal, which is to play good baseball and do something good for the community as a whole. The Puerto Ricans and Dominicans have always been united playing baseball in this neighborhood since the ‘70s.
My grandfather had been playing ball since the ‘60s, even played double-A ball and all that. He was one of the first colored people to put together an actual baseball team for the children. They played on the field in Central Park instead of on blacktop.
My man Roberto Gomez (‘Frio’) over here is continuing that same tradition. The event today went great. It isn’t something that garners the entire community’s attention because there’s a lot of diversity these days. You feel me? Not everybody knows their roots. Granted, but you know, at the same time, we were able to come together and put this together for the people who actually care, and who actually want to see all of us together here, united not just for baseball, but for something that’s positive and uplifting for all of us.”
Roberto Gomez, From up the block (President of the Upper Westside League)
“I think that what makes the league special is that people make an effort to really be involved. The mom-and-pop shops, every little aspect; everything that you see here alongside the softball game is what makes the block the block.
Today we have performers. You see [sponsorship] banners from a whole bunch of mom-and-pop shops. And people who are just creative come out and get involved. That’s what makes the league. It’s just — it’s more than just softball to us, man, it’s community.
My uncles played in this league and I looked around and said, ‘What haven’t they done? Let’s take it to the next level’. I asked how I could involve everybody, so that’s how I got the banners. Everything that you see, it’s very local from people that we know.
I’ve been the president for the last three years. It’s been a good experience. But also, there’s pressure, you know? There are a lot of old-school, people who have been playing for the last 30 to 40 years, and they feel like they can run it better. I had to step by step, earn my respect for them. And they see now, this kid got it. And obviously, I involve all the old-school guys. The people that came before me will always be a part of this league. They built a foundation and I’m building the story.”
“Today was beautiful. Just happy.”
The final score of the Westside League all-star game was 7-4, with Westside beating Eastside. Players were from Los Bravos, Team Spicy, Team JANDO, and Chicago NY. Medals were handed out to the winning team.
Subscribe to West Side Rag’s FREE email newsletter here.
Great story! Thank you!
Love this! I’d love to join. Looks like some good action.
Nice work on this, Bobby. I thoroughly enjoyed it.