EXTRA INNINGS

North Bergen makes triumphant return to District 7 Little League tourneyIt had been 21 long years in the making, but North Bergen Little League’s 11-and-12-year old All-Stars finally won a game in the District 7 Little League tournament last week. For good measure, the North Bergen Little Leaguers won two games.
In 1983, the late Ronald Reagan was President, Michael Jackson looked somewhat normal, Darryl Strawberry was a rookie slugger with the Mets and Miami Vice and Dallas were atop the Nielsen rankings.
And at that time, North Bergen officials decided that they wanted to leave the auspices of Little League baseball and play under the Amateur American Baseball Congress (AABC) Bambino baseball banner instead.
Sure, there was youth baseball in North Bergen, just no official Little League baseball. That meant when the District 7 Little League All-Star tournament began every June, pitting all the best youngsters in Hudson County in a double-elimination donnybrook, North Bergen’s kids were left out, forced to play in their own Bambino tournaments instead.
However, citing a need for drastic reorganization, North Bergen Parks and Recreation commissioner Allen Pascual decided, along with the help of other township officials, that the time had come for North Bergen to make a glorious return to Little League baseball. The former Volunteer Baseball League that catered to the needs of the township’s baseball-playing youngsters was scrapped and North Bergen Little League returned in 2004 in all its glory.
Julian Cosma was given the responsibility to become the new president of the new Little League organization, which was put together under the watchful eyes of the township now, but hopes to be a separate organization in the near future.
When it came time for the prestigious and tradition-filled District 7 tourney to begin last week, a familiar name was back in the tourney – namely North Bergen.
In fact, because of the township’s size and the amount of children participating, North Bergen had to enter two All-Star teams into the double-elimination tournament. One team is called North Bergen North and of course, the second is North Bergen South.
Cosma was impressed with the talent level that is participating in the District 7 tourney.
“We expected that we would see more talented players in this tournament,” Cosma said. “It’s more competitive, but it’s also very exciting for the kids to be participating in it. I think the kids are handling themselves pretty good, considering it’s the first year we’re in the tournament in a long time.”
There was a time when North Bergen Little League did exceptionally well in the District 7 tourney, winning the crown in 1973 and again in 1978. But the tradition went away with the shift to Bambino baseball and it might take a while for North Bergen to battle with the traditional powers in the District 7 tourney like West New York and Secaucus, although Lincoln Park Little League of Jersey City is the tourney’s defending champion.
So being the new kids on the block, North Bergen Little League – North and South – had to take it slow in the tourney, getting their feet wet.
Jesus Bossbaly is the head coach of the North Bergen South team, while Robert Quinones is the head coach of the North Bergen North team.
“We were fortunate to have two excellent coaches,” Cosma said. “I think the teams are handling themselves pretty well so far.”
Sure looks that way. North Bergen North suffered an opening round loss to Secaucus, 5-3, before bouncing back with an 8-6 win over College Little League of Jersey City.
North Bergen South lost to West New York American in the opening round, but they also rebounded well enough to defeat Roberto Clemente of Jersey City in the second round, winning 7-0.
“Our goal right now is to just keep playing, to keep winning and advancing,” Cosma said. “Realistically, we realize that we’re going to get eliminated sooner or later, because we’re so new to the tournament. But we’re going to give it our best and see how long we can stay in it. Every win we have, it’s a big win for North Bergen. Everyone is supporting both teams and we’re sharing that support.”
Cosma said that the response has been great from the parents, who remember the tradition and recall the days when North Bergen Little League was a fixture in the District 7 tourney.
“The kids can’t say they missed it, because it’s been so long, but the old-timers remember what it was like to play in the tournament back then,” Cosma said. “They experienced and remembered the feeling, the excitement. I know they’re all glad to be back. They can remember the history. It’s also good to see the support of everyone. That’s what it’s all about. The kids are having fun and the parents and the people in the town are supporting them.”
However, if both teams continue to do well, there is a chance that they might meet in the tourney, which would really cause mixed emotions for Cosma.
“I’d definitely like both teams to keep winning so they could face each other,” Cosma said. “I know that some people wouldn’t want to see it, because it would be such a crazy feeling, but I want them both to keep winning. It would be great for everyone in North Bergen.”
Just like it’s great for North Bergen to be back in the most historic local Little League tourney.
The EXTRA INNINGS feature focuses on the best stories that come from local baseball and softball leagues throughout the area. If you have any noteworthy information to contribute to the EXTRA INNINGS, feel free to contact Jim Hague by voice mail at (201) 798-7800, ext. 751, by general mail at 1400 Washington St., Hoboken, NJ 07030, or via e-mail at OGSMAR@aol.com. Please include a telephone contact name and number so further information for a possible story can be secured.