The 6th Annual Bayonne Cal Ripken Baseball Scholar Athlete award winners are (l.-r.) Mike Nolan, Nicholas Nolan, Brian Baranok, and Jimmy Kemp. The Nolan brothers attend Henry Harris School. Brian Baranok attends Robinson School, and Jimmy Kemp attends All Saints Academy. Mike Nolan plays for Bielan Law.com in the Babe Ruth division while brother Nicholas Nolan plays for Verve, Brian Baranok for Pizza Masters, and Jimmy Kemp plays for Modell’s Sporting Goods. These boys not only do it on the field but in the class room. These kids did not miss a day of school, did not miss a game all season and each has first honors throughout the school year. The award is a tribute to Hall of Famer Cal Ripken, Jr. Ripken is perhaps best known for breaking Lou Gehrig’s record for consecutive games played, a record that had stood for 56 years and many deemed unbreakable. Ripken surpassed the mark on September 6, 1995 by playing his 2,131st consecutive game. Ripken voluntarily ended his 17-year streak at 2,632 games in 1998. The two Nolan brothers, Baranok, and Kemp will be honored with a special presentation at our packed-house awards dinner in November. They will also win a $100 Modell’s Gift Card.
Previous winners are:
2008- Bret Jablonski, Frankie DiPillo & Anthony Pilovsky
2009- Indhu Kanakaraj
2010- Kapil Kanakaraj & Bret Jablonski who won it for the second time in 3 years.
2011- Kapil Kanakaraj ( again ) & Shane Paradine
2012- Vincent Calderone, Alex Lambos & Mike Nolan