Little League has been active in Millinocket since 1952. There were four teams at the beginning. They were the Tigers, Red Sox, Yankees and Indians. The teams were sponsored by the Elks Lodge, Millinocket Trust, the Millinocket Chamber of Commerce and the woodlands department of GNP. Uniforms were purchased and equipment was purchased with the $250 each sponsor provided for its team. At the proposed field, fence posts were set out and dug-outs excavated by volunteer labor. A league franchise was acquired from the National headquarters of Little League. The first playing field was near the former Millinocket Junior High School. Various merchants pledged forest green paint to cover the fence. The Great Northern Paper Company provided the fencing and other materials for the field. Ages for Little League at that time was 8-12 inclusive. The older boys, 13-14, would play in the Pony League. The Junior League would take boys from age 15 through high school. The above information is from a news article in the Bangor Daily Commercial, Sunday, May 3, 1953. Photos in the newspaper show Fred Manzo (field maintenance committee), Red Frazier (official scorer), Carmen Brigalli (league president), Al Cummings (recreation director), Tony Cozense (team manager), Ed Foster (umpire-in-chief, Neal McQuarrie (board of directors) and Eldridge Stone (vice-president). Another photo shows a display of Little League uniforms and equipment. On April 18 of 1952, nearly 200 future Little Leaguers registered for the various teams. At the end of the first year of play, the Indians were victorious and they went on to win the championship for three straight years! The Yankees became the champs in 1954. All-star tournament play began in 1952 with teams made up of 11 and 12-year-old players from each of the teams. Other sources state that Millinocket captured the Maine state championship in 1973 and advanced to the East regional where they were defeated in their first game. More teams were added through the years to include the Cardinals, Devil Rays and Mets.
Museum open Thurs., Fri., Sat. noon - 3PM or by appointment! In the Museum Store…Just Arrived…new Bill Geller book! West of Chesuncook & North of Moosehead: Log Drives & Sporting Camps, 1830-1971, $30.00 each ***Millinocket Schoolhouses…A Look Back in Time, $25.00 each (3 copies $65.00. By mail add $5 SH for 1 or 2 copies & $6 for a bundle of 3. More than 3, contact museum. *** The Northern magazine, scan all issues 1921-28 – via email or thumb drive, $50.00 *** Preowned yearbooks - $10.00 each. *** Matted photos, various prices – GNP mill, Little Italy, river drives, Mt. Katahdin. ***Books: “Within Katahdin’s Realm, Log Drives and Sporting Camps” (Bill Geller) $30.00; “Logging Towboats & Boom Jumpers” (Moody) $20.00; “Tanglefoot,” (Edwards) $15.00; “The Nighthawk,” (Edwards) $15.00; “Millinocket” (D. Duplisea) $20.00; “A Little Taste of History” cookbooks - $20.00; both Laverty books, $25 history & $10 architecture; “Our Real World,” (M. Murphy) $15.00; “No Time for Moss (McKeen) $15.00 and several preowned books (out of print) by local authors. *** DVDs – Spirit of Katahdin, Tales of Little Italy, Part 1 and Part 2 -$10 each *** All items may be mailed – add $5 SH each item. *** For information, groups or appointments, contact Curator Trudy Wyman, 723-5477. *** By mail at Millinocket Historical Society, P. O. Box 11, Facebook or by email at MillinocketHistSoc@gmail.com or trudy18@beeline-online
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