They are four of New Castle’s most respected baseball coaches.
And Friday they were honored for their dedication to local youth players and passion for the game.
Local attorney Larry Kelly’s F.E.K. Baseball Foundation hosted a ceremony at Flaherty Field where banners honoring Chuck Tanner, Don Ross, and the late Ed Skaneski and John Zduriencik were unveiled along the fence down the third base line.
The ceremony took place before a North County League matchup between the Summertime Heroes and Broadway Bombers.
“A lot of people made great contributions to baseball and the only place you can honor those people would be at the ballpark,” said Summertime Heroes player/manager Mark Elisco, who is also the league’s commissioner. “Since we’ve always considered this the star of the ballparks, we’ve decided to honor these people and line the fences with signs and banners.”
Elisco, who has been involved with working on Flaherty Field for the past 30 years, also helped Kelly’s foundation put $35,000 worth of renovations into the facility. For Kelly, the renovations as well as the ceremony was a way for him to give back to the community.
“These four gentlemen were just huge in New Castle baseball and its origins,” he said.
Tanner, who is a Neshannock Township resident, led the 1979 Pittsburgh Pirates to a World Series. He is presently working with the organization and serving as a special assistant to general manager Neal Huntington. Since the Pirates hosted the Toronto Blue Jays last night at PNC Park, Tanner was unable to attend the ceremony because of his obligations with the team.
His grandson, Jordan Tanner, represented the family. He also plays for the Summertime Heroes.
“It’s always an honor to have a part in anything he has done,” Jordan said. “Accepting the award on his behalf is just a great honor for me.”
Zduriencik was a local barber and one of the first coaches of the American Legion Post 343 team. His son, Jack Zduriencik, represented his father. Jack is a vice president-special assistant to the general manager for player personnel for the Milwaukee Brewers.
Jack is also in town to be honored during a parade Saturday. He is also golfing in the Fred Ryan Celebrity Golf Scramble on Sunday at Sylvan Heights.
“What dad did, he loved people and he loved kids,” Jack said. “All those kids down on the South Side, dad just treated all of them like his family.
“This means more to me than anything. There are a lot of things that touch you, but (the ceremony), I was so happy standing there with my mom (Bernice) and my sister (Mary Kay) and we could all share this together.
“To have your dad’s name put up like that just puts chills up my spine.”
Skaneski, who has a field named after him at the Deshon complex, started the Rookie League. His son, Bob, represented his father.
“My dad loved the game of baseball and he would have been real proud of this ceremony,” Bob said. “I want to thank Larry Kelly and his foundation. When I was growing up Larry’s mother and father treated me like a son. I appreciate everything he has done and honoring my dad.
“Coach Tanner, coach Zduriencik and coach Ross ... these guys were giants in New Castle baseball history when I was growing up. I looked up to these guys and my dad.”
Ross was New Castle’s first high school baseball coach in 1964. He also went on to coach the boys basketball team.
“It’s quite an honor,” Ross said. “I thought people forgot about me coaching baseball, but I coached it for eight years. It’s been a long time and the field has changed a little bit.
“But we still got bases between the lines, the grass is greener than it has ever been and there are people still playing baseball in New Castle. And if it’s good for New Castle, it’s good for me.”
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DEDICATION: Flaherty Field ceremony honors respected coaches
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