They say the killer always returns to the scene of the crime, and this was borne out over the Labor Day weekend when Anthony Bocchino was spotted working as a security officer at Keyspan Park.
As member of the 2002–2003 Williamsport Crosscutters, Bocchino murdered the Cyclones. In fact, in 2003 he hit an astonishing .500 against Brooklyn.
The Bensonhurst native, who played at Xaverian High School and at Marist College, typically had more fans than the Cyclones whenever the pesky Crosscutters came to Keyspan Park.
But not everyone was cheering.
“There were plenty of boos from the Brooklyn fans who weren’t my friends or relatives,” said Bocchino on Labor Day as he patrolled Steeplechase Pier prior to that evening’s fireworks display.
“But I used the boos as motivation.”
Bocchino’s father, Leo, is a regular Cyclones security officer, and the younger Bocchino is in a program to join Local 177 so he can work security at sporting events.
“I enjoy being around sports, so the security work is something I want to do part-time,” said Bocchino.
Given Bocchino’s prowess with the bat, many Cyclone fans were astonished to hear that he was no longer in pro ball.
“I was about to play my fourth professional season last year,” he said. “I told myself that if I didn’t hit 10 homers and bat .285, then I would hang ’em up.” Bocchino did hit 10 home runs that year for Lynchburg and Hickory, but he hit .265 and decided to get on with his new career in business. He works for Bear-Stearns.
But he’ll never forget Keyspan Park — where he did most of his damage. His Crosscutters team clinched the 2003 New York–Penn League championship in Coney Island, thanks to Bocchino’s late-inning bunt and, later, game-winning run.
“After the game, the team celebrated at Nathan’s,” said Bocchino. “Then they got on the bus to go back to Williamsport, and I went home to Bensonhurst.”
Whither the rally chicken?
When Cyclones hitting coach Scott Hunter brought “the chicken” to the clubhouse as an avian mascot to spur on the Brooklyn hitters, the rubbery bird received a lot of the credit for the team’s surge into first place in August.
Lowell Spinners submarining hurler Jonathan Papelbon has a sidearm motion that looks like he’d be impossible to hit (his knuckles practically scrape the mound!). But the Cyclones got to him on Labor Day, thanks to Jesus Gamero’s walk-off single that knocked in two.
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Later, the Cyclones began struggling, and the chicken disappeared. An anonymous source on the Cyclones staff reported that the chicken was getting a little over-confident, and the Cyclones’ success went to his head.
But news of Clucky’s demise has been grossly exaggerated.
Despite an unconfirmed report of a clubhouse roasting, the chicken has survived, if somewhat ignominiously.
“The chicken now resides in [General Manager] Steve Cohen’s car,” said Hunter, smiling. “And we think we’ll have better success if it stays in Steve’s back-seat.”
Clones channel Brooklyn’s best
There are several bulletin boards in the Cyclones’ clubhouse, and the coaching staff likes to display inspiring quotes for the players.
Many popular quotations come from a former catcher from Sheepshead Bay who couldn’t hit too well because of poor vision, but eventually played in the minor leagues (albeit football). Later in his career, he coached a pretty good team in Wisconsin.
Pitching coach Hector Berrios, himself from the Bronx, quotes the former Sheepshead Bay catcher regularly.
“There is no glory in practice, but without practice there is no glory,” Berrios wrote on the board recently.
Hitting coach Scott Hunter posted a different quote from the famous Brooklynite to inspire the Cyclones in their late-season playoff run: “I firmly believe that man’s finest hour, the greatest fulfillment of all that he holds dear, is that moment when he has worked his heart out in a good cause, and lies exhausted on the field of battle — victorious.”
The words were from Vince Lombardi — Brooklynite.
The Greer report
Down the stretch they come! The Cyclones had to win each of their final seven games for a chance at the New York–Penn League’s lone wild-card slot, but it was unclear at presstime whether a post-season berth was in the offing. Win or lose, though, manager George Greer’s job looks safe, given that he nearly steered the team into the playoffs after an 0–7 start. But will he finish out the season? A check of The Papers’ copyright-protected Greer-ometer says the signs look good.
September 2, 2006 issue
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