This past month (February) I celebrated my 50th birthday. You may or may not have seen my business card which touts that I have been “promoting Rhode Island baseball since 1972.” I love the history of the game of baseball here in Rhode Island. We Rhode Islanders have rich tradition of baseball and I look forward to learning more and more about the players, fields, and overall state of baseball in any era. As it was my birthday, I got to thinking about what baseball may have been like here in Rhode Island, in 1972. Here are a few things I learned researching 1972 and Rhode Island Baseball:

According to the website http://www.rihssports.com, the photo clipped above represents the 1972 Providence Journal All State Baseball Team. One player to note, Wayne Politelli from Pilgrim High School, was drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 18th Round. From what I could find, Politelli did not sign or play Minor League baseball with the Brewers. Instead, it appears that Politelli took his talents south to Florida’s Eckerd College, where he played from 1973 to 1976. And after Eckerd, he did play professionally in Italy for 2 seasons. Wayne Politelli is a member of the Eckerd College Athletic Hall of Fame. Here is a link to his bio there.

Also, according to www.rihssports.com, Politelli’s Pilgrim High School captured the Rhode Island State Baseball Title. Pilgrim was 10-2 in 1972, has a nice ring to it. It was Pilgrim’s 2nd title, having won their first 2 years earlier in 1970. And they were well represented in the All Division Team for the Central Division. Here are the All Division winners from 1972.

I was curious to know who won the Rhode Island State Little League title in 1972. I found a website called “Unpage Publications” and there it was – Burrillville Little League. According to Unpage, North Providence East, Pawtucket Darlington American, Warwick Continental, and Burrillville were the District Champions. The tournament was held in Warwick at Kenney Memorial Field, which I believe is on Jefferson Blvd still. Burrillville defeated Pawtucket Darlington American to win the title by a score of 3-0. Here are the tournament participants, scores, and final score, courtesy of Unpage Publications.

What else was going on here in Rhode Island baseball in 1972? Do you have a story you would like to share? Perhaps a parent or grandparent is one of the players listed above that was a Rhode Island All State selection or All Division award winner. Did you play on the 1972 Burrillville Little League team that won the Little League States? How far did you get in the East Regionals or National Tournament? Send me a message with your story and some photos. I would love to learn more about the Rhode Island Baseball Experiences of players, coaches, and families from that year – 1972.