McKeesport, PA..........August 2015..........Staff Report

After having wrapped up its eighty-seventh consecutive year in existence, the McKeesport Daily News League named their All-Star Team for the tenth consecutive year today.  While making the announcement this morning from his office in Castle Shannon, DNL commissioner Nick Donato , celebrating his thirty-third year of involvement with the league, also talked about the how the league added four new teams this season and also went on to say that, perhaps coincidentally, there are four players on the 2015 team that were DNL rookies this season. 

Donato also noted that just like the regular season standings , the results of the All-Star team voting were very close again this year, with three of the positions player spots ending in a tie (indicated by a “T” in the list below). As yet another example of the tight voting, the commissioner stated that every position had at least three players receiving support from the voters. 

Almost half of the group named this year is made up of players being selected for multiple times in their DNL careers. Joe Aul led the way with his sixth consecutive team selection.  Kyle Lucott has now had his named called out as an all-star for a third season. Anthony Difillipo, Adam Dodson, Ryan Dodson, Ryan Kandsberger and Brandon Whitfield all were repeat selections from the elite 2014 group.

Donato was also very proud to point out that the league returned to double digits for the number of member teams taking to the diamond this past season. Commissioner Donato, who took over that role after the 2004 season, noted that the league was down to five teams at that low point of its existence and was in real jeopardy of folding unless new clubs could be found for league expansion.  It quickly became one of the new commissioner’s main goals, to reach ten member clubs.  That finally happened in 2015 when the number of league participants grew to twelve.

As the league looks ahead to 2016, Donato excitedly commented that with the league expansion work completed, it is no longer necessary to go out and add new teams.  With the DNL already having reached the goal of double digits for the number of participating teams, the league can now focus on the growth of its returning members. That, in turn, will enable the league as a whole to become even stronger as the teams and players grow together with veteran experience.

Donato concluded by saying that there were over forty different players named on at least one All-Star Team voting ballot. He then released the following list of the fifteen players that were rewarded for the outstanding 2015 season they had, along with their position and the team they played for.

Pitcher-----------Cody Gross.........Quinn Construction 
Pitcher-----------Parker Meyers.........South Park
Pitcher-----------Brad Schnelle.........South Hills

Catcher---------Sabatino DiNardo.........Clancy's Pub 

1st Base-----------Brandon Whitfield.........South Hills

2nd Base----(T)----Patrick Aul.........Clancy’s Pub 
2nd Base----(T)----Mike McCarthy.........South Hills

3rd Base----------Anthony Difillipo.........Pasquale’s Pizzeria

Shortstop---------Joe Aul.........Clancy's Pub

Outfield------------Ryan Dodson.........South Park 
Outfield------------Pat McCarthy.........South Hills
Outfield----(T)----Ryan Kandsberger.........Quinn Construction 
Outfield----(T)----Kyle Lucott.......Leschak Automotive

DH----(T)----Adam Dodson.........South Park 
DH----(T)----Pat Trettle.........South Hills