Headlines
Subscribe to our NewsletterHOBOKEN LITTLE LEAGUE HISTORY
In 1939 Little League Baseball is founded by Carl Stotz, who enlists help from others in the community. Mr. Stotz, George Bebble and Bert Bebble are the first three managers. ... A $30 donation is sufficient to purchase uniforms for each of the first three teams, named after their sponsors: Lycoming Dairy, Lundy Lumber, and Jumbo Pretzel. … The first season is played in a vacant lot near the outfield fence of Bowman Field.
In 1951, just 12 years later Hoboken, N.J. is granted a charter in Little League Baseball. The league name was Hoboken Recreation League; our first President was Thomas A. Gallo, Vice-President Jerry Malloy, and Treasurer Tony Calland. The league consisted of four teams, Unico Club managed by Dick Canzano, Recreation managed by James Clyons, J.J. Pascale managed by Tony Calland, and City Democrates managed by Sal Salenga. They played a 12 game Season.
In 1952 we were charted as the Hoboken Little League, but we only charted 3 teams, the Gallo Club, Unico Club, and City Club.
In 1953, we charted two leagues, the Hoboken Recreation Little League and the Hoboken Recreation League North, with John J. Grogan serving as President of the Leagues, and Thomas A. Gallo serving as Commissioner. The HRLL had four teams, Colts, Bears, Cubs, Yanks; the North Charter also had four teams, Yankees, Giants, Dodgers, Indians.
In 1954, with John Mellow as President, the League charted a South League and a North League, the North consisted of the Nelson’s, Gallo’s, Kiwanis, and Casalino’s, while the South, consisted of the Giants, Yanks, Dodgers, and Red Sox.
In 1955, the South had the Nelson’s, Gallo’s, Kiwanis, and Casalino’s, while the North Had Pascale’s’ Silon’s, Borelli’s, and Unico.
In 1956, the league is realigned and the North has the Unico, Kiwanis, Lions, and Silon’s, while the South has the Casalino’s, Borelli’s, Nelson’s, and Gallo’s.
In 1957 the South grows to 6 teams, the Casalino’s, Elks, Borelli’s, Gallo’s, Nelson’s, and Muzzi’s, while the North stays the same with four teams.
In 1958, with Salvatore D’Amelio as President the North adds two teams, P.A.L. and Smith & Owens, making six teams in each charter.
In 1959, the South now consists of four teams, Casalino’s, Gallo’s, Nelson’s, and Troy’s, with the north having six teams, the P.A.L., smith & Owens, Silons, V>F>W., I.L.A. and Muzzi.
In 1960 the North drops the Silons, and adds the C.W.V. and the South stays the same.
In 1962 Charles C. Casalino is President both leagues stay the same, but the South has an 18 game schedule while the North has a 15 game schedule and all rosters have 15 players.
In 1963 the North drops Muzzi and Smith & Owens, but adds the Nekoboh’s, and Local 560, while the South stays the same.
In 1964 both the North and South have 6 teams; records no longer identify the teams in the league.
League Presidents: 1951-Thomas a. Gallo, 1953- John J. Grogan, 1954-John Mellow, 1958-Salvatore D’Amelio, 1962-Charles C. Casalino, 1980 James J. Farina 1995 Tim Calligy, 2001 Anthony Cardino, 2006 James J. Farina, was again named as League President and is still serving the Hoboken Little League.
In 1972 Hoboken native Maria Pepe, at age 12, pitched three Little League games for the Young Democrats team. This was the same team which her friends from the neighborhood had joined, so she joined as well, after having been invited to play by Little League coach Jim Farina. Pepe was asked to leave the team after the Little League "threatened to revoke Hoboken's charter. The refusal to allow Pepe to play attracted the attention of the National Organization for Women (NOW). A court case began on Pepe's behalf, which was supported by NOW. Ultimately the New Jersey Superior Court decided that Little League must allow girls to try out. As a result, the Little League organization began a program specifically for girls starting in 1974.
Pepe became a minor celebrity and drew media attention to various women's causes at the time. The New York Yankees made her an honorary "Yankee for a day".
In 2004 she lent her glove and hat to the Peter J. McGovern Little League Museum in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania. On August 20, 2004 she was also honored by Little League Baseball by being asked to throw out the ceremonial first pitch at the 2004 Little League World Series in South Williamsport.
In 2009 Little International granted the Hoboken little league North and South Charters permission to merge. And play under one Charter.
IN 2019 HOBOKEN LITTLE LEAGUE WENT FROM 12 TEAMS TO TEN TEAMS, ELKS, POLICE DEPT. FIRE DEPT, YOUNG DEMS, STANS,CASSESA'S, RUSSO'S, MAS DEMOLITION, CHIRICHELLA BOYS, MARIO'S PIZZA
CITY CHAMPIONS DISTRICT 7 CHAMPIONS
1951- ? 1959-HOBOKEN NORTH
1952-? 1962-HOBOKEN SOUTH
1953-? 1963-HOBOKEN CENTRAL
1954-? 1976-HOBOKEN
1955-? 1981-HOBOKEN SOUTH
1956-CASSOLINOS 1986-HOBOKEN SOUTH
1957-CASSOLINO'S 1990-HOBOKEN NORTH
1958-TROYS. 1991-HOBOKEN SOUTH
1959-? 2006-HOBOKEN SOUTH
1960-P.A.L 2013-HOBOKEN
1961-LIONS, 2014-HOBOKEN
1962-KIWANIS
1963-NEKOBOH'S
1964-TROYS
1965-P.A.L.
1966-C.W.V.
1967-NELSON'S
1968-ELKS
1969-GALLO'S,
1970-?,
1971-TROYS
1972-TROYS
1973-?,
1974-ST.JOE'S,
1975-TROYS,
1976-ST. JOE'S,
1977-MIKE'S A.C.,
1978-ST. JOE'S,
1979-ST. JOE'S
1980-STAN'S,
1981-MILNE BOYS,
1982-UNICO,
1983-?,
1984-?,
1985-YOUNG DEMS,
1986-YOUNG DEMS,
1987-TROYS,
1988-UNICO,
1989-ST.JOE'S,
1990-ELKS,
1991-?,
1992-MIKE'S A.C.,
1993-PICCOLO'S,
1994-PICCOLO'S,
1995-PICCOLO'S,
1996-ELKS,
1997-H.E.A.,
1998-ELKS,
1999-YOUNG DEMS,
2000-STAN'S,
2001-YOUNG DEMS,
2002-H.E.A.,
2003-HOBOKEN POLICE DEPT.
2004-ELKS,
2005-ELKS,
2006-ELKS,
2007-RUSSO'S,
2008-MAS DEMOLITION,
2009-M-H CONSTRUCTION,
2010-YOUNG DEMS,
2011-DOM'S BAKERY,
2012-MAS DEMOLITIOM,
2013-DOM'S BAKERY
2014-ELKS
2015-
2016-CHIRICHELLA BOYS
2017-CHIRICHELLA BOYS
2018-STAN'S
2019-ELKS
2020-COVID 19 SHORT SEASON
2021-CASSESA'S
2022- CASSESA'S
2023-CASSESA'S
2024-STAN'S