This season as West Springfield Little League prepares for another season, it will do so without its longest serving board member and greatest supporter, John Monaco. Many families won't recognize his name, at first, and that would suit him just fine. John, a coach for many years, worked behind the scenes as the chair of the Manager Selection, Rules, and All-Star Committees, and, most importantly, the yearbook.
John began coaching in 1981 and a year later he joined the board. He coached for 41 years with his best friend, Charlie Phillips. Over the years, John coached countless players teaching about character, playing your best, and sharing his love of baseball. Players came and went through the league, but John was the constant. In time, several of these players came back to the league with children of their own and learned from John again on how to be a coach. John would say kids don't remember how many games they won or lost, only that they played baseball with their friends and had a good time.
John was one of the first board members I interacted with when I came into the league. We would work the fields together on occasion. John would look across the fields with a steely gaze from under his hat from his perch at the edge of the concrete patio by the concession stand. Making sure everything was running as it should. Then out of the corner of his eye he would see a player drive a double into the outfield or a shortstop making a diving play to save a run and he would crack a smile and tell me what a beautiful day it was for baseball.
As we enter this new chapter of West Springfield baseball, I will miss my conversations with John about baseball history and the great play that just happened on Ebbets or Forbes. So this season, let's cheer on our players a little louder, enjoy the moment where kids play games for fun, because it truly is a beautiful day for baseball.