Published in the July 21, 2017 edition
MELROSE — 25 years ago this week, a Melrose Little League team made history. The 1992 Churchill – American 12-year-old little league All-Stars won the district 12 championship for just the third time in the 60 years of Melrose Little League participation.
They were the last Melrose team to win district 12. Until this summer.
The 2017 Melrose 10-year-old All-Stars and the Melrose 12-year-old All-Stars both made history this summer by winning their district 12 tournaments and moving on to Massachusetts sectional play.
It just so happened to be on the 25th anniversary of the 1992 champs.
In July of 1992, the 12-year-old All-Stars beat Malden at Lewis Monk Field in Melrose by scoring nine runs in the fourth inning. The rally was started with hits by Dave Grafton, Bert Stoker and Jeff Salemme. Tom McGovern hit a two-RBI double to start the scoring.
Starting pitcher, Mark LaBella, allowed one run in the 1st inning and none the rest of the way to seal it for Melrose.
The team was managed by current Melrose resident, Mike Iudice. Rick Dinarello and Frank Muse were assistant coaches.