Giving New Meaning To The Term 'Suiting Up'

In an amazing feat of weekly scheduling one local businessman wears not one but five different suits of a different color.

Is this local a fashionista you might ask? Hardly.

He’s Tom Taber, partner of the Taber Inn, key organizer of the Mystic St. Patrick’s Day Parade, and coach of not one, but four different baseball and softball teams.

His teams include R.A. Georgetti, Boathouse Boys, an Inn sponsored team the Tabor Inn, and a girls 12 the Connecticut Crush.  

The one that keeps him the busiest is the Connecticut Crush a 12 and under girls travel team, mostly comprised of girls from Mystic, Stonington and Pawcatuck.

The girls schedule consists of 50 games, and most of the girls play on more than one team.

The Crush girls work on batting and pitching at a local baseball facility on Sunday evenings.

It is a lot of work, mixed with a little bit of fun. With coaching four different teams
at once one would ask why in the world does he do it?

“I do it for my kids, to be with them have fun and to meet new people and build friendships,” Taber said.

Each one of Taber’s three children, Caroline, Thomas Mark and Fionna has Taber for a coach. Caroline his oldest daughter sees her father for more than one team practice. She also plays on his Connecticut Crush travel team as well.

The Connecticut Crush is part of the PONY League which stands for,” Protect Our Nations Youth.”  

Helping with the mix is volunteer Fitch High School softball standout and Gator Ade Athlete of the Year Brianna Turgeon.  Turgeon of Mystic helps mentor the girls and encourages discipline, tenacity and scholastics and encourages a positive lifestyle to be the best they can be. Turgeon has a scholarship to Fordham University which she plans on attending in the fall.

The Crush’s goal is to win at least one PONY qualifying tournament and go to Carry, North Carolina to play in the big end of the season tournament there.

This is Taber’s second year coaching the Crush. They did not get to Carry last year however look forward to changing that this year. With a 3 win 1 loss record to date they are off to a great start placing them two games above .500.

Assistant Crush Coach Tim Houck a Pfizer employee whose daughter Raven plays on the team says, “We put them through a lot of hard work, mixed with a little bit of fun.”

To that Taber adds, “As coaches it is our combined goal to inspire the girls to give 100 percent no matter what the circumstance is or the outcome.”

His personal inspiration: “I do it for my family,” Taber said.