Home Run Derby Renamed in Honor of U.S. Army Col. John McHugh

Last June, West Caldwell dedicated a to its fallen son, U.S. Army Col. John M. McHugh, who was killed on May 18, 2010 in a suicide bomb attack in Afghanistan.

This Sunday, comes another tribute—the annual home run derby organized by the West Caldwell Recreation Department will be renamed the John M. McHugh Home Run Derby.

Councilman Dominic Aiello made the announcement at Tuesday night’s West Caldwell council meeting. Aiello called McHugh, who graduated from James Caldwell High School with his brother five years after him, a “great friend.”

“He was certainly a great baseball player,” Aiello said.

He added, McHugh, who many remember for his athleticism, “probably hit more home runs than anyone.”

along with four other American troops, a Canadian officer, and 12 civilians in the Afghan capital of Kabul.

McHugh graduated in 1982 from James Caldwell High School and went on to attend the United States Military Academy in West Point. He had been stationed in Fort Leavenworth, Kan., and had recently been deployed to Afghanistan.

He had just become a grandfather, and in addition to his granddaughter, left behind a wife, five children, three siblings and his parents, James and Mary, who today live in Caldwell.

"To know that an organization is going to recognize John in such an event knowing that baseball was so important to him and having played on the field in Francisco Park ... It’s a great honor and tribute in John's memory," said Jim McHugh, John's older brother, Wednesday.

McHugh said the 6:45 a.m. mass Wednesday morning at St. Aloysius Church in Caldwell where his parents are parishoners was dedicated to his brother. He attended with his parents, sister and a childhood friend of his brother's.

"We will be together as a famiy today," he said. "My parents are doing well. It’s never easy to outlive a child. I’m sure. But they certainly appreciate all he has done in creating his own beautiful family."

Jim McHugh said on the one-year anniversary of his brother's death that when he thinks about him, he thinks about positive things. 

"I think about all the good things and all he accomplished on the short 46 years on this earth," he said. 

He said his brother's guiding principles were "his faith, his family and his love of service to the country." 

"I keep those three things paramount in my mind every day."

Although he certainly loved baseball, Jim McHugh said his brother was crazy about soccer.

"Baseball was something to do in the spring waiting for soccer to come around again in the fall," he said. 

McHugh, a goalkeeper, played soccer at the U.S. Military Academy where he broke a conference record for saves in 1986. On Senior Day, seniors began last year dedicating their jerseys in his memory.

The John M. McHugh Home Run Derby will take place Sunday, May 22, at 2:30 p.m., in , West Caldwell. Vero Amici will donate $500 in the name of the winner to the department’s special needs programs.

For their 25th reunion, West Point Class of 1986 will hold the Johnny Mac Memorial Golf Tournament, created in honor of their classmate McHugh, on Tuesday, May 24 at the Galloway National Golf Club outside Atlantic City.

According to the Johnny Mac Memorial Foundation website, “Proceeds from this event will serve to provide scholarship assistance to those in need and who share in John's core values—love of God, family and faithful service.”

Soon after John McHugh's death, a Facebook group was created in memory of McHugh. The group as of Wednesday had more than 2,700 members.