Mt. Kisco Little League Parade Marks Season's Start

On a beautiful spring Saturday, with a bright, blue sky as a backdrop, Mount Kisco's annual opening day Little League Parade was held.

Approaching Village Hall from Main Street, orange uniforms stood bright in the sun, as children, coaches, parents and other Mount Kisco residents gathered, preparing for the day's events.

Vincent Sinapi eagerly anticipated his first year in the minor league.

"I like batting because it's fun," he said.

"I like running better," added Gianni Piccolino, ready for his second year.

The events not only marked the start of the baseball season, but also the start of Mount Kisco's parade season.

Katie Tipa got to take the reins as the majorette of the The Ancient Fife and Drum Corps.

"My favorite part of the day is the thrill of having everybody on the sides cheering for you," she said.

The parade marched down Main Street to Leonard Park, where the day's games would start at 11 a.m. Pockets of enthusiastic residents, fans and family members lined the street. The groups grew larger closer to the park.

The excitement went beyond baseball or parades, touching on enthusiasm for town unity and the hope symbolized by youth and a new spring.

"This town is terrific," said George Navarro, whose grandson Will will play for his second year. "It's like the 1950s never left. The way they have the fife and drum corps, the parade and the way they treat children. "

The parade walked onto the field, with the players standing in single file around the infield. The Banks team, last year's league champions, brandished a "Mount Kisco Little League" sign. The Ancient Fife and Drum Corps stood next to them and played "The Star Spangled Banner," to start the next portion of the events, while the crowd stood at attention.

Mayor Michael Cindrich spoke a few words of introduction, capturing the friendly, neighborly tone of the day.

"Little league has been a fixture for, how many years?", he asked, to which someone from the crowd answered "58!", exemplifying the casual tone of the ceremony. "I think that's when [League President Edward Reilly] Eddie played. This is what community is about."

The banter underscored that although respectful, the day was about fun – marked by the kind of familiarity that can come from a close-knit small town.

Seventy-one children, from ages 10-12 play in the Little League, and another 60 are in the minor league, for kids ages 5 to 9.

This year's defending playoff champions are Bueti's Deli. The defending league champions, who won the most regular season games, are the Banks team, which led the parade and brandished the banner.

"They played great together," said Banks Coach Ralph Nuzzi. "As a group, the older kids look out for the younger kids. They show up ready and eager to play each and every day."

As Reilly introduced the teams, Nuzzi summed up the day, "Today is about community. It's a time when the whole community comes together with no politics or grudges. It's about getting the kids together. This is the greatest part of little league."

The ceremony finished with Cindrich throwing out the first pitch to Frankie Albanese. After that, the teams took to the fields, and it was "play ball."