Hidalgo to be Honored

When Mahopac wrestling coach and 1992 Sleepy Hollow graduate Juan Torres heard that there was going to be a softball tournament in honor of Raphy Hidalgo, there was no hesitation on whether or not he would take part in it.

Hidalgo, a '01 Sleepy Hollow graduate, wrestled for the Headless Horsemen while Torres was an assistant coach there. Raphy, a 28-year-old, long-time Sleepy Hollow resident and New York City police officer, who also served in the Marines and U.S. Army, died March 27 in an car accident.

Ironically enough Hidalgo, just like Torres, had recently moved to Ossining with his wife and two young daughters after living in Sleepy Hollow.

"I was definitely going to help out Raphy's family, his daughters and his wife," Torres said. "Raphy was a great kid who wrestled at Sleepy. I actually got him to come out for wrestling along with his brother Randoln. They spent a lot of time with my family, they are like my extended family. I would definitely  help his family out that he left behind."

There will be four teams, including a team that Torres is putting together, that will be competing in the First Annual PO Raphy Hidalgo Softball Classic that will be held at DeVries Park in Sleepy Hollow. It begins at 1 p.m. Aug. 21 and will go up to 10 p.m. when the park closes, if necessary.

"I lot of people knew my brother," Randoln Hidalgo said. "He went overseas, he served the country, he left two beautiful daughters. So we decided this is the best thing for his name, his daughters and his wife."

Randoln Hidalgo said that the response to the tournament has been great and he expects it to be a fun-filled day, just like his brother would've wanted it to be.

"We just want everyone to come out and have a good time," Randoln Hidalgo said. "Everybody is very excited. We have a lot of people that are going to come to it. It's going to be a very exciting event."

That would be appropriate because when Raphy Hidalgo was on the mat for Sleepy Hollow, he brought excitement to everybody who was watching him.

"Raphy was the kid that lit up the room when he walked in," Torres said.  "If you were down, he made you smile. In the wrestling room, he was a happy go-lucky kid, whether he was dancing in the room, wrestling in the room, joking around or whatever. My family decided that this is something that we got to participate in."

Randoln Hidalgo is grateful for people like Torres who are giving up their time to make the day a special one.

"Juan coached Raphy in high school so I think it's great that he's getting a team together for this tournament," Randoln Hidalgo said.

People like Torres are rallying around the Hidalgos in their time of need because they have always been there for other people in the community.

"His mother and father are very good people," Torres said. "They did a great job raising him and their other two boys. He just followed what his mother and father instilled in him. He helped everyone out and was there for everybody and all his friends when they needed him."

First Annual PO Raphy Hidalgo Softball Classic

The family of PO Raphy Hidalgo and Two-Eight Softball invite you to attend the First Annual PO Raphy Hidalgo Softball Classic to be held on Saturday August 21^st, 2010 (rain date 8/28/10) at Devries Park in Sleepy Hollow, N.Y.

Come out and join us for a great day of softball and family fun to celebrate the life of PO Hidalgo. There will be a 4 team softball tournament, Barbeque, DJ, T-shirt sale, and a great playground for the little ones.

Date

Saturday, August 21^st 2010 (Rain date: Saturday August 28^th, 2010)

Location

Devries Park

199 Devries Avenue, Sleepy Hollow N.Y.

Saturday August 21^st, 2010 (first pitch approx. 1pm)

Donations for your attendance will be taken on the day of the event. All donations will be greatly appreciated, and all proceeds from the event will benefit the children of PO Raphy Hidalgo.