Tarrytown/Sleepy Hollow Plans Dedication Ceremony for Michael Birrittella

The Tarrytown/Sleepy Hollow community has always been one to come together for its youth and will continue to do so at 6 p.m. Tuesday, June 22 for a dedication ceremony.

The dedication ceremony will be for a new batting/pitching cage training facility at Sleepy Hollow High School to be named in memory of Michael Birrittella. The facility is a venture between the Tarrytown/North Tarrytown (TNT) Baseball/Softball Association and the Public Schools of the Tarrytown's.

Birrittella was a life-long resident of Tarrytown and a long-time coach, manager and benefactor of the Tarrytown Dad's Club, the predecessor of TNT.  He passed away in August of 2007 at the age of 85.

Birrittella touched many lives not only through his tireless dedication to the youth in the community but also because of what he did professionally. After coming out of the service in 1947, Birrittella ran Birrettella's Bakery until '84.

Birrittella was born in 1922, 12 years after his dad Vincenzo started the bakery, which is now run by his sons Michael, Mitchell and Matthew.

Birrittella's other sons are Marty, Mark, Myles and Meredith.

"My dad influenced a lot of young men in the 50's 60's and 70's in Tarrytown and was really revered in the community," Myles Birrittella said.

Myles Birrittella said this process all started when his dad passed away and Nancy Coffey, who runs the Coffey Funeral Home, asked the Birrittella's who they would like to donate funds to in his honor. The brothers decided that because of the tireless effort their dad put into it, it would be appropriate donating money to TNT.

"We directed memorial funds to TNT at the time of his death," Myles Birrittella said. "That money as well additional contribution raised since then is funding the construction of the facility. In addition, local contractors and suppliers are also donating time and materials to build this facility. It is truly a community effort."

TNT approached Myles Birrittella and his brothers and asked what they would like them to do with the funds and thus the idea of a batting/pitching cage came to fruition.

"I said nobody pitched more batting practice then my father, so why don't we build a batting cage," Myles Birrittella said. "They loved the idea. TNT really sees a need for additional batting cages in the community."

Sleepy Hollow High School baseball coach Ray Farrell is extremely grateful of the effort of all those involved that helped make this facility on his campus a reality.

"It's going to be great for our program," Farrell said. "It's just another positive step the program has taken in the last two, three years. To have a place where we can take batting practice like that will be very beneficial to the players."

The dedication, Myles Birrittella said, will truly be a community event.

"We hope to have a large turnout for the dedication, the high-school band will be there as well as the players from the Sleepy Hollow baseball and softball teams and of course the kids from TNT," Myles Birrittella said.

For the Birrittella's, it's not only because their father is being honored but also the timing of it as well makes for a special night.

"All my brothers are thrilled by this honor," Myles Birrittella said. "My dad absolutely adored Tarrytown and with the bakery celebrating its 100th year, it's pretty neat that this is happening this year."