Washington Heights Little League Honoring Fallen Police Officers Wins Award

WASHINGTON HEIGHTS, NY — A Washington Heights Little League program named after a police officer who was shot and killed in the line of duty received a prestigious community award Saturday.

The Michael J. Buczek Little League in Washington Heights was awarded the Carl E. Stotz Little League Community Award and a cool $5,000 in grant money by Little League International. That's a lot of new baseballs.

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Buczek, a Wayne N.J. native, was shot and killed while working in Washington Heights in 1988. The league has been a fixture in the New York City neighborhood since 1989. The award's namesake Carl Stotz founded Little League Baseball 75 years ago.

"It's a tremendous honor for us to receive this award," said Johnny Moynihan, the league's president and a sergeant with the New York City Police Department. "Michael was a man who really wanted to get the community involved. I think we exemplify the ultimate Little League community because of how the police and everyone in the community gets involved in the league."

Buczek is not the only officer the league honors. Every team is named after a fallen New York City Police officer. The names of the fallen officers are on the back of the players' jerseys, rather than their own names.

"If you ask any of the kids out here, they will tell you who the officer is on the back of their shirt, and who they play for," said Sgt. Johnny Moynihan, league president.

Buczek's family spoke highly of the work that is being done in his name.

"My father saw a field and knew how much my brother loved sports and wanted to connect, through sports, to the children up here," said Mary Jo Buczek, Michael's sister. "Every time I come, it's like coming home."

Patch editor Daniel Hubbard contributed to this report.

[Photo: Courtesy of the New York Police Department]