Exchange Co-Founder Thrilled To See Series At 20
 Canales sits with North Adams City Clerk Marilyn Gomeau. The Canales family was recognized for their dedication to keeping the exchange going. |
While admiring the Spirit of Boston ship as it cruised through the harbor, Canales chipped away at an Italian ice that he purchased from a nearby concession stand.
"Have you ever had one of these?" Canales asked. "Wow! They're unbelievable. You should get one."
The 65-year-old North Adams resident beamed, almost as if it was his first-ever visit to Beantown. But it wasn’t. Canales, who is one of the founding fathers of the LaFesta Baseball Exchange, has been making the annual summer trip to Boston for the last two decades.
The Exchange, which pits a team of North Adams Babe Ruth players against a squad from Boston's North End, celebrated its 69th and 70th games this past weekend. Prior to Saturday's contest at Puopolo Field, Canales was recognized for his contributions to the cross-state series, which turned 20 this year.
"When we sat down and came up with the Exchange, we never thought it’d go for 20 years," Canales said. "This Exchange means a lot to me, and it means a lot to my family. My wife, my three sons and my three daughter-in-laws have all been great in helping out over the years."
Canales' wife, Nancy, and the couple's three children — Michael, David and Jason — all received medals in honor of their commitment to preserve the annual tradition.
George Canales said the baseball games play second fiddle to the Exchange's true purpose: to mold longstanding relationships between people living on opposite ends of the state. The Exchange’s impact was on display Saturday night as Boston-native Marco Imbergamo embraced members of the Canales family.
Imbergamo, 27, is one of 555 players who have taken part in the Exchange. Now a spectator with a wife and child of his own, Imbergamo has attended every game in the North End since he laced up his cleats as a participant in the late '90s.
"These are lifelong friends and people I’ll never forget," Imbergamo said. "You come back here and relive your childhood. I come to see that the tradition is still alive. I feel like if I don’t come then the tradition will die, and you've got to keep it alive."
The Exchange recently helped solve a dorm-room dilemma for two college-bound boys. Ricky Martignetti, a son of North End team manager Ralph Martignelli who took part in LaFesta several years ago, was accepted to Bridgewater State College this past school year.
But Ricky still needed to find a suitable roommate.
"He went on Facebook and joined a group for 'Bridgewater Class of 2014,'" Ralph Martignelli said of Ricky's search. "He was looking through the group's members and he found a North Adams kid [ Drury High School grad] Hayden Parsons. So Ricky sent him a message: 'Hey, didn’t I play against you in the LaFesta Exchange?'"
Martignelli and Parsons exchanged several messages and then arranged to be roommates for the upcoming school year at Bridgewater State.
.jpg) Canales and this year's North Adams team. Look for more photos later. |
Every time Canales speaks about LaFesta, he emphasizes that the final score isn't nearly as important as the kids’ experiences. That doesn't, however, take away from the young talent that has been showcased over the years. According to Canales, at least five Exchange players went on to be selected in the Major League draft.
"There could be a book written about this Exchange," Canales said. "It has so much history, so many different stories."
Canales strolled down Hanover Street on Saturday night, taking in the sights and sounds during the Madonna Della Cava Feast Celebration. Considering the amount of people who stopped to converse with Canales, an outsider might mistake him as a lifelong Bostonian and just another guy from the neighborhood.
In fact, Canales spent the first 11 years of his life in Somerville, which is located just on the outskirts of the city, before moving to the Berkshires.
But then you listen to Canales, who marvels at the ingredients of a North End cannoli and details the excitement of a Duck Boat tour, and he comes across like a wide-eyed tourist from Western Massachusetts.
It’s his childlike wonder — combining a deep-rooted love for baseball and a desire for new adventures — that has helped the Exchange endure for 20 years. And as a result, more than 500 ballplayers have walked away with memories and relationships that can last a lifetime.
"As long as I’m alive, this Exchange will keep going," Canales said. "Someone said to me, ‘Let’s see if it’ll go another 20 years.' I don’t know if I’ll be here for that, but I’d love to see it go for another 20 years. If I'm not here, I think my kids will keep it going."
For more on the this year's Exchange, click here.
For more on the this year's Exchange, click here.
