Anthony Pettingill and Shirley Vallieres, both of North Adams, check out a big piece of baseball history on Tuesday afternoon.
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The players on this year's North Adams SteepleCats are too young to really remember the frustration that preceded the Boston Red Sox' 2004 World Series Championship.
But that did not stop them from being a little awestruck in the presence of history.
On Tuesday, the team stopped by the "One Country, One Game: A Celebration of Baseball" exhibit on Main Street to see the 2004 World Series trophy, which was on loan by the team for the day. Originally, the team had announced it would be sending the '07 trophy but made a late change of plans, allowing local fans to see the trophy Boston got for breaking a historic 86-year "curse."
From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. visitors were welcome to stop by the exhibit, free of charge, to check out the "hardware" and pose for a selfie with the trophy.
The SteepleCats were among those taking advantage of the opportunity.
"It's pretty cool," third baseman and Hoosac Valley High School graduate Matt Koperniak said. "Not even just seeing that, but seeing the museum itself is great. It's kind of inspiring to see what's out there.
"And it's a great accomplishment by the Red Sox."
While Koperniak remembered seeing one of the Sox' World Series trophies in elementary school "back in the day," Tuesday marked his first visit to the first-year gallery at the corner of Main Street and American Legion Drive.
In addition to posing for their own pictures, the 'Cats prowled through the gallery, which celebrates not only Berkshire County's baseball legends but also the role that the Negro Leagues played in the fabric of the game.
"This is the first time I'm really looking at everything," Koperniak said. "I'm pretty excited about that.
"There's a lot of cool stuff in here, and they did a good job with it."
Koperniak has been doing a solid job for the SteepleCats this summer, hitting .358 with a team-high eight doubles and 20 RBIs in the wood bat league.
The rising junior at Trinity College said the NECBL has been a positive experience for him.
"It's been fun," he said. "It's been a good ride. Traveling every day or playing home, I'm just trying to stay within myself, play ball and have fun with the guys.
"The league itself is great. You get tons of opportunity, you get reps, and you get to see great pitching. ... You get guys from DI, you get DII guys from all around, so you see different arms, different arm slots. It's tough. But you've got to adapt to it.
"If you want to play at the next level, you've got to learn to hit it."
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Northern Berkshire Celebrates Spirit of Caring Award Recipients
By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
NBUW Executive Director Patti Messina recognizes two 'dynamic' women retiring this year: Janice Broderick and Christine MacBeth.
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The Northern Berkshire United Way on Thursday saluted members of the community who have stepped beyond their roles to help and support others.
Among them was state Rep. John Barrett III, former longtime mayor of North Adams, who was recognized not only for his efforts on behalf of the city for so many years but a "softer side" not always apparent.
The celebration was NBUW's sixth annual Spirit of Caring Awards, held at Norad Mill and attended by its member agencies, sponsors and community members. The room was packed at 3 West for the presentations of the Spirit of the Future Award to Officer Stephanie Mirante, the newly named Steve Green Spirit of Community Award to Wild Oats and the Al Nelson Spirit of Caring Award to Barrett. Also recognized was Adams Heating & Plumbing for campaign of the year. Barrett also provided a proclamation from the House to his fellow recipients.
Executive Director Patti Messina first wanted to recognize two women who are retiring after years of serving the community: Janice Broderick of the Elizabeth Freeman Center and Christine Macbeth, president and CEO of the Brien Center.
"They leave behind a legacy of dedication, commitment and hard work to this community," she said. "We salute you and thank you for your accomplishments."
Sharon DeMyer-Nemser and Ellen Sutherland, both members of the board of directors, presented Barrett, elected to the House in 2017, with the award.
"Although John really needs no introduction, we would like to take a moment to review John's past and storied history in our community," said DeMyer-Nemser, ticking off accomplishments including fighting for the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art and convincing political leaders that arts and culture are vital components in building a strong creative economy in the Berkshires during his 26 years as mayor and representing North Berkshire on Beacon Hill.
The Northern Berkshire United Way on Thursday saluted members of the community who have stepped beyond their roles to help and support others. click for more
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