|
|
This page highlights the Raybestos Robins, the Brakettes farm team of the 1960s and 70s which played in the Connecticut Girls (Women's) Softball League. The Robins were made up mostly of area high school talent, given excellent instruction, and were prepared to play for the Brakettes when needed.
This is an ongoing work in progress. Information will be added as it is acquired.
The late former Brakette and 10-year Robins Head Coach Edna Fraser graciously provided the 1965, 1968 and 1970 team photos, much of the player identification, and more. Her help was essential to this project which began in 2015.
Thanks to John and the late Micki Stratton who also provided photos (and much more) and helped identify players.
Thanks to former Brakette (and Robin) Karen Hovan for providing the 1964 Robins team photo (scroll down for photos).
Mary Lynne O'Brien Larkin has provided the 1961 team photo. Thanks, Mary Lynne.
The first 1970 color photo was provided by longtime Brakettes fan Michelina Buchino. Thanks, Michelina.
Thank you Sharon Lofthouse Moss for much helpful information and scrapbook items.
Thanks to Barbara Clark for the 1969 Schedule and Statistics
Others who have helped are Pat Harrison, Linda Finelli, Debbie Paul, Joan Bonvicini, Sharon Valley, Diane Drab, Karel Julian, and Dorothy Franco Reed. Thank you all.
We are actively looking for the other Robins team photos (still need 1962, 63, 66, a better 67, 71, 72, 73, and a better 74), additional names, yearly rosters, schedules, final league standings, etc. to add to this project.
Please email webmaster Harlan Gage at: brakettes@optonline.net with team photo information, additions, corrections, missing names, mis-spelled names, or other items to share. Let's see if we can get team photos for all 14 years of the Robins existence!
|
| Coaches |
61 |
62 |
63 |
64 |
65 |
66 |
67 |
68 |
69 |
70 |
71 |
72 |
73 |
74 |
| Brenda Reilly |
H |
H |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Lorraine "Chic" Meehan |
A |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Shirley Topley |
|
|
C |
C |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Laura Malesh |
|
|
C |
C |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Pat Harrison |
|
|
|
A |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Edna Fraser |
|
|
|
|
H |
H |
H |
H |
H |
H |
H |
H |
H |
H |
| Micki Stratton |
|
|
|
|
|
|
A |
A |
|
|
|
|
A |
A |
| John Stratton |
|
|
|
|
|
A |
A |
A |
A |
A |
|
|
|
|
| Bill Lofthouse |
|
|
V |
V |
V |
V |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
H- Head Coach C- Co-Coach A- Assistant Coach
V- Volunteer Coach |
Player chart below is incomplete.
For instance; Who played on the 1972 Robins?
Can you help?
brakettes@optonline.net
B- Played for Brakettes
| Players |
61 |
62 |
63 |
64 |
65 |
66 |
67 |
68 |
69 |
70 |
71 |
72 |
73 |
74 |
Pos. |
| Maureen Alexander |
• |
|
|
• |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
SS |
| Pat Balazsi |
|
|
|
• |
• |
|
• |
•B |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1B, C, P |
| Elaine Biercevicz |
|
|
• |
• |
• |
B |
B |
B |
B |
B |
|
|
|
|
C, OF |
| Joan Bonvicini |
|
|
|
|
|
|
• |
• |
• |
• |
B |
|
|
|
1B, OF, P |
| Cynthia "Cinny" Bowlann |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
• |
• |
• |
|
|
|
3B |
| Marybeth Brown |
• |
• |
• |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
C, OF |
| JoAnn Cackowski |
|
|
|
|
|
• |
• |
• |
• |
B |
B |
B |
B |
B |
C |
| Laurie Cimmino |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
• |
|
| Jackie Cipollini |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
• |
|
|
|
|
| Noreen Clancy |
|
|
|
|
• |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Barbara Clark |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
• |
B |
B |
B |
B |
B |
B>78 OF, C |
| Karen Clark |
|
|
|
|
|
|
• |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Marnie Dacko |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
• |
|
| Mary Daubenspeck |
• |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| JeanAnn Delaney |
• |
• |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2B |
|
Vicki Dingle |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
• |
• |
|
|
|
|
|
OF |
| Ginny Dolyak |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
• |
• |
|
|
|
|
OF |
| Carol D'Orio |
• |
|
|
• |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2B |
| Diane Drab |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
• |
|
|
|
CF |
| Sandy Eriksson |
• |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3B |
| Linda Finelli |
|
|
|
|
|
|
• |
|
• |
|
B |
B |
B |
B |
1B, P |
| Debbie Franco |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
• |
|
| Dorothy Franco |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
• |
• |
SS |
| |
61 |
62 |
63 |
64 |
65 |
66 |
67 |
68 |
69 |
70 |
71 |
72 |
73 |
74 |
|
| Maureen Gardella |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
• |
• |
|
|
|
|
1B |
| Lou Gecewicz |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
• |
• |
|
|
|
B |
B75 OF |
| Linda Hamm |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
• |
|
|
|
|
|
1B |
| Barbara Harris |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
• |
P |
|
Sandra Hawkes |
|
|
|
• |
• |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
C |
| Eleanor Healy |
|
|
|
|
|
|
• |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Dawn Hill |
|
|
|
|
|
|
• |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Mary Ann Holder |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
• |
• |
• |
• |
• |
|
P, OF |
| Magdelaine 'Marge' Horvath |
|
|
|
• |
• |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Karen Hovan |
|
|
B |
• |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
IF, OF |
| April Hunt |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
• |
|
1B |
| Hyduk? |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
• |
|
|
| Chris Jones |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
• |
• |
|
| Lori Jones |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
• |
|
• |
|
3B |
| Karel Julian |
|
|
|
|
|
|
• |
• |
|
|
|
|
|
|
RF, 3B |
| Michele Katz |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
• |
P |
| Sandi Kochiss |
• |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
C |
| Pat Kronenberg |
|
|
|
|
• |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
UT |
| Gail Kurinsky |
• |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
SS |
| Natalie Lademan |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
• |
• |
|
|
|
|
OF |
| Theresa "Terry" Lakatta |
|
|
|
|
|
• |
• |
• |
|
|
|
|
|
|
P, OF |
| Ella Lazaro |
|
|
|
|
|
|
• |
• |
|
|
|
|
|
|
OF |
| Judy Levi |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
• |
|
| Elaine Lofthouse |
|
|
|
|
|
• |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Batgirl |
|
Sharon Lofthouse |
|
|
• |
• |
• |
• |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
P |
| |
61 |
62 |
63 |
64 |
65 |
66 |
67 |
68 |
69 |
70 |
71 |
72 |
73 |
74 |
|
| Sheila McArdle |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
• |
|
• |
• |
IF |
| Sally McCann |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
• |
• |
OF |
| Jill MacDiarmid |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
• |
• |
P |
| Joan Miller |
• |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
OF |
| Paulette Millo |
|
|
|
• |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Tracy Mosier |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
• |
|
| Kathy Mucherino |
|
|
|
|
|
|
• |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
C |
| Gisele Nabor |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
• |
• |
• |
|
• |
|
C |
| Debbie Napoli |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
• |
3B, 1B |
| Kathy Neidemeier |
• |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Scorer |
| Ruth "Rudi" Nemergut |
|
|
|
|
|
• |
• |
• |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Scorer, 2B |
| Mary Lynne O'Brien |
• |
• |
• |
• |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
P, 1B |
| Barbara Patusky (sp) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
• |
|
|
|
|
| Pat Patusky |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
• |
• |
• |
|
|
|
2B |
| Debbie Paul |
|
|
|
• |
• |
• |
B |
B |
B |
B |
|
|
|
|
SS |
| Leslie Paul |
|
|
|
• |
• |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
UT |
| Mary Pulaski |
|
|
|
|
|
|
• |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Ann Pynigar |
|
|
|
|
• |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Janet Riley |
|
• |
• |
• |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
P |
| Laura Rubino |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
• |
B75-80 P |
| Mary Saloomey |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
• |
UT |
| |
61 |
62 |
63 |
64 |
65 |
66 |
67 |
68 |
69 |
70 |
71 |
72 |
73 |
74 |
|
| Karen Sautter B60 |
• |
|
|
• |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1B |
| Linda Schork |
• |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1B |
| Linda Sennawald |
|
|
|
|
|
|
• |
• |
• |
• |
|
|
|
|
SS |
| Maureen Sheehan |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
• |
• |
UT |
|
Sandy Sigona |
• |
• |
• |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
C |
|
Sue Snow |
|
|
|
|
• |
• |
• |
• |
• |
• |
|
|
|
|
P, 2B, OF |
| Frances Spellman B58, B60 |
• |
B |
B |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
P |
| Barbara Stawski |
• |
• |
•B |
B |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
OF |
| Lynn Stiliha |
|
|
|
|
• |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Jo-Marie Tamburrino |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
• |
• |
|
|
|
|
P |
| Mary Jane Telford |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
• |
|
|
|
|
| Stephanie Tenney |
• |
B |
• |
• |
B |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
P, 3B |
| Mary Toaso |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
• |
|
| Sue Tomko |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
•B |
B |
B |
B |
SS |
| Cathy Turnbull |
|
|
|
• |
• |
• |
• |
• |
•B |
|
|
|
|
|
OF |
| Sandra Uhlig |
|
|
|
|
• |
• |
• |
• |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1B, 3B |
|
Sharon Valley |
• |
• |
• |
• |
• |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
OF |
| Pat Van Stone |
|
|
|
|
|
|
• |
• |
|
|
|
|
|
|
OF |
| Mary Jo Vaysor |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
• |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Miriam "Sparky" Warmann |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
• |
• |
|
|
|
|
|
P, OF |
| Sue Wasowicz |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
• |
|
|
|
3B |
| Elizabeth "Dukie" Watts |
|
• |
|
• |
• |
• |
• |
• |
|
|
|
|
|
|
OF, C |
|
Sharon Weaver |
|
|
|
• |
|
|
• |
• |
• |
• |
|
|
|
|
3B |
| Pat Weldon |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
• |
|
|
|
UT |
| Tina Wilton |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
• |
|
|
|
UT |
| Sue Woessner |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
• |
• |
• |
|
|
|
UT |
| Barbara Zito |
|
|
|
• |
• |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
UT |
| |
61 |
62 |
63 |
64 |
65 |
66 |
67 |
68 |
69 |
70 |
71 |
72 |
73 |
74 |
|
We need help identifying Unidentified player in 1965 team photo.
brakettes@optonline.net
|
 |
| 1961 Raybestos Robins |
L-R, top row- William S. Simpson, Raybestos Division; Head Coach Brenda Reilly, Coach Lorraine "Chic" Meehan, Mary Lynne O'Brien, scorer Kathy Neidemeier, umpire Bernie Iassogna, Joe Barber
middle row- Sharon Valley, Sandy Eriksson, Frances Spellman, Barbara Stawski, Sandy Sigona, MaryBeth Brown
bottom row- Sandi Kochiss, Gail Kurinsky, Maureen Alexander, Linda Schork, JeanAnn Delaney, Karen Sautter
|
 |
| 1964 Raybestos Robins |
L-R, top row- Coach Shirley Topley, Leslie Paul, Karen Hovan, Sandy Hawkes, Cathy Turnbull, Mary Lynne O'Brien, Elizabeth "Dukie" Watts, Barbara Zito, Debbie Paul, Sharon Valley, Coach Laura Malesh
bottom row- Carol D'Orio, Marge Horvath, Pat Balazsi, Paulette Millo, Stephanie Tenney, Sharon Lofthouse, Maureen Alexander, Elaine Biercevicz, Janet Riley
|
 |
| 1965 Raybestos Robins |
L-R, top row- Debbie Paul, Sandy Uhlig, Pat Kronenberg, "Dukie" Watts, Noreen Clancy, Marge Horvath, Unidentified, Sharon Lofthouse, Cathy Turnbull
bottom row- Sue Snow, Barbara Zito, Elaine Biercevicz, Pat Balazsi, Lynn Stiliha, Leslie Paul, Head Coach Edna Fraser
|
 |
1967 Raybestos Robins
|
 |
| 1968 Raybestos Robins |
L-R, top row- Ass't Coach John Stratton, scorer Rudi Nemergut, Sparky Warmann, Sandra Uhlig, Terry Lakatta, "Dukie" Watts, Cathy Turnbull, Ass't Coach Micki Stratton, Head Coach Edna Fraser
middle row- JoAnn Cackowski, Sharon Weaver, Sue Snow, Pat Balazsi, Ella Lazaro
bottom row- Pat Van Stone, Linda Sennawald, Vicki Dingle, Joan Bonvicini, Karel Julian
|
 |
| 1969 Raybestos Robins |
L-R, top row- Assistant Coach John Stratton, Maureen Gardella, Sharon Weaver, Sue Snow, JoAnn Cackowski, Linda Sennawald, "Sparky" Warmann, Barbara Clark
bottom row- Vicki Dingle, Joan Bonvicini, Mary Jo Vaysor, Ginny Dolyak, Pat Patusky, Natalie Lademan
|
1969 Schedule
1969 Statistics
|
 |
| 1970 Raybestos Robins |
L-R, top row- Head Coach Edna Fraser, Natalie Lademan, Joan Bonvicini, Lou Gecewicz, Maureen Gardella, Sharon Weaver, Sue Snow, Gisele Nabor, Ass't Coach John Stratton
bottom row- Ginny Dolyak, Mary Ann Holder, Linda Sennawald, Sue Woessner, Cinny Bowllan, Jo-Marie Tamburrino, Pat Patusky
|
 |
| 1970 Raybestos Robins |
L-R, top row- Head Coach Edna Fraser, Lou Gecewicz, Maureen Gardella, Sharon Weaver, Joan Bonvicini, Sue Snow, Gisele Nabor, Natalie Lademan, Ass't Coach John Stratton
bottom row- Linda Sennawald, Sue Woessner, Mary Ann Holder, Ginny Dolyak, Cinny Bowllan, Pat Patusky, Jo-Marie Tamburrino
|
 |
| 1970 Raybestos Robins |
L-R, top row- Head Coach Edna Fraser, Lou Gecewicz, Maureen Gardella, Sharon Weaver, Sue Snow, Ginny Dolyak, Natalie Lademan, Gisele Nabor
bottom row- Linda Sennawald, Mary Ann Holder, Jo-Marie Tamburrino, Sue Woesner, Cinny Bowllan, Pat Patusky
|
 |
| 1974 Raybestos Robins |
L-R, top row- Coach Edna Fraser, Maureen Sheehan, Debbie Napoli, Jill MacDiarmid, Marnie Dacko, Dorothy Franco, Coach Micki Stratton
bottom row- Mary Saloomey, Sheila McArdle, Tracy Mosier, Sally McCann, Judi Levi, Laura Rubino, Laurie Cimmino, Chris Jones
missing from photo-
Barbara Harris, Michelle Katz, Mary Toaso
|
 |
1974 Third Women's World Tournament Batgirls
Raybestos Robins and others*
|
L-R, top row- Chris Jones, Mary Alice Lyddy*, Linda Auger*
middle row- Laura Rubino, Sally McCann, Debbie Napoli, Dorothy Franco, Marnie Dacko
bottom row- Maureen Sheehan, Tracy Mosier, Sheila McArdle, Mary Saloomey, Lisa Dennis*, Laurie Cimmino, Judy Levi
|
|
