JAYCEE-COURANT/TD BANK
FARMINGTON BANK/VANTIS LIFE
PETE KOKINIS BASEBALL LEAGUE

LEAGUE HISTORY

In 1946, the Jaycee Courant League was started by the Hartford Courant and the Greater Hartford Chamber of Commerce. The officers were M.W. Treat and Arthur Jenks from the Chamber of Commerce and Bill Lee and Edmund Downs representing the Courant.

The first Director was Ed Knapp, an instructor from Kingswood School and in 1954, Charles Horvath, coach and Athletic Director from Weaver and East Hartford became the Director. Charlie remained the Director until 1974. In 1975, Pete Kokinis, baseball coach at Bulkeley High School and Athletic Director for the Town of Wethersfield was named Director and has remained in that position.  Bo Kolinsky, High School Sports Editor of the Courant was Vice President for ten years until his passing in 2003. The “Bo Kolinsky Award” is given in Bo’s honor at the conclusion of each season at the league banquet. The league has grown over the years and has expanded to an average of 65 teams.  This expansion has led to the addition of three Directors and nine division Supervisors who oversee the day-to-day operation of every game.

Most of the League teams were from neighborhoods in Hartford although teams from New Britain, West Hartford, Berlin, Farmington and Bloomfield. Now the League extends from Enfield to Essex, Harwinton to Hebron and many points in between.

It was not the intent of the program to develop ball players for the big leagues; but to develop skills, to develop an appreciation for the game of baseball and most importantly to have fun. In a developmental sense, the league has helped numerous young players improve instead of stagnation during a summer of inactivity. The league fills the rosters of High School and college teams in addition to those playing pro ball.

The League have some outstanding alumni. Some of our players are listed below:

Ken Cullum - New Britain/ Idaho Braves
Gary Waslewski - Berlin/Boston Red Sox, Yankees, Expos Organization
Ed Wojick - Manchester/ Chicago White Sox Organization
Jim Spanswick - Thompsonville/Red Sox Organization
Steve Dalkowski - New Britain/Baltimore Orioles Organization
Mike Schweighoffer - Hartford/Trinity College, Los Angeles Dodgers Organization
Dave Swanson - Berlin/New York Mets Organization
Armond Africano - Vernon/Montreal Expos Organization
Shawn Haviland - Farmington/Oakland Organization
Pat Eagan - Rocky Hill/Orioles Organization
Pete Landerman - Hartford/Trinity College
Mike Nyquist - West Hartford/Dartmouth College
Mike Halloran – Yale University
Tom Petke – Yale University
Tom Strong - University of Connecticut
Len Rock -  University of Hartford
Tom Poutre -  University of Hartford
Mike Liappes - Hartford/ Central Connecticut State University
Lou Petrossi - University of Hartford
Roland Johnson - Trinity College
Nick Koback - Pittsburgh Pirates
Ricky Bottalico - Newington/Central Connecticut State, Philadelphia Phillies, St Louis Cardinals, Kansas City Royals, Arizona Diamondbacks, New York Mets, Milwaukee Brewers
Joe Serfass - Newington/Eastern Connecticut, New York Mets Organization
John Dennis - Simsbury/St Louis Cardinals Organization
Ritchie Gondek - Glastonbury/Brooklyn Dodgers Organization
Bob Marianella - Hartford/Pittsburgh Pirates
Dick McAuliffe - Unionville/Detroit Tigers, Boston Red Sox
Dick Morrisette - Wethersifled/Boston Red Sox Organization
Scott Martin - Plainville/Los Angeles Dodgers Organization
Alex Smith - Manchester/New York Yankees Organization
Matt Sinatro - West Hartford/Atlanta Braves, Oakland A's, Detroit Tigers, Seattle Mariners, Coach with Seattle, Tampa Bay, and Houston
Andy Baylock - New Britain/CCSU, UConn, Norwich Navigators, Connecticut Defenders, Connecticut Tigers
Darryl Morhardt - Winsted, Coastal Carolina, Atlanta Braves Organization, Housatonic Valley High School Head Coach
Moe Morhardt - Manchester/UConn, Chicago Cubs

The Pete Kokinis Baseball League has given hundreds of youngsters the opportunity to play baseball during the summer months and has now expanded to most every Town in Central Connecticut.

Teaching good sportsmanship and giving youngsters from the city and suburbs an opportunity to meet and compete with each other is beneficial to all.

We are sure the player list is not complete. If you know of anyone we've left off, please forward the information to Pete Kokinis, .

LEAGUE CHAMPIONS

SUMMER

FALL