Date: Fri 08-Sep-1995

By Previous Employees

Published: Aug 11, 1999 12:00 am

Publication: Bee

Author: TOMW

Illustration: I

Quick Words:

Gervais-Bros-Softball-Title

Full Text:

Consensus at the beginning of the 1995 Newtown Slo-Pitch Softball season was

that Newtown Exxon would defend its league championship.

With the team having beaten long-time rival Gervais 15-1 in last year's finale

and returning its entire cast of players, only the young Catering By George

squad was being considered a threat to its reign.

As scripted, both Exxon and George's coasted to 12-4 records during the

regular season, but then something happened.

The playoffs began.

And on Sunday morning, September 3, the revamped Gervais Bros juggernaut - who

had lost a total of four starting players and its coach from the previous year

- completed one of the most impressive comebacks in league history as they

pounded Newtown Exxon 23-12 to capture its fifth Newtown 'A' Division

championship in six years.

" This championship feels better than any of the ones before, " said GBros

player/manager Tom Wyatt. " This year nobody expected us to win. We had a lot

of new players and took a long time to gel, but we got hot when we had to. The

regular season goes out the window when the playoffs start. "

So out the window went Gervais' 6-10 regular season record that saw the team

sneak into the playoffs on the final day with the fourth seed.

Gervais then beat top-seeded Catering By George in the first round of the

playoffs and upset Newtown Exxon in the second round before winning the

championship in dramatic fashion on Sunday.

Gervais scored four runs in the top of the first inning on two-run homers by

Tom Wyatt and Jeff Saputo.

Gary Andrews belted a three-run shot in the bottom of the first, though, as

Exxon tied the ledger at 4-4.

But after a scorless second inning, Gervais took command for good.

Tom and Jeff Wyatt homered leading off the third inning and Gino LoRicco's

three-run in-the-park homer that followed Saputo and Chris Daly singles made

it 9-4.

In the fourth, Tom Wyatt's third home run of the game, a three-run blast,

highlighted another seven-run outburst that ran the total to 16-4.

Jeff Wyatt's three-run shot in the fifth - the team's seventh home run on the

day - helped make it 20-4 and the rout was on.

Exxon's only comeback bid came in the bottom of the fifth when it exploded for

eight runs, but 20-12 was as close as the defending champions could pull.

Matt Daly's three-run double in the Gervais sixth screwed the cap on the

scoring at 23-12.

For Gervais, Scott Waterbury, Tom Wyatt, Jeff Wyatt, Jeff Saputo, Chris Daly,

and Gino LoRicco (batting two-through-seven in the order) all had three-hit

ballgames. The remaining five players in the team's starting lineup including

Matt Daly, Bill Clark, Brian Leavitt, Andy Snow, and Steve Powers each

contributed two hits in the parade.

Andy Shpunt and Gary Andrews both had three hits for Exxon.

Gervais has now won the 'A' Division in 1990, 91, 92, 93, and 1995.

Other members of the championship team included Kris Svensson, Mike Capalbo,

Kim Harmon, and Doug DelVecchio.

Next HRRA Household Hazardous Waste Drop-Off Event Scheduled In Newtown

Genealogy Club's Next Program To Dig Into 'Dissecting A Civil War Pension Record'

Choral Society Planning ‘Voices Of America’ Performance

Newtown Earth Day Festival Was A Success

Local Fourth Grader To Host ‘Gaming For Change’ On May 16

The editorial took no position on the budget going up or down so you're reading things into the editorial that simply aren't there. The turnout is tied to the lack of passage, in that people who came out to vote last time did not this time, indicating a lack of support on their part. Perhaps it wasn't spelled out clearly enough, but that's what the editorial was driving at, people showing lack of support by not casting a vote. The editorial did address likely concerns among voters that may have led to lack of support and lack of turnout. This lower turnout also follows increasing turnout over the past four referendums in three years (meaning it is an aberration from that), and increased turnout is something that I do push for regularly in editorials. Any disappointment you might be seeing is at the break in that trend, not at whether the budget passed or not. I'd rather see more people come out and vote "no" then not vote at all.

Lower Turnout Results In Two Budget Defeats

Clearly, property owners no longer want to bear the burden of expenses while the state does not meet it’s responsibilities. Rising costs must be addressed by actions that do not include yearly increases of property owners’ taxes. The state of CT must meet its share of the educational costs, and other costs.

Town And School Budgets Fail At Referendum

This feels like an oddly misleading headline and narrative, particularly coming from the Editorial Board. The headline "Lower Turnout Results in Two Budget Defeats" pushes a misleading narrative regarding voter turnout, and then seeks to tie the outcome of the referendum to that misleading narrative. Sure, voter turn out for this year's referendum, 18%, was lower than last year's. However, last year's turnout, 25.4%, represented the highest turnout in the most recent 10 budget referendums. If you take the time to examine turnout percentages between 2017 and 2026 (2017: 19.9, 2018: 15.7, 2019: 17, 2020: 0, 2021: 8.98, 2022: 7.7, 2023: 8.8, 2024: 15.1/17.49, 2025: 25.4, 2026: 18), this year's turnout was actually the third highest in the past 10 cycles. Perhaps the headline of this article should say "Lower Voter Turnout Than Last Year", which is more accurate, rather than creating an impression that this year's turnout is some type of aberration - a narrative that the turnout numbers, in all their binary glory, simply do not support. Further, the headline of this article appears to tie the "lower turnout" to the defeated budgets. Sure, that could be true. But, perhaps, its more likely that Newtown residents are feeling the squeeze of multiple economic influences. In Newtown, we've experienced property revaluations and increased municipal spending. Eversource continues to raise rates. The state legislature gives PURA the authority to impose Public Benefit charges that benefit a tiny percentage of the public (and subsequently burdening the rest of us). At the national level, inflation has run rampant for years and many of those costs remain high to this day. In short, the data tells a far less dramatic—and far more honest—story than the headline suggests. This wasn’t an electorate vanishing in apathy; it was a fairly typical turnout delivering an verdict that, perhaps, some at the Editorial Board didn't like. At some point, it’s worth considering that residents aren’t confused, disengaged, or misled by turnout; they’re simply doing math at their kitchen tables and concluding that “no” is the only responsible answer left.

Enjoyed the forum which only confirmed my support for Brandon Moore as the Democratic candidate to run for the state representative position. Brandon Moore did not waiver about his duty to all the people, if elected, when an issue presents itself that requires that he voice a difference of opinion for the wellbeing of Newtown residents. If Michelle Ku’s 16 years have led to her loyalty being to other elected officials, as she implied, then Newtown is going to continue to witness actions that do not protect its residents. She could not unseat republican, Mitch Bolinsky, during a Blue Wave, and once again, will not do it now. Winning that seat is critical for all. That explains why her previous campaign committee now campaigns for Brandon Moore. It explains all the endorsements he has received from local elected democratic officials. It’s why we need Brandon Moore to be the democratic candidate to run for state representative.

Second Newtown DTC, League Of Women Voters Candidates Event Planned

Appreciated the opportunity to hear from both candidates as we were present for the College Dems forum but only heard from Brandon Moore. It was an opportunity to see who can unseat the Republican incumbent and there is no doubt that Brandon Moore should be the Democratic candidate. One concerned parent posed a question about discrimination unaddressed by the school district and interestingly enough, Michelle Ku, who proudly speaks of her Board membership years, said little, while Brandon Moore passionately addressed the issue along with his experience as an Apache Helicopter Commander. This family is supporting Brandon Moore. We need change and someone who is not afraid to disagree, especially about the rising costs of living in Newtown.

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Date: Fri 08-Sep-1995

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