DUTCHESS COUNTY – The Dutchess County Baseball Hall of Fame Association will be inducting 8 qualified candidates at an induction ceremony taking place on November 12, 2023, according to President James Doxsey.
The event will be held at the First Presbyterian Church on Route 55 in LaGrange (across from Arlington High School) beginning at 1:00 p.m. sharp.
Tickets are $35 each and need to be purchased in advance. No tickets will be available at the door.
A lunch with dessert will be served and there will be a 50-50 raffle and silent auction.
The honorees, according to President Doxsey:
- Tom Hamilton (Meritorious Service) founding member of the Hudson Valley Umpire’s Association and its President from 2010-2020. He is a former president (and coach) for the Wallkill Area Little League and was widely respected among his peers as well as managers and players alike always among the top-rated umpires in the region.
- Vinny Hughes of Roy C Ketcham High School played professionally for the Marlins for a season in the NY-Penn League and collegiately at North Carolina State University and Dutchess Community College. He is a former ACC Champion, ACC Batting Champion, All-ACC 1st Team, ACC All-Tournament Team, NCAA All-Regional Team, NC State Offensive Player of the Year, Mizuno National Player of the Week, All-Conference (DCC), All-League and All-Section (RCK), Poughkeepsie Journal Player of the Year.
- Chris Kotes played his varsity Baseball at Arlington as an outfielder, third-baseman, and pitcher and was a member of the 1987 New York State Class A Champions. Played four years of Division 1 College Baseball at Colombia and was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays and played 7 years of professional baseball, five within the Toronto system; with a 47-35 career record professionally with 594 strikeouts.
- Pat Jermynis a 1983 Lourdes product, batting .495 in 1983, was All-County 1981-1983, and a member of the Lourdes Baseball Hall of Fame. Played with the Beacon Braves of Hudson Valley Rookie League & Leo Construction of Poughkeepsie, Twilight League, and the Poughkeepsie Lasers. Played at Pace University from 1983-1987, as a four-year starter. His collegiate highlights include a .342 batting average, 7th in hits, 16th in RBIs, 2nd in runs, 14th in walks, and 4th in stolen bases.
- Todd Tortorici was an All-Star, Eastern Region Champion/NY State Champion Southern Dutchess All Stars 16-18-year-olds and a 4-year varsity Baseball Arlington High School, and part of the Arlington High School NY State Champions in 1987 including the MVP of the Final Four. An Empire State Games Baseball Gold medalist, County College of Morris, and Radford University starting pitcher, shortstop, and third baseman who pitched a no-hitter against George Mason.
- Josh Maddocks – a 1990 Haldane High School product, played for #1 Nationally Ranked Junior College Seminole State (Oklahoma) and made two trips to the College World Series in 1992 and 2005, and played for the Dutchess County Cardinals
- Denis Kelly was a member of the 1987 Arlington High School New York State Championship squad. He played his college ball at Wagner University and with Division 3 Eastern CT State. He also played in the Cape Cod League.
- Mark Esser played at Roy C. Ketcham High School from 1972 – 1975 and personally had a 20 – 2 record; he made the Chicago White Sox 40-man roster, and was assigned to the Midwest League where he was an All-Star team in 1978; played 1979 at Knoxville of the Class AA Southern League, and called up to the Chicago White Sox for 10 days.
The Hall of Fame will also be recognizing Vinny Fusco from John Jay High School as the “Large High School Player of the Year”. Andrew Speranza of Spackenkill High School will be honored as the “Small High School Player of the Year”. The two players are in their freshman year of higher learning. Both standout players will receive a $1,000 scholarship to offset the cost of college.
Fusco was a pitcher and right-fielder who was honored as an All-League County and All-League Section Pitcher of the Year in his senior year. He is now playing for the New Haven University baseball team.
Andrew Spreanza was a member of the Town of Poughkeepsie Cal Ripken-Babe Ruth team that won the District 6 and New York State title. He began playing high school varsity baseball in the 8th grade and helped with the New York State championship in his junior year at Spackenkill. He is currently enrolled at St. Thomas Aquinas College.
Advance payments can be sent to William Doxsey at 147 Bower Road, Poughkeepsie, NY 12601.
Gallery of photos provided by Dutchess County Baseball Hall of Fame:
