Andre Chiefs

Just completed his freshman year at Southern New Hampshire..... Hit .235 in 17 at bats.......Was a three time Greater Boston League all-star catcher at Cambridge Rindge & Latin....... Considered an outstanding defensive catcher.......Nick has appeared in four games for the Chiefs over the last two seasons......

(Special to andrechiefs.com from Medford Transcript and edited for this site) 

Medford, MA -  What do I do when the ball comes to me?

If you played in the North Medford Little League for the late Angelo Veneziano, you know exactly what the phrase means. “He was always putting you in situations, like if a fly ball comes to me in centerfield, what do I do?” said Hank Morse, a former Chiefs pitcher who played for Veneziano. “He was the master of the fundamentals and somehow, he got 12-year-olds to learn.”

Years later, the Medford radio personality can still hear those pep talks Veneziano gave his players. “He would say a little prayer,” Morse recalled. “Then he would say, ‘Let’s go out there and have some fun.’ It was all about the fun of the game.”

And Morse fondly remembers the summer of 1978, when the “Comeback Kids” went to the state semi-finals. He said the team that was always behind but somehow always won is one of his favorite memories. “I gave up 12 runs in the first inning,” Morse said of that championship game. “My favorite memory is of giving up a 300-foot home run and him laughing his rear end off in the dug out.”

On May 29, Morse will emcee the North Medford Little League’s Legends of the League gala, a night to honor the people who have dedicated their time and effort to the league. Veneziano will be the organization’s first honoree at what the league hopes will be an annual event.

John Veneziano, another former Chiefs player, who played in the league as a kid and later coached, said the idea for the event came after his father’s death in 2003 when the family requested donations be made to the league in lieu of flowers. John remains the Chiefs number one financial supporter through his ERA Andrew Realty in Medford Square.

With several thousand dollars in hand, John Veneziano said the league decided to put the money towards purchasing new lights for Gillis Park. After a few inquiries with Patriot Bank in Lexington, the $6,000 collected was used as a down payment toward a low-interest loan for the lights. John Veneziano said after the lights were installed in 2005, a small plaque was to go in at the park in his father’s honor. But the league had another idea.

“The league thought we could do this as an annual event,” he said. “It’s really about people who give their time back to the league. A lot of people want to come back because they want to coach their kids. And these kids are really excited and easier to manage than some of the older kids. It’s all about baseball to them.” At the same time the league decided on an annual fundraiser, it will also honor the elder Veneziano as its first “legend.” Former commissioner, coach and lifelong league member Joe Grande is all for it.

“He died too early in life,” Grande said of the friend he grew up with in the North End. “People like him should live forever, not in your hearts or minds, but here forever to talk to. When John called me up with this idea, I thought ‘Who else?’ I’ve never seen anyone like kids the way Angie did.” And Grande would know. He was the one who pulled his friend into the league. “He was driving by Gillis Park with John and saw me,” Grande recalled. “He got out and asked me about it. I told him if John wanted to play, he had to try out.” When he made it, Grande said, John played for his team, not his father’s. The three other boys, however, all played for dad.

“My father had everyone’s stats and percentages for every team,” Chuck Veneziano said. “He had it all worked out before every game.” Grande agreed. “Me, I flew by the seat of my pants,” he said, with a laugh. “I didn’t know what we were going to do much past the first inning. But Angie…well, he was precise at all times. He knew what you were going to do before you did it. He always took into consideration what the coach in the other dugout was going to do.” And he never forgot what the game was about.

“He loved the kids,” Grande said. “He was someone who was just very involved in the league.”

                          Dan Lozeau                                                               Chris Foundas

Burlington, VT- Righty Dan Lozeau of Pelham, NH, chalked up his 20th college victory on Tuesday as Bryant University knocked off the University of Vermont 4-3. It was the senior's final appearance in a Bryant uniform.

Lozeau concluded his outstanding Bryant career with a 20-10 mark as Jamie Pinzino's club finished their first Division 1 season with an impressive 32-22 record including winning 12 of 17 games against New England D-1 teams.

Lozeau will return to the Chiefs staff this summer. He pitched for the club in 2007 before spending last summer in the NECBL.

Antother Chiefs righty, Chris Foundas, also wrapped up his Bryant career this week. Foundas, who has served as the Chiefs closer over the last two years making 26 appearances, was 3-3 in his final year at Bryant while moving into the Bulldogs starting rotation. Foundas started eight games for Bryant and threw 41.0 innings. He was named to the ICL all-star team in 2008.