Andre Chiefs

(Special to andrechiefs.com)

Larry Bird in Laker Purple & Gold?

Carl Yastrzemski in Yankee Pinstripes?

Red Auerbach coaching the Philadelphia 76ers?

Some things in sports are just unimaginable.

The Intercity League’s version of the “unimaginable” occurred earlier this month when Augustine’s A’s legend and ICL Hall of Famer Dave Caiazzo switched sides of the Fellsway to become the pitching coach of the Chiefs.

Caiazzo was a major part of one of the most competitive ICL’s rivalries of all time in the 1970’s & 1980’s, except he was the cornerstone of the A’s pitching staff that traditionally battled the then Hosmer Chiefs for ICL supremacy.

With few college leagues around in those years, and minus the Red Sox being on television each night, the Chiefs-A’s rivalry drew thousands of fans to both Devir and Playstead Parks to watch the area’s finest semi-professional ballplayers ply their trade. Chiefs-A’s games were front page fodder for local newspapers and Caiazzo was one of the flagbearers for the A’s franchise.

That all changed this past spring when Caiazzo donned the Chiefs’ colors and became the mentor of the pitching staff that he battled for over a decade.

“It took us almost half a century, but we finally got Cai in the right colors,” said Chiefs’ owner and former pitcher and longtime manager Chuck Andre. “Dave and I became good friends in the years when the Chiefs-A’s battles were raging and we’ve maintained that friendship ever since”, added Andre. “With a young pitching staff coming in we needed a great mentor, and who better than Dave Caiazzo, so Jim McConville (new Chiefs’ manager) and I reached out to him to gauge his interest and he thankfully accepted,” said Andre.

Caiazzo’s long and storied pitching career began in earnest during his days at Malden High in the early 1970’s. He once struck out twenty batters in a game versus Everett in 1972 and went on to become the Golden Tornado’s first Hall of Fame inductee.

Following his high school career, he spent two seasons pitching at Mass Bay Community College where he earned Junior College All-America honors. He moved on from Mass Bay and spent his final two college seasons pitching for the University of New Haven. Caiazzo had an incredible All-American career at New Haven, going a combined 22-2 on the mound while winning the opening game of the 1977 College World Series for his legendary coach Frank “Porky” Vieira. He was inducted into the New Haven Hall of Fame in 1988.

In 1978, Caiazzo signed with the Philadelphia Phillies.

Following his playing career Dave stayed active in baseball. He ran the Greater Boston Baseball Camp for almost three decades, served as the pitching coach at MIT for seven years, and also had coaching stints at both Bridgeport University and his alma matter New Haven.

In later years Caiazzo served as a pro scout for both the Cleveland Indians and the Anaheim and Los Angeles Angels. In fact, in 1997 he was the scout that signed then Chiefs’ star Justin Crisafulli to a pro contract with the Indians.

As accomplished off the field, Caiazzo authored the popular book, “_Life Tried to Throw Me a Curveball: I Overcame Diabetes to Become a Pro’._ The book highlights Caiazzo’s struggles with diabetes and his overcoming them to enjoy a remarkable career in baseball.

Caiazzo’s influence is apparently paying early dividends for the Chiefs’ pitching staff. Through the first six games of the season, his staff has amassed a 4-2 record and have struck out 76 batters in just 43 innings.

MALDEN, MA- Nick Valdario went 3 for 5, with a triple and three RBI’s, to lead the Chiefs to a 9-7 win over the Malden Maddogs at Maplewood on Thursday night.

Mitch Schroeder and Brendan Albert each hit a solo homer for the Chiefs.

Silas Reed (2-0) picked up the win, striking out six in two innings, in relief of starter Graham Seed who worked a perfect three innings.

Logan Gillis had two of the Maddogs seven hits.

With the win the Chiefs move to 4-2 on the year. They are now off until Wednesday when they will host the Lexington Blue Sox at Maplewood at 8:15 PM.

Somerville, MA- Former Framingham State and Chiefs righty Zach Kirby (1-1) tossed a one-hitter, striking out 18 batters, when the Middlesex Expos shutout the Andre Chiefs 2-0 at Trum Field on Thursday night.

Kirby was overpowering all game long, striking out the side in the second, third, fourth, sixth, and seventh innings. The only hit he allowed was a Gino DeSimone two out double in the top of the fourth inning.

The Expos scored their runs on a first inning RBI single from Andrew Mazzone and a single by Matt Ferro and a Bret Samboy double in the sixth.

Tim Dunphy (0-1) worked the first three innings for the Chiefs allowing one run. Jonathan Richard held the Expos scoreless in the fourth and fifth frames before giving way to Silas Reed in the sixth.

With the loss the Chiefs fall to 3-2 on the year.

Malden, MA- The Lexington Blue Sox broke open a 2-1 game by scoring two runs in the top of the fifth and then added four more in the seventh to pull away from the Chiefs 8-1 at Maplewood on Wednesday evening.

Lexington took a 2-0 lead off Chiefs starter Evan Walsh in the second when Ryan Cervone drew a walk, Alex Voitik doubled, and Jose Feliciano singled.

The Chiefs cut the lead in half in the bottom of the fourth off lefty Ryan O’Rourke on a Mitch Schroeder triple to right and a Blase Cormier RBI single.

Lexington touched up reliver Tommy Leone for a couple of runs and a 4-1 lead in the fifth on a pair of walks and a Julian Alvarez two RBI single.

Borja Jones-Berasaluce and Manny Delcarmen held the Chiefs scoreless over the last two innings and the Blue Sox put the game away with four runs and four hits off Leone in the seventh.

O’ Rourke (1-0) got the win allowing two hits and striking out eight in five innings of work. Walsh (0-1) took the loss despite giving up just three hits and striking out nine over his four innings.

Both teams are now 3-1 on the season.

The Chiefs are back in action on Thursday when they travel to Trum Field to meet the Middlesex Expos at 8:30 PM.

Somerville, MA- Graham Seed and Luke Gustavson combined on a neat four-hitter, striking out eleven, and the Chiefs erupted for eight first inning runs on the way to an 11-3 win over the Malden Maddogs on Sunday night at Trum Field in Somerville.

Mitch Schroeder led the Chiefs dozen hit attack going a perfect four for four that included a double and two RBI. Key contributors included Kyle DeRoma with a double, single, and two RBI, Nick Valdario (2 hits, 2 runs, RBI )and Gino DeSimone, Andrew Caulfield and Tommy Leone each with RBI doubles.

Seed (2-0), worked the first four innings striking out seven and allowing just one hit. Gustavson came out of the bullpen to begin the fifth and gave up two earned runs, three hits, and struck out four.

The now 3-0 Chiefs are off until Wednesday when they host the Lexington Blue Sox at Maplewood at 8:15 PM.