Finally for Mets Fans

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Santana no-hitter one of those good moments for a Mets fan

By Rich Mancuso

BRONX, NEW YORK, June 3- There I was, night off from the ballpark, listening and watching my favorite alternative rock band “Weezer” in Atlantic City New Jersey in the Bogata Hotel showroom. It was planned, the birthday gift from three weeks ago. What wasn’t in the plan was Johan Santana throwing a no-hitter at Citi Field on the first day of June.

A Friday evening at Citi Field where, I would usually be situated, upstairs in my perch in the comfortable press box, but the first no-no in New York Mets history, 50-years of futility and I was not there to see it.

Yes, frustration. And moments after Mets SNY Television voice Gary Cohen said after being questioned, ‘did he ever think it would happen, his response, ‘No, but now it has’ Weezer would finish their last number.

That number, “Say it Ain’t So.”

But it is true. After 8,020 games, Mets radio voice Howie Rose, and fans of the second baseball team in New York, can now say, the New York Mets have made baseball history. They are no longer one of two teams to not have a pitcher throw the illustrious no-hitter.

It is so, and the San Diego Padres have that lone distinction.

Mike Baxter, the kid from Queens, crashed into the center field wall on the warning track to keep the suspense going. The Carlos Beltran ball that hit the chalk beyond third base appeared to be an extra base hit. The umpire, according to replays may have got it wrong.

To Mets’ fans, and to Santana, the call went their way. The no-hitter is in the record books and well deserved for a pitcher who many said was finished.

It was back in late March. Santana was not supposed to come north with the team at the end of spring training. The comeback from shoulder surgery, which shut Santana down all last year, was slow and cautious. However, it was soon, according to Santana, working according to the plan.

That plan, which was heard since his opening day start in early April, was continue to make adjustments as this Mets team had trouble scoring runs, but staying competitive. Then the last three starts you sensed the plan was ahead of schedule.

Santana was throwing more pitches, going deeper into games. The change up was effective, so was the slider. The fastball was getting close to his velocity, clocked close to 90, or more.

The manager, Terry Collins was more concerned about the pitch count. Last Saturday, at Citi field, Santana threw 94 pitches, the complete game shutout over the San Diego Padres. Collins let him continue, as he did Friday night with a career high 134 pitches, concerned about the shoulder.

After that sixth inning, Collins asked Santana, “How do you feel?” The ace, who said afterwards, he came to New York “to win a championship for the organization and fans,” told his manager, ‘I feel good, let me continue.’

It was a momentous occasion for a franchise that has been troubled with financial issues .And nothing has seemed to go right since that last game of 2006, when Beltran struck out with runners on base, at Shea Stadium, in game seven of the National League Championship Series. 

That was against the same St. Louis Cardinals who go in the record book as victims of the Santana no-hitter.

It was the first and real significant moment at Citi Field for Mets baseball. Santana erased the close calls of Tom Seaver, the last Mets pitcher to take a no-hitter into the ninth inning. The first one, of three close calls, a perfect game broke up by Jimmy Qualls of the Chicago Cubs in 1969.

It will be remembered what Johan Santana did Friday night. The umpire, Adrian Johnson, at third base, may have missed that Beltran call in the sixth inning. But that does not matter now. Johan Santana may have put the New York Mets back on the map with that outing on the mound at Citi Field.

Just hope “Weezer” does not get in the way again for another possible and maybe another no-hitter in New York Mets baseball history, or perhaps another first, a perfect game as they go into game number 8,021.

E-mail Rich Mancuso:  Ring786@aol.com

Mother Remembers Fallen Son

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By Michael Horowitz

BRONX, NEW YORK, June 1- Emily Toro, the mother of a fallen hero in the second Iraq war, was on hand, Sunday, to add poignancy to Co-op City's Memorial Day observance at the Veterans' Memorial Park on Bartow Avenue.

Among the local dignitaries joining Sunday's local observance of Memorial Day were Rep. Eliot Engel, Assemblyman Michael Benedetto, and Community Board 10 District Manager Kenneth Kearns.

Toro, who became as Gold Star Mother after her son, Private Isaac Cortes, was killed in Iraq in 2007, said that she really did not understand the importance of taking time out to observe Memorial Day until her son was killed at the age of 26.

Toro, commenting after Sunday's observance, said that her son, who grew up in Parkchester, was killed as a soldier in the Army's 110^th Mountain Division.

“My son, who had worked as a security guard at Yankee Stadium, saw joining the Army as his path to joining the New York Police Department,” Toro noted.

Along the way, Toro pointed out, the Army nurtured a sense of patriotism in her son that burned deeply within him at the time he was killed.

Lirio, for his part, said, after Sunday's Memorial Day observance, that he is extremely proud of his daughter, Capt. Jasmin Lirio, 29, a career military officer who previously served in the second Iraq as a platoon commander.

In his remarks at Sunday's local observance of Memorial Day, Assemblyman Benedetto stressed that those who have served in the military throughout the nation's history deserve special praise for answering the call of duty without asking questions about their missions.

Benedetto said that most Americans do not fully appreciate the way those in the military have sacrificed their youth, the healthy bodies, and even their lives to keep American free.

Rep. Engel, for his part, stressed that too few Americans take time out to reflect, even on Memorial Day, on the sacrifices that those in the military have made to maintain the freedoms that Americans enjoy.  

Third Time’s Not the Charm

Third Time’s Not the Charm for Check Cashing Chump

By Dan Gesslein

BRONX, NEW YORK, June 1- Guess he thought the third time would be the charm in trying to rob an East Tremont check cashing place. However, cops say the crook struck out all three times at the same store.

According to investigators the same man tried to rob the same Pay-O-Matic check cashing place at 890 East Tremont Avenue three separate times in the same day. The first attempted robbery occurred at 12:45 a..m. on May 30. The man, whose image was captured on surveillance video, walked into the check cashing place and demanded money. The suspect was unable to complete the robbery and fled.

Then about 10 hours later the same man tried to rob the site. Once again the would be robber left empty handed. Then again that night the suspect walked into the same Pay-O-Matic and again demanded cash and again left empty handed. 

The only thing cops say the robber was successful in was that he got a clear image of his face caught on surveillance video. Now investigators are asking for the public’s help to catch this robber.

The suspect is described as a black male, 6 foot 1 to 6 foot 2. He weighs between 175 and 180 pounds. He was wearing a black

du-rag, black shirt and black pants. 

Anyone with information is urged to call CRIMESTOPPERS at (800) 577-TIPS. The public can also summit tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website at WWW.NYPDCRIMESTOPPERS.COM or by texting their tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter TIP577.

All calls are strictly confidential.

Cops Seek Chokehold Crook

By Dan Gesslein

BRONX, NEW YORK, May 30- Cops are asking for the public’s help to catch a mugger who attacked a woman with a violent choke hold.

Police released a surveillance video inside a building on Monroe Avenue which recorded the crime. In the video the man is seen putting the 54-year-old woman in choke hold and throwing her to the ground. He then grabs the victim’s purse and runs off. The attack occurred at around 10:40 a.m. on May 19. 

The mugger is described as a black male with braided hair wearing eyeglasses. 

Anyone with information is urged to call CRIMESTOPPERS at (800) 577-TIPS. All calls are confidential.

Puerto Rican Day Parade on Sunday

(Photos by Gary Quintal)

By Dan Gesslein

BRONX, NEW YORK, May 28- Get ready for the biggest party in the Bronx when the Puerto Rican Day Parade kicks off on Sunday. Organizers are thrilled to be celebrating the parade’s 25th Anniversary with a march on the Grand Concourse once again.

This year some 120 groups from throughout the country and South America will march up the Grand Concourse in a celebration of the Bronx’s rich Puerto Rican heritage. The parade kicks off at 1 p.m. on Sunday, June 3rd. Before the parade at 11 a.m. there will be a special ceremony for this year’s honorees. The route has been change to march up the Concourse toward Mosholu Parkway instead of marching down to Yankee Stadium.

The move was in response to the massive amount of traffic that needs to be diverted to accommodate the parade which ends near the Bronx County Courthouse and the House that Jeter Built.

“We’ve gone from a small parade to one of the largest in the borough and the city,” said parade organizer Francisco Gonzalez said. “We’ve asked everyone to participate in the parade and we welcome you as family.”

In addition to inviting all elected officials from throughout the city and country, there will representatives from South America.

Marriacchi bands, Jamaican steel drum bands, motorcycle and car groups, salsa dancers, school bands, West Indian, salsa, Hip Hop and Ragaeton musicians and many more.

This year the parade will honor the works of unions such as DC 37 and 1199.

“We’ve embraced every ethnic group. We’re not excluding anyone,” Gonzalez said. “We’re including everyone.”

A music festival will take place on July 28th called Salsa in the Park at Crotona Avenue and Van Cortlandt Park.

This year’s parade will be extra special because it is the first one in two years. After canceling due to reports of thunderstorms last year, organizers this year are excited to launch the biggest party the borough has ever seen as the parade celebrates its 25th anniversary.

For the first time in over two decades there was no salsa on the Grand Concourse. No Bronxites lining the parade route listening to the music and seeing the sea of performers. Instead heavy morning rains and reports of severe thunderstorms moving into the area forced organizers to call off the parade. 

“We apologize to everyone for canceling last year but we had to consider everyone’s safety,” Gonzalez said.

If anything, organizers say last year’s cancellation has created anticipation for this year’s festivities. There is a great deal of pent up demand for celebration and good news.

For more information go online: www.bxprparade.net

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Move Over JLo

Princesses are Ready to Shine

(Photos by Gary Quintal)

Contestants vying to be crowned as Reina in the annual Bronx Puerto Rican Day parade were on hand at Con Sazon. Contestants were from both the 19 to 26 year old and 26 to 49 year old divisions.  

The winners were crowned princes and princesses for the upcoming Bronx Puerto Rican Day Parade on June 3. 

See more info: http://www.facebook.com/bxprparade

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Gunman Makes Off with Cash from Tremont Bank

By David Greene

BRONX, NEW YORK, May 25- Police are looking for the gunman who robbed an E. Tremont Avenue bank, bringing the number incidents in the borough in the first five-months of 2012-- to 13.

In the latest incident, patrol units from the 48th Precinct were called to Banco Popular, located at 752 E. Tremont Avenue, at 10:30 a.m., on Friday, May 18.

Police would only say they were looking for the suspect armed with a gun, who fled the scene with an undetermined amount of cash.

The bank was closed for several hours as detectives looked at surveillance video and interviewed customers and bank employees.

The bank robbery is the latest in a rash of bank heists across the borough.

On Wednesday, May 16, a suspect described as a male Hispanic robbed the Emigrant Savings Bank at 101 E. 170 Street.

The NYPD had recently released a surveillance photo of a suspect wanted in connection with a hold-up at the HSBC Bank on West 235 Street in Riverdale, who took more than $3,000 on May 14.

The suspect in that case is described as a Black male in his 20s, who was wearing a fake beard and black baseball cap.

Police are still looking for the individuals wanted in connection with other cases across the borough, over the last several months.

On January 3, a woman attempted to rob a Chase Bank 3514 White Plains Road but escaped empty handed.

Two-hours later police were called to the Apple Bank at 44 E. 161 Street, where a male suspect fled with an undetermined amount of cash.

On January 10, the Chase Bank at 1308 E. Gun Hill Road was the site of an attempted robbery, when a woman claimed to have a bomb, but fled empty handed.

It's believed that the same woman returned to the same E. Gun Hill Road Bank on January 12, but once again fled empty handed.

On January 14, cops were called to the Chase Bank at 1489 Metropolitan Oval in Parkchester, where a male suspect fled with an undetermined amount of currency.

On January 17, a male attempted to stick-up the CitiBank at 1265 Castle Hill Avenue. The suspect in this case displayed a handgun, but he too fled empty handed. 

On January 18, a male suspect attempted to hold up the Capital One Bank at 2159 White Plains Road. His theft was unsuccessful, so he tried again at the Chase Bank at 2126 White Plains Road.

On March 31, a gunman entered the Chase Bank at 3775 Riverdale Avenue. The white male fled after the teller pressed the silent alarm.

On April 21, police were again called to a Chase Bank, located at 784 Castle Hill Avenue, that suspect was described as a male Black.

And on Saturday, May 5, a robbery was reported at the Chase Bank at 5 W. Burnside Avenue.

Anyone with any information on any of the incidents are asked to call CRIMESTOPPERS at (800) 577-TIPS, all calls remain confidential.    

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