New Utrecht High School - Comet Yearbook (Brooklyn, NY)

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Elibe Qlumet Danny Del Vechio of football fame, is an ideal all-around man, starring in the infield and outfield, along with Red Sie- gal who pitches an excellent game be- sides playing second base. Antonio Balucci, the mainstay of the pitching staff, had pitched a no-hit, no- run game against Roosevelt, last year's P. S. A. L. champions. LACROSSE Day in and day out the lacrosse team has been practicing diligently in the school yard waiting for a chance to redeem it- self. Getting off to a slow start the In- dians dropped their first game to Manual at the score of 6-1. The first half of the game was played in a slovenly fash- ion by our team. The Park Slopers took advantage of our greeness and scored five goals in quick succession. Between the halves Coach Fitzpatrick spoke to our boys and it was a new team that came on the field. For that second half, the boys fought the championship aggreggation giv- ing them blow for blow and at most times showed marked superiority over the champs. Both teams scored once in the second half but neither team deserved a goal, ours being scored by a Manual de- fense man and their goal coming on a break that was just as undeserved. The high spots of the game were the playing of jerry Gold and Abby Sundell who ex- celled for the Green and White. With Erasmus, Hamilton, Boys and Madison still to be encountered the boys still have a great deal to do. The defense of the team is composed of Captain Pe- corella Christiasen, Firtenberg, Simnowitz and Lissendrella with Iverson, Reznitzky, Selivan, Graff, Cohen and Forman being held in reserve. Our attack is being held upg by Abby Sundell, whose spectacular Thirty and bull-like method of playing brought him very near an all-scholastic position last year. Mutzie Silowitz, who was kept out of the Manual game because of in- eligibility, is not expected to play again this term. It is a hard fighting, fast playing out- fit containing, fast shifty men like Lis- sendrella and Formosa, excellent stick handlers, like Gold and Christenson, and stocky hard fighting players whose methods of playing is to put their heads down and force their way through the entire team, such as Pecorella and Sundell Manager Nat Shapiro states that the chief burden in the remaining games will be upon the hands of Pecorella and Sun- dell. Because of their superior experience and ability the rest of the team look up to them for directions and instructions during the game. Graduation will hit the team hard this year because when the roll is called for initial practice in 1952 such stars as Pecorella, Sundell, Simnowitz, Formosa, Caliman, Moore, Gold, Levinson, For- man, Lefkowitz, Strafaci, Iverson will have graduated and left their positions open to be filled from the ranks of sub- stitutes who are diligently striving to make the varsity. Murray Elman who will manage the team in '52 claims that '32 will be the best year Lacrosse will ever know in New Utrecht. The game is steadily increasing in popularity and it will be necessary to cut the squad down to a definite number as was done this term for the first time in the history of Lacrosse. With 45 an- xious fellows and only one little field to play on we were faced with the possibility of getting another field or cutting the squad. Fifteen boys were dropped from the squad in order to give the better players more of a chance to show their ability.

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l TJ ing. Another fine bunch of fellows is the 880 relay team made up of Moe Mischen, Sam Springer, Lou Lord and Al Altman, all lower termers and all on the road up. This meet also put forward a new sprint find in Herb Wolfert who took third in the 220. Of the novices who are expected to start scoring points soon, the names of Abe Rosenberg, Stanley Levitan, Mel Mar- golin, Nat Vogel, Pinta and Walfish stand out. And finally we come to four fellows who have been a boon to New Utrecht, namely, Art Schutzman, Cy Marcus, John- ny D'Auria and Perry Rosenberg. This group annexed the Class C Mile Relay Championship at the Penn Relays, and outside of scoring a sure five points ev- erytime they run they are no help at all. X COUNTRY One of the best teams in New Utrecht High School found itself without the aid of a coach, and without the backing of the school at the beginning of the term. The first part of the problem was solved when George L. Weisbard, popular mentor, graciously offered his services as coach of the cross-country team. Mr. Weis- bard himself a former cross-country and lacrosse man while at New Utrecht in- novated spring practice for the first time. The squad gradually grew, and as the gun banged for the start of the novice meet, 30 boys sprinted for the lead. The race was a fight all the way, but in the end De George was victorious with Guil- foyle, Caccese, Steer, Fleischman, Rafici and Sklar Qwho gave the others a 2 min- ute handicapj finished in the order named. The team seems to have great ponten- tialities for a championship this fall with Captain Cy Marcus, Perry Rosenberg, Ira Mendelsohn, Abe Pomerantz and Sklar left over from last year to wear the Green and White. At present Manager Lester Steinhardt with the aid of his assistant the popular Grace A. Levine is busy arranging a ser- ies of meets for the coming season. BASEBALL A good example of what school sup- port can do for a team is brought our by the New Utrecht baseball team. Lack of support has always undermined fine teams but this year the student body sup- ported the team, with the result that at the present writing, the Green and White ball-chasers are playing Madison for the division championship. The pre-season games did not show Utrecht up to great advantage, but as the season progressed the boys under the leadership of Captain Ben Roskin played great games against the P. S. A. L. teams. Some of the outstanding achievements be- ing the conquering of Tilden, 8-5, beat- ing Earsmus Hall, 5-2, after dropping an earlier game, 3-0, and finally hold- ing Manual to a 7-7 tie in a hard- fought battle. A crack infield is composed of the hard- hitting Bernie Pearlman, Captain Ben Ros- kin, Red Siegal, and O'Shats. Cooper shines as catcher, and is a pret- ty good bet for an all-scholastic berth this season. The outfield is made up of 'lPee Wee Smilowitz, Nat Mur and joe Cerevalo. These fellows make up one of the hardest hitting and best fielding scholastic out- fields in the city. Twenty-nine --J

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Ghz Qliumet LEADERSHIP CLUB This club is composed entirely of girls who have been selected for their out- standing athletic ability and performance during physical training class. The purpose of the club is to train girls to become efficient leaders and to help teachers dur- ing athletic periods. A meeting is held every Tuesday afternoon after school in the girls' gym where members are taught the fundamentals of all athletic events. Under the capable supervision of Miss Bott a very pleasant and interesting time is always assured. TENNIS In spite of the fact that we are not equipped with tennis courts and have to travel to them, the keen enthusiasm of the girls proves that tennis is one of the most popular sports at New Utrecht. ,Un- der the proficient instructions of Mrs. Can- tor the girls have enjoyed every minute of the time they have spent in this out- door sport. This vigorous and exciting sport has gained the favor of the girls for more than one reason. It lends grace and freedom to the body without exertion. This opportunity is especially good for beginners, since Mrs. Cantor sees that they play in the proper way right from the start, and thus prevents them from making the faults of less privileged per- sons. Perhaps we have a Helen Wills in the rough among us? BASKETBALL Columns have been written in the school about the boys' basketball activities. How- ever, there is a girls' basketball club which has not received the attention it merits. Girls require exercise and athletic activity as well as boys and any organization fos- tering this idea deserves commendation. The students have met twice a week after classes under the guidance of Miss Allen, Mrs. Hennessay, Mrs. Cantor and Miss Kaufman who have helped bring this sport to the fore as a great factor in the athletic development of the girls. Teams are formed and compete against each other. The girls play purely for the love and enjoyment of the game and take ad- vantage of the many opportunities basket- ball affords to prove their character and sportsmanship. SWIMMING Everybody should know how to swim. New Utrecht offers this opportunity to the girls and is to be commended for it. Mrs. Chapman meets the girls in the pool ev- ery Thursday after the seventh period. Those girls who do not know how to swim soon learn under the excellent tutelage of Mrs. Chapman. Those who can swim are taught new strokes and old ones per- fected. The advanced swimmers are per- mitted to practice the various tests for the junior and Senior Red Cross Life Sav- ing awards. An opportunity such as this should not be allowed to slip by' and an even greater response is expected next year. .y.lgyg4 T.4. Thirty-one 5 1 .-J