The Old Astoria Neighborhood Association, Friends of Whitey Ford Field and Hydro Quebec support the NYC Rising Stars Home Run Derby at Whitey Ford Field

This year is the 25th anniversary of the renaming of Astoria Athletic Field to Whitey Ford Field in Astoria. The ballpark has hosted Public School Athletic League Little League baseball games for over a hundred years since its construction in 1906. However, for the past twenty-five years, no serious baseball competitions could be organized at the field due to the removal of the baseball mound. So it was only fitting that the NYC Rising Stars, affiliated with Prime Time Baseball on 14th Street, hold a home run derby at Whitey Ford Field. The New York City Rising Stars had relocated from College Point and moved its practice sessions to Whitey Ford Field last year. The Rising Stars organize practice sessions in the early evening and run a youth camp during the summer months at Whitey Ford Field. They are a premier youth baseball organization dedicated to developing talent on and off the field. Led by Nelson Santiago (advisory board member of Friends of Whitey Ford Field) and Adrian Castano (formerly of the Detroit Tigers), the program focuses on elite training, competitive baseball, and college exposure — helping over 100 student-athletes earn opportunities at colleges across the country. They have turned out many alums who went on to play professional baseball: Their alumn include Ariel Nunez – Arizona Diamondbacks, Nick Padilla – Philadelphia Phillies and inparticular Josue de Paula – Los Angeles Dodgers (Josue De Paula is a Queens native and homegrown talent who’s been with the Stars since childhood is now the #1 prospect for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Josue recently made headlines after winning MVP of the MLB Futures All-Star Game in Atlanta, GA.

In June, Friends of Whitey Ford Field, their fiscal sponsor, the Old Astoria Neighborhood Association,  and new corporate sponsor, Hydro-Quebec, were notified that the NYC Rising Stars were holding their first annual home run derby at Whitey Ford Field at the end of July.

The participants, aged 14-16, came from all over New York City and as far away as Florida.  Prestigious high schools were represented, such as Monsignor McClancy Memorial High School, which turned out the likes of Quentin Holmes, drafted by the Cleveland Indians, Charlie Neuweiler, Kansas City Royals, Eric Stampfli, New York Mets, and Tom Singer, Toronto Blue Jays. Other schools included La Guardia High School, Academy of American Studies, and Frank Sinatra High School for the Arts. Manhattanville was represented by Isaih Betances, who is related to Yankee legend Dellin Betances.

Over 68 balls were smashed from home plate into the East River. This is quite an accomplishment for a teenager. The distance to the seawall down the left field is 265 feet, the center field is 310 feet, and the right field is 330 feet. The competition went on for three rounds. In a fun but intense event, Jesse McCoy (LaGuardia High School), Ryan Cohen(Maspeth High School), Harry Friedner (IMG Academy, Florida), and Isiah Betances (Manhattanville High School) came out on top. There were two three-swing pitch-offs to face Jesse McCoy, who ultimately won the home run derby. Harry Friedner came in a close second.

Through Hydro-Quebec’s generosity, the Rising Stars received buckets of baseballs and four tickets to the Mets vs. the Orioles in August for the lucky winner.

Pete Rose, who could not attend the competition, was briefed and issued the following statement.

“Hydro-Quebec and the CHPE team were thrilled to support today’s HR derby. Organizations like NYC Rising Stars and Friends of Whitey Ford Field collaborating to bring this fun and unique opportunity to community members in the spirit of healthy living, collaboration, and teamwork was a grand slam of an idea! We are proud to be part of the community above and beyond our contribution of clean energy, economic development and climate action.”

See more photos on the FOWFF Facebook Post here!