10th Annual Friends of Caleb Smith Preserve "Youth Fishing Awards"

By Carole Paquette

A pink Barbie fishing pole reeled in the most fish caught  at the 10th Annual Friends of Caleb Smith Preserve Junior Angler “Catch and Release” Fishing Tournament where over thirty children, ages 5 to 12, caught a total of 118 fish at Caleb Smith State Park Preserve in Smithtown on Saturday, June 9. Children age 5 to 8 fished from 9:30 - 11 a.m., and those age 9 to 12 from 1 - 3 p.m. 

During the morning session, Hannah Lentz, 5, of Lake Grove received the first place award for catching the most fish. With her pink pole, Hannah steadily caught morning winners21 fish including two 10-3/4-inch bass. Nicholas Churaman, 6, of East Northport received the second place award for the largest pan fish caught. His fish measured 9-1/8 inches. Gianni Faruzzo, 6, of Huntington Station received the third place award for catching the largest “other” fish, a 13-inch bass. Gianni also caught a 9-inch trout.

In the afternoon session, Jesse Goodman, 14, of Levittown caught a total of nine afternoon Wimmersfish to win first prize for the most fish caught. The Smith siblings of Hauppauge, James, 12, and Carly, 10, each caught a 9- inch pan fish, which created a tie for second place for catching the largest pan fish. However, James won the award as his total catch of six fish beat Carly’s five. Colin Dunn, 10, of Brightwaters caught an 11-1/4-inch bass to win the award for the largest “other” fish caught.

As he watched Carly Smith patiently sitting on a camp stool at the edge of her specified site on the Willow Pond peninsula, a tournament judge, Sheldon Billips of Smithtown, observed: “The girls tend to be more patient than the boys most of who throw out the line and if they don’t get a bite right away they pull it in. You have to just relax and let the fish do the work.”

Meanwhile, Nature was in its glory at the Preserve as a majestic family of swans glided across the waters, taking in the human scene before settling in near a group of austere, black cormorants to do their own fishing. Pop-eyed frogs hung out in the mud along the shoreline fishing sites waiting for bait to swing their way.             

An Interview With Frank Catalanotto - A Smithtown Kid With 14 Years In Major League Baseball "Heart And Hustle"

By Chris Biancaniello      

Frank Catalanotto at “Heart And Hustle” book signing at Book RevueFrank Catalanotto played baseball the way we all wished we could. He didn’t have the power of a Ken Griffey Jr. or Alex Rodriguez, yet he maintained a 14-year Major League Baseball career playing for the Tigers, Rangers, Blue Jays, Brewers, and finally the Mets. In his career he batted .291 with well over a thousand hits. Often times he eclipsed the .300 mark, and in 2001 batted a remarkable .330, which was the fifth best batting average in the American League.

He is one of only two players born in *Smithtown to reach the highest competitive level in baseball. The other is Craig Biggio (Kings Park). Shortly after Catalanotto’s retirement in 2011 he began to write his recently released book “Heart and Hustle,” which not only tells the story of his journey and career in the majors, but also provides insight into baseball and how to play the game.

If there is one thing to be said about the book, it’s that it shows that Mr. Catalanotto appreciated every moment of his career and he appreciated his fans. He has never forgotten the people that helped him.

Recently I sat down with Mr. Catalanotto to discuss his book, his life in Smithtown, and his baseball career.

SM: What made you decide to write a book that was both autobiographical and instructional?

FC: When I retired, a cousin of mine said, “listen you were a student of the game, you have a lot of things written down, (FC kept journals throughout his career) why don’t you write a book?” I wasn’t interested in it so I told him no. He kept pushing me every time I would see him. Finally, I started to write a couple things down and found I couldn’t put the pen down. I had a lot of things to share, the more I wrote, the more I got into it and realized that I had some things to say that could help kids. Things I didn’t learn about when I was a kid and learned going through the minors and majors.

SM: Did a lot of that come from the notebooks you kept from your career?

FC: Yes. A lot of if did. I wrote down everything as I learned it in the minor leagues. I kept a notebook on pitchers. So yes, I was able to use a lot of that stuff.  You know I found the books and started putting some stuff in this book.

SM: In your book, Heart and Hustle, I saw you had a little information on Carlos Silva and how he tipped his glove when he pitched in pictures from your original book. It’s crazy, as a fan you don’t realize how much of the game is a mental game.

FC: Absolutely pitchers seem to have tendencies or patterns that they fall into and many of them tip their pitches so writing something like that down gave me the idea, like ok if I see his glove a certain way, it’s a certain pitch.

SM: So how much of the game would you describe as a mental game? In your book you use the Yogi Berra quote “90 percent of the game is half mental.”

FC: You know for me I think it’s just as important as the physical, so I would say it’s 50/50. If you have a great swing that’s fine, but you also need to use your head. And you know if you just use your head that’s not good enough, you need the physical part so for me I think it’s 50/50.

SM: You talk about how you were nervous your first few at bats. After that were you at least a little nervous when you got up there or did it eventually all fade away and become routine?

FC: Every single game I would have butterflies before the game and even in my first at bat I would still be a little bit nervous, but once my first at bat was over I wouldn’t be nervous for the rest of the game. But, from my first game to fourteen years later in my last game I would still get those butterflies.

SM: Was it worse when you were facing a Curt Shilling or Roger Clemens?

FC: There were some guys like Roger Clemens that intimated a little more than the others. There were some guys that you knew that weren’t afraid to pitch inside and they’d throw one at your head if they had to. So yeah, I think there was a little more of an intimidation factor with some guys, but not so much that it would totally take you out of your game.

SM: Smithtown isn’t really known for being a baseball town did you feel it was harder coming out of a town like Smithtown?

FC: Well I didn’t know any better at the time but in hindsight it is harder because all these guys in Florida, California, and Texas are playing baseball year round. So they’re playing baseball all the time so it really is harder. However, I think we had a really good Little League program when I was coming up and the high school team was great. We had good coaching and good travel teams. I wouldn’t change a thing because it worked out for me. I do think that the kids in the northeast are in a little bit of a disadvantage though.

SM: After playing for Milwaukee, you decided to come back here and play for the Mets.

FC: I had always wanted to play in New York. It was a dream of mine to live at home, sleep in my own bed, and commute to work. I could be with my wife and kids so when Mets GM Omar Minaya called me and asked, “Would you be interested in playing with the Mets?” I jumped at the opportunity. He didn’t guarantee me a spot on the team, I signed a minor league contract and was invited to spring training. I knew I was going to have to make the team and I had enough confidence in myself that I knew I could make the team. I was thrilled to play with the Mets although it was only for a month in a half.

SM: After playing for all those teams across the country, you never left Smithtown right?

FC: No I did not. I bought houses in the places I played, but I would only stay there during the season. Smithtown is home for me, my mom and dad my brother and sister live here and I loved growing up in Smithtown I’ll never leave here.

SM: One of the things I noticed about your book is that you gush about your parents and your family and that’s a wonderful thing. How did they react to the book?

FC: They were very proud and very happy that I made this book more of a family book. It really honors them because it’s the truth, without them and without the rest of my family’s support and encouragement I most likely wouldn’t have gotten to the major leagues.  They were very happy and my mom and dad cried while reading some parts of the book.

SM: Was playing for a Canadian team any different?

FC: It was different in the regard that there were a lot more taxes taken out of the paycheck and you always have to go through customs so it was a little more of a hassle. The fans there are hockey fans, so the fans there didn’t come out like they did in the United States. That was a little disappointing, but I loved it, I thought it was a great place to play it definitely had a little different feel then it did in the United States though.

SM: Which was harder writing a book or playing baseball?

FC: That’s a good one. For me it was writing a book. I had never done that and I’m not much of a book reader. It was time consuming. I didn’t realize how long it was going to take and how much it takes to make a book complete. I’d much rather be at home plate hitting a fastball.

SM: What was your favorite moment of your career?

FC: My first major league hit. In ‘97 I got a hit off of Rick Helling, he was playing with the Rangers at the time it was a RBI single to right field. I always dreamed of being a Major League Baseball player, so to get that one out of the way I’ll always remember that.

SM: So what team do you root for now?

FC: I root for both NY teams. I root for the Yankees and the Mets. If it were a subway series I’d probably root for the Yankees. I’ll always be a Yankee fan because that’s the team I grew up rooting for.  But now that I’m retired I don’t really have an allegiance to one team. I follow my friends that are still playing I want to make sure they’re doing well so I try and root for those guys.

SM: Do you still talk to them a lot and which guys?

FC: I talk to guys like Michael Young, Ian Kinsler; I speak to Carlos Delgado, John McDonald, Gabe Kapler those guys. Sometimes I see them when I go to an alumni dinner in the city or last year in Cooperstown they had a game at the Doubleday field with a bunch of the retired players. I’ll see them, but not very often they live in different states.

SM: What was your proudest moment in baseball?

FC: My proudest moment was when I was in AAA my manager called me into the office he said, “Frank, you got the call you’re going up to the major leagues.” That was my proudest moment because that was what I had worked the hardest for, for so many years and for that to come true, that was my proudest moment.

SM: Were you a little nervous after realizing that?

FC: It was a moment of awesomeness but after I got out of that room I thought, “oh shoot, now its go time.” Because I didn’t know if I was going to fizzle out and not really make it, or play for 14 years.

SM: Tell me a little bit about your foundation.

FC: My oldest daughter, when she was born had a vascular birthmark on her nose. We took her to some local doctors, they said don’t worry about it, that it would go away. They started giving her steroids, prednisone, and it wasn’t working.  When I was in Texas we met this lady named Lynda Shannon and she was the head of the Vascular Birthmark Foundation and she told us that there are doctors that treat these birthmarks. So we got in contact with the correct doctor they did two laser surgeries and one surgery, and now you can’t even tell that she had a birthmark. So we started the Frank Catalanotto Foundation to support the Vascular Birthmark Foundation- so most of the funds that we raise go right to them. It’s nice my wife and I, we help promote awareness and we also raise money. This year will be our second golf outing for the foundation.  Last year it was great we raised a lot of money for the foundation. Fcatalanotto.org 

Frank resides in St. James with his wife Barbara and their four daughters.

***Please note that both Jim Mecir and John Curtis, both professional Major League Baseball players, are from Smithtown.  Mr Curtis was born in Newton Ma. and attended Smithtown Central HS. Mr. Mecir was born in Bayside and graduated from Smithtown HS East********

Nissequogue River State Park - A Place For Healing

The push to construct a “Healing Garden” within State Park

By Chad Kushins

Last month, an initiative to construct a “Healing Garden” within the grounds of the Nissequogue State Park moved forward with a major fundraising event, organized by the Kings Park-Commack Rotary Club.  The “Wine and Cheese” fundraiser, held at the park at 79 Saint Johnland Road in Kings Park on May 2^nd, gave guests an opportunity to witness the unveiling of construction designs and tentative completion dates.  In addition, officials and community supporters were in attendance, offering commentary and words of support for the garden and the Rotary’s initiative – and to see the finalized plans for the upcoming garden.

“It is and will be a special place,” said Deputy Director of the Long Island Region of State Parks and formerDeputy Director Brian X. Foley and Park Director Sean Cruickshank State Senator Brian X. Foley, an advocate for the “Healing Garden” and its construction, “especially for all those who first came to Kings Park, the immigrants who came to Long Island to settle and build homes.”

Taking the podium to address those guests in attendance, Foley continued, “It has been a period of transition for [Nissequogue State Park] and we look forward to the building of this particular garden … there is something remarkable here and this construction is the first important step.  These hospital grounds were once an atmosphere of helping those with mental illness and it can now be a place of serenity and peace.”

The park is located on the banks and bluffs of the Nissequogue River.  The park was initially announced in 1999 and soon established on the waterfront portion of the former Psychiatric Center.  Many of the hospital’s original buildings remain standing in the park.  Building 125, the former Veterans Administration Building currently serves as the main park office.  Recreational events for residents take place, in the public-friendly areas, including, bird watching, fishing, canoeing and kayaking, hiking, biking, and guided tours, many of which are conducted by the Nissequogue River State Park Foundation. 

The proposed “Healing Garden” takes as its inspiration the numerous such designated areas located within public sanctuaries, monasteries, and other places of mediation, where the design and layout is made to exist concurrently with the natural surroundings.  In New York’s Central Park, eight separate areas are officially designated as “quiet zones” and the Nissequogue State Park “Healing Garden” would function for similar usage. The “Healing Garden” is collaboration between the Commack-Kings Park Rotary Club and the NYS Parks Recreation and Historic Preservation and the Nissequogue River State Park Foundation. 

According to Rotary Club President, Pat Biancaniello, “The Commack – Kings Park Rotary Club is a service club that does many things both internationally and locally.  After identifying this as a local project the club wanted to take on, we worked to find a landscape designer and to get approvals from the state.  Everyone at the state level has been very cooperative. Both Brian Foley and Sean Cruickshank have been wonderful.  Reaching out to the Nissequogue River State Park Foundation was a no brainer.  The Foundation has worked incredibly hard to improve this park. There are so many people who are supporting this project, not only those who are here but those who gave generously especially Mr. Reichert, owner of the Fort Salonga IGA, who supports manyPat Biancaniello, Charles Reichert , Fred Kruger events here at the park.  We all hope to make this garden a place where people can relax, reflect and enjoy the beauty of the park’s natural surroundings.”

According to Nissequogue River State Park Foundation Chairman Mike Rosato, the “Healing Garden” is slated for construction in the more northern end of the grounds.  “Right now, we’re just preparing for the first phase of the demolition,” Rosato initially told Smithtown Matters.  “We’re looking forward to being a part of this project along with New York State Parks Recreation and Historic Preservation and the Rotary.  It will provide the public with a peaceful place with the park, overlooking the Long Island Sound and the Nissequogue River.”

Rosato was also on-hand to address the guests in attendance and to elaborate on some of the garden’s finer details, describing its conceptual design as based on Staten’s Island’s Snug Harbor– another public park which houses a similar “healing grounds” area in its cultural center and botanical garden.  “This state park,” said Rosato, is like a fine wine and only gets better with age.  Partnerships are what make things work and I think we have the right people in place,” he added, thanking the members of the Rotary Club and the State Parks and Recreation department, as well as both Director of the Long Island Region of State Parks Ron Foley and State Senator John J. Flanagan.

It was at a Kings Park Chamber of Commerce meeting on April 18^th that Brian X. Foley initially spoke in regards to $14 million that had recently been secured for the state park by State Senator John J. Flanagan, claiming that the total sum was slated for the demolition of the fifteen condemned and vacant structures of the former Kings Park Psychiatric Center, which once stood on the same land now occupying Nissequogue State Park.  According to Foley, the demolition is to be immediately followed by a massive clean-up operation, in which any left-over dangerous and hazardous materials are to be safely removed.

“What comes to mind is an outdoor sanctuary,” said garden designer Joan G. McGillicuddy, who made her own presentation of artists’ renderings and schematics,” while drawing on the principles of Chi.” 

According to McGillicuddy, when coming up with the final designs for the “healing Garden”, she kept those principles in check, adding both the enclosure surrounding by trees and shrubs, and the “meandering path” that was called for.  “What drew me to the overall shape,” she added, “were ancient images of ‘Mother Earth.’”  McGillicuddy added that water, especially the Long Island Sound just beyond the horizon of the park, will act as an “anchor” to the garden’s designs, which also will include only native plants and keep existing foliage and wildlife in mind.  To further concerns regarding natural wildlife, the garden will also mostly include “deer-resistant” plants.

McGillicuddy explained that the ultimate aesthetic goals for the park is to plant specific plant-life and foliage that blossoms during different parts of the year, yielding a beautiful visual spectacle no matter when community members choose to visit.  “What we would really like to see,” she added, “are things happening during all four seasons – that way no matter when someone visits, there will be something interesting to see.”

The finished constructed “Healing Garden” is slated to be built as 30 feet by 30 feet,  and could, depending on its success within the community, path the way towards a “next phase” – possibly a labyrinth within Nissequogue State Park.”

The demolition is slated to begin in early July of 2012, with an approximate completion date of November 2013.

Additional information regarding the future plans for Nissequogue State Park are available through the Foundation at their official website: http://www.ourstatepark.com/as well as the park’s official site through New York’s Park and Recreation: http://nysparks.com/parks/110/details.aspx.

(Note: Smithtown Matters editor and publisher Patricia Biancanello is a member of both the Commack-Kings Park Rotary Club and the Nissequogue River Foundation)

Zone Change? Legitimize Activities? Stay Tuned

Wednesday’s Planning Board meeting was long.  Over three hours long.  To no one’s surprise not much was accomplished.  The Carlson’s attorney, Vincent Trimarco, presented the case for a zone change. He did so bemoaning the fact that it had come down to asking for a zone change and suggesting that there should have been a compromise along the way.  Hank Carlson had most of the people in the room laughing when he equated the zoning issues to covering one’s private parts with burlap underware.  Toby Carlson spoke about the roots in the community and the desire to be good neighbors.    

On to the audience.  No one was buying the Carlsons as victims.  Person after person stood at the podium and spoke about their suffering. They spoke of bad odors, the untruths, the lack of response from the town, the DEC and the business owners.  People stood and talked about not being able to enjoy their property because of the noise, the smells, the trucks.

Some audience members spoke about health issues and the fear of what will happen to their lives if Smithtown does the unthinkable and permits a zone change to heavy industry.  Mothers and fathers talked about their families and why they choose to remain where they live. 

Community organization representatives spoke in angst about power plants and truck traffic.  

Mostly, people spoke in frustration that the problems in this area have continued, without resolution, for decades. Even worse, speakers expressed the feeling that no one seems to be listening. Everyone seemed to want a compromise that would permit business owners to exist without negatively impacting on the environment,  homes and mostly their families.  Is it possible?

Meeting adjourned until September.

Here are questions that came out of the meeting?

1.  Why was the meeting not adjourned?

2.  Who wants a zone change?

3.  Are activities taking place on the Carlson property that are detrimental to the health and well being of the residents in surrounding communities?

4.  Is the current Town Board capable of making a decision or willing to go on the record as to to what they think should be done in the area?

5. How much tax revenue is generated from the businesses in the area?

6.  What is the economic reality of any zone change?

7.  Can the infrastructure support a zone change?

8.  Where can residents go to get answers to their questions?

9.  Is there a solution?

10. Is there someone on the Board willing to take the lead on this?

Smithtown Resident Gets Caleb Smith's "Preservation Award"

Peter Paquette

            Smithtown resident Peter Paquette received the Friends of Caleb Smith Preserve’s prestigious preservation award on June 2 during The Canoe Trip Benefit on the Nissequogue River, which was coordinated and sponsored by two of the town’s preservation groups: the Friends of Caleb Smith Preserve and the Smithtown Historical Society.           

            Following the canoe trip, approximately 100 boaters and guests sat down to a barbecue by Main Street Meats & Catering at Nissequogue River State Park in Kings Park where they enjoyed live music by guitarist Norman Vincent.

            Mr. Paquette, who has been a member of the Friends group since it was founded in 2000, was given the award based on more than thirty years of environmental service to Long Island and the Smithtown community. This included his days as science chairman at Kings Park Junior High School where he organized the school’s first Earth Day celebration in the 1970s and founded a Conservation Club. Following his retirement he volunteered with the Okeanos Ocean Research Foundation, and chaired the Friends of Caleb Smith Preserve’s annual Junior Anglers Fishing Tournament. He currently is the Friends’ liaision to the regional Nissequogue River Watershed Steering Committee, where he is a member of its water quality committee; and a member of Save the Sound, a Connecticut/Long Island advocacy group. He is a weekly volunteer with the Fire Island Lighthouse Preservation Association where for ten years he has been teaching schoolchildren about the U. S. Lifesaving Service; conducting lifesaving demonstrations as well as tower and nature-trail tours. He is currently a docent in the new Lens Building where the original Fire Island Lighthouse Fresnel lens was recently put on exhibit.

            The Friends of Caleb Smith Preserve’s preservation award was established seven years ago to recognize individuals, or groups, for their efforts in the conservation and preservation of historical structures, the local natural environment or that of the larger community. Past recipients of the award were Smithtown residents Louise Hall, Joanne and Michael D’Agostino, and Mary Ann Spencer of Setauket.

            Sponsors for this year’s canoeing event were: Hirsch Fuels Inc.; Smithtown Chiropractic, Dr. David A Wallman; Touch of Class Car Wash; John and Nancy Haynes; EGM Construction Corp.; Strathmore Bagels, Inc.; Dr. Bruce D. Yudelson, Yudelson Hearing Aid Center; Harlan J. Fischer, Branch Financial Services, Inc.; Tommy Hancock; Austin, James, Kyle, Kevin; Aimee and Randolph Schmitt, Friends of Connetquot; and Fidelity Investments.