Wakefield Hall of Fame
Les DeMarco
Front Row: Henry Rich HOF,
Edward Foley, Les DeMarco,
Paul DeMarco, Joseph Pridmore,
Joseph Schwarz, Walter Maloney
2nd Row: Coach James
Walsh, John Hickey, Robert Dolbeare, Warren Cassidy,
George Collins, Paul Conway, Man. Morton Sherman
3rd Row: John Moore HOF, Thomas Kenny, Joseph Colucello,
George Armstrong, Arthur Crowe
Walter Maloney far
right 1st row would become Wakefield Fire Chief
"As one of the oldest, if not the oldest, sport
at Wakefield High School, boys baseball was originally played on the
Common. In 1900, the WHS baseball team won the state title by defeating Lawrence 18-8. Many of the members of the 1945 WHS baseball
team, the first to be coached by Coach James Walsh, returned to the diamond the
following year. While the 1945 team had five wins in 11 starts, the 1946
baseball team captured the Middlesex League crown with a 14-3 record in its
first year of play in the league. The team went on to play in the state
competition at Fenway
Park beating Lawrence in the first game, and losing to Newton by a score of 4-2. During the season, pitcher Les DeMarco pitched two nine inning no-hitters. In 1954, the
WHS baseball team made the record books when sophomore pitcher Ralph Lazzaro pitched a complete no-hitter in a game against Reading. The next day, the same feat was accomplished when
Larry McShane pitched a no-hitter against Lexington." -- Text
and photo from Wakefield Municipal Gas & Light Department calendar. And Beebe
Library Website
Mr. DeMarco is
no longer is manager of the Wakefield Merchants but now president of the
prestigious Intercity League of which he has been involved since 1950. A Les DeMarco Sportsmanship Award was
established and is now given in his honor every year at season’s end.
.
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