Dear Mohawk fans;
First of all, congratulations on yet another championship.
It isn’t often that die-hard Boston Red Sox fans – like the Nogowski family – would willingly congratulate a New York team on multiple championships, but this one was certainly different.
It was no accident that the Amsterdam Mohawks were once again crowned the best in the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League. They had the best players, the best coaches and most of all, the best fans. A ballgame at Shuttleworth Park wasn’t just a game – it was an event! And for our son to be named the league’s Player of the Year, why – we are so grateful and proud he was a Mohawk.
We were fortunate enough to make three trips to Amsterdam over the course of this past golden – if occasionally a little moist – summer and saw first-hand the passion, the enthusiasm and the dedication to the ball club Amsterdam truly has. The organization Brian Spagnola and his staff have built is exceptional and what’s wonderful is even with all this success, nobody in Amsterdam seemed to take this incredible run of success for granted. Fans seemed to treasure every win, every base hit and every nice catch. And yes, there were a lot of each!
As the parents of a player who spent his summer far away from home, we can’t tell you what a comfort it was to know the support, the encouragement, the downright affection John was receiving every night from you great fans. (Not to mention his extraordinary host family, Skip and Pat Beck – and that magic recliner!) I know it helped him play better. It only took a few weeks in Amsterdam before he announced his mission for the season: “Dad, we gotta win it for Grif!” Mission accomplished!
Listening to Bob Rotruck’s nightly broadcasts, waiting for John’s excited late-night calls, tracking the team’s progress through The Leader-Herald, these were all integral parts of our summer. We will never forget them – or you.
So, let our family offer all of you a sincere thank you. Thanks to every single Mohawk fan and family member who helped make this summer an unforgettable chapter in our son’s life.
JOHN and LIZ NOGOWSKI
Tallahassee, Fla.
