Major League Baseball’s Opening Day is upon us, with all of the requisite nostalgia, excitement about the blank slate and the promise of a new season, and hopefulness for, and dreams of, a championship year.

From 1937 until the late 1940s, Patchogue was graced with its own local independent baseball team, the Cubs.

1937 saw the organization of the squad, but the second World War forced them into a lengthy hiatus, after which they regrouped under Manager Paul Andrisani. The April 4, 1946 issue of the Patchogue Advance lists the names of the squad’s intrepid nine at that time, along with a request that any other team wishing to play against the team contact Mr. Andrisani. Fundraising was also apparently on their minds, and several ideas were mooted, including, as is commonplace today, showcasing, on the team’s scorecards, advertisements for local merchants.

Although it’s well known that many famous Major League Baseball players served their country in the second World War (among them Ted Williams and Joe DiMaggio), this team was, possibly uniquely, composed entirely of veterans of the second World War.

Later in April, 1946, Newsday reported that the team was actively seeking a berth in the South Shore Baseball League, although Patchogue was, also according to Newsday, already represented in the League by an un-named club. But, just a few more days later, Newsday reported that the Cubs were apparently successful in their bid for the berth. The team’s home field, Wiedner’s Park, was located on Medford Avenue (Route 112) in Patchogue.

Soon after, in early May, Newsday listed George Dioguardo of Patchogue as the manager of the squad, and an open appeal to any other team on Long Island interested in playing against them was published. Under what circumstances the team’s story eventually ended is unknown, although newspaper coverage of the team’s activities can be found as late as the summer of 1947.

Also of note is the Medford Athletic Club’s baseball team, seen here in this photograph, taken on May 5, 1929. Can you help us identify its members, coaches, and umpire? If so, contact us.