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Image provided by: Suffolk Cooperative Library System
f \ r f'jr o April 8,2010, BEACON NEWSPAPER. 3 Babylon Historical Society to commemorate formation o f first professional black baseball team f a ’ A n fftiK a /1 rwA*M (Continued from cover) According to Frank Ceresi of FC Associates of Virginia, museum consultants, the team was the first, white or black, to become international players when they went to Cuba, 1885-86. By the fall of 1885, the club roster was filled, games were scheduled and just as Thompson had hoped, his Cuban Giants quickly established their baseball bonafides by winning almost all of their reported games, mainly against either all black or mixed-race clubs. But, in the fall, the Cuban Giants embarked on a road trip in the northeast, peppering their schedule with games against white major leaguers when they took on the New York Metropolitans and the Philadelphia Athletics of the American Association. They lost both games in close battles and the American Association was considered a stronger league during that time than the newer National League. The Giants ended the tour victorious over white Bridgeport d u b , a team that would win the Eastern League Championship that year. Soon, though, the cold winds of winter jé&s36a353Ste,S began to blow in the northeast so in the early 1886 th e “C u b e s ” headed south to a warmer climate in St. Augustine, Florida, playing S I S \ r o t ** baseball along the way. (www. fc a s s o c ia te s . Tallii com) T h o m p s o n sm sm t ............... _ ......... . ......... .... ... sold th e 'team www.fcassociateS.com to W a lter I. Cook in 1886, a wealthy businessman and the team enjoyed not only success on the field but also an owner who elevated C t T B & N G I A N T S ¡B a s e * B ale * C lub season ^ ... . . ...... Ì J t 4 u Ò j i à / Ù ^ 4 i . Admit m m - the dignity of the black athlete with not only decent salaries but benefits for those who suffered an illness or injury, ¡something unheard of at the time, i In 1887, the team was purchased by j. M Bright and it joined the Middle States League in 1889. Not as well liked as Cook, Bright had some “employee” problems with the team and news stories at the time indicate that the entire team abandoned Cook and joined the Colored Monarchs in Pennsylvania in 1890. The Argyle Hotel, courtesy o f the Babylon Historical Society Six years later, the Cuban Giants were purchased by E.B. Lamar, Jr., who renamed them the Cuban-X Giants. For the next decade, they were one of the top black baseball teams in the country. The Argyle hotel had 180 rooms for 250 guests, and stables for 40 horses. It sat on 15 acres of land with groves, a mill pond and two smaller ponds. There was also a large casino and 14 cottages. Activities included boating, fishing and baseball games on the grounds. It’s this history and connection to Babylon that the event on April 18 looks to recognize. For more information, call the Babylon Village Historicalnisioncai Societyociety ati 631-669-1756.jsi-ooy-i/bb. s a o Babylon Library vote set for Tuesday, April 14th; other library votes also scheduled (Continued from cover) Gary Brunjes and Theresa Santmann. The winner of the election will serve for a five-year term. Budget and Trustee Vote Voting for the budget and trustee seat is set for Tuesday, April 13, 2010 from noon to 9 p.m. in the Library’s Reading Room. Those registered with the board of elections are eligible to vote. Additionally, residents can register to vote just for the public library at the library’s front desk. Library director Sullivan emphasized that the vote for the Babylon Public Library is totally separate from the upcoming May vote for the school district. “One has nothing to do with the other,” she said. Following is information on the other local library budget votes and trustee elections. COPIAGUE The vote is Tues., April 13 from 10 a.m., to 9 p.m., in the library, 50 Deauville Blvd., Copiague. The library is asking voters to approve a 3 percent or $95,000 increase in spending from the current budget of $3.2 million. “Our goal each year is to increase the value of services we provide in the most cost-effective manner possible,” said Library Director Kenneth Miller. “We continue to look for ways for the library to fulfill the needs of Copiague residents, while trying to keep spending down.” Running for reelection to the Library Board are Christopher R. O’Connell, who currently serves as library board president, and Dianne Breiner, incumbent trustee. On the day of the budget vote, the library is sponsoring a food-for-fines program. It will forgive library fines on one library item for each non-perishable food item donated. All donations will go to benefit Island Harvest. Residents can contact the library at 631-691-1111 for more information. D eer P ark The vote is Tues., April'13 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., at the library, 44 Lake Ave., Deer Park. The proposed 2010-11 budget is $3.12 million, a 2.1 percent increase over the current year. The library will be replacing all of the windows in the children’s room and redesigning the front entrance to the building. Sidewalks and handicapped and staff parking areas will also be redone. The cost for this work is already in the budget and has not impact on the new tax rate, according to Library Director Gail Pepa. The library is also planning to start a program this year that will entitle all adult cardholders in gdod standing to a free passport to the American Museum of Natural History, the Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum, the Children’s Museum of New York city, the Brooklyn Botanic Garden or the Cold Spring Harbor Fish Hatchery and Aquarium. Running unopposed for the Library Board is incumbent Dorothy Weissgerber. She is seeking another 5-year term. Residenis who have questions can call the library at 631-586- 3000. L indenhurst On Wed., April 14, Lindenhurst library residents will be asked to approve a library budget for the coming year of $4.27 million, an increase from the current budget of $4.19 million or approximately $85,000. The budget vote and election will be held at the library from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. The budget calls for increase in the salary fine of $ 13,000; retirement costs by $50,000, health insurance costs by $10,000 and Social Security costs by $10,000. The library is using approximately $78,000 of its fund balance to offset those increases and maintain a stable tax levy for the coming year. Money for capital expenditures is down by $15,000 and the library anticipates a reduction in interest income of $10,000, from $28,000. Most of that is to be made up, however, by a projected increase in the line item for fines and sales. \The budget is structurally balanced and does not increase the tax levy and maintains the library's ability to provide needed and desired materials, programs and services at the level and quality required by the Lindenhurst community,\ said Peter Ward, library (Continued on page 8)
