Sports

Bill Batewell Inducted to Suffolk Hall

Legendary coach built Sachem baseball program.

Thursday night, Bill Batewell was officially inducted into the Suffolk County Sports Hall of Fame during a ceremony at Patchogue's West Lake Inn.

The head varsity baseball coach at Sachem High School for 30 years, Batewell is one of the winningest coaches in Long Island history. His 467 wins (452 with Sachem) are the fourth most in Suffolk County. He coached the JV from 1970-1974 and varsity from 1975-2005, earning county titles in 1979 and 1987 and six league championships.

"My being here is the product of real good players and excellent assistant coaches," he said at the induction ceremony. "I don't believe any coach makes the cut without those two elements being present in his program."

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Today Batewell is the head baseball coach at Bellport High School and is joined by two long-time Sachem assistants Joe Murphy and John Clark on his staff.

He went from a baseball program that was regularly competing for a spot in the playoffs with Sachem, to the Bellport community, which is not a very deeply rooted baseball area.

Find out what's happening in Sachemwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"The greatest story in my life would be to take this program from where it's been and turn it around," he said.

He's noted for coaching Neal Heaton, who went on to have a successful major league career, as well as Mike Parisi, who is a pitcher with the Chicago Cubs' Triple-A team and Billy Alvino, who is a Single-A catcher in Detroit's minor league ranks.

Many also appreciate the impact of the some 25-plus former players that are now baseball coaches around the country.

"For me this might be the most rewarding part of coaching," he said. "That others take up the challenge. This challenge is not about wins and losses. It is, in my view, about helping shape core values in a person's life."

Many came to support Batewell at the ceremony and those who couldn't, like Marc Trocchio - class of 1991 - sent his kind words in a letter.

"I attribute many of the life skills I teach my own two sons; discipline, competitiveness, respect, resourcefulness and kindness, to all the lessons I learned being a Sachem baseball player under your leadership," he wrote. "Not a day goes by that I don't think about my Sachem baseball experience and appreciate all that you have done for myself and so many other ball players."

While Bellport is a long way from producing a major league prospect, Batewell has other chores in town, like building up the South Country Little League and promoting the game to the 43 percent of Bellport High School that is African American. There are currently no African Americans on his team.

"We have to address that particular issue," said Batewell, who was a longtime football coach in the Sachem program also. "It's not right and that has to change."

Still when discussing the heart of Batewell's career as an intimidating and influential baseball coach, a few major characteristics always hit home.

"I like the teaching aspects," he said. "I like the culture of baseball and think we can teach life lessons through baseball."

Other HOF inductees ...

Joining Batewell for the 2010 induction ceremony was  former hockey player Buzz Deschamps, former All-American high school wrestler Nick Garone (Patchogue-Medford), former major-leaguer Jeff Schaefer (Patchogue-Medford), former Miller Place basketball star Will Brown, former Bay Shore football coach Tom Howard, Bay Shore softball coach Jim McGowan, and Islip wrestling coach Joe Patrovich. The West Islip boys lacrosse team will also be recognized with the 2010 Special Recognition Award.

Sachem's other HOF members ...

-John "Jumbo" Elliott (football player), 1993

-Joe Cipp (football coach), 1996

-Fred Fusaro (football coach), 2003

-Neal Heaton (baseball player), 1997

-Jack Mahoney (wrestling coach), 2004

-Diane Nelson (equestrian), 2000


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