By Sally Haase
(May 30, 2024) — What a difference a year makes! A year ago the Haddam Horseshoe League, with a roster of less than twenty members, was struggling to find enough members to compete with other town leagues. Instead of the usual three-member teams, the Haddam League competed with two-member teams. Established in 1986, in its heyday, the league had up to sixty men, women and teens on its roster. It was popular enough that in addition to the Tuesday night pitching, a second group of mostly Pratt and Whitney employees played before their second shift.
The pits were located in Higganum Center behind the Hi-Way package Store and across the driveway from Liberty Bank. A few years ago, the previous owner of the Higganum property asked them to leave. The league was then allowed to construct their pits at Field Park in Haddam.
Mike Zanelli, Sr., president of the league, (above photo, left with Mike Zanelli, Jr., Mike Jr.’s wife Donna, and Mike Sr.’s grandson Jared) saw the membership fall. He attributed this to the lack of exposure. In Higganum, patrons of a nearby restaurant, hearing the clinks of the horseshoes, would wander over to watch the locals compete. Zanelli thinks the lack of exposure at Field Park accounted for the loss of membership.
This spring, the league is back in Higganum Center after a four year absence. Bhavesh “Bob” Patel, the current owner of the property, invited the league back to the original spot behind his package store. Patel, born in a small town in India, said all over world citizens gather in the town centers to either play games or cheer on their neighbors. He didn’t see this sense of community in Higganum. He feels that sports are a social connection that brings people together without political opinions or divisiveness.
In mid-April of this year, when Zanelli headed out to reset the pits, he expected about eight volunteers to help him. Instead, he was ecstatic to find eighteen eager volunteers and two machines to construct the new pits. While they were working, Debra Carson, the branch manager of Liberty Bank, approached Zanelli to ask if bank volunteers could refurbish the benches. In short order, the benches had been sanded down and painted green.
After an article last spring in this paper, the league grew from less than 20 to a membership of 32 by late summer. This year the membership approaches fifty. Zanelli notes the following: One family, the Zanellis, have three generations of pitchers. Two families consist of fathers and sons. Six women are active pitchers, with one lady who is 89 years old. Not to be forgotten, active team member Fred Hartke is one of the original league members.
Zanelli and his teams are grateful to Mr. Patel and Liberty Bank for their support. Passersby often tell him how happy they are to hear the “clinks” (and the laughter) back in Higganum Center. He has been told that local restaurants see an uptick in business as the league brings more local people into the center, as well as team members from competing towns. As Bob Patel says, small efforts can enliven a town center to the benefit of all.
New members over 18 years old are welcome, Zanelli says, with veteran members training those without experience. And, yes, you will see Bob Patel pitching, too. Contact Mike Zanelli at 860-301-3881.
Photo by Sally Haase
