Raiders, Vikings to be Honored Sunday

Snow still covers the ground in Scotch Plains and Fanwood, but the Union County Baseball Association is ready to talk sports. On Sunday, the UCBA will honor graduates Allie Zazzali and Joe D’Annunzio, assistant coach Jack Byrnes and others at its 75th Annual “Hot Stove League” Awards Dinner, taking place at L’Affaire Banquet Center on Route 22 in Mountainside. James Iozzi, a Scotch Plains resident and long-time president of the Union County Baseball Association, will be the dinner’s “special honoree.”

“The UCBA is a great organization,” said Byrnes, who will join Westfield coach Bob Brewster and former Roselle Catholic standout Brian Sheekey in being inducted into the Union County Baseball Hall of Fame. “Their fall league is one of the best around. It’s one of the few leagues that allows you to play baseball. You don’t have to win. You don’t have to do the extraordinary. The kids get a chance to play and I think that’s a great thing for the kids.” 

Zazzali, a 2007 graduate of Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School, competed in both soccer and basketball. She led the basketball team to the Union County Tournament championship during her senior season, then went on to play soccer for Johns Hopkins University. 

D’Annunzio, who graduated the high school in 2010, played both baseball and soccer. On the pitch, he was named an All-State player. And on the diamond, he helped lead the Raiders baseball team to a 2009 Union County Tournament championship, and was named The Star-Ledger’s 2010 Union County Baseball Player of the Year. He is now playing baseball at Rutgers University. 

Zazzali and D’Annunzio will be honored alongside two other student-athletes: Jonathan Jones a Linden High School graduate who is now playing basketball at Kean University, and Gov. Livingston graduate Katie Pires, who now plays softball for Syracuse University. 

“It’s a pleasure to shine the spotlight on these talented student athletes from our area,” Union County Freeholder Chairwoman Deborah Scanlon said in a press release published on the county’s website. “After successfully juggling their academic work and their athletic activities at Linden, Scotch Plains and Governor Livingston high schools, they also have distinguished themselves in college.” 

Byrnes, who helps coach Union Catholic’s American Legion team, was the first of nine men to be inducted into the Union County American Legion Baseball Hall of Fame. He earned the distinction in 2002.

“I never thought I would be recognized,” Byrnes said. “I was not a great baseball player, but loved working with young fellows.”

Byrnes’s resume is impressive. He served as chairman of the Junior American Legion Baseball in Union County for 15 years, as well as the State Commander. He coached the Roselle Post #229 and Union Catholic Vikings Baseball American Legion teams, and led both programs to Junior Legion County Championships, Senior Legion County Championships and Senior Legion District Championships, as well as numerous appearances in the Senior Legion State Final Eight. He also coached Roselle Post #229 Junior Legion in the 1990 New Jersey State Championship. In the 2009 summer American Legion season, the Union Catholic Vikings won the Union County Championship in both the senior and junior levels. 

In addition, Byrnes has worked with many former major league players, scouts and college coaches, including Yankees legend Yogi Berra, professional pitching coach Tom House, Rutgers coach Fred Hill, and coach Paul Reddick. 

Iozzi, the Hot Stove dinner’s special honoree, has been a Scotch Plains resident for 13 years and the UCBA president since 198. 

“Sunday will be a very special day and I’m very honored and humbled that they (the UCBA) thought to do this,” he said. 

Iozzi, 67, was born in Elizabeth and grew up in Linden. He graduated from St. Mary’s High School in Elizabeth in 1961 and went on to earn his B.S. in 1965 at St. Michael’s College (now Sante Fe University of Art and Design) in New Mexico. He later earned a Master’s Degree plus 30 credits at Seton Hall University. 

Iozzi began summer employment with Union County Parks and Recreation before starting his teaching career at Linden High School. He taught biology, applied science and language of science at Linden, and coached soccer as well as the first varsity softball team, which won the Union County Tournament in 1980. He also maintained his summer employment with Union County and became Playground Supervisor in 1972, a job that included being in charge of Youth League Baseball, the Twilight League and the Union County League. He became a member of the Union County Baseball Association in 1973 because of his involvement with the summer baseball programs.

Iozzi worked as a guidance counselor and administrative assistant at Soehl Junior High in Linden from 1975 until 1982, when he became Principal of School #1. He became Principal of School #9 in 1998 and retired in 2010.

“Part of what I’m going to be saying is that I accept this award on behalf of all the previous members who have made this organization what it is today,” Iozzi said. “They will be acknowledging me Sunday, but it’s not me. It’s all of the other committee members and the coaches and the players that have made this league so successful over the years.” 

In 1978, Iozzi was elected Vice President of the Union County Baseball Association and became chairman of the group’s annual Hot Stove League Dinner. With the passing of Vito Giglio in 1986, Jim was elected President of the UCBA, a position he still holds. 

“We started with, maybe, an eight-team league in the 1940s to where we are now,” Iozzi said. “We have a three division youth league summer program.” 

Iozzi is a key reason that the UCBA youth baseball programs have remained successful. Under his leadership, the association instituted a fall baseball program which has become a beacon for teams throughout New Jersey.

“One of our big accomplishments is the Fall Wood Bat League for high school and college leagues,” Iozzi said. “We’ve really developed a good program there, which is in its seventh year. There are over 20 teams now from all over the state want to play in it. We started with just four teams.” 

The association appealed to the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders to add lighting at a second field in Warinanco Park which has contributed greatly to the success of the fall baseball league.

Sunday's dinner is sponsored by the UCBA, in cooperation with the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders and the Union County Department of Parks and Community Renewal. Tickets for the dinner are $40 may be obtained by calling 908-789-3686. Proceeds go to help fund the Union County Summer Youth Baseball League for youngsters 8 to 15 years, and the Fall Teen League.