Long Island MSBL Members travel with Sons’ Team to Dominican Republic

by David Krival
February 2006

Rich Majka has managed the Brookhaven Knights of the Long Island MSBL for 19 seasons.  Nick Fanti joined Majka’s Knights in 1991. Gregg Sarra came on board in 1993.  The Knights have won several Long Island MSBL titles over the years. Rich and Nick were members of the 1998 World Series 30+ Central Division champion Long Island Yankees. Gregg Sarra played a key role with the Long Island Storm’s 1999 Fall Classic MABL National Division championship team.

What with pre-season and post-season tournaments, these three friends play a lot of baseball, but they dedicate even more of their free time to coaching their young sons in Little League and “travel baseball.” In February, 2006, Rich, Nick and Gregg and their ten-year-old sons Garrett Majka, Nicholas Fanti and Jeffrey Sarra took part in a unique cross-cultural experience, accompanying their sons’ ball club from Long Island to San Pedro in the Dominican Republic for a week of baseball and good will.

The team arrived in Santa Domingo airport late at night on Saturday, February 18.  After clearing customs, they boarded buses that took them to their seaside hotel on the outskirts of San Pedro. Sunday morning, the boys donned their USA-emblazoned uniforms, boarded the bus and prepared for the adventure of their young lives.

Traveling with two fifteen-year-old American teams, the younger boys got their first taste of international baseball in San Pedro Stadium watching the older kids play a team of fifteen-year-old Dominican boys. Their first game was scheduled for 10:30 AM in a typical Dominican ball park. Escorted by our hosts, the kids lugged their gear through poverty-stricken streets to the ball park, which was a block or two from the main road. With dugouts built from cinder block and corrugated sheet metal, the field was very different from anything they had played on in the States.

As the boys warmed up, a crowd started to gather. It seemed as if everyone in town wanted to see the youngsters from the United States!

Garrett Majka was handed the ball to pitch the first game, while his dad coached from the first-base side of the rock-laden field. Nick Fanti coached third, and Greg Sarra sat with our host-guide Wilfredo Tejada, a backup catcher with Montreal in 1986 and 1988.

Staked to an early 2-0 lead, Garrett Majka faced a highly experienced team of 12-year-old Dominican players. “Everywhere you looked on that field there were smiles of joy on those kids’ faces,” Rich Majka recalled. “Baseball bridged the gaps of nationality, language and age. How lucky all these kids were to be there, playing a game they love!” 

Nicholas Fanti and Jeffrey Sarra also got a chance to pitch in the first game. Altogether, they went four innings and surrendered only two runs. Team USA won the first five-inning game, 12-5. Jeffrey, Garrett and Nicholas each had a hit in the game; between them, the three scored four runs. They had played a great game to beat a solid Dominican team of over twenty players. After the game, the two teams posed for photos.  The American boys then gave batting gloves, baseball gloves, and baseballs to the Dominican kids. 

It struck the American boys as strange that some of their opponents were playing without cleats, some even without socks! On the walk back to the bus, the boys all realized how lucky they are in life to have all the things they have. 

“With my arm around my son, I asked him what he thought of the trip so far,” Rich Majka said.  Garrett’s answer displayed a maturity well beyond his years.  “It was great Dad,” the young man said,” But I don’t know if I want to come back”. 

Taken aback by his son’s answer, Rich asked him why he felt that way.  “It’s too sad to see how little these guys have,” Garrett answered. 

“Watching Garrett turn the corner to the bus, carrying his baseball bag on his shoulder, I realized that this trip was well worth it,” Rich said. “A game of baseball with some poor kids from a struggling little island had matured Garrett in a way I never expected.”

On Monday, February 20, Team USA played a doubleheader in San Pedro with the LeMare team on a nice field on the grounds of a gold jewelry factory. This time, the Dominican boys swept Team USA, but both games were competitive: 9-6 and 3-0. The sons of the Long Island MSBL players all played well, but the team began to tire noticeably in the Caribbean sun during the second game.

The American boys were extremely impressed by both Dominican pitchers, who each went the distance, as well as the Dominican catcher. With every strikeout, the young backstop catcher fired a strike to third base reminiscent of a young Sandy Alomar!

Team USA’s final game was against a team called Yuli Pozo. After a long ride through seemingless endless slums, out of nowhere there appeared a beautiful field built by the Houston Astros.  The older boys were to play in the stadium, while the younger players used a less-than-wonderful auxiliary field. As the boys began to loosen up for their last game, they couldn’t help noticing how big the kids on the other team looked.

As chickens roamed the foul lines, and motor scooters zipped around the fringes of the outfield, Nicholas Fanti and Garrett Majka each pitched two innings. Several errors gave this strong Dominican team some breaks they clearly didn’t need. Down 7-1, the American kids showed real heart as they rallied in the fifth inning, falling short, 7-5. 

As they packed their bags, the boys gave away hats, gloves, baseballs, anything else they had to their new Dominican friends. The boys realized that their opponents needed these things more then they did.  After congratulating their opponents, Nicholas, Jeffrey and Garrett took one last picture together hugging each other.  Baseball was clearly their common love.  As they looked on with pride, it was obvious to Rich, Nick and Gregg: Like Father, like Son!

[If you and your son are interested in participating in this group’s 2007 Dominican trip, or helping to create an MSBL-sponsored Dominican team, contact Rich Majka at 631-220-4787].

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MSBL players Gregg Sarra, Nicholas Fanti and Rich Majka pose with their sons Jeffrey, Nicholas and Garrett and teammates with the San Pedro team after the first game of the tournament

Garrett Majka delivers ceremonial "first pitch" to San Pedro catcher Esteban Ruiz at the start of first game.

Garrett Majka (center) poses with San Pedro players during first game of tournament.

Long Island MSBL member Rich Majka with his son Garrett in Santa Domingo, Dominican Republic.

Garrett Majka, Nicholas Fanti and Jeffrey Sarra with Sabrina Majka and Laura Fanti in San Pedro dugout prior to start of game.

Garrett Majka playing short in Dominican Republic.

Jeffrey Sarra, Garrett Majka and Sabrina Majka in dubout, with local children peering through behind them.