St. Francis Flames

The Spirit of Competition

Started in 1995, the St Francis Flames have undergone a transformation of players through the years. Sam Yonnone, Butch Faricelli and Tom Flagler Sr. are the three remaining active players from that original squad. Flame-thrower Lance Lange started the following year, and the jovial Roy Hadden came on board soon thereafter.

The team is currently rebuilding, and with some talented new players. In spite of the seemingly constant flux of players, the Flames already have two World Series titles to their credit. They defeated Jim Henry's Bethlehem Church team in 2001 and then Gary MacEntee's Rec-King Crew (known as Newburgh Rec. 2) in 2005. Should that four-year cycle repeat itself once again, 2009 might be one to remember for Flagler and company.

The current 2008-2009 Team Roster consists of: Tom Flagler Sr. (Captain); Sam Yonnone (Co-Captain); Butch Faricelli; Lance Lange; Roy Hadden; Arnold Babcock; Mark Yonnone; John Flagler; John Yonnone; Ralph Puglielle; Jimmy Dunn; Gene Lawrence; Richie Ronsini and Derick Belsito.

But the heart of this team remains the Good Fellowship League President Tom Flagler who is not only a top-flight hitter (130 doubles in 2009) but a decent man as well. The former caretaker of the Hall of Fame, Tom Flagler exemplifies the best that the league has to offer. He put it best when he wrote of his team:

"The team goal is to have a great time and to try and always display good fellowship and good sportsmanship. We hope we succeed in doing just that."