Massachusetts

Western Massachusetts Baseball Hall of Fame inducts 5 new members

Published

2 years ago

March 8, 2024

Western Massachusetts Baseball Hall of Fame inducts 5 new members

LONGMEADOW — The Western Massachusetts Baseball Hall of Fame forever immortalized five inductees Thursday night and also honored a man who helped document the region’s sports for decades.

The Class of 2024 was the 11th inducted into the regional Hall of Fame, established in 2014 to honor those who made lasting contributions to the game at all levels. The event was held at the Twin Hills Country Club.

The five Hall of Fame inductees were a perfectly pieced-together ensemble that consisted of three former major leaguers and two regional head coaching legends. In addition, a historic high school team out of Turners Falls defied the odds to go undefeated during the height of World War II.

Dalton’s Jeff Reardon

Former Major League Baseball World Series champion pitcher Jeff Reardon was also in attendance. To many, the Pittsfield native is also better known as “the pride of Dalton.”

Reardon’s professional career lasted 16 seasons, during which time he laced up cleats for over seven organizations, including the New York Mets, Montreal Expos, Minnesota Twins, Boston Red Sox, Atlanta Braves, Cincinnati Reds and New York Yankees.

Reardon ended his career with 367 saves, placing him 12th all-time on the MLB saves list. He was also a four-time all-star.

“It was great,” said Reardon, reflecting on his induction into Western Massachusetts annals. “I’m from a small town, Dalton, Massachusetts, which has about 5,000 people, and even though I’m part of many Hall of Fames, this honor truly means a lot, because I am from the area.”

In 2019, 6-year-old John Hart of Wilbraham became an honorary member of the Springfield College baseball team with a special draft-day signing ceremony at the college. This is John with his mom, Michelle, and Springfield College baseball coach Mark Simeone during the ceremony. (Don Treeger / The Republican, File)

Rounding out the ensemble of inductees were Mark Simeone, who just surpassed 500 wins this past Sunday as part of his 28th season of coaching for Springfield College, Bob Taylor and Don Strange, who both have ties to professional baseball and roots in Springfield.

Springfield Giants at Pynchon Park — Bob Taylor of Springfield played baseball for the Springfield Giants and spent the 1970 season with the San Francisco Giants. This is Taylor in his Springfield home. (Don Treeger / The Republican, File)

Taylor’s career spanned 16 seasons with multiple teams. His most notable was with the San Francisco Giants, where he shared the field with legends such as Willie Mays and Willie McCovey. Strange spent eight years in the Atlanta Braves farm system.

2022 Western Massachusetts Baseball Hall of Fame — In 2022, Western Mass Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Patrick Strange, center, with his family. (Dave Roback / Special to The Republican, File)

In addition, legendary Turners Falls head coach Earl Lorden was inducted posthumously, along with the rest of his team, the 1942 state champions, whose spirit and legacy were kept alive by the last living member of the team, George Bush, and direct family members of other players in attendance.

Longtime Republican staffer

Notable takeaways from the event included longtime Republican columnist Ron Chimelis being named the second recipient of the Garry Brown Award. The award is dedicated and presented in honor and legacy of the acclaimed Republican sports writer whose career spanned from the early 1950s until his passing at age 90 in early 2022.

A longtime columnist and community staple for 36 years, Chimelis’ career reflected his character and genuine nature. During this time, he had a front-row seat and witnessed the Boston Red Sox win three World Series championships in 2004, 2007 and 2013. His work has been recognized nationally and regionally as among the best in the business.

“It’s very gratifying, partly because I worked for years next to Garry at Fenway Park, along with the Springfield office,” said Chimelis after Thursday’s event.

As recipient of the honor, Chimelis expressed gratitude for his late colleague.

“There’s a humanity to this whole thing, and it is tremendously flattering to be linked with him in any way. (Browne) gave me a big boost when he nominated me for the Baseball Writers Association in 1998. And you have to be in that to do things such as be bestowed the ability to vote for Cooperstown. But it meant more that my longtime friend nominated me for it than some of the accolades I received.”

Chimelis’ dedication and integrity expanded well beyond the realm of sports into the later years of his career, when he wrote news, features and editorials for The Republican.

Chimelis tackled tough questions and topics, demonstrating his simple, practical, every-man approach.

“Should Sox owner Tom Yawkey’s name be kept on a street outside Fenway Park in light of his racist history?” was one query. Another: “Do the likes of Pete Rose and any number of steroid users belong in the National Baseball Hall of Fame?” Both columns still can be found on Masslive.com.

“I think the media needs people who can connect readers with the story being told,” Chimelis said. “This approach allows me to explain the story in ways people can understand and feel comfortable with.”

Longtime colleague Cynthia Simison, Republican executive editor emerita, said she felt Chimelis was “richly deserving of this honor.”

“The poignancy of it being now named in honor of Garry Brown makes it even more special.”

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Massachusetts

What’s opened, what’s closed in Massachusetts on Thanksgiving day 2025

Published

10 hours ago

November 27, 2025

Press Room

What’s opened, what’s closed in Massachusetts on Thanksgiving day 2025

Thanksgiving is always the fourth Thursday in November, and this year it falls on Nov. 27, one of the latest dates it can possibly be.

The holiday is a time for friends, families and communities across the United States to come together to give thanks, enjoy a meal together and, for many, to take a break from their everyday lives and work.

Americans should anticipate that most businesses and public services will not operate or be open due to the holiday.

Here’s a list of what is open and what is closed in Massachusetts for Thanksgiving day 2025.

Government

Federal Courts: Closed

State Courts: Closed

Federal Offices: Closed

State Offices: Closed

Municipal Offices: Closed

Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV): Closed

Public Libraries: Closed

Finance

The New York Stock Exchange and the Dow Jones: Closed

Banks: Most banks will be closed, but most ATMs will remain open.

Alcohol & Cannabis

Liquor Stores: Closed

Cannabis Dispensaries: Massachusetts regulators don’t identify specific holidays for when cannabis dispensaries must close, according to the Cannabis Control Commission. It’s up to respective dispensaries to choose whether or not to be open or closed, so check with your local dispensary. However, most will likely be closed.

Shopping

Retail Stores: Most retail locations will be closed, with some operating on reduced or amended hours. Check with your local retailer.

Aldi: Closed

Auburn Mall: Closed

Big Y: Closed

Costco: Closed

CVS: Open, hours vary

Hampshire Mall: Closed

Holyoke Mall: Closed, but department store, restaurant, and entertainment venue hours may vary.

Market Basket: Closed

Natick Mall: Closed

Price Rite: Closed

Safeway: Open, hours vary

Star Market: Closed

Stop & Shop: Closed

Target: Closed

Trader Joe’s: Closed

Walgreens: Closed, but 24-hour stores remain open for essential pharmacy services

Walmart: Closed

Wegmans: Open, check with your local store on hours

Whole Foods: Open with modified hours, check with your local store

Read More: I ate Thanksgiving Oreos so you don’t have to, with the worst flavor I’ve ever had

Parcel

U.S. Post Offices (USPS): Closed

FedEx: Closed

UPS: Closed

Transportation

Berkshire Regional Transit Authority: No service

Brockton Area Transit: No service

Cape Ann Transportation Authority: No service

Franklin Regional Transit Authority: No service

Lowell Regional Transit Authority: No service

Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA): The MBTA will have regular subway service. There will be weekend commuter rail service. There will be no ferry service. Other transit routes that typically do not run on weekends will not be in service.

Merrimack Valley Transit: No service

MetroWest Regional Transit Authority: No service

Montachusett Regional Transit Authority: Closed

Pioneer Valley Transit Authority: No service

Southeastern Regional Transit Authority: No fixed route service, but demand response service available

Worcester Regional Transit Authority: No service

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Massachusetts

RIP Jay, dedicated Mass. State Police mount

Published

1 day ago

November 26, 2025

Press Room

RIP Jay, dedicated Mass. State Police mount

Local News

Jay, a Percheron horse, worked with Massachusetts State Police for over two years.

Jay. Massachusetts State Police

A member of the Massachusetts State Police Mounted Unit, Jay, a Percheron horse, died on Nov. 19.

Jay, 12-and-a-half years old, passed away from cancer complications, State Police announced on Facebook.

In March 2023, Jay joined the Mounted Unit at 10 years old from CNY Event Ranch in Oswego, New York, the announcement says.

“He immediately became one of our A-Team horses which meant he was a truly reliable ‘go to’ horse for our Unit members and was always head of the pack with his superior size [18 hands tall] and temperament,” State Police wrote.

Jay patrolled across the state, competed in Mounted Unit events in Kentucky, trained in Washington, D.C., and worked Patriots games outside of Gillette Stadium.

“Jay was always a main attraction wherever he went,” State Police continued. “His noble stature drew adults and kids to his side. He loved the attention and knew the happiness he brought to others.”

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Massachusetts

Healey signs $2.3 billion law to close out Massachusetts’ 2025 fiscal year

Published

2 days ago

November 25, 2025

Press Room

Healey signs .3 billion law to close out Massachusetts’ 2025 fiscal year

Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey on Tuesday signed a $2.31 billion spending bill to settle the books at MassHealth and steer funding to former Steward Health Care hospitals and the program that covers some care costs for uninsured and underinsured patients.

The Legislature shipped the spending package to Healey’s desk last Wednesday, which was the last day of formal sessions for the year. Spokesperson Karissa Hand told the News Service Tuesday afternoon that Healey signed the closeout.

The package allocates $1.67 billion for MassHealth, $374 million for Steward hospital payments, $10 million in hosting costs tied to next year’s World Cup games, $18.3 million for student financial aid and $10 million for “operational and technical enhancements” at the Department of Transitional Assistance.

Ahead of the FIFA World Cup next year, local organizers say Massachusetts has yet to keep its end of the deal to help fund certain services.

The law closing the books on fiscal 2025 also increases an assessment on hospital to generate more money for the Health Safety Net program and authorizes a $50 million transfer into the account from the Commonwealth Care Trust Fund.

Lawmakers opted to withhold the majority of appropriations sought by sheriffs to settle county budgets, as they wait on the inspector general to file an interim report by the end of February.

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