Together . . . - Poly Prep Country Day School

When he’s not at Poly, Joe Calabrese ’11 throws a mean fastball for Staten
Island’s Mid-Island All-Stars. But beyond his exceptional pitching,
Calabrese made news last summer for his outstanding acts of
sportsmanship.
In the game that sent them to the Little League World Series
in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, Calabrese and teammates bested
competitors from Livingston, New Jersey. As the boys from Staten
Island took their victory lap, they stopped midway through, and
Calabrese told the other team, “You guys go
first,” inviting them to lead the celebratory
run around the field and past the bleachers
full of fans. Steve Politi of the New Jersey
Star-Ledger wrote a piece dedicated to
this act and called it “as valuable as
the trip to Williamsport.”
When the All-Stars lost
their final game in the series,
Calabrese stepped in again
to console a teammate
visibly saddened by the
loss. This deed also
captured the attention
of the local press.
Poly baseball
coach Matt Roventini
’92 said he was
not surprised at
the news, as
Calabrese regularly
demonstrates good
character both on
and off the field.
“Joe is not only an
excellent baseball
player but a hard
worker and great
teammate,” he said.
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