Fundraiser to Send U-12 All-Stars to Cooperstown

U-12 All-Stars had a big year last summer, and is hoping to kick of next summer in style by heading to Cooperstown for a week of games and baseball history.

“Every year (EBBPL) send two teams, and not just for summer baseball, but to go to Cooperstown,” said team Manager Bob Burnham. “It’s in July and they play for a full week. This year there are 98 teams there from everywhere in the world. It’s a great experience.”

Burnham said EBBL fronts the cost of the trip, and the team is responsible for raising money to reimburse the club. Burnham said the trip cold cost $1,600 to $1,700.

That fundraising effort begins today (Saturday Nov. 12) at the Imperial Music Center in South River, 48 Appleby Ave., South River. The team is hosting a night of music and food. For $65, there will be two carving stations, desserts, beer, wine, sangria, and music by New Jersey’s Most Wanted Rock ’N’ Roll Band, led by East Brunswick resident Ken Thomore.

As a bonus, Thomore has donated a baseball autographed by his son, . The bat will be auctioned off, said Burnham.

“I have the bat and my kids have been fighting over it,” he said.

As a U-11 team, the squad earned the title of t, defeating a team in Warrington, Pa. During that tournament, they notched victories over Montgomery, N.J., Bear, Del., Upper Mid West Maryland and East Amherst, N.Y., before defeating the host team in the final. Before the tournament, the team posted a 33 and 2 record and , it took the Ripken Northern New Jersey State Championship Tournament in Matawan, held in late July, by defeating the team from Montville. The team also won the Edison Baseball League Summer Tournament.

The team includes Jacob Bauman, Nick Martino, James Schuld, Scott Dessel, Eric Loeser, Andrew Polinski, Ryan Flyn, Tyler Burnham, Matt Bartus, Mike Falco, Ryan Crocco, Branden Rosenthal, manager Bob Burnham and coaches Carl Falco, Jeff Schuld and Mark Loeser.

For more information or to order tickets, call Burnham at 732-991-3968.