Rutherford Little League History: 1979

Officers

• Pete DeLuise, President
• Bill Brooks, Vice President
• Marty Sutphin, Secretary
• Dan Chominsky, Treasurer
• Fred Burggaller, Player Agent

Managers

• American League
  • Elks: Bill Indyk
  • Flash Cleaners: John Wernicki
  • Keller Engineering: Jeff Cassella
  • Lions: Tony Maita
  • Naborhood Pharmacy: Fred Burggaller
  • Roadrunner: Mike Restuccia
• National League
  • B. Altman & Co.: Gary Hahn
  • Boiling Springs Savings: Dan Mariano
  • Kiwanis: Bill Brooks
  • Kurgan-Bergen Realtors: Dick Allen
  • Park Exxon: Paul Hiatt
  • Rotary: Tony Carannante

Former league president Mike Latorraca buys Sifford's Exxon and renames the station, and the team, Park Exxon.

Guy Indyk of Elks becomes the second pitcher in league history to strike out 18 in one game, doing it against Lions 18-May.

Rutherford National wins the District 5 championship, defeating Saddle Brook American in the title game. A bizarre game-ending triple play is the highlight of a 4-3 semifinal win over Hasbrouck Heights. With runners on second and third and none out in the Heights sixth, Mark Zielinski catches a ball against the fence in left field for the first out. Steve Zak, on in relief of Matt Shannon, tosses the ball to third baseman Dave Brooks to appeal the Heights runner who apparently scored. The umpire declares the runner out on appeal, nullifying the tying run. When the runner who advanced from second to third jumps off the bag in protest, Brooks tags him for the third out.

Rutherford American wins the first-ever District 5 10-year-old tournament. The Americans would win four titles in the next 15 years, while the Nationals would capture one.