Hudson Valley MSBL Hall of Fame
With its history as the longest running men's amateur baseball league in the Hudson Valley, we're excited to year in and year out, induct those worthy inductees into the HVMSBL Hall of Fame. There are have been hundreds of players that have played in the early stages of the MSBL (nationally and locally) and many more that have had important impacts not just in our league but in and across the Hudson Valley. For players to be considered HVMSBL-HOF they must have compiled a significant player-manager resume with a minimum 5-years of playing time in the MSBL and have had a lasting impact on the league and baseball community as a whole. Though playing stats are always a solid indication of worthiness, other indicators are sportsmanship, longevity, leadership, and respect, how were they viewed by their peers.
HVMSBL 2024 Hall of fame inductee
Mark Milroy(2024)
Mark Milroy has participated for teams in the HVMSBL since 2009 as a player and a pitcher. If you were to break down the overall play, he has pitched for a team over 30 different seasons (multiple teams in a season several times) and has played in games for 34+ seasons (again, multiple teams in a season several times). Currently, Mark is playing for the 45+ Hudson Valley Knights and the 35+ New York Mariners.
Mark Milroy has been a staple in this league for quite some time, and for good reason. He’s won multiple awards over his tenure to include 2011 35+ MVP (Knights), 2014 35+ Cy Young (NY Isotopes), 2018 45+ MVP (NY Isotopes), 2020 45+ Co Cy Young (NY Isotopes), and 2023 45+ Cy Young (Knights).
Awards aside, the guy is a key contributor when he’s on your team helping his teams get deep into the post-season and winning two championships including a 2017, and 2018 45+ championship with the Isotopes, and participating in two other championship series on the losing side with the Isotopes.
While difficult to ascertain due to multiple statistical databases, it can't be argued that Mark is an excellent performer. Mark has a lifetime batting average of .400 and an OPS of 1.019. With 447 games under his belt, Mark has a total of 541 hits, including 94 doubles, 19 tripes, and 24 home runs, knocking in 297 RBIs and stealing no less than 313 bases. As a pitcher, he’s equally impressive. If he’s entering or starting a game, you’re likely losing. Mark has won 69 games out of 170 games pitched (.406 winning percentage), while only being credited with a loss in 26 of those 170 games. A bulldog on the mound, out of the 84 games started, he’s finished more than half of them (44) and has just under a strikeout per inning amassing 524 K’s over the 736.2 innings pitched (.71 k’s/IP) limiting batters to a .266 batting average holding a 3.53 ERA.
Clearly a ballplayer, Mark also is devoted to spreading the game as a coach. As a pitching and hitting coach his teams regularly perform well with his players reaching Varsity HS baseball and beyond for several years. If it’s Saturday, Sunday, weekday, morning, afternoon, or nighttime, Mark is playing, coaching, watching, eating, living, breathing baseball.
In 2019, we induct one honoree, Greg Crouser.
Greg Crouser (2019)
Originally from Oregon. Greg grew up playing little league baseball in Northern California. A 1983 graduate of Queensbury (NY) High School, where he played 3 years of varsity baseball, he played 1 year at Ithaca College. He's resided in the Hudson Valley for 23 years and his first year in the MSBL was 1996 where he played in Central Jersey MSBL. Now a veteran of the MSBL for 24 straight years (and counting), Greg has played every position but has been predominantly an infielder and pitcher. A member of 6 championship teams, he's played for the Sunday White Sox, Indians, A's (also was manager) & the Seals. In mid-week twilight 35+ division, het's played for the Knights and currently the Bridge City Athletics. He was also a member of the Dutchess Cardinals for 4 years, and in 2011 he was the 35+ Cy Young winner & championship MVP with The Knights.
Matt Veronesi (2018)
An Arlington High School product that played varsity the end of his freshman year and was Captain his senior year, he went on to play as a New York State All Star at Dutchess Community College, and then at Nova Southeastern University. His accomplishments within the MSBL date back to his short time in Atlanta and then back in New York playing with and eventually managing the Poughkeepsie Brewers the last 15 years. He played in the Rookie League, Twilight League and the CBL. A former HVMSBL Commissioner, Veronesi’s accomplishments within the league and currently as its Vice President are immensely respected and appreciated by the hundreds of players that have played under his watch.
Matt is a career .282 hitter with a discerning eye (only 34 strike outs in 769 plate appearances, and more walks (50) than strikeouts). His 105 RBI ranks sixth all time in HVMSBL history.
His quiet leadership is unmatched and dedication to local baseball one of the many reasons this honor is worthy.
Roland Norris (2018)
A staple in the Hudson Valley over the last 40 years, he coached and managed in the Wappingers Little League for 21 years and then managed in the Twilight League for another 7 years in the early 90’s. Has managed the Wappingers Yankees for a quarter-of-a-century winning seven league championships and managing countless dozens of HVMSBL players throughout the last 25 years. His contributions to baseball in the Hudson Valley over the last forty years are appreciated and any accolades bestowed upon him are deserving. Thank you from all that played with you over the years!
Barry Zehnbauer (2017)
"Mr. Cardinal", "Boom Boom", Player-Manager and Captain of the 4-time HVMSBL Champion Hudson Valley Cardinals.
Barry is a lifetime Hudson Valley resident playing baseball and graduating from Ketcham High School. He was a successful local and travel team baseball manager to the youth of the Wappingers Falls Little League. For many years, if you happened to come across a baseball game in the Wappingers Falls, Hudson Valley area, you would find Barry, either playing in a HVMSBL game or coaching a Little League game. Ask any of his baseball peers about playing with, for, or against Barry Zehnbauer and the answer would be simple... Barry was as outstanding a person as he was a Baseball Player and Coach. Among the league leaders in all pitching and hitting categories in each of his 10 years in both the 18+ and 35+ HVMSBL. Captained multiple Capital District MSBL tournament championships with a group of All Stars from the HVMSBL. We're pleased to honor Barry on his HVMSBL and personal baseball career and what he's meant to the Hudson Valley Baseball Community.
Jim Petrosino (2017)
When you talk about competitors in the HVMSBL, immediately Jim's name ranks among the top among his peers. A fiery competitor, a grinder, a 'warrior' as his brother Mark - and personal catcher - calls him, made him 'not so loved' but immensely respected by his teammates, opponents, and even umpires. Petrosino is known for his endurance and stamina, even at times tossing both ends of a double-header. Though he now plays for the Bridge City Athetlcs, Jim is the active leader in 18+ Division wins (69 regular season, and 83 overall) and boasts a total career record of (103-29) including 6 saves, 13 shut outs, 49 complete games, a career 1.87 ERA and a hard to fathom WHIP below 1.00 (at 0,99). He's the career leader in HVMSBL strike outs as well with 1,079. A 4-time HVMSBL champions (3 in a row) and seven consecutive championship game appearances...sprinkle in 3 Cy Youngs and perhaps another on the way this year.
Steve Aurigemma (2017)
Known simply as one of the best pure hitters in the Hudson Valley, Steve, a Marlboro High product that played college ball at Florida Atlantic, has toiled around the Hudson Valley tormenting pitchers for more than two decades. One stat stands which backs this...may be the toughest to strike out in the Valley, only ten times in 476 plate appearances! A career .520 hitter between both 18/35+ divisions, with 23 home runs and slugging percentages of .783 and an OPS of 1.308. A two time MVP, he's also been a stalwart behind the plate and a solid shortstop when in the field.
Fran Brunelle (2016)
In 2017, the MSBL will be celebrating its 30th Anniversary as a national organization. Fran Brunelle has been playing MSBL ball since 1993, 23 of those years. He started his playing career playing varsity baseball for Yorktown High School, but elected to play football in college. After college, he picked back up baseball playing in the Colonial League in the 80's and eventually moved over to the Danbury MSBL league in '93 and helped start the Dodgers in the late '90's. He lassoed many of his family members including his son and nephew along with brother to play to the point where if you pitched against the Dodgers, you likely faced a Brunelle every inninng. The head Brunelle at the age of 60 finally called it quits in 2015, playing the league's younger division )and producing) until the very end.
(LEFT) Fran Brunelle (center) flanked by Brunelles (nephew Tim, sons Kevin and Ryan and brother Chris). (RIGHT) League President Rick Stockfield (left) congratulates HOF Inductee Fran Brunelle on Tuesday September 6th at Dutchess Stadium.
Brunelle played the game because he quite simply loved it, had fun and because the group he assembled were a great group of guys. He was a solid player ending his career with a .311 batting average, but also retiring as still one of the better receivers in our league. This honor is bestowed upon Fran as a token of the league's gratitude to him and his lasting legacy in and around the Hudson Valley. Though without him at the helm, the Dodgers had elected to fold after the 2015 season, the Dodgers will forever be remembered as one of the better run, most well respected and competitive teams to be apart of the Hudson Valley MSBL.
Sam Concepion (2016)
If you've never met Sam, your baseball life is missing a key ingredient. "Sammy" is what's called a gamer, through and through. At age 61, he's still playing in both the HVMSBL's 35+ and filling in for the 18+ division when called upon. He's been one of the most consistent backstops in Hudson Valley for several decades and one of the most respected.
Sammy coached the Newburgh Little League from 1989 through 2001 giving back to his community on the field and off. He started in the MSBL in 1991 (through 1996) in the Tri-State MSBL, the Hudson Valley Baseball Association from 1997-2002, the Newburgh League from 2003-2013 and most recently with the HVMSBL Dutchess Cubs (2014), New York Mariners (2015-2016) and filling in for the Cubs and Royals in 2016.
Stats were never Sammy's thing; playing the game right, calling a good game, doing whatever the team needed was. Congratulations Sam on a great and well deserved honor.
(LEFT) A young Concepion in a Puerto Rican League. (RIGHT) HVMSBL Advisory Board Member and teammate Dave Prince (NY Mariners) congratulates new HOF Inductee Sam Concepcion.
