SCRANTON, Pa. — The pictures capture the state title moments the 13 players and 3 coaches that represented Zielinski's Cafe in Scranton in the summer of 1981 playing in the Amateur Softball Association Men's modified softball men's fast pitch state championship game versus Hafco Farms from Troy.
Thousands of fans surrounded the field at the South Side Complex 39 years ago. West Scranton Boy's Basketball coach Jack Lyons was the third baseman on the team.
"And I just think that we played flawless that weekend, and we even came back the next year as the runner-up. It was that everybody got along. They are our life long friends and just great human beings. Everybody was competitive and we played hard. I don't believe that we we're the best team, but everything clicked together during that time," said Jack.
J.P Martin carried a (6-0) record into the championship round. Zielinski's Cafe was known for their defense and pitching behind Martin. And going into the '81 season Canio Cianci grabbed a gem from Dunmore to sure up the middle infield when he got Tommy Sohns to play. Sohns was coming off five years of Minor League Baseball in the Cincinnati Reds system.
"That weekend was just memorable. The fans that we're behind us here at the stadium I don't know if it was 2,000 or 3,000 people it brought back some memories playing professionally, but it was just a great weekend," said Tommy.
John Radocesky Zielinski's first baseman cracked a 3-run homerun back in '81. A towering shot that put the Scranton team over the top.
"I just unloaded on and I hit it and it just kept on going. I didn't see it go over the fence because I was running my tail off," said John.
Next summer will mark the 40th anniversary for the state championship softball team that played back here in the old South Side Complex. The memories are still fresh today just like they we're back in 1981.
"Estimated between 2,000 and 3,000 people all around the whole sideline up on the hills eight and nine deep," added Jack.
"Do you still have the ball? No I don't have the ball at all. Do you know what happened to it? No I don't," added John.
Steve Lloyd Newswatch 16 sports Lackawanna County.