Beloved Youth Baseball Coach Mourned By Southington Council

SOUTHINGTON, CT — The Southington Town Council paid homage recently to the memory of one of the most beloved figures on the local sports scene.

Longtime Southington resident and prominent figure in Southington North Little League Baseball, Gerald Massarelli, died March 21, at the age of 90.

Council members at their last meeting, March 24, remembered Massarelli with a moment of silence and some words of remembrance.

A U.S. Army paratrooper during the Korean War, Massarelli was best known in town for his role within the Southington North Little League Baseball program.

A longtime coach of local youth baseball, Massarelli even had the Southington North Senior League baseball field at 776 Woodruff St. named after him.

He was inducted into the Southington Sports Hall of Fame.

Southington Town Council Chairman Paul Chaplinsky paid homage to Massarelli at the council meeting.

"He was a mentor and coach to many of the youths in the league. He enjoyed mentoring pitchers," Chaplinsky said. "So he was known for that and much more in the community. He was loved in the community. So, it's going to be a difficult loss. "

His civic involvement was extensive during his long life, including being an active member of American Legion Post 72 and the Southington Elks Club.

For Gerald Massarelli's full obituary, click on this link.

For the minutes of the March 24 Southington Town Council meeting, click on this link.