By GEORGE BRERETON
Journalism Department, Fairleigh Dickinson University
The Rutherford Little League opened its 1959 baseball season Saturday at Memorial Park before a crowd of 500. In the opening American League game, Pasquin edged the American Legion 3-2.
Participating in the flag raising ceremonies were the color guards from the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Sid DeLaney, president of the Little League, said, “With your help and continued support, we shall have a fine season.” Commissioner Al Stone threw out the first ball and congratulated the Little League personnel for the job done at the field.
In the opener, Pasquin scored one run in each of the first three innings. A base on balls to Holck and a single by Allen accounted for the first run. Pitcher Dull got himself into trouble in the second inning by allowing two walks and a single to Mathez, scoring Latorraca. The final tally for Pasquin came in the third inning, when Nee singled and crossed the plate on a wild pitch. American Legion took the lead in the first inning by scoring two runs. Gaccione singled and Allen got Whitson to fly out. Dull singled, advancing Gaccione to third. Jobson drove a single into left field, scoring Gaccione and Allen. Effective pitching by Allen in not giving bases on balls, was significant in winning.
The box score:
| PASQUIN (3) | AB | R | H | LEGION (2) | AB | R | H | |
| Holck, c | 2 | 1 | 0 | Gaccione, rf | 3 | 1 | 2 | |
| Desimone, 3b | 2 | 0 | 0 | E. Whitson, 1b | 3 | 0 | 0 | |
| Mathez, 1b | 3 | 0 | 1 | Dull, p | 3 | 1 | 1 | |
| Allen, p | 3 | 0 | 1 | Lorusso, c | 3 | 0 | 0 | |
| Nee, cf | 3 | 1 | 1 | Jobson, ss | 2 | 0 | 1 | |
| Vreeland, rf | 3 | 0 | 1 | Dorman, cf | 2 | 0 | 0 | |
| M. Latorraca, 2b | 3 | 1 | 1 | Young, 3b | 2 | 0 | 0 | |
| R. Latorraca, lf | 1 | 0 | 0 | Simone, lf | 2 | 0 | 0 | |
| Watt, ss | 1 | 0 | 0 | Meury, 2b | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| Gilroy, 2b | 1 | 0 | 1 | |||||
| 21 | 3 | 5 | 22 | 2 | 5 |
| Pasquin | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 3 | |
| American Legion | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 2 |
| Pitching | IP | H | R | BB | SO | Allen W,1-0 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 6 | Dull L,0-1 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 6 | 7 |