02/03/2026
RVC HERALD + FACEBOOK
Rockville Centre Little League President Peter Klugewicz and the Board of
Directors initiated a Hall of Fame in November 2022.
Today, Founding Hall of Fame Chairman Frank Keating called the 2026 Induction
Class. The categories are Players, Coaches, Administrators, and Founders.
The members of the Class of 2026 are:
The Administrator is the third longest serving volunteer (29 years) Vice
President, Secretary, and Commissioner Mort Geller. The seven-and
eight-year-old Mort Geller League was named for him upon his
retirement in 1985.
The Coaches are 1967 New York State Babe Ruth League Champions
Manager Art Schnabel plus 1993 Long Island Little League Champions
Coach Ed Maher.
Art Schnabel also coached the 1966 Long Island Babe Ruth League
Champions. Ed Maher served two years as President and Art Schnabel
served as Vice President.
The Players are 1955 Most Valuable Player Jay Pette (who also played
four years in the Reds organization), 1993 and 1995 Long Island
Champion Matt Lemanczyk (who also played four years in the Cardinals
organization), 1993 and 1995 Long Island Champion Mike Lennon, 1963
and 1966 and 1967 Long Island Champion Jack Finch, 1963 and 1966
Long Island Champion Chuck Kniffin (who also played ten years in the
Phillies organization and spent three years as Diamondbacks Pitching
Coach), plus 1966 and 1967 Long Island Champion Kenny Schnabel.
Jack Finch and Ken Schnabel were teammates on the 1967 New York
State Babe Ruth League Champions.
The Hall of Fame now counts four Father/Son combinations.
Phil Schifinin Sr. and Phil Schifini Jr., Dick and John Klaess, Art and Kenny
Schnabel, plus Joe and Jay Pette.
The Induction Ceremony will occur after the Annual Little League Parade and
Opening Day festivities on Saturday April 18, 2026. In case of inclement weather,
the Little League Parade may be postponed but the Induction will go on at the
Inductee and Family Cocktail Party at MacArthur Park afterwards or at 11:30 AM.
When asked, Keating (himself inducted as a Coach in the Class of 2025)
commented that “Mort Geller was a living legend. He was the longest serving
volunteer until Rocky Seward and I stayed a little longer. Mort took all the black
and white team photos in the 1960s, 1970s, and early 1980s. Art Schnabel won
back-to-back Long Island Babe Ruth Championships in 1966 and 1967 – capping
off the second with RVC’s first ever New York State Title.”
“As for the players, I only saw Lennon and Lemanczyk. Mike and Matt were the
core of both Long Island Championship teams, and I coached Matt when he was
13 years old. It was very special to serve on the 1993 New York State Little
League Tournament Committee, especially when the RVC team continued to
advance to qualify as one of the four competing teams. The Pette brothers and
cousins dominated the league from 1953 to 1960. Jay Pette, Chuck Kniffin, and
Matt Lemanczyk all played Minor League Baseball – each after starring in high
school and college. Jack Finch played a big part on three Long Island
Championship teams.”
2026 is the Little League 75th year of operations – fittingly THE DIAMOND
ANNIVERSARY.
The Rockville Centre Little League Hall of Fame Selection Committee, chaired by
Keating, consists of Dan Lennon, Tom Michels, John Aicher, and Mike Lawless.
Each were All-Star players during their Rockville Centre Little League careers;
most served as coaches during their children’s careers; and a few were Board
members and/or Executive Officers.
