Sayville's long time baseball head coach Barry Fitzpatrick was honored last week when the school district renamed their field in his honor.
Sayville High School held a ceremony before their game against Mount Sinai where they officially renamed the field in coach Fitzpatrick's honor as part of their annual Salute Our Troops Day. More than 100 Sayville baseball alumni and 50 veterans were in attendance. Fitzpatrick not only was an outstanding coach but also a Vietnam War veteran.
Coach Fitzpatrick was a First Lieutenant during his War service time then returned home to continue leading and inspiring men on the baseball diamond when he began at Sayville. He coached Sayville baseball for more than 45 years, serving as varsity head coach from 1978 to 1999 and remaining on the staff after that. His career totaled 316 victories and five league championships (1979, 1983, 1986, 1992, 1999) with the Golden Flashes.
In a pregame ceremony coach Fitzpatrick was brought onto the field by his wife Barbara through a tunnel of cheering Sayville junior varsity baseball and softball players. He went to the pitcher’s mound to address the crowd, surrounded by friends, family, and Sayville alumni and looking at the baselines were the Sayville Golden Flashes, in jerseys adorned with stars and stripes, stood on the third-base line, while United States military veterans lined the first-base line.
“God bless everyone,” said Barry Fitzpatrick as he waved and made his way onto the field.
Speakers talked about his legacy and impact on the community before revealing a new scoreboard sign that read, “Welcome to Barry Fitzpatrick Field at The Swamp.”
Coach Fitzpatrick then threw out the ceremonial first pitch.