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Pearl River, Tappan Zee to Play Memorial Game

The Pearl River and Tappan Zee baseball teams will honor former players who have passed away in the Billy Kayser-Chris Bello Memorial Game 7 p.m. today at Veterans Memorial Field.

Pearl River baseball coach Bruce Miller read his players a story this week.

The story was about former Pearl River baseball player Billy Kayser, who was 16 years old, a junior at Pearl River High School, when he died April 3, 2003 from injuries suffered in an automobile accident.

"I read them that whole story so the could get perspective of who Billy was and what we went through that year and what (Thursday) night means" Miller said. "Most of these players were in fourth grade, so maybe they remember wearing a patch in little league. They didn’t know Billy."

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Pearl River will play Tappan Zee in the Billy Kayser-Chris Bello Memorial Game 7 p.m. tonight at Veterans Field in Orangeburg. Bello was a 2001 graduate of Tappan Zee High School who died in a car accident seven years ago.

Pearl River has held a memorial tournament in the past, but that was cancelled due to scheduling conflicts for some of the other participating teams.

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"I called (Tappan Zee coach) Mark Stanford and suggested a wood-bat memorial game for the kids instead of the tournament and he agreed," Miller said.

He added that connections between Kayser and Tappan Zee made the game a natural choice. He said that Tappan Zee starting shortstop T.J. Cllifford is Kayser's cousin and that his brother, Joe Kayser, had been a coach at Tappan Zee. He also said he wanted the game at Veteran's Field because there is a scoreboard dedicated to Kayer's memory there.

The Billy Kayser Memorial Foundation awards scholarships to local students each year and holds fundraisers such as a golf outing and a Pearl River Little League Memorial Tournament.

Kayser died not long before Pearl River began its 2003 season, one in which the Pirates went on to reach the section semifinals.

"It was more about the kids pulling together as a family that year and becoming men than wins and losses," Miller said.

Pearl River is 2-1 this season, but has not played a game since April 11 due to inclement weather. The Pirates tried to make up a game with Ardsley Monday and Tuesday, but it was rained out both times. Wednesday's game against Palisades Prep was postponed until May 6 because Palisades was missing too many players due to spring break.

Pearl River opened its season with a victory over Tappan Zee and is scheduled to play the Dutchmen in another league game April 26 at Pearl River. Tonight's game is a non-league contest.



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