Vinny DeToma has been a fixture of Shelburne Little League for many years. As parent, coach, board member, and umpire his influence on baseball in Shelburne is the stuff of folklore, if not legend. Nearly everyone intimately associated with Shelburne baseball has heard a
‘Vinny story.' Well, here's another one.

As the manager of this year's State Champion 11/12 All Star team, I escorted the team, along with Coach Scott Ireland, on a limo ride to the Eastern Regional Tournament in Bristol, Conn. When we pulled into the Giamatti Little League Center one familiar face stood out among a sea of unknowns. Standing there to greet the Shelburne team was Vinny DeToma. I was particularly surprised to see Vinny in Bristol because he had been in disputes with Shelburne baseball on several occasions. We soon learned that Vinny was selected to be the team's "uncle" during our time in Bristol. Each team has an "aunt" or "uncle" who was assigned to assist the coaching staff with the daily needs of the players such as schedule adherence, equipment transportation, and generally all the needs of the players. Coach Ireland remarked that you can't make this stuff up! Within hours, Vinny had become part of the team, dishing out and inviting the good-natured razzing that helps to make team sports fun. It was amazing how quickly he connected with each player, bringing the quieter kids out of their shell and clowning around to the jokes and pranks of the others. Before each practice he'd collect the ID tags we'd wear around our necks and loyally stand there to reissue them for the walk back to the dorm. Vinny was tuned into all 12 players. He was the first to realize when someone was out of sorts, eating differently, or missing something for the game. Vinny was the one who turned out the lights at 10:30 p.m. and the one who woke us up each morning.

On a day off, which happened to be a scorcher, the players and parents had an outing at a local water park. Vinny stayed behind. One of the players became dehydrated and felt sick when he returned to the dorm. As he collected the player from the parent Vinny commented, "I've had him for four days and he's been fine, you've had him for four hours and he's sick." Statements such as this add to the lore of Vinny among parents but also reveals the love he truly felt for the players.

Buddy, joker, clown, friend, go-fer, secretary, pack mule, uncle, father, grandfather, and even mother are just some of the roles Vinny assumed on behalf of the boys from Shelburne.
At breakfast on the morning of the Rhode Island (R.I.) game Vinny tried to convince me and Scott that he'd taken on yet another role, that of good luck charm. Coach Ireland pointed out that during four years of All Stars these athletes had won 40 games and lost only four before coming to Bristol, and in a week they already had three losses, so we weren't sure Vinny qualified as a good luck charm.

Each game we played was a great game. The team from little Shelburne, Vt. was in a position to win all of them. When we got the opportunity to play in the elimination round vs. undefeated R.I. we knew we would have a battle. We had one of our aces to pitch and we started to hit as a team. We were positioned to give R.I. a game. And what a game it was. Shelburne controlled the game, but when R.I. was down to its final out, they avoided one of the biggest upsets in recent memory.

In many parts of New England, the boys from Shelburne had become ‘their' team. Seeing the talent and skill they flashed on the field in earlier televised games led to the realization that this underdog could bite heavily-favored R.I.

After the game there were tears of joy on one side and tears of disappointment on the other but I think the truest tears of all were shed by Uncle Vinny. Standing there in the tunnel after the game with our ID's gathered in hand like he did after every other game, Uncle Vinny placed the string around each players' head saying "Good game," fighting back his own tears while comforting his players. While there may be "no crying in baseball," there is not a person who is more devoted to the children of Shelburne baseball than Uncle Vinny. I could not have hand-selected a more perfect uncle for our team than Uncle Vinny. You just can't make this stuff up.