Rusty McGivney - A Tribute

Rusty was a son, a brother, a soulmate, a friend, a teammate, an uncle, a nephew, a grandson, a Psycho Pilgrim, a maniac... however you knew him, you knew someone very, very special.

We're paying tribute to Rusty here because of what he will always mean to all of us at Twisted Acres.

Just like Betty, a small part of Rusty will live forever at the Acreage, but nothing like the part of him that will always live in our hearts.

RUSTY GAME HISTORY
The Rusty McGivney Memorial Softball Game is a nine-inning softball game played every Hall-of-Fame Saturday at Max V. Shaul State Park outside Middleburgh, NY. The teams are forever named Team Red (like the Fires of Hell) in honor of Rusty, and The Ringleaders in honor of Betty. Teams are chosen by captains.

We know that Team Red (Like the fires of Hell) defeated The Ringleaders, but the scorecards were unreadable, so we'll leave it at that.

Biggest Highlight: Team Red Captain Tombie picking Rusty as his first pick, and Ringleaders Captain Socko picking Betty as his first pick.

MVP: Everybody who played

CAPTAINS: Tombie McGivney, Team Red
Socko Jones, The Ringleaders

The Ringleaders defeat Team Red by a score of 20-12.

Biggest Highlight: Mrs. McGivney drives all the way up with John DeMarco to take in a ballgame.

MVP: Socko Jones, P, Ringleaders
Socko pitches a complete game despite taking two hard line drives off the body hit by his brother.
Co-MVP:
Shoeless Kenny Corson, 3B, Team Red
Playing without benefit of footwear (his feet were bothering him), Kenny makes several defensive gems and rips some key hits! His socks will be immortalized on the wall at Betty's Twisted Acres.

CAPTAINS: Tombie McGivney, Team Red
Patti Landy-Rivas, The Ringleaders

Team Red tops the Ringleaders in a 10-inning defensive war, 5-3, in what was easily the greatest Rusty Game yet!

Biggest Highlight: The game itself! Despite a driving rain that blanketed Shaul Park from the 7th inning on, the players persisted, making great defensive play after great defensive play... a rainbow graced the sky beyond right field by the beginning of the 10th, but the rain would not stop. Folks were soaked (like they were for much of Hall-of-Fame Weekend 9), but spirits remained as high as ever, as everyone knew that this was even more special a game than we expected... extra innings! Rain! Defensive gems! Clutch hits! Rusty Game III had it all... and when Pat Raftery became the unlikeliest of heroes with his clutch 2-run single into right-center, we all needed yet another beer.

MVP: Pat Raftery, C, Team Red
Pat's improbable 2-run single in the top of the 10th sealed the victory for Team Red.

CAPTAINS: Tombie McGivney, Team Red
Vincenzo Campisi, The Ringleaders

Don't forget your mitt and bat this year... if Rusty Game IV is half the battle that Rusty Game III was, it'll be one for the books!

PHOTO GALLERY

Leaning against the wall in foul territory at Yankee Stadium, Rusty waits for the start of the 1989 CHSAA Championship Game. Although he didn't get to pitch in the game, Rusty was highly instrumental in getting his Msgr. Farrell Lions to the game as their star reliever that year.

Rusty and Tombie lounging in the pool at Tom & Maryann's in Alpharetta, GA. This photo was inspired by a photo of Mark McGwire and his son in their swimming pool. Yep, these two were pals, alright.

Rusty, his nephew Matty, and Leigh-Ann on the turf at Turner Field, home of the Atlanta Braves. Rusty looks like he just came out of the clubhouse after warm-ups to take a photo with his family.

DJ, Big Bob, Sean and Rusty at Rusty & Tom's sister Ellen's house on Staten Island St. Patrick's Day Parade Day, 1999.

These guys, along with Frank, Eddie, Nooch and Anthony, were inseparable. They still are.

Rusty and Frank sock it to Eddie over Super Bowl Weekend 1999 out in Pennsylvania. Eddie apparently likes a good crack in the jaw! And what's the deal with Frankie's mouth?

More hijinks over Super Bowl Weekend 1999.

No one seems to be able to decide who had the best hand, so they took the pot and bought more beer with it. This happened several times that weekend.

This beautiful Celtic Cross was designed by Frank Heal, and the guys are all going to get it tattooed as a tribute to their buddy Rusty.

Woodstock 1994... Rusty and Kenny Corson manage to sneak in and spend the entire weekend living amongst the throngs like soldiers of fortune... and sleeping like Jesus in that manger-thing. These were their beds for the weekend. Deee-luxe accomodations!

Kenny sent us this pic in May 2000.

If you have any photos or stories you'd like to add to this tribute, please be sure to e-mail them to us. We'd love to include all of them.

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