Supporting McGivney: Monday notes

After softball today in Bristol, went down to Mill River in Stratford for the Vazzy’s Golf Classic. And by the time I got there, the players had left: Thunderstorm cut short the golf after about nine holes. But they’d had the Sound Tigers’ coaching staff there, including, you’ll not be surprised, John Vazzano; Colin Markison was also there, tied to the folks in charge by Bridgeport (sure sounds like he’s coming back) and Vermont (where both John and Alex Vazzano played goal; Alex, by the way, is apparently headed for Wichita this year). Markison, Michael Paliotta, Max Pacioretty and Drew MacKenzie won the tournament.

But Terry O’Connor, the executive director of the McGivney Community Center in Bridgeport, and the elder John Vazzano were still happy with the day. “People want to help kids,” O’Connor said. That’s what they do on the East Side, giving 90-95 kids a week, he said, a place to go, and more importantly, a place to learn. “It’s a safe place; all parents want safety,” O’Connor said. “And they want their children to learn something. We’ve got computers, a library.” They’re also part of the 1st Tee Program at Fairchild Wheeler.

Vazzano the elder was happy to see the Sound Tigers as part of a nice response from the Bridgeport business community for the tournament, which drew 148 golfers, close to if not the most it has had in 21 years. He said they’ve raised over $600,000 for the center over the years.

Elsewhere: Brian Lockhart on a proposal to add a surcharge to Harbor Yard tickets to help support cash-strapped Bridgeport. As the story notes, it follows only a few years after state venues, claiming they needed help competing with the casinos, got the state’s admisson tax removed from their tickets.

Alumni notes: Brandon DeFazio to Texas. Chris Langkow to Slovenia. Daniel Tkaczuk is headed to the Chicago Wolves as an assistant coach.

And RIP, Jim Prior and Marni Nixon.

Michael Fornabaio