Staten Island

Encyclopedia : S : ST : STA : Staten Island

For other uses, see Staten Island (disambiguation)

Staten Island, in yellow, lies to the southwest of the rest of New York City.

Staten Island, shown in an enhanced satellite image.

The existence of the borough dates from the unification of New York City in 1898. Until 1975, however, the borough was officially known as the Borough of Richmond. [New York Public Library Staten Island Timeline], accessed January 16, 2006 [New York Genealogical Socity - Before the Five-Boro City], accessed January 16, 2006

Staten Island is also known for the Fresh Kills Landfill, the repository of garbage from all of New York City for 53 years. The landfill was closed in 2001, and there is an ongoing attempt to decontaminate the land and rehabilitate it for recreational uses.

Despite having an estimated population of 463,314 in 2004 (as well as being the fastest growing county in New York State), it has often been termed "the forgotten borough," as it is much less well-known than its four sisters, The Bronx, Queens, Manhattan, and Brooklyn. By far the least populated, most ethnically homogeneous and most remote borough of New York City, it is somewhat suburban. Indeed, much of the central and southern sections of the island were once dominated by farms, primarily dairy and poultry farms, some of which were still in existence as recently as the early 1960s. Some areas have an urban feel comparable to the areas of Eastern Queens and Northern Bronx. The borough's steady rise in population since the opening of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge has added to a sharp increase in traffic that plagues the island and is a cause of frequent road repairs and accidents.

Geography

Viewing Staten Island's east end from the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough / county has a total area of 265.5 km² (102.5 mi²). 151.5 km² (58.5 mi²) of it is land and 114.0 km² (44.0 mi²) of it (42.95%) is water.

Staten Island is separated from Long Island by the Narrows and from mainland New Jersey by the Arthur Kill and the Kill Van Kull. It is connected to New Jersey via the Bayonne Bridge, the Outerbridge Crossing, the Goethals Bridge, and to Brooklyn by the Verrazano Narrows Bridge. The Staten Island Ferry connects the island to lower Manhattan. The Staten Island Railway traverses the island from its northeastern tip to its southwestern tip.

In addition to the main island, the borough and county also include several small uninhabited islands:

• The Isle of Meadow (at the mouth of Fresh Kills)
• Pralls Island (in the Arthur Kill)
• Shooters Island (in Newark Bay; part of it belongs to New Jersey)
• Swinburne Island (in Lower New York Bay)
• Hoffman Island (in Lower New York Bay)

Railway drawbridge links industrial Elizabeth, NJ with Staten Island (i.e. New York City)

The highest point on the island, the summit of Todt Hill, elevation 410 ft (125 m), is also the highest point in the five boroughs, as well as the highest point on the Atlantic Coastal Plain south of Great Blue Hill in Massachusetts and the highest point on the coast proper south of Maine's Mount Desert Island.

In the late 1960s the island was the site of important battles of open-space preservation, resulting in the largest area of parkland in New York City and an extensive Greenbelt that laces the island with woodland trails.

See: List of Staten Island neighborhoods

History

The bedrock of the island is a diabase sill formed during the volcanic eruptions that created much of the bedrock of northern New Jersey, including the New Jersey Palisades, approximately 200 million years ago. As an island, Staten Island was formed in the wake of the last ice age. In the late Pleistocene between 20,000 and 14,000 years ago, the ice sheet that covered northeastern North America reached to as far south as present day New York City, to a depth of approximately the same height as the Empire State Building. At one point, during its maximum reach, the ice sheet precisely ended at the center of present day Staten Island, forming a terminal moraine on the existing diabase sill. The central moraine of the island is sometimes called the Serpentine ridge because it contains large amounts of that particular mineral.

Staten Island Nature

As in much of North America, human habitation appeared in the island fairly rapidly after the retreat of the ice sheet. Archaeologists have recovered tool evidence of Clovis culture activity dating from approximately 14,000 years ago. The island was probably abandoned later, possibly because of the extinction of large mammals on the island. Evidence of the first permanent Native American settlements and agriculture date from about 5,000 years ago (Jackson, 1995).

In the Sixteenth Century, the island was part of a larger area known as Lenapehoking that was inhabited by the Lenape, an Algonquian Native American people also called the "Delaware". The band that occupied the southern part of the island was called the Raritans. To the Lenape, the island was called "Aquehonga Manacknong" and "Eghquaons" (Jackson, 1995). The island was laced with foot trails, one of which followed the south side of the ridge near the course of present day Richmond Road and Amboy Road. The Lenape did not live in fixed encampments, but moved seasonally, using slash and burn agriculture. The staples of their diet included shellfish, including the oysters that are native to both Upper New York Bay and Lower New York Bay.

Staaten Eylandt

Although the first Dutch settlement of the New Netherlands colony was made on Manhattan in 1620, Staaten Eylandt remained uncolonized by the Dutch for many decades. From 1639 to 1655, the Dutch made three separate attempts to establish a permanent settlement on the island, but each time the settlement was destroyed in the conflicts between the Dutch and the local tribes.

In 1661, the first permanent Dutch settlement was established at Oude Dorp (Dutch for "Old Village"), just south of the Narrows near South Beach, by a small group of Dutch Walloon and Huguenot families.

Richmond County

Historic Richmondtown, museum complex is located in the heart of Staten Island

At the end of the Second Anglo-Dutch War in 1667, the New Netherlands colony was ceded to England in the Treaty of Breda, and what was now anglicized as Staten Island became part of the new English colony of New York.

In 1670, the Native Americans ceded all claims to Staten Island to the English in a deed to Gov. Francis Lovelace. In 1671, in order to encourage an expansion of the Dutch settlements, the English resurveyed Oude Dorp (which became known as Old Town) and expanded the lots along the shore to the south. These lots were settled primarily by Dutch and became known as Nieuwe Dorp (meaning "New Village"), which later became anglicized as New Dorp.

In 1683, the colony of New York was divided into ten counties. As part of this process, Staten Island, as well as several minor neighboring islands, were designated as Richmond County. The name derives from the title of an illegitimate son of King Charles II.

In 1687-1688, the English divided the island into four administrative divisions based on natural features, called the North, South, and West divisions, as well as the 5100 acre (21 km²) manorial estate of colonial governor Thomas Dongan in the central hills known as the "Lordship or Manner of Cassiltown." These divisions would later evolve into the four townships Northfield, Southfield, Westfield and Castleton.

RIchmond town is nature-rich

Land patents in rectangular blocks of eighty acres (320,000 m²) were granted, with the most desirable lands being along the coastline and inland waterways. By 1708, the entire island had been divided up through this fashion into 166 small farms and two large manorial estates, the Dongan estate as well as a 1600 acre (6.5 km²) parcel on the southwestern tip of the island belonging to Christopher Billop (Jackson, 1995).

In 1729, a county seat was established at the village of Richmond Town, located at the headwaters of the Fresh Kills near the center of the island.

The island played a significant role in the American Revolutionary War. In the summer of 1776, the British forces under William Howe evacuated Boston and prepared to attack New York City. Howe used the strategic location of Staten Island as a staging ground for the attack. Howe established his headquarters in New Dorp at the Rose and Crown tavern near the junction of present New Dorp Lane and Amboy Road. It is here that the representatives of the British government reportedly received their first notification of the Declaration of Independence.

The following month, in August 1776, the British forces crossed the Narrows to Brooklyn and routed the American forces under George Washington at the Battle of Long Island, resulting in the British capture of New York. Three weeks later, on September 11, 1776, the British received a delegation of Americans consisting of Benjamin Franklin, Edward Rutledge, and John Adams at the Conference House on the southwestern tip of the island (known today as Tottenville) on the former estate of Christopher Billop. The Americans refused the peace offer from the British in exchange for the withdrawal of the Declaration of Independence, however, and the conference ended without an agreement.

British forces remained on Staten Island throughout the war. Although local sentiment was predominantly Loyalist, the islanders found the demands of supporting the troops to be onerous. Many buildings and churches were destroyed, and the military demand for resources resulted in an extensive deforestation of the island by the end of the war. The British again used the island as a staging ground for their final evacuation of New York City on December 5, 1783. After the war, the largest Loyalist landowners fled to Canada and their estates were subdivided and sold.

On July 4, 1827, the end of slavery in New York state was celebrated at Swan Hotel, West Brighton. Rooms at the hotel were reserved months in advance as local abolitionists and prominent free blacks prepared for the festivities. Speeches, pageants, picnics, and fireworks marked the celebration, which lasted for two days.

In 1860, parts of Castleton and Southfield were made into a new town, Middletown. The Village of New Brighton in the town of Castleton was incorporated in 1866, and in 1872 the Village of New Brighton annexed all the remainder of the Town of Castleton and became coterminous with the town.

In New York City

The Verrazano Narrows Bridge connected the island to Brooklyn and accelerated a new era of development

All these towns and the villages within them were abolished in 1898 when the City of Greater New York was consolidated, with Richmond as one of its five boroughs.

Except for the areas along the harbor, however, the borough remained relatively underdeveloped until the building of the Verrazano Narrows Bridge in 1964, which is considered the watershed event in the history of the borough, since it opened up the island to explosive suburban development by giving it direct road access to Brooklyn. The Verrazano, along with the other three major Staten Island bridges, created a new way for commuters and travelers to reach Brooklyn, Manhattan and areas further east on Long Island, by car from New Jersey, and the network of highways running between the bridges has effectively carved up many of the borough's old neighborhoods. This road expansion was planned initially by Robert Moses.

Some of the island's open space and historic areas were incorporated in 1972 into Gateway National Recreation Area, part of the National Park System. The Staten Island Unit of Gateway NRA is joined by the Jamaica Bay Unit in Brooklyn and Queens and the Sandy Hook Unit in New Jersey. The Staten Island Unit is comprised of Great Kills Park, Miller Field, Fort Wadsworth, as well as Hoffman Island and Swinburne Island.

For the last half of the 20th Century, Staten Island was arguably best known as the site of the Fresh Kills Landfill, the primary destination for garbage from the five boroughs of New York City and the largest single source of methane pollution in the world. The landfill was closed in early 2001 but was temporarily reopened later that year to receive the ruins of the World Trade Center after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

Throughout the 1980s, a movement which had as its goal the secession of Staten Island from the city steadily grew in popularity, reaching its peak during the mayoral term of David Dinkins. The movement largely evaporated with Rudolph Giuliani's election as mayor in 1993, although some pro-secession sentiment remains.

In the 1980s, the United States Navy had a base on Staten Island, Naval Station New York. Composed of two sections, a home port in Stapleton, and a larger section around Ft. Wadsworth, where the Verrazano Narrows Bridge enters the island. A few frigates, destroyers, and at least one cruiser were based there. It was closed in 1994 through the BRAC process. A hostile political climate and the expense of basing personnel there led to closure.

Law and government

Politics

Local politics

The Staten Island Ferry runs between Staten Island and Manhattan.

In city elections, Staten Island has been the base of the city's Republican Party for some time. Borough voters overwhemingly backed Michael Bloomberg in the mayoral election of 2001, with 75.87% (84,891 votes) to only 21.15% (23,664) for Democrat Mark Green. Since Green only lost narrowly citywide, Staten Island provided the margin of Bloomberg's victory.

Moreover, two of the only three Republicans of the 51 member New York City Council are from Staten Island, namely James Oddo and Andrew Lanza. The other city council member for the island is a Democrat, Michael McMahon, who represents the North Shore. The borough president is currently James Molinaro, a member of the Conservative Party elected in 2001 and reelected in 2005, with the endorsement of the Republicans. He is the only Republican-supported borough president elected in the city.

In state-level elections, borough voters also tend to vote Republican, but in lesser numbers. The borough was the only one to vote for Republican George Pataki over his Democratic opponent in both his 1998 and 2002 gubernatorial elections, by margins of 65.23% to 28.38% in 1998 and 68.42% to 20.92% in 2002. Staten Island representation in the state assembly is equally split between Republicans and Democrats. Hence, the 60th district [link] is represented by Republican Matthew Mirones, and the 62nd [link], which encompasses most of the south shore of the island, by Vincent Ignizio. But both the 61st [link] and 63rd [link] districts have elected Democrats, John W. Lavelle and Michael J. Cusick. Staten Island is split between two State Senate District. Most of the island is represented by Republican John J. Marchi [link], the longest-serving legislator in state history, while the North Shore belongs to the Brooklyn-based district of Democrat Diane Savino [link].

In order to explain the trend of Staten Island to vote Republican in local elections, most local political scientists cite law and order as the issue that resonates most strongly with island voters.

New York's various minor parties also have some impact upon Staten Island politics, most obviously with the election of Conservative Party member James Molinaro as Staten Island Borough President in 2001, and re-election in 2005, even though most of his votes came on the Republican line. The Conservative and Independence lines have provided the margin of victory for major party candidates in several races. As of 2006, the Independence Party had 6700 enrolled members on Staten Island, while the Working Families Party had about 600.

National politics

The island has only voted for the Democratic presidential nominee three times since 1952 — in 1964, 1996 and 2000. In the 2004 presidential election, George W. Bush received 57% of the island's votes to 42% for John Kerry; by contrast, Kerry outpolled Bush in the city's other four boroughs cumulatively by a margin of 77% to 22%.

Staten Island is currently in the 13th Congressional District, which also includes part of Brooklyn. It has been held by the GOP since 1981 and is now held by Vito Fossella, an outspoken conservative. It is the only New York city congressional seat held by the GOP. He has held the seat since winning a special election in 1997. Fossella's seat has always been targeted by Democrats, but he always won with little trouble until 2004, when he lost the Brooklyn portion of the district by seven points. However, he won Staten Island by 26 points, undoubtedly helped by Bush's win in the borough. Before Fossella, Staten Island was represented by Susan Molinari, a moderate Republican who made the keynote speech at the 1996 Republican National Convention. Her father, Guy, held the seat from 1981 to 1990, when he was elected borough president.

The difference between the clear domination of the Democratic Party in registration and the slight domination of the Republican Party at the polls can be attributed to the massive incoming of mostly middle-class Italian American families from the overwhelmingly Democratic inner boroughs, mainly Brooklyn. Those people, although mainly registered Democrats, become the archetype of the Reagan Democrat once they settle in the borough: suburban, white and middle-income, quite religious and married with children. However, given the near-total Democratic domination of city politics, they do not bother to change their registration, becoming Democrats in Name Only (DINOs). One interesting thing to note is that Staten Island tends to vote more Republican than nearby suburban counties of Nassau and Suffolk on Long Island. This is interesting due to the fact that Staten island and Long Island have similar demographics (both have large middle class Italian Catholic populations, though Staten Island's Italian percentage is slightly higher, and Long Island is a little wealthier) and the fact that both Nassau and Suffolk have Republican registration advantages (though the gap is closing fast) while Staten Island has a Democratic registration advantage.

Demographics

Some main European ancestries of Staten Island, 2000:

• Italian: 44.55 (largest percentage for any U.S. county.)
• Irish : 14.54
• German : 7.61
• English : 3.37

The vast majority of the island's African American and Hispanic residents live north of the Staten Island Expressway, or Interstate 278. In terms of religion, the population is largely Roman Catholic, and the Catholic Church exerts strong influence on many aspects of the island's social and cultural life.

There were 156,341 households out of which 35.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.0% are married couples living together, 13.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.0% were non-families. 23.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.78 and the average family size was 3.31.

The population is spread out with 25.5% under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 30.9% from 25 to 44, 23.4% from 45 to 64, and 11.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 93.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.6 males.

The median income for a household is $55,039, and the median income for a family was $64,333. Males had a median income of $50,081 versus $35,914 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $23,905. About 7.9% of families and 10.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.2% of those under age 18 and 9.9% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Staten Island is home to three institutions of higher education: College of Staten Island, a campus of St. John's University, and Wagner College.

Notable residents

• Christina Aguilera - Pop singer. Born on Staten Island, although she was raised in Pittsburgh, PA
• Teddy Atlas - Boxing trainer, Kevin Rooney former manager of Mike Tyson lived on Staten Island
• Alice Austen - Photographer, lived all of her life on Staten Island. A Staten Island Ferry is named for her
• Joan Baez - folk singer
• Renaldo Balkman- New York Knicks 2006 First Round Draft Pick, Born on Staten Island
• Paul Castellano- Gambino Crime Boss, lived in the Todt Hill section
• Eric Close - Actor who plays "Martin Fitzgerald" on the CBS drama Without a Trace
• Ichabod Crane, a Colonel in the US Army during the War of 1812 and the nominal inspiration for the protagonist in Washington Irving's Legend of Sleepy Hollow, who is buried in Staten Island, New York
• Gene Simmons - Bass Player and Rock Star from the legend rock band KISS received his BA in Teaching from Richmond College (now the College of Staten Island).
• Gianni Russo - Actor was born and raised on Staten Island. Gianni played Carlo Rizzi in the Godfather
• Marcia Clark - Famed Prosecuter, was involved in the famous O.J. Simpson trial, graduated from Wagner College
• Earl Slick - famous guitarist
• Kasim Sultan - musician
• Thommy Price - former Patty Smyth and Scandal and Billy Idol drummer
• Roy Clark - Country singer, Hee Haw star, and guitarist, actually grew up in Great Kills, Staten Island
• Evan Dorkin - Cartoonist and creator of Milk & Cheese is a long time resident of Staten Island
• Steven Duren - Better known as Blackie Lawless, lead singer of the 1980s heavy metal band W.A.S.P. Lawless, who is a friend of fellow Staten Islander David Johansen, replaced Johnny Thunders in The New York Dolls when he was 18.
• A.J. Pero - drummer for Twisted Sister
• John Franco - Former New York Mets pitcher
• Emilio Estevez - Actor, born on Staten Island (New York City)
• Armand Assante - Actor, currently resides in Staten Island.
• Allen Jenkins - famed Hollywood character actor, voice of cartoon Top Cat's Officer Dibble was born on Staten Island.
• Eamon - rapper, born and raised on Staten Island
• Vito Bratta - guitarist for White Lion lives on Staten Island
• Giuseppe Garibaldi - 19th century Italian revolutionary and statesman, lived for a time on Staten Island, and worked as a candle-maker
• Buddy Giovinazzo - Actor/Director/Writer who directed the cult films Combat Shock and No Way Home
• Carmine Giovinazzo - Actor who plays "Detective Danny Messer" on the CBS drama . He is a cousin of director Buddy Giovinazzo
• David Johansen (aka Buster Poindexter) of the New York Dolls
• Antonio Meucci - disputed inventor of the telephone, immigrated to Staten Island, settling in the Clifton area in 1850, where he would live for the remainder of his life
• Alyssa Milano - Actress. Although born in Brooklyn, she was raised on Staten Island
• Jonathan M. Parisen - Filmmaker, was born and raised on Staten Island
• Joe Causi - Disc Jockey, raised in Brooklyn, currently lives on Staten Island
• Robin Quivers- radio personality from the Howard Stern show lives on Staten Island
• Vito Picone - Vito and the The Elegants, had a #1 song in the 50's "Little Star". The song was actually recorded in a South Beach, Staten Island studio.
• Edward Platt - Actor who played "The Chief" on the 1960s TV show Get Smart
• Randy Savage - Former Professional wrestler known as "Macho Man" now resides in Staten Island
• Rick Schroder - Actor who played "Ricky Stratton" on the 1980s NBC sitcom Silver Spoons and "Detective Danny Sorenson" on the ABC drama NYPD Blue. Currently appearing as "Dr. Dylan West" on the Lifetime drama Strong Medicine
• Clifford Smith - Rapper/Wu-Tang Clan member (aka Method Man) was born on Staten Island
• Peter Steele - Lead singer and bassist for the gothic-doom band Type O Negative
• Theodore Sturgeon - Science fiction author
• Henry David Thoreau spent his longest time away from Concord, Massachusetts on Staten Island in the 1840s. He penned several letters to Ralph Waldo Emerson while on the island, and Emerson himself spent a significant amount of time on the island as well
• Cornelius Vanderbilt - 19th century shipping and railroad magnate and patriarch of the Vanderbilt family, was born, and lived most of his life on, Staten Island. He is buried in the family vault in the Moravian Cemetery at New Dorp on Staten Island
• Wu Tang Clan - Hip-hop group
• Paul Zindel - Novelist
• Robert Loggia - Actor ( Scarface, Sopranos, Big,etc.)
• Steven Seagal - Actor, lived on Staten Island
• Glenn Scarpelli - child actor from One Day at a Time born and raised in Staten Island
• Joe Pistone - FBI agent aka Donnie Brasco was from Staten Island.
• Sammy "The Bull" Gravano - mob turncoat lived on Staten Island
• Francesco Scavullo - Famous Photographer
• Jennifer Esposito - actress Spin City, Summer of Sam
• Larry Romano - actor King of Queens , NYPD Blue
• Patti Hansen - Famous Model and Wife to Rolling Stones Keith Richards
• Vito LoGrasso - WWE wrestler hails from Staten Island
• Bobby Darin - singer, his family had a summer home as a child in South Beach, Staten Island.
• Madonna - singer, This legendary performer very early in her career lived in Stapleton, Staten Island . Madonna's video Papa Don't Preach the entire video was shot in Stapleton, Staten Island

Culture

The movie School of Rock starring Jack Black was filmed all over Staten Island , including Wagner College, St.George Theater, Cargo Cafe,etc.

Television series shot partially or wholly on Staten Island include The Education of Max Bickford and The Book of Daniel. Grounded for Life is set on Staten Island.

Banishment to Staten Island was once a common threat in the New York City uniformed services, and is reflected in both film and television. In Arsenic and Old Lace an officer is threatened with walking a beat on Staten Island. On Law & Order, Chris Noth is sent to Staten Island for punching a councilman. The title character in Barney Miller dreaded the thought of being transferred to Staten Island. On The Honeymooners Ralph resists being reassigned to a Staten Island bus route. And Denis Leary's character, Tommy Gavin, on Rescue Me also does time working in a firehouse on Staten Island. This theme was also used on other TV shows such as The Odd Couple, Car 54 Where Are You?, Welcome Back Kotter, Sex in the City, All in the Familyand even the Andy Griffith Show.

Staten Island is home to a surprising variety of museums: the Alice Austen House Museum, the Conference House, the Garibaldi-Meucci Museum, Historic Richmond Town, Jacques Marchais Museum of Tibetan Art, the John Noble Collection, Sandy Ground Historical Museum, Snug Harbor Cultural Center, the Staten Island Children's Museum, and the Staten Island Museum. It has also been selected to become the future site of the National Lighthouse Museum.

Sports

• Staten Island Yankees, New York-Penn League baseball, Class A Minor League affliate to the New York Yankees
• Staten Island Yankees who made it to the big leagues. Jason Anderson, Andy Phillips, Melky Cabrera, Brandon Claussen, Wily Mo Pena, Robinson Cano, Chien-Ming Wang, Brad Halsey
• The New York Metropolitans of the American Association played baseball on Staten Island from April 1886 through 1887. Erastus Wiman, the developer of St. George, brought the team to Staten Island where they played in a stadium near the site of the current-day Staten Island Yankees stadium and the Staten Island Ferry terminal.
• Wagner College participates in Division I athletics.
• Former NBA Basketball coach P.J. Carlesimo coached the Wagner College Basketball team the "Seahawks".
• Staten Island formerly had a professional football team which was a member of the NFL called the Staten Island Stapes. They were based in Stapleton. Their stadium was called Thompson's Stadium which was located on the site of present Berta A. Dreyfus Intermediate School 49 and the Stapleton Houses. They faced many other teams that still exist today. Football Hall of Famer Ken Strong played for the Stapes.
• George Bamberger, a baseball player and manager. He spent most of his playing career pitching in the Minor Leagues. He spent only three seasons in the Major Leagues with the New York Giants (1951-1952), and with the 1959 Baltimore Orioles. He had a record of 458-478 as manager of the Milwaukee Brewers (1978-1980, 1985-1986) and the New York Mets (1982-1983).
• Bobby Thomson, the Flying Scot, hit a home run (which has become known as the "Shot Heard 'Round the World") to win the 1951 National League pennant for the New York Giants. He was a native of Scotland, and resident of Staten Island.
• Bill Britton, Pro golfer was born and raised on Staten Island.
• Silvia Fontana, Italian figure skater in the 2002 and 2006 Winter Olympic Games, was born on Staten Island December 3, 1976.
• Rich Kotite - former Philadelphia Eagles and New York Jets head coach,and New York Giants player lives in West Brighton, Staten Island.
• There is a controversial plan to build an international speedway on the island, by 2010, which would host NASCAR races.
• St Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Jason Marquis went to Tottenville High School in Staten Island.
• New York Rangers Nick Fotiu was the first player ever from New York City ( Staten Island) to play hockey for the Rangers
• Pro Bowlers Johnny Petraglia and Mark Roth both resided in Staten Island.
• In 1964 Staten Island's Mid Island Little League won the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania
• Mookie Wilson - New York Mets outfielder lived on Staten Island
• Joe Andruzzi - New England Patriots Offensive Lineman. Has 3 Super Bowl rings.
• Mike Siani - standout wide receiver for Villanova and number 1 draft choice for the Oakland Raiders was born and

Local Sports

BASEBALL

If playing "America's pastime" peaks your interest, then you're in luck. There are numerous options for youths and adults:

BABE RUTH LEAGUES

Great Kills: Located at Hylan Boulevard and Bay Terrace, at Gateway National Park in Great Kills, the league can be reached at (718) 966-6979.

Mid-Island: The league field is located on Travis Avenue, near Victory Boulevard. Call (718) 761-1285.

South Shore: The Tottenville league, located at Page Avenue just off Hylan Boulevard, is the Island's largest BRL. Call (718) 948-0016.

Verrazano: This pristine loop is located at 415 Brielle Ave., just across the street from Sea View Hospital Rehabilitation Center and Home in Sea View. Call (718) 979-9200.

West Shore: The league plays its contests at the West Shore Little League complex at 340 Walker St. in Mariners Harbor. Call (718) 447-7489.

LITTLE LEAGUES

East Shore: There are two locations for this loop. Two Little League fields are located at 80 Lyman Ave., Fort Wadsworth, and two more Senior LL diamonds are located on Father Capodanno Boulevard, Ocean Breeze. Call (718) 442-1847.

Great Kills: This loop is located at 245 Greaves Ave. Call (718) 356-4770.

Mid-Island: MILL is the only New York City team to win a world championship (1964). The facility is at 3665 Victory Blvd., Travis, (718) 370-7265.

New Springville: This league can be found at Rockland Avenue and Forest Hill Road. Call (718) 761-1749.

South Shore: This Richmond Valley loop is found at 540 Page Ave. Call (718) 948-0075.

Snug Harbor: This league is located at 40 Snug Harbor Rd., Livingston, behind Snug Harbor Cultural Center. Call (718) 273-0651.

Staten Island: SILL is the Island's oldest league, founded in 1953. The league is located at 225 Seaver Ave. in Dongan Hills. Call (718) 979-9362.

West Shore: This loop, which can be reached at (718) 447-7489, is located at 340 Walker St. in Mariners Harbor.

MISCELLANEOUS

YOUTH LEAGUES

The Catholic Youth Organization, (718) 448-4949, and the South Shore YMCA, which can be reached at (718) 227-3200, are two other places youths can play baseball.

MEN'S BASEBALL LEAGUES

Legends Sporting Goods Frank Murphy A.M. League. Write to Rich Guarino, 276 Rose Ave., New Dorp, 10306, or call him at (718) 351-2883. The loop starts May 1.

Fred Muche Baseball League, which plays weekday evenings (this year starting May 16). Write Jack Minogue, 704 Delafield Ave., West Brighton, 10310, or call him at (718) 273-9271.

Pete Tomasino League: Games are Sunday mornings beginning May 1. Contact Jack Minogue.

Twyford-Muche Major League, which plays Sunday mornings (starting May 1). Jack Minogue is the contact.

BASKETBALL

Basketball remains extremely popular in the borough as there are many leagues available for people of all ages.

The Catholic Youth Organization (CYO) and Staten Island Elementary School Leagues have loops for boys and girls of all ages. Call the CYO center at (718) 447-4949.

The JCC organizes leagues for boys and girls from first grade through high school. Call (718) 356-8113.

The Police Athletic League (PAL) also has leagues for kids. Call (718) 720-8718.

Kids can also play basketball at the YMCA -- (718) 981-4382 for the north site, and (718) 948-3232 for the south site.

Hoops can be played at the Cromwell Center, (718) 816-6172.

Men's leagues are played at Fun Station USA (718-370-0077), the North Shore YMCA (718-981-4933), and the South Shore YMCA (718-227-3200) and Catholic Youth Organization (718-447-4949).

FOOTBALL

Football also remains a very popular sport for children. There are several leagues available.

The Staten Island Boys' Football League has been in existence since 1959 and is the largest league on the Island. It plays its games at the Emil Borg Memorial Sports Complex at 1475 South Ave. (corner of South and Travis avenues). Call the league at (718) 761-4780.

The Staten Island Pee Wee Football League offers several divisions for boys of different ages. The loop can be reached at (718) 979-4282.

The Staten Island Warriors have a traveling team. Call league president Lou Salvo at (718) 948-2242.

HOCKEY

Although the National Hockey League (NHL) did not have a season this year due to a lockout by the owners, athletes can look to several sources to play hockey.

The Staten Island Skating Pavilion, at 3080 Arthur Kill Rd. in Charleston, has leagues and open hockey, numerous clinics and camps, public skating sessions and a pro shop. Call (718) 948-4800.

The War Memorial Rink, located on the grounds of Clove Lakes Park on Victory Boulevard near Clove Road, is an oversized, enclosed rink. Call (718) 720-1010.

The New York Ice Hockey Association is a league for high school-aged players. The president, Dan Enriquez, can be reached at (718) 966-6050.

SOCCER

Did you know that soccer is one of the most participated sports in the world? It's no surprise then that the sport has a high rate of youths play the sport on the Island.

The Staten Island Soccer League serves many of the Island's soccer lovers. To reach the board of directors, go to www.sportsequip.com and click on the SISL's icon.

Staten Island United is a travel league serving boys and girls in numerous age groups. Call Lenny Buccellato at (718) 987-6093.

SOFTBALL

Young girls have several leagues to choose from. They include: East Shore LL (718-442-1847), Great Kills LL (718-356-4770), Mid-Island LL (718-370-7265), New Springville LL (718-761-1749), South Shore LL (718-948-0075), West Shore LL (718-447-7489) and Verrazano BRL (718-979-9200).

The adults who enjoy playing softball also have a plethora of options available.

The largest softball organization on Staten Island is the Varsity/Amateur Softball Association. Glen Payne is the Southern Metro ASA commissioner and can be reached at the ASA at (718-698-3833). Deputy commissioners are John Gino (718-979-7801) and Victor Guidotti (718-667-2088).

Pat Linn (718-0720-6647) can help women interested in playing softball. She also runs the Staten Island Coed Sunday Afternoon League.

Other options include:

The South Shore Softball Association plays weeknights. Call Chris Walsh at (718) 356-9475.

The Richmond County no-time-limit softball league has Saturday, Sunday and weeknight dirt and coed leagues. Call Steve Benis at (718) 767-4046.

Bruce Tooker runs the SAMSAN Sunday morning league. He can be reached at (718) 948-7359.

The Varsity Amateur Softball Association of Umpires does umpiring for softball and youth baseball, and is the largest umpire organization on Staten Island, currently with 130 members. Call John Gino at (718) 979-7801.

TOUCH FOOTBALL

The Staten Island Touch Tackle League plays a fall and winter season. The contact for both is president Charlie Margiotta. He can be reached at (718) 761-8321.

VOLLEYBALL

The Staten Island Volleyball League plays beach volleyball in the summer at South Beach and plays regular volleyball indoors at the Cromwell Center, Tompkinsville, during the fall. Call Rob Renaud at (718) 370-3962.

The Catholic Youth Organization also has a youth volleyball league. The center can be reached at (718) 448-4949.

MISCELLANEOUS

The Staten Island Fun League has basketball, bowling, coed softball, darts and dodge ball. Call Rob Renaud at (718) 370-3962 or visit www.funleagues.com.

Sources

• Kenneth T. Jackson (editor); The Encyclopedia of New York City; Yale University Press; ISBN 0-300-05536-6 (1995).
• John Waldman; Heartbeats in the Muck; ISBN 1-55821-720-7 The Lyons Press; (2000)
• www.imdb.com
• Famous Staten Islanders page at the New York Public Library site: http://www.nypl.org/branch/staten/index2.cfm?Trg=1&d1=1391

References

External links

• [Association of Hispanic Arts (AHA)]
• [NYC MTA Transit Bus Map of Staten Island] (pdf file)
• [Timeline of Staten Island History] on the New York Public Library site
• [Gallery of photographs (aerial photos)]
• [Visit Staten Island in photographs]

• [Prodigal Borough] Cultural and arts information for Staten Island
• [Staten Island Live] Everything Staten Island
• [Staten Island Live's message forums]
• [Staten Island Chat] Local Guide with events calendar, links section, classified ads and message forums
• [Staten Island Talk] Local Guide with events calendar, discussion forums for current and former residents

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