When we think of an enduring legacy in the sports world, one telltale sign is when a person continues to be celebrated long after death.
Joe Austin was a local baseball coach and youth league organizer starting in the 1930s. He was 94 when he passed away on Sept. 8, 1998 — the same day Mark McGwire famously broke Roger Maris’ single-season home run record. That must have been a message from the baseball gods, acknowledging that Austin had successfully joined their ranks.
To this day, Austin’s former players hold a yearly reunion to continue passing on the stories of a man who helped shape their youth. This year, that reunion took place Sept. 8 at The Dart Inn on Parsons Boulevard in Jamaica.
Austin was born on March 19, 1904 — fittingly, St. Joseph’s Day. In high school, he worked after school at the Boyce MotoMeter Company in Long Island City to support his family. While there, he played on the company baseball team and would later play semi-pro baseball on various teams, primarily as a third baseman.
After losing that job during the Great Depression, Austin coached co-ed youth teams in baseball, basketball, and football in parish and outside leagues. He continued coaching after he found a job at the Piels Brewery in Brooklyn after prohibition ended in 1933.
Throughout the 1930s and into the 1940s, Austin — a parishioner at the now-defunct St. Monica, Jamaica — was a fixture in the community, mainly the local baseball fields. He oversaw the loading dock on the midnight tour at the brewery, and would be right back on the fields after getting a few hours of sleep after his shift ended.
“Joe was a one-man athletic club,” said Bobby Sacca, 73, a catcher in Austin’s league. “He brought his own equipment, and he brought his own uniforms for everybody. Joe was right there every day ever since I knew him. He would also show up with his wheelbarrow and rake to take care of the fields.”
Everyone in the neighborhood knew Austin, and those who played youth baseball were grateful for his tireless dedication and commitment to finding equal playing time for all children. At the peak of his tenure, he was considered one of the highest-regarded men in local baseball.
“He was a landmark in Jamaica,” said Tony Macaluso, 80, a former second baseman and outfielder. “He ran these programs on his own with no financial support. He didn’t care about race, color, or creed. If you wanted to play ball, you come to the field to play ball.”
Austin named all the teams in his leagues after Irish terms, such as the Emeralds, Shannons, Shamrocks, and Leprechauns. His former players still identify with those monikers.
“He was a special man,” said Macaluso, the reunion organizer. “As long as you tried, and you wanted to play, he would let you play. You may not be in the starting lineup but you’ll get some playing time.”
“Everybody has a story about their relationship with Joe,” he added. “This is somebody who was a special man to us.”
One of Austin’s former players was the late former governor of New York, Mario Cuomo, who played one season of minor-league baseball for the Pittsburgh Pirates organization in 1952. As governor, Cuomo was instrumental in establishing the Joseph Austin Playground at 164th Place in Queens between the Grand Central Parkway Service Road and 84th Avenue.
“Joe was like the father of the neighborhood,” said Sacca, a parishioner and usher at St. Nicholas of Tolentine, Jamaica. “All the parents used to say, ‘Go play with Joe!’ He’d have games every day and double-headers on the weekends. There would be 30 or 40 kids, and Joe would choose up teams and set the lineups.”
Even as he reached his 80s, Austin would still take care of the fields and could still hit fungoes to the outfield. He loved playing the game “pepper” with the kids, and if there was an errant throw, he’d fling his bat at the ball and still make contact.
In November 2015, Austin was inducted posthumously into the New York State Baseball Hall of Fame in Troy, New York. He joined a class that included former professional baseball players Frank Viola, Lee Mazzilli, Ken Singleton, John Flaherty, Dennis Leonard, and Orel Hershiser.
The annual reunion started as a double-header baseball game when Austin was still alive. After his death, the reunion continued at Joe Austin Playground before finally shifting to the local tavern.
The players raise funds to donate to charitable organizations like Shriners Hospitals for Children, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, and the Gary Sinise Foundation. A $500 college scholarship is also awarded to a former player’s child, grandchild, or great-grandchild in Austin’s name.
Once asked if anyone who played for him reached the big leagues, Austin responded, “I’ve produced a lot of cops and firefighters and businessmen. They’re all major leaguers in my book.”
His attitude — play the game to have fun — was what made him so beloved.
Austin’s mentorship continues to ring true generations later, and the reunion keeps his memorable legacy going strong.