CREDIT: Pellham Phillips Architects Engineers
CAPTION: Hammons Field in Springfield, Mo., which is the model for the proposed stadium in Charlestown.

A little more than two weeks after Bunker Hill Community College rejected a proposal to build a minor league baseball park on its campus, the Boston Baseball Field of Dreams group brought the plan to the community at Knights of Columbus Hall last week in the hope that the school would reconsider its offer.
The July 18 meeting, which was chaired by Tom Cunha, who served on the college’s board from 1993 until 2005, drew more than 70 residents, the majority of whom supported the project. The baseball group, led by Alexander Bok, former general counsel at Boston public relations firm Rasky Baerlein, outlined his plan to build a $50 million, 6,000-seat park on between five and 10 acres of state-owned athletic fields located to the north of the school’s main academic facility. Bok said that if the college reconsidered and agreed to the proposal, construction, which would be privately funded, could start in 10 to 12 months and the park could open as early as 2009.
The park would likely become the future home of a new baseball team in the Atlantic League, an independent league with teams in Connecticut, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York, Bok said. Tickets for games would cost between $7 and $12. A Field of Dreams representative also said that the group was exploring the possibility of installing a bubble over the playing area that would allow year-round use of the stadium for baseball, lacrosse and other winter sports for the college.
But despite the selling points, which also includes profit sharing for the college, increased business for local bars and restaurants and the potential for new jobs in the community, there is no indication that the BHCC board of trustees has any plans to reverse its unanimous vote against building the stadium.
“The trustees decided a commercial enterprise situated at the college wouldn’t be in the best interest and wasn’t consistent with the mission of the college,” said Jeanne-Marie Boylan, chair of the college’s board of trustees.
Boylan said the Field of Dreams group gave a full presentation of the proposal to the college’s president, Mary Fifield, and the proposal was distributed to all trustees before the June 25 vote. She indicated that the college wouldn’t reconsider the group’s current plan but said the board would be willing to look at any additional information it provided.
While Charlestown Neighborhood Council member and BHCC board member Mike Charbonnier maintains that he is neither in favor of or opposed to the proposal, he believes traffic and development concerns need to be addressed before the new stadium is even considered.
“Until we have a master plan for development in the area, a project of this magnitudes should be looked at extremely cautiously,” he said. “There are ongoing issues in town, including Rutherford Avenue, Sullivan Square and Alford and Cambridge streets, that are creating a traffic quagmire, and I just don’t think a baseball field should be a priority at this time.”
Charlestown attorney Brian Callahan, who spoke at the meeting on behalf of the Field of Dreams group, admitted that traffic was a concern but said the stadium’s close proximity to the Community College MBTA station would likely deter many stadium-goers from driving.
Cunha suggested that the stadium could actually be “the catalyst for the state to step up” and address the traffic situation. “I just don’t want the concept to get lost in traffic and parking issues,” he said.
The mayor’s office voiced its support for the concept but was reluctant to give the stadium an outright endorsement.
“While the mayor supports this in concept, we’re not pushing the issue,” said Jack Kelly, Mayor Thomas M. Menino’s community liaison to Charlestown. “We neither endorse or oppose this project. Ultimately, it’s Bunker Hill Community College land, and they have the right to do what they want.”
City Councilor Sal LaMattina showed enthusiasm for the project and urged the community to explore the possibility of bringing a new stadium to the neighborhood.
“I love the concept,” he said. “It could be great for Charlestown and create a lot of opportunities for the people in the neighborhood. I think it’s something we should really explore, and I’m willing to work with the neighborhood and the developer [on the issue].”
And while plans to build the stadium at Boston University and Columbia Point in Dorchester have fallen through, Bok said other sites in Dorchester were still under consideration. But he insists that the Charlestown is still the Field of Dreams’ first choice.
“This is where we want to do the project,” Bok said. “We think this could be an incredible asset for the community. It would be a world-class facility in Charlestown.”
Cunha said that if the college were to reconsider the offer, the issue would likely go before the CNC in September or October.

Many types of crime are on the decline in Charlestown this year, according to statistics presented by Captain Bernard O’Rourke of Boston Police Area A-1 at last week’s Charlestown Public Safety Committee meeting.
Part 1 crime, which includes violent and property crimes, fell 7 percent in 2007 year-to-date compared with the same time period last year. No homicides were reported in 2007 so far or in all of 2006, while rapes and attempted and attempted rapes remained the same with four incidents reported year to date in both 2007 and 2006.
The most significant reduction was for robberies, with a 49-percent reduction year to date in 2007 compared to the same time period last year. The summer months have seen a more significant decrease: Between June 1 to July 12 of this year, robberies dropped to eight from 12, compared with the same time period last year.
Burglaries were also on with wane with a 31 percent decrease so far this year, compared with the same time last year. The number of larcenies remained consistent with 247 incidents reported year to date both this year and last.
Auto theft, on the other hand, saw a 27-percent increase, with 81 incidents taking place year to date this year, as opposed to 64 during the same time period last year. Captain O’Rourke said Jeep was the vehicle of choice for car thieves in Charlestown, while Toyotas and Hondas were most commonly stolen in other parts of the city.
Still, Captain O’Rourke said that even with this year’s spike, vehicle theft was still down from past years, “We had a huge problem several years ago, and we’ve seen it trail off,” he said.
As for the decrease in crime, Captain O’Rourke credited the success of the Neighborhood Watch program in encouraging residents to help deter crime and improve quality of life issues on their streets, as well as the recent addition of new police officers to the Charlestown beat.
“Some officers who were growing complacent here have been replaced with younger officers who are more energetic,” Captain O’Rourke said.
He added that neighborhood was in no danger of losing its anti-crime unit, which consists of two plainclothes officers who target high crime areas and drug activity.
Bu, as Captain O’Rourke pointed out, crime isn’t the only issue facing the neighborhood.
“Crime doesn’t always tell the story of the community,” he said. “Often it’s quality of life issues.”
On that note, he said the number of overdoses dropped from 12 year to date last year to three so far this year, with two fatal overdoses last year and only one this year.
“We’re not out of the woods yet, but we’re seeing some improvement,” Captain O’Rourke said.

PHOTO 1 CAPTION: Sgt. Joseph T. Getherall of the U.S. Marine Corps

PHOTO 2 CAPTION: Col. James Seaton is seen awarding Joseph Getherall the Silver Star and Purple Heart.

Joseph T. Getherall, who was born in Charlestown and lived at 255 Bunker Hill St., finally received the Silver Star and his third Purple Heart that was due to him for his actions and wounds he received in Vietnam on Dec. 22, 1966.
Getherall, who joined the Marine Corps at age 17 and served two full tours in Vietnam with the 4th and 26th Marine regiments, had already received two Purple Hearts before being awarded the third Purple Heart. He also managed to make his way back to Vietnam for a third tour, serving with the 3rd Recon Company, 3rd Marine Division. After several months he was transferred out of Vietnam because the Marine Corps realized that he should have never been sent back for a third tour. This was due to his wounds and previously completed tours.
The recommendation for the Silver Star got started when his platoon leader, Gary Loveridge, submitted paperwork after he was wounded on Dec. 22,, 1966, recommending him for the Silver Star, but Getherall never received the award due to the paperwork being lost or never completed by the Marine Corps. It was only when Getherall spoke to Loveridge in January 2004 that Loveridge learned Getherall had not received the Silver Star. Paperwork was then resubmitted to the Marine Corps, and on April 19 of this year, he was awarded the medals — 40 years later.
The ceremony itself took place at Camp Pendleton, Calif., where Marine Corps Colonel James Seaton pinned the medals on him. During the ceremony, Getherall remarked about the battle for which he won the Silver Star and two Purple Hearts: “The best thing that happened to me was being wounded right from the start of the battle, because it really, really, really, really (expletive) me off,” Getherall said. “I thought, ‘Here I am down, and I might have to leave my Marines that I had trained.’ This caused me to go on pure adrenaline for the remainder of the battle.”
Later in his speech, Getherall said, “I’m accepting and will wear this Silver Star on behalf of my squad of Marines. They were the true heroes that night.”
After Getherall’s speech, Gary Loveridge, his platoon leader, said, “He defined selflessness, compassion, integrity, courage and loyalty. Joe Getherall exhibited all these qualities. There’s no doubt that he is a courageous human and a courageous Marine…He willingly put his life in danger to protect and help his troops.”
Getherall, who worked for the Los Angeles Police Department and retired as a detective supervisor after Vietnam, recently reflected on receiving the awards at Camp Pendleton.
He said, “Receiving the Silver Star was a very special day. The commanding officer at Camp Pendleton made it very special with a formal ceremony and formation of Marines. I was truly honored to be back on a Marine base with the world’s finest fighting men and women. A reporter asked me if I was bitter because I was receiving it 40 years late. I told him quite the contrary. I was very happy because if I had received it 40 years ago my whole life would have been different. Also, receiving it now allowed me to share it with my family and friends.”
Freda Getherall, a relative who resides in Charlestown, had this say about Joe: “Although Joe’s Silver Star and third Purple Heart medals were long in coming, no one deserves these honors more than he does. This Marine, who was so willing to lay down his life for his comrades and his country, is truly a real hero."
In addition to helping Getherall receive the Silver Star, Gary Loveridge spoke to California Rep. Grace Napolitano about Getherall’s heroics and thereafter a bill was submitted requesting the President to award Getherall the Congressional Medal of Honor for the same Dec. 22, 1966, actions. The following is the “Actions Described” part of the bill, H.R. 974.
Action Described- The acts of valor referred to in subsection (a) are the actions of Joseph T. Getherall in the Republic of Vietnam on December 22, 1966, while serving as a squad leader in Company M of the Third Battalion, Twenty-Sixth Marines, Third Marine Division, during `Operation Chinook'. Company M was occupying a night defensive position in the area of the Co Bi-Than Tan Corridor, Thua Thien Province, when the Marines came under intense small arms and mortar fire from the 802nd Viet Cong Battalion. Unhesitatingly exposing himself to intense small arms, automatic weapons, and mortar fire,
Sgt. Getherall repeatedly moved across open terrain to effectively direct his squad. Sgt. Getherall was seriously wounded in both legs and arms by an exploding mortar round. Despite his painful injuries, Sgt. Getherall refused medical evacuation and continued to pinpoint enemy targets, direct fire, re-supply his men with ammunition and ensure the integrity of the perimeter defense, which spread across fifty meters of open terrain. With most of the enemy ground assaults throughout the night concentrated in front of his squad's position, Sgt. Getherall continually exposed himself to enemy fire. He personally killed several of the enemy attackers with his own rifle fire.
During one of the enemy assaults, a Marine was wounded in the open, and Sgt. Getherall fearlessly moved across the hazardous open terrain under intense enemy fire and moved the Marine to cover. During another assault, Sergeant Getherall observed a Viet Cong about to throw a grenade and killed him with rifle fire, but not before the enemy soldier threw the grenade, which landed among Sgt. Getherall's squad. Sgt. Getherall shouted a warning to his men, and with complete disregard for his own life and under heavy enemy fire, he was able to get to the grenade and jump on it. He then picked it up and threw it back at the enemy where it exploded a few meters away, wounding Sgt. Getherall for a second time in one of his legs. By his prompt and courageous action in the face of almost certain death, he saved several of his squad members from death or serious injury.
During the remainder of the night, he moved among his men, encouraging them and ensuring that there was maximum security and firepower to repulse subsequent attacks. Inspired by his selfless courage and aggressive fighting spirit, his squad members repulsed a number of savage attacks, while inflicting heavy casualties on a determined and numerically superior enemy force. By his outstanding leadership, resolute determination, and unfaltering devotion to duty in the face of grave personal danger, Sgt. Getherall upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps. Six of Sergeant Getherall's squad members and his commanding officer have submitted sworn affidavits attesting to his heroic actions. The Platoon Commander at the time, Gary Loveridge, recommended Sgt. Getherall for a Silver Star, but his recommendation was lost by the Marine Corps. In a letter dated April 14, 2004, Mr. Loveridge wrote that his original Silver Star recommendation be upgraded to a Navy Cross. This letter was written before Mr. Loveridge was made aware of the fact that Sgt. Getherall jumped on an enemy grenade. In June 2004, at a reunion, two of Sgt. Getherall's former squad members told Mr. Loveridge for the first time about the action of Sgt. Getherall in jumping on the enemy grenade to save their lives during the battle. This updated information caused Mr. Loveridge to rewrite his Summary of Action and Citation to include this additional action.
The bill itself could take up to one year to work its way through Congress. If Getherall were to receive the Medal of Honor he would be the first person from Charlestown since the Civil War to receive the nation’s highest award. Getherall reflected about the bill: “If I were awarded the Medal of Honor it would be something very, very special that I would be able to share with my squad, family and friends at the White House,” he said.
Getherall follows in the footsteps of his father, who was a decorated soldier in the Army during World War II, served as a Boston Police officer and was cited several times during his career — once for saving lives during the famous 1942 Coconut Grove nightclub fire.
Getherall is a great example of the many men and women that came from Charlestown who fought for our country. He’s one of Charlestown’s most decorated veterans of the Vietnam War and could go on to become Charlestown’s highest decorated veteran.

A proposed development that would raze a dilapidated two-family home at 2 and 3 Cary Place and replace it with six residential units has raised concerns among abutters.
The project, which is headed by John McAuliffe of Newton-based McAuliffe & Associates, would be sited on a narrow, dead-end street located just off of High and Sullivan streets. In response to the developer’s May 7 application, the Inspectional Services Department responded by stating that the project was in violation of numerous residential zoning provisions, including an insufficient lot area, insufficient lot frontage, excessive height, insufficient usable open space, an insufficient front yard, insufficient off-street park and parking design and conformity with the existing building alignment. The developer has taken ISD’s ruling to the Board of Appeals and has a tentative hearing date scheduled for August.
Abutters in attendance at the July 16 meeting of the Charlestown Preservation Society Design Review Committee listed development on a confined land, access for fire engines and drainage as among their main concerns.
Density also appears to be an issue: A residential development commonly has three abutters, but this project would have 11, a source told the Patriot-Bridge.
“The building is too dense, and it’s inappropriate for a neighborhood of single-family homes,” said abutter Alice Krapf. “Many of the people at the meeting expressed concern not just concern about parking but also the number of vehicles accessing the property through a very long, narrow passageway from Bartlett Street.”
Bill Lamb, chairman of the Design Review Committee, believes that the proposed site isn’t the best location for the project.
‘The project is much too big,” Lamb said. “To do this, he’s exceeding zoning requirements. There are just too many units.’
Lamb said that while the project architect had proposed reducing the number of units from six to four, he suggested it would still have the same volume. He added that even with the reduction in units, the side lot lines would still be three feet away from abutters’ properties.
Meanwhile, McAuliffe still hopes to move ahead with the project and plans to meet with ISD for clarification on the citations before the Board of Appeals hearing.
“I think there are similar situation in the same radius with set-back houses,” he said, adding that the same zoning restrictions that apply to a development on a public way don’t necessarily apply to one on a private way, like Cary Place.
In response to public safety concerns, McAuliffe said he planned to meet with the Boston Fire Department and that he would equip the new dwelling units with fire-resistant clapboard and a new sprinkler system, as well as fire hydrants both in front of and behind the structure.
He also plans to meet with the Boston Water and Sewer Commission to address concerns regarding water pressure in the area
As for the future of the project, McAuliffe said the design plans would likely undergo revisions and that he would be happy to work with abutters to address any furtherconcerns,
‘We think we can make an improvement and a nice addition to the neighborhood,” he said. “It would be a lot nicer than what’s there now.”

CAPTION: Joe and Sue Doyle are seen outside Memorial Hall.

When Sue Doyle began researching her family history last November, her quest led to her to Memorial Hall, the Green Street-based veterans organization that was once led by her great-great uncle.
On Friday, while Doyle was visiting her family from Oakland, Calif., she and her father, Joe Doyle of Westborough, toured the hall with its historian, Danny O’Neil. Sue Doyle said she was prompted to contact Memorial Hall after reading in the Patriot-Bridge that O’Neil had uncovered a trove of photographs of the organization’s founding members.
Sue Doyle had learned that her great-great uncle, George H. Marden Jr., was the past commander of the Abraham Lincoln Post, which was based out of Memorial Hall. Marden, who died in 1900 on Soley Street, fought in the Civil War with the Fifth Volunteer Regiment of the Infantry and later worked as a letter carrier in Charlestown for 30 years. He is buried in the Woodlawn Cemetery in Everett, a site that Sue and Joe Doyle also visited last week.
In addition, Sue Doyle’s great-grandfather served in the Fifth Volunteer Regiment of the Infantry under Marden.
“Our direct relative was a private in George Marden’s regiment so there’s a connection here that’s really special,” Joe Doyle said from Memorial Hall.
Sue Doyle added, “I’m just really excited to see the building.”
O’Neil was pleased that the Doyles had a chance to visit Memorial Hall and to lend them a hand in finding their family roots.
“It’s nice that we can help people researching their family members who played such an integral part in the establishment of Memorial Hall,” O’Neil said.
Meanwhile, Joe Doyle expressed satisfaction at visiting a place that is so closely linked to his family history.
“There’s a lot of closing the loops and finding our identity,” he said. “It really makes you want to do more.”

Anthony Galluccio. Never has a guy from Cambridge spent this much time in Charlestown, Chelsea, Everett and Revere.
He’s been a candidate for the State Senate three times, first in 2003 when his spunky campaign was easily bested by the more machine-like effort put forth by Jarrett Barrios. Galluccio, a longtime Cambridge city councilor, entered the fray a second time in 2005 when it appeared that Barrios was going to run for the Middlesex Country district attorney post. But Barrios discovered that his star doesn’t shine as far north as Lowell and as far west as Framingham, igniting a quick one-two punch in which Barrios became a late candidate for re-election to the senate and Galluccio walked away (smartly, we might add).
Now, Galluccio steps to the plate for the third time. Barrios, whose intellect is greater than his attention span, is leaving the senate for a position with Blue Cross Blue Shield. There will be a special election on Sept. 11, and Galluccio’s name will be on the ballot. Tim Flaherty and Chelsea City Councilor Paul Nowicki are also running, as is Cambridge resident Jeff Ross, who’s billing himself as a “progressive Democrat” — i.e., “I’m more liberal than Anthony!”
Regardless of who ends up the ballot, Galluccio holds the distinction of being…What? The incumbent candidate?
When he lost in ’03, Galluccio said, “I’ll keep in touch.” And, politically speaking, he did. In two months, he’ll find out if he’s sticking around for good.
So what do we know for sure about this guy?
1. He loves politics more than Al Gore loves the environment. He loves campaigns, elections, legislation, projects and every last thing associated with holding office. The Cambridge City Council satiates him, but not nearly to the degree that the state Senate would.
2. He understands this district and its interesting mix of middle class, working class, poor, urban upscale (hello, Charlestown and Admiral’s Hill) and left leanings (Cambridge, Cambridge, Cambridge). Talk to Galluccio for any length of time and it’s evident he’s combed the district with his eyes wide open, which is to say he’s informed.
3. Galluccio is a diehard Democrat whose basic philosophy flies more easily in Charlestown, Chelsea, Everett and Revere than it does in the extremely liberal corners of Cambridge. Robert Travaglini is a reasonable barometer of the kind of senator Galluccio would aspire to be.
4. Galluccio’s in his late 30s, but he’s a throwback. He prefers phones to email. He likes to have his picture taken with senior citizens. He’s a friend of youth sports organizations. He can find every VFW hall in the district. He doesn’t mind spending six nights a week at rubber-chicken dinners.
5. He’s been knocked around. In 2006, he was the subject of an “investigative” TV news report involving alleged drunk driving. The charges were tossed out by a Boston Municipal Court officer, but not before the ordeal placed Galluccio in the crosshairs of Boston Herald columnist Howie Carr (and this is a district that reads Howie Carr). ). In addition, Galluccio lost a state rep’s race to Alice Wolf earlier in his career — before his black-eyed battles with Jarrett Barrios.
Here in July of ’07, circumstances seem to be swinging in Galluccio’s favor. He bowed out in 2005, which seemed to be very timid play at the time. But Barrios is leaving, a seat needs to be filled, and Galluccio is right where he was four years ago — making the rounds, trying like hell to finally land on Beacon Hill.