The Big East Blast

Thanks to our great Blast crowd. Blast 12 was the best ever. We had numbers and great people. Slatterry’s did their usual great job, Coach Mario Valentini, Coach Bill Basel and Coach Joe Moglia were all inducted into the Blast Hall of Fame they had many supporters who attended the Blast. We also honored Coach Joe Tricario Sr. posthumously, who many Blasters knew well. He was a great coach, a great teacher, a great mentor, a great family man, and just such a great example for all of us to emulate. Coach Joe Tricario Jr flew in from Rome Italy to accept the plaque on behalf of his father Joe. Thanks, Joe, what an honor it was for me and the Blast to have you attend and receive our gift on behalf of your Dad.

We also had eight Hall of Famers in attendance, Al Groh, Ed Jenkins, Bob De Marco, John Paul, Foschi Chris Brauer, Jim Cavanaugh, Gary Baldinger, and Tim Gallin.

One of my big mistakes is that I did not introduce you to our great Hall of Famers. This will not happen next year! Best of all we had 50 first-time great Blasters The energy enthusiasm and excitement have not been matched in any of our other Blasts thanks to my blast committee for their help.

So what is next? 

I just broke out my new 70-page red notebook I am on page one. I wrote in it BLAST 14 “THE SPRING FLING” June 12, 2025. Next, I wrote attendance goal 125 Blasters and Induct 2 or 3 Hall of Famer. Line them up and line up their speakers Notify Blasters who get credits for Blast 14.

Then make a tentative list of Blasters to invite. Have our website updated by Labor Day with new Hall of Famers bios and their pictures entered. Most importantly, I am writing things that will make the Blast better So the wheels are turning. 

Blast 12, “The Fellowship of The Blast” is history but Blast 14 “THE SPRING FLING JUNE 12 2025 is being conjured up. So September 12, I will be in touch with some great info for you that will start our monthly countdown to BLAST 14  PS SKIPPNG BLAST 13 BAD LUCK SEE PS #### HAPPY TRAILS UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN!  – PETE MASTER BLASTER

Men came  to the Blast from over 15 states.  I acknowledged my Blast Committee Members for all the help they give me in making the BLAST GREAT!  We inducted 5 more Great Hall of Famers,  Coach Jack Moran , Bob DeMarco, Gary Baldinger , Coach Mike Groh and Eddie Jenkins. 

The crowd was a little smaller but the interaction among the Blasters  was definitely higher.  This  Blast was a success  largely  because of all your recruiting efforts.  Coach Al Groh,  Bob DeMarco and Kevin Parente did  a great job recruiting. 

Many of you offered  to recruit for Blast 12 and you pledged to return again next year.    Thanks to the sweet sounding Meeker Boys plus Slattery’s Pub for once again  being a great host for us. 

So What IS Next??? First of all,  there will be BLAS!  12. “THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE BLAST” on June 13,  2024.   At  least you have a year to adjust schedules on things you can control.  I have  already  recruited  about 20 Blasters for next year who could not attend Blast 11.  Others are recruiting as well    See you June 13 2024 at “THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE BLAST” PETE Maste Blaster andThe Committee!!!            

Many thanks to people who made the blast such a great success. First  Slattery’s Pub was amazing from The food the service their  overall congenial attitude.

Thanks John and Justin next all you Blasters both new and repeat offenders where animated and lively.The  Hall of Famers are/were  great it is  that simple Their spokesmen  did a great job speaking about them.

Thanks to the Meeler Boys for their leadership  in song. thanks to my great blast committee and their constant help. Thanks to Art  Louise  and Frank Orzo. Frank handles the website , he  created  the website and made  up  the nametags He has revolutionized The Blast technology  approach.

Thanks  to Art and Frank for presenting the  plaque to me. I apologize for giving them a hard time. Thanks to my son Gregory and his friend Anthony Dicapua for all their help before the Blast and throughout  the whole Blast .

Thanks to my 2 great URI friends Doug Randall and Carl Koussa who looked out for me getting around the city They got a rickshaw for me As far as my own performance I think I can and will do a lot better at Blast 11.

Yes I forgot to tell you, THERE I’LL BE  ANOTHER BLAST TITLED “Chapter 11 Blast Going for Broke”  It  will be held  June  8 2023 at Slattery’s. I apologize for not getting around to welcome all you new Blasters. I apologize  to the few Blasters  I  told that I would make announcements about their books etc.

I will rectify those errors shortly. In summary we know we have the Place Slatterys. So now my worries about the venue are gone. Hall of famers will be fewer in number 2-3. Next year I will devote more time to speaking with you and making sure you are aware of people you should meet at the Blast. I will recruit more great guys. Many of you guys said ” Yes   I will get some guys”.

So I give myself a B next year I go for an A.  So mark it down  June 8 2923  ” The Chapter 11 Blast Going for Broke” If that date is no good tell me I will just send you the date reminders  every month for now.Starting Jan 1 I will start the Blast missiles in earnest.

PS  Also we will let you  know when the website  is updated with your comments, Hall of Famer Bios,  some pictures etc.  Frank Orzo and I have discussed some  enhancements to our Website   PS IF YOU LIKED THIS BLAST PLEASE DO NOT MISS THE NEXT ONE  IT WILL BE SIGNIFICANTLY BETTER   HAPPY TRAILS UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN PETE AND THE COMMITTEE  OS NEXT YEAR COLONEL  TOM ROSATO HAS ALREADY COMMITTED TO BLAST 11   THE BEST , PETE AND BLAST COMMITTEE PS your comments are welcome.

Inducting Lt. General William Lennox, Superintendent of West Point into The Blast Hall of Fame was a memorable and significant moment for the Blast.

The memorial ceremony for Coach Gerry Begley was special. Coach Begley was a great athlete He played at Mount for Howie Smith, and at Notre Dame under Frank Leahy and was a member of the 1949 ND national championship team. He also was co- founder of the Holy Cross HS football program along with Coach Bill Stetter.

Kathy and Meegan Begley were in attendance to witness their dad’s induction and share some memories of their father with us.  Some of Coach Begley’s HC Players from Holy Cross HS were in attendance It was great. 

All the Blasters were totally into the Blast. Their interactions with each other were amazing from my observation standpoint. Thanks for making Blast 9 a classic.

Blast 10 will be May 6, 2020 at Tir Na Nog. I expect to have a record crowd. We will blow the roof off of Tir Na Nog, figuratively speaking. This will be the last Blast so I am calling in all guys who said they would attend a Blast. We are already recruiting. You will get info every month bt the 6th of every month. “Happy Trails Until We Meet Again” which will be May 6, 2020    Pete Master Blaster and Blast Committee Tom Rosato, Danny Friel, Johnny Heim, Lenny Vecchio, Frank Orzo and Art Louise.

The Origins of the Big East Blast …

In 2004, I decided to have a Party to be called Martin”s Friends and Freedom Party”  Pres George W Bush won re-election at that time.  I decided I would invite great people from different schools, teams,  friends etc. that I knew that had not seen each other in decades.   

No one else knew who I invited  or who  was  coming either.  Mr. & Ms. Pat Spitaletta, Bob Ehrhardt,  Jimmy Lambert, Mr. & Ms. Gerry Green, Mr. & Ms. John Bibbo, Mr. & Ms. Bob DeMarco, Mr. & Ms. Bobby Spillane, Mickey Spillane, Bobby Spillane Jr, Joe Stun, Mr. & Ms. Terry “Martin” Wiederlight, Mr. & Ms. Pete Martin – sons Pete, Greg, and Justin Martin all attended 

First, when guests showed up they could not believe the other guests that were present  Also, I found a life size cardboard stand up poster of President Bush and I stood him up in my entrance foyer. So when people walked in they saw “GW”  immediately. The look on their faces was unbelievable.  I said “my friend GW is here.” I would move him all around the house so it was like he was walking around.  I put him on the second floor landing overlooking the open area looking down  on  the crowd below.  People took pictures posing with him. 

I set up my living room as a Disco ballroom and played oldies from “Martin’s Make Believe Ball Room Collection.”  We cut some rug!   In another room, I had articles about all my various guests including athletic and coaching achievements, business accomplishments, etc. etc. 

So with the great results from that party,  the seeds for an expanded future Blast Party were sown in my mind!    Mark down May 6, 2020 – SPREAD THE WORD! 

Happy Trails Until We Meet Again!  Pete Master Blaster.  Check www.bigeastblast.org for total Blast info. 

PS  50 Blasters (20 new Blasters) have told me they will attend Blast 10 already. (Unsolicited affirmative  responses)  Goal is 125 Blasters!!   ( 9 MONTHS TO BIRTH OF BLAST 10)   SONOGRAM ON BLAST LOOKS GOOD  #####