By Dylan Butler
Former New York Yankees bullpen coach Dominic Scala has been named the new head baseball coach at Adelphi University, it was announced Monday. The Middle Village native, who replaces Ron Davies, is just the second head coach in 40 years.
“I respect everything that Ron Davies has done for Adelphi and I plan to follow in that tradition,” said Scala, a former standout at St. Francis Prep and St. John’s University. “My goal is to bring back the respect and the tradition that he established in the early 90s and build on that.”
Scala, who played third base at St. John’s University from 1972-76 and was a third team All-American and a two-time ECAC all-star, was drafted in the sixth round by the Oakland A’s in 1976 after batting .420 in his senior season.
Two years later he was acquired by the Yankees where he served as bullpen coach from 1978-1986 under a slew of coaches, including the late Billy Martin, Yogi Berra, Gene Michael, Jeff Torborg and the late Dick Hauser.
During his nine-year stint, Scala was a member of the 1978 World Series squad and the 1981 American League championship team.
From 1987-90 Scala became the Advance Major League Scout and special Assignment Scout of the Pittsburgh Pirates under manager Jim Leyland.
In addition to maintaining his own baseball camps since 1990, he was served as director of several other camps, including the New York Mets camp and the Dave Winfield camp.
Last year, Scala was the third base coach at St. Mary’s in Manhassset and helped guide the team, which hadn’t won a CHSAA game in its seven years of existence, to three wins, including a first-round upset of top-seeded Chaminade in the playoffs.
The selection of Scala ended a month-long search for a replacement after Hartwell announced Davies’ contract would not be renewed after the Panthers finished 7-30 and 4-18 in the New York Collegiate Athletic Conference. Adelphi has advanced to the Division II NCAA tournament 12 times during Davies’ 39-year tenure with their last appearance coming in 1999.
“We are happy to be able to attract someone like Dom with not only his collegiate and professional experience but his camp experience as well,” said Adelphi Athletic Director Bob Hartwell. “He brings a renewed vitality to Adelphi with his passion for baseball. This motivation will translate to our student-athletes and should bring us back to being a competitive regional team.”
A baseball and football standout at St. Francis Prep, Scala named former Redmen teammate Bob Malvagna associate head coach.
“I have the utmost respect and trust in Bob,” Scala said. “He has been with the Adelphi program for the past two years and will be my right-hand man.”
Scala is also heavily involved in the community. In addition to the Knights of Columbus and the Dante Foundation, he also served as president of the Our Lady of Hope Athletic Association and in three years, was responsible for raising over $300,000 to refurbish gyms and baseball fields in the Brooklyn/Queens Diocese.
Reach Associate Sports Editor Dylan Butler by email at TimesLedger@aol.com or call 718-229-0300, Ext. 143.
