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Three cheers: Three generations of Bellini family open RF Little League season

By Larry Brennan

Jay Bellini (right) watches his father, Jerry Bellini, throw out the ceremonial first pitch to Noah Bellini, Jay's son and Jerry's grandson, Monday at Wallingford Park in Rock Falls. (Philip Marruffo)

ROCK FALLS – Monday night was a very special night for the Bellini family.

Jerry Bellini, who was a member of the first Rock Falls Little League champion Rotary Sox back in 1954, threw out the ceremonial first pitch to his grandson Noah Bellini to officially begin the Rock Falls Little League season. Noah is coached by his father, Jay, who is Jerry's son.

"It was quite an honor to do this," said Jerry, 67, who threw a strike to his 9-year-old grandson during the ceremony. "It was a thrill to throw out the first pitch to my grandson. He was excited too. This also brings back a lot of memories."

"It was kind of neat that my grandpa got to pitch the ball to me," said Noah, who also wrestles and plays football. The third-grader at Montmorency School in Rock Falls said he doesn't have a favorite sport yet.

Jay, 33, reflected on how much the sport of baseball has meant to the Bellinis.

"Baseball has always been important in our family," he said. "I've enjoyed it from the time I was a kid. My dad's the same way, and, fortunately, Noah feels the same way too. It's a special thing."

Jerry, who resides in Sterling, threw the first no-hitter in Rock Falls Little League in 1955 and was a star pitcher at Rock Falls High School, where he graduated in 1961. He was inducted into the RFHS Hall of Fame this year.

In high school, Jerry got some "major" attention.

"My junior year I was scouted by several major league teams," he said. "I was told that if I played the same my senior year that Cincinnati would talk to me about signing with them. But, I got a sore arm toward the end of my senior year and that ended my chance of signing."

Jerry was 22-2 during at Rock Falls High. His junior year he was 6-0 with 95 strikeouts in 80 innings, with a sparkling 1.06 ERA. He followed that up with a 10-2 senior season in which he had 121 strikeouts in 93 innings with an ERA of 1.47.

Jerry earned All-Conference honors his junior and senior seasons. When he graduated, his 10 wins, 121 strikeouts and 93 innings pitched were Rock Falls single-season records.

Little League has a special place in Jerry's heart.

"I coached for a long time too," he said. "This is a great organization. I'm glad to see a lot of kids participating."

Jerry coached for some 15 years in Sterling, also coaching his daughter's softball team.

Jay, a Sterling High School graduate and Rock Falls resident, played under his dad when he coached and now coaches his own son.

"I have a little better understanding of what I put my dad through now that I coach Noah," he joked.