Marathon Sunday in New York … This is always one of the best days to be a New Yorker. I love Marathon Sunday because I love to yell, and this is the best event to scream at, and the runners are very appreciative of every shout. I ran into Senator Chuck Schumer, on his bicycle, rooting on the runners before he headed back to the Rockaways. This guy is in some good shape. Sometime later, I saw Assemblywoman Janele Hyer-Spencer jog past me keeping pace with other runners. “Wish me luck!� she yelled out. “You go, Janele!� I bellowed back.

I missed Jonathan Rohl, even though I knew what time (approximately) he was going to pass me on 74th Street. Rohl, whose time was an incredible 2:54 on Sunday said, “As many times as I have run this race, it doesn’t get any easier; but I will continue to run it as long as I am able.�

Rohl’s dad, Bobby Rohl, passed away a few years back, and Jon said, “Every fall, on the first Sunday in November, I get to run in his footsteps ... and I am honored.� Nicely done, buddy. I did get some great shots and got to bellow my brains out. Then I stopped by to see Peter Clavin and have one of his famous mimosas. “The first marathon I decide not to run in and look at the weather, it’s perfect!� I told Clavin and Dan Texeira. We all had a good laugh with that one. I love Marathon Sunday. And mimosas… All Hail the USS New York … On Mon., Nov. 2, at 7:30 a.m., Maestro Joseph Loposky and his award-winning Xaverian Music Program were the first to greet the Navy’s newest warship, the USS New York upon her arrival to the Narrows. Performing “Anchors Aweigh� on the 69th Street pier as she passed heading to a spot overlooking the World Trade Center where she came to a halt to fire a 21-gun salute to the people of her namesake city and state. The USS New York then proceeded to Pier 88 to be formally inducted into the U.S. Naval Fleet with a shipboard ceremony on Sat., Nov. 7. This ship carries seven-and-a-half tons of steel from the World Trade Center site salvaged from the remains of 9/11. The ship’s motto: “Never Forget.�

Poly Football Ends on a High Note … Homecoming for the Poly Prep Blue Devils was Saturday. Yes, Halloween. And yes, it was a little scary. (I’m talking about the game.) Heading into the locker room at halftime down by a point, 6-7, to The Hun School, Coach Dino Mangiero gave a ‘pep’ speech to inspire a late game touchdown and ‘two-point’ conversion that gave “Big Blue� a 14-7 final victory. The team was 8-1 for the season; a season most people said Poly would barely win one game.

“We did lose a lot of senior starters from last year,� said senior co-captain Sean Patrick Ryan, “but I’m proud to say I was a part of team that played so well, and grew so much over nine short weeks. It was an absolute honor to play with these guys.� Congratulations to Coach Mangiero and the 2009 Poly football team; and special thanks to Sean Ryan, senior kicker Richie Carbone and sophomore center Mike Castellana for keeping me updated throughout the season.

Big Bay Ridge welcome to … Ella Josephine Lauretta was born on September 14, 2009 at St. Vincent’s Hospital of Staten Island to Holly and Anthony Lauretta at 8:24 p.m. and weighed in at six pounds, 11 ounces. I did announce this earlier, but now I have a photo of the beautiful Ella Josephine. Her godparents will be Janet Villamagna and Holly’s brothers Michael and Billy McKnight. Ella Josephine is the first grandchild for both the McKnight and Lauretta families. Great-grandfather and retired NYPD Detective Robert (Sonny) McKnight is still beaming.

Sister John Michael … John Heffernan, star of many NCT productions, founder and musical leader of the fabulous Rhapsody Players, can now add ‘Mother Superior’ to his many list of accomplishments. That’s right, Heff is playing Sister Mary Regina, the Reverend Mother of the Little Sisters of Hoboken in BrooklynOne Theater’s production of Nunsense: A-Men. Directed by Brooklyn theater legend Michael Coluccio of the famous Sts. Simon and Jude Players, this play follows the nuns as they perform a benefit concert here at St. John’s Episcopal Church (Church of the Generals) at 461 99th St. for reasons explained in the opening scene. The other nuns are portrayed by BrooklynOne’s artistic director Anthony Marino, Josh Feder, Anthony Michael Stokes and John Panepinto. This is going to be a very funny show. Performances begin on Sat., Nov. 7, at 8 p.m. and Sun., Nov. 8 at 4 p.m. and the following weekend Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. Closing night is Sun., Nov. 15 at 4 p.m. You can order tickets in advance, which I recommend highly, at (718) 745-3660. Also check out their web site at www.brooklynone.org for more information.

Oh those ‘Damn Yankees’ … I’m not talking about my father’s beloved New York Yankees, but NCT’s Damn Yankees being presented at St. Patrick’s auditorium starting this Fri., Nov. 6 at 8 p.m. The show will run for two weekends. Tickets are $20 for adults, and $15 for seniors and students. Call (718) 482-3173 for tickets. Their web site is www.narrowscommunitythe ater.com.

Wounded Warriors at The Pearl Room … Mon., Nov. 9, up at The Pearl Room, 8203 Third Ave. at 7 p.m., Chef Anthony Rinaldi will host a Wounded Warrior Project Event with special guest Tony Sirico (Paulie Walnuts of Sopranos fame) with food and open bar for only $100. This is a great and very worthwhile event — please try to make it.

Picks of the week … my movie this week is the 1997 classic Good Will Hunting starring a brilliant Matt Damon and Robin Williams, this flick was watched for the first time by Xaverian alum and Boston College freshman Tom Brown, who liked the line “You like apples? Well, I got her number … how do you like them apples?� Brown said, “That was hilarious. What a great movie.� I feel the same way, my friend. Book-wise I am rereading Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, another Tom Brown favorite. The song is “Dirty Water� by The Standells circa 1966 (Boston’s theme song).

Comments, suggestions?
Contact me citizenkane@brooklyneagle.net
The best of Brooklyn for Brooklyn’s best — that’s you. . . . Have a great week!

© Brooklyn Daily Eagle 2009 All materials posted on BrooklynEagle.com are protected by United States copyright law. Just a reminder, though -- It’s not considered polite to paste the entire story on your blog. Most blogs post a summary or the first paragraph,( 40 words) then post a link to the rest of the story. That helps increase click-throughs for everyone, and minimizes copyright issues. So please keep posting, but not the entire article. arturc at att.net