The Southern Connecticut Diamond Club, Inc., will hold its 18th Annual Hall of Fame Banquet and Induction Ceremony on Thursday, October 22, 2026, at The Woodwinds in Branford. Among the honorees are North Haven native Billy Mitchell and current town residents Jay Midolo and Bob Turcio.
The SCDC, a non-profit, volunteer-run organization whose stated mission is to foster and promote the game of baseball in the southern Connecticut region, will recognize seven individuals and one team in the Class of 2026. SCDC Hall of Fame members are selected by the group’s Executive Board.
Tickets to the 2026 SCDC Hall of Fame dinner are $65 per person and will only be sold in advance. Tickets can be purchased online at http://www.southernctdiamondclub.org/hall-of-fame.html or by contacting Matt Mentone, Executive Director, at info@southernctdiamondclub.org.
Mitchell, who now lives in North Branford, is a 1976 graduate of North Haven High School. He has won more than 240 games and two Shoreline Conference championships as the head baseball coach at North Branford High since 2008. The Thunderbirds have qualified for 16 state tournaments and produced 21 all-state players during Mitchell’s tenure.
Midolo will receive the 2026 SCDC Andrew Gassira Memorial Umpire Award. Midolo is a 25-year member and past president of the Greater New Haven Baseball Umpires Association. He is also a certified high school swimming official.
Turcio, a 1975 graduate of Notre Dame of West Haven, played at the University of New Haven and internationally for Italy, including at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. He founded The Batters Box, the oldest indoor baseball facility in Connecticut (located in Hamden), and the Connecticut Bombers travel program.
Also being honored by the SCDC this year are the 2026 Team Connecticut Special Olympics Unified Softball Team, which won a silver medal at nationals, former Southern Connecticut State University All-American and Hamden High coach Chris Borelli, and former Wilbur Cross High standout and current Annex Little League president Andrew “Chip” Porto. Mike Madera of West Haven will be presented the Tony & Rose Mentone Distinguished Service Award, and Joe Tonelli Sr. of Milford is the Dan Gooley Legends Awards honoree.
About the Southern Connecticut Diamond Club
The Southern Connecticut Diamond Club was formed with the goal of fostering and promoting the great game of baseball in the area. That simple mission continues in the dedication of its all-volunteer membership. The club spreads the goodwill of baseball through recognition of those who have given back to the game, donations to local organizations, and more. It is a full-fledged network of baseball enthusiasts working to help others enjoy the game. The SCDC, which has hosted the No I in Team high-school awards banquet since 2005 and held its first Hall of Fame dinner in 2008, gained its non-profit status in 2013. To learn more, visit www.southernctdiamondclub.org.