YAC opening day remembers Harrison Apar

YAC President John Campobasso is flanked by (from left) Harrison Apar’s dad Bruce, Mom Elyse, sister Elissa and her fiancé Sean Kelly.

Phot courtesy of Chris Maher

Crompond Elementary fifth grader Dylan Moronta, 10, reads a copy of the inscription on the field plaque. He plays on the Buffalo Bisons.

Photo courtesy of Bruce Apar

Harrison’s sister Elissa, a fifth grader teacher in Brewster, threw the ceremonial first pitch.

Photo courtesy of John Campobasso

YAC president John Campobasso, YAC baseball commissioner Chris Maher, YAC vice president Tom Regan

Photo courtesy of Elissa Apar

At the memorial plaque for the field are Bruce Apar (2nd from left) with (from left) Yorktown High varsity baseball coach Mike (“Coach Ruby”) Rubenfeld, coach Tyler McDonnell, Yorktown Police Benevolent Association president Tim Curtin.

Photo courtesy of John Campobasso

Posted Monday, April 20, 2026 10:26 am

Each spring, to mark the beginning of its baseball season, youth sports league Yorktown Athletic Club holds a pregame ceremony at a town ballfield named 23 years ago for Harrison Apar, who died in March 2003 from complications following his third heart surgery. This year’s ceremony was held April 18.

Born with a rare form of dwarfism that stunted his height at three feet, Harrison was an icon in the community for his outsize personality and for his knowledge of — and participation in – sports, competing in baseball and basketball for YAC.

Before the start of the April 18 game, which the Akron Angry Rubber Ducks won over the Buffalo Bisons, Harrison Apar’s father Bruce expressed his family’s gratitude for the support of YAC and for another longtime community partner, the Yorktown Police Benevolent Association, represented by its president, Sgt. Tim Curtin. Also attending the ceremony was Yorktown High’s varsity baseball team, where Coach Ruby was a boyhood friend of Harrison’s.

One of the ceremony’s longstanding traditions is the playing of a customized “at bat” announcement for Harrison, recorded in 2003 by legendary Yankee Stadium public address announcer Bob Sheppard,” who is heard intoning, “Now batting for Yorktown, Number 1, Harrison Apar, Number 1, forever in our hearts.”

Apar ended his remarks by sharing with the youngsters a three-point lesson inspired by Harrison: “1) Try your best; 2) Respect all the players, coaches, parents, teachers, and officials – and respect yourself; 3) Have fun!”

Article courtesy Harrison Apar Field of Dreams Foundation