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The complete history of the most beloved franchise in recreational athletics
The Early Years: 2004-2005
The first yellow team of the post dark-age rec basketball era was established by Dave Falvey. Dave was active in
making his team a group of kids who he knew, and believed he could have fun playing alongside of. With no offense
to Falvey, he lacked a desire to win; a haunting quality which would plague the team throughout his tenure.
Dave did however make one of the best executive decisions every seen in a rec ball front office by selecting, then track teammate
Matt Hellinger, and his soon to be succesor twin brother, who is known formally as Mike "the prophet" Hellinger in the 2004
rec draft.
The "Ying-Yang Twins" as the Hellinger's were so aptly known, carried the yellow team to a respectable 5-5
season, along with the orginazation's first ever playoff birth. At the conclusion of the season, the "Ying Yang Twins"
promised to take over the reigns of the yellow team and turn around the franchise.
The Renaissance: 2005-2006
After pledging to bring glory and success
to the yellow franchise, the Hellingers decided to co-captain the team. Yellow desperately needed a nickname, and none
seemed more appropriate than the "Fighting RedHeads". Now armed with a name and a color, "ying" and "yang" took their ambitious
dreams to the rec draft room. The team they came out with included the star studed cast of hall of famer Ryan Jones, Kyle
Dubois, and Sean Farrell ... and who could forget Mark "crazy legs" Valikus?
The Hellingers more than exceed expectations in their first season at the helm, leading the yellow squad
to an impressive 8-2 record. Yet the best accomplishments were yet to come. Three playoffs wins later, the RedHeads found
themselves cutting down the nets of the Green Gym for the franchise's first ever Minnechaug Rec Championshionship. Despite
losing to East Longmeadow in the overall finals, the yellow team had done the unthinkable. Without even one senior player,
the Redheads finished with an 11-3 record, and a nice piece of hardware for their rapidly growing trophy case.
The foundation for a legacy had been laid for generations to follow ...
The Golden Years of the Gorilla:
Following up an imporbable run the rec ball championship, popularity of the yellow
squad had reached record highs. Revenue from jersey sales alone totaled more than the spending buget for the entire rec department.
Clearly yellow had reached a new stantard, and with this new era came the calling of a new team name. As explained on this
site, the name Golden Gorillas was selected, finally providing and adequate nickname which would become the face of the franchise.
And of course with the new name came the creation of the offical Gorilla fan club: the G-Unit. Only minutes after season
tickets went on sale they became sold out, and the only seats available for purchase were for standing room only. The
Gorillas were single-handedly bringing rec basketball onto a national stage.
Further team publicity created the need for an innovation which would once and for all establish the orginization as
the most beloved in recreational sports history. The answer? ... The very website you are viewing this very moment. In addition,
a forum was created to bring a record high 13 teams together.
Unfortunately, a mere weeks after the hype began to grow, Matt Hellinger sufferd a career ending knee injury sustained
from what medical experts are calling "a power unbenounced to god himself". Many believe it to have been at the hands of the
blood thirsty Sean Farrell, who was bitter from not recieving proper credit for playing on last year's squad.
The orginization was in search of a "messiah" to ressurect the team. The answer? ... Steve Smith. "the messiah"
brought an abudence of skill, presence, and flair to a team which would include seniors Ryan "the disciple" Brochu, PJ "the
apocolypse" Picknelly, and Pat "braveheart" Lynch. The messiah played with the minds of his opponents and the hearts of 12
year old girls with his superior game.
These soft-hearted, passionate, and loveable band of ballers even furthered the love of the Gorillas, if that was even
possible to begin with. Although they finished with an average 6-5 record, and a first round playoff loss, the yellow team
had risen from a team of individual athletes, to the larger than life phenominom
which is: the Golden Gorillas.
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