The "4" Club

[twan]

The most prestigious club out there for climbers? Here is the list of people who have run a 4 in B-Ladder at least once in their career. The list starts with the person who has run the most 4's.

The Four Club

Mike Marra (West Sayville Flying Dutchmen): 45 times (2 of those were run at a non-sanctioned drill) 1998: Central Islip Invite/Islip Town at CI/Riverhead Invite/Hagerman Invite. 1999: Riverhead Invite. 2000: Suffolk County at Copiague/Hagerman Invite. 2001: Patchogue Invite/State at Merrick/Islip Town at CI. 2002: Charity at CI/Islip Town at CI. 2003: Suffolk County at Hagerman/Central Islip Invite/Charity at NHP/Riverhead Invite/Islip Town at CI. 2004: Patchogue Invite. 2005: Joe Hunter Memorial at Hempstead/Lindenhurst Invite/SNY at Ridge/Patchogue Invite/Suffolk County at Ridge/Central Islip Invite/Islip Town at CI/State at Hempstead. 2006: Suffolk County Drill at CI/Joe Hunter Memorial at Hempstead/Central Islip Invite/Riverhead Invite/Hagerman Invite/State at Hempstead. 2007: Suffolk County Drill at Ridge/Farmingville Invite at Ridge/Central Islip Invite. 2008: Suffolk County Drill at CI/Central Islip Invite/Hagerman Invite/Labor Day at Hempstead. 2009: Selden Invite/State at Hempstead/Islip Town @ CI. 2010: SNY at Lindenhurst/Suffolk County Drill at Riverhead. 2012: Islip Town Drill at CI. Mike was the 6th person to run a 4.


John Short (Spencerport Red Onions): 9 times (2001: Point Pleasant Invite/Labor Day Drill at Hicksville. 2004: Spencerport Invite/NY State Drill at Main Transit/Point Pleasant Invite. 2005: Spencerport Invite/State at Hempstead. 2006: Dansville Invite/Point Pleasant Invite.) Johnny was the 8th person to run a 4.


Anthony "ARock" Raccomandato (North Lindenhurst Piston Knockers): 3 times (Merrick Invite 1993, Southern NY at Hagerman 1994, Mayor James Garner Invite at Hempstead 1996) ARock was the 2nd person to run a 4.


Preston Hicks (Manhasset-Lakeville Minute Men): 3 times (Nassau County Drill at Oceanside 2002, NY State Drill at Ridge 2003, Labor Day Drill at Hempstead 2005.) Preston was the 10th person to run a 4 (He joined the club about 10 minutes after Ralph from NHP ran his first 4 just six teams prior.)


Mike Passero (Point Pleasant Pea Pickers): 3 times (New York State Drill at Hagerman 2019, Main Transit Invite 2020, Point Pleasant Invite 2023.) Mike was the 13th person to run a 4.


Shawn Matthews (Lindenhurst Snails): 2 times (Central Islip Invite 1984, Central Islip Invite 1988.) He was the first person to ever run a 4.


Joe "Jojo" Simone (Hempstead Yellow Hornets): 2 times (Selden Invite at Ridge 1995, Hagerman Invite 2003.) Jojo was the 5th person to run a 4.


Billy Moon (Islip Wolves): 2 times (NY State Drill at Ridge 2003, Islip Town Drill at CI 2004.) Billy was the 11th person to run a 4.


Chucky Doyle (Central Islip Hoboes): 1 time (NY State Drill at Hempstead 1993.) Chuck was the 3rd person to run a 4.


Billy Zoller (West Sayville Flying Dutchmen): 1 time (Riverhead Invite 1994.) Billy was the 4th person to run a 4 and was the first person to run a 4.8.


Todd Stubbman (Bay Shore Redskins): 1 time (Riverhead Invite 1998.) Todd was the 7th person to run a 4.


Ralph Rubino (New Hyde Park Termites): 1 time (Nassau County Drill at Oceanside 2002.) Ralph was the 9th person to run a 4.


Kyle Lewis (Port Washington Road Runners): 1 time (North Bellmore Invite at Merrick 2016.) Kyle was the 12th person to run a 4.


Richie Arnett (Central Islip Hoboes): 1 time (Labor Day Drill at Hagerman 2023.) Richie was the 14th person to run a 4.



All in all, fourteen different climbers have run a 4 in B-ladder.
West Sayville and Central Islip are the only team to have 2 different climbers do so.
A 4 has been run in B-Ladder a grand total of 75 times.


The Order in Which they Joined the Club:

1) Shawn Matthews
2) A-Rock
3) Chucky Doyle
4) Billy Zoller
5) Jojo
6) Mike Marra
7) Todd Stubbman
8) John Short
9) Ralph Rubino
10) Preston Hicks
11) Billy Moon
12) Kyle Lewis
13) Mike Passero
14) Richie Arnett


Order by Team:

1) Lindenhurst Snails
2) North Lindenhurst Piston Knockers
3) Central Islip Hoboes
4) West Sayville Flying Dutchmen
5) Hempstead Yellow Hornets
6) Bay Shore Redskins
7) Spencerport Red Onions
8) New Hyde Park Termites
9) Manhasset Lakeville Minute Men
10) Islip Wolves
11) Port Washington Road Runners
12) Point Pleasant Pea Pickers


Order by Fastest Four

1) Mike Marra 4.82
Tie-2) Billy Zoller 4.89
T-2) John Short 4.89
4) Mike Passero 4.94
T-5) Chucky Doyle 4.95
T-5) Preston Hicks 4.95
T-5) Billy Moon 4.95
8) Shawn Matthews 4.96
9) A-Rock 4.97
T-10) Ralph Rubino 4.98
T-10) Jojo Simone 4.98
T-12) Todd Stubbman 4.99
T-12) Kyle Lewis 4.99
T-12) Richie Arnett 4.99

Climber's Age Upon Running 1st 4
Shawn Matthews: 19 years
Richie Arnett: 20 years
Mike Passero: 24
Mike Marra: 25
John Short: 25
Jojo Simone: 26

Fours that took Second Place:

This has happened four times in racing history:

1) Riverhead Invite 1998: Bay Shore 4.99 took 2nd place to West Sayville's 4.82 (State Record.) This is the first 4 to take 2nd place.

2) Nassau County Drill @ Oceanside 2002: New Hyde Park 4.98 took 2nd place to Manhasset's 4.95. This is the first time that two teams entered the "4 Club" on the same day.

3) New York State Drill @ Ridge 2003: Manhasset Lakeville 4.98 took 2nd place to Islip's 4.95.

4) New York State Drill @ Hempstead 2005: Spencerport 4.93 took 2nd place to West Sayville's 4.92.


Run a Four, then Break the C-Ladder Record in the Same Day

This has happened five times in racing history.

1) Manhasset Lakeville (P. Hicks) at 2002 Nassau County Drill in Oceanside: July 13th, 2002. 4.95 and 8.63

2) West Sayville (Marra) at 2005 CI Invite: July 30th, 2005. 4.93 and 8.58.

3) Manhasset Lakeville (P. Hicks) at 2005 Labor Day in Hempstead: September 5th, 2005. 4.95, 8.55.

4) West Sayville (Marra) at 2008 CI Invite: July 26th, 2008. 4.87 and 8.46.

5) Central Islip (Arnett) at 2023 Labor Day @ Hagerman: September 2, 2023. 4.99 and 8.62.

[Danger]

Wow - I'm nominating this for Post of the year!

A whole lot of fun to read...Twan is my HIV-infected hero.

[flamingfarmer]

Good post... now here's a question: Who do you think will be number 12??

[handywho]

awesome post, alot of good information, i don't think i'll make a guess onthe next person to run a 4 due to paranoia and superstition, but how about a list of 8's in c-ladder thats an elite bunch for sure...

[twabster]

Yes indeed !! Very cool post, Twan. One small step for all these elite men, and one HUGE step for mankind.
Don't forget "C" Ladder if you have the time. I believe there were more 8 second runs last year than ever. Could be the truck & driver play a bigger role for the longer class "C" runs, more so than the shorter class "B" runs, but the same climbers were involved for most of them, so I doubt it.

[racefan40]

i think that patchogue and west sayville are good contenders in both areas

[Historian]

Twan: Wonderful job at this trivia.

The Snails have two 4's...I am pretty sure that Billy Kienle ran the first one ever in 1986, and then Shawn Matthews ran the record in C.I. in 1988.

I also recall that Jimmy Metz from Patchogue ran a 4.96, but I coukld be wrong about that. Could that be their team record? Somebody will correct this, I am sure.

Also, why did Billy Zoller run B-Ladder after Michael Marra had already run a 4? Damn! they had 2 guys in the same era who could run a 4!!

[Danger]

Wait Historian - Zoller had 1 4.xx, I believe it broke the record, and that was 94...Marra's first 4 was in 98.

I'm pretty sure this confirms that Michael Marra is the greatest climber who ever played our game.

[Danger]

Ohh another question - which of these 4.xx's received the least amount of points in the contest?

[twan]

Danger...
Todd ran a 4.99 took second place (Marra 4.82) 1998 Riverhead Invite
Ralph ran a 4.98 took second place (Preston 4.95) 2002 Nassau County at Oceanside
Preston ran a 4.98 took second place (B Moon 4.95) 2003 State Drill.
Those are the only 3 times where a 4 was run twice in one day.
The best B-Ladder day had to be the 2001 State Drill (498,502,505,509,511) OR Riverhead 1998 (482,499,500,503,520)

Billy Zoller ran a 4.89 to break CI's record of 4.95.


Historian...I've never heard that one about Billy Kinley. (Dudley, a little help here?)
Also, I believe Patchogue's record in B-Ladder is a 505 or something around there, they haven't run a 4. I'm sure someone from Patchogue can add to this.

[SNAIL28]

The Snails ran two 4's in the 80's both at CI, the first was I think in 1984, a 4.97 which was the first 4. Billy Kienle was slamming that day for Shawn, We ran the 2nd 4 a 4.96 in 1986 the year before we won the state. I think the years are right.
Its funny that this subject came up both Shawn and I watched West Sayville run the 4.96 in Lindy this year and were surprised how quick it looked. did not feel that fast when we ran it.
Also remember A climber is just one person , It would be very hard for him to drive the truck down the track get the ladder off and up on the arch by himself....... takes a team, 5 guys working together.
There are no individuals in B Ladder..... If there were, It would be ......B Hose....

[Alumni]

Also, I believe Patchogue's record in B-Ladder is a 505 or something around there, they haven't run a 4. I'm sure someone from Patchogue can add to this.

Patchogue has never run a "4" in "B" Ladder. Our team record is 5.05 (Jim Metz), 1982.

[Historian]

May the record reflect....I stand corrected....many times.

Billy was the thrower on the first 4, not the climber. I think this also gives Shawn the first two 4's. What was Billy Kienle's best B-Ladder time at climbing? He was a good one.

[Cat72]

WOW!! Best post on this site in ages. Changes, advancements in the c-rigs makes the 8's not quite as impressive. Shawn, the Snails, and ol' man Callahan were a bit ahead of their time. They were a show, too bad for such a short time.

[twan]

Snail 28, you're right...Thanks. I have old scorecards at home (that I have been borrowing from Sue Lund for quite some time now. These scorecards were previously held by Bubba before he passed away) I've been meaning to post them on the archive site...it's a lot of work though, takes a lot of time. When I was looking up information about "4's," I didn't bother to go back to 1984 because I figured no one was that close to running a 4 back then. However, I just looked at the folder and sure enough on July 28 at Central Islip, Lindenhurst ran a 4.97, making that the first 4 ever run. Pretty impressive considering that the next person to run a 4 was ARoc, 9 years later.
I went back and updated the original post to include 2 4's for Shawn Matthews. The other 4 he ran was definitely in 1988 (I looked at the scorecard in the folder). I think the list is now 100% correct. Thanks for your help.