Charles is a life long resident of Rockland County. He was born in Rockland Lake and now makes his home in Congers. Growing up in a small town was a memorable experience. During those years, playing sports was a daily way of life.

Athletic skills were developed that paved the way for sport successes in high school and beyond. Charles was a beneficiary of this process. He was an outstanding athlete during these early years and developed the talent to play all sports well.

Charles attended Congers High School and lettered in 4 sports. He was a two year varsity letter winner on the track team, and a three year varsity letterman on the basketball team. Charles was a four year starter on the county championship Congers High soccer team. During that time, Congers only lost one game and were the county champs all four years. But it was baseball where Charles really excelled. He was the stating catcher on the baseball team for four years. Charles was the starting catcher in the very first baseball game played in the county under the lights at Nyack. During the summers while still in high school Charles played baseball for the Congers Liberties, an outstanding baseball team that won the county championships in 1947 and 1948. Aside from being a very well schooled catcher, Charles was an outstanding left handed hitter who could hit with power.

In 1949 Charles joined the U.S. Navy and continued to play baseball. He was on the Atlantic Fleet Division Team. They were champions in 1952 and Charles led the Newport Rhode Island League in homeruns that year. While playing in that league, Charles was spotted by the great Branch Rickey and, after being discharged from the Navy, Charles was signed to a professional contract by Mr. Rickey to play for the Dublin Irish which was owned by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the Georgia State League.

He played one season and came home the following year to marry his wife, Eleanor. Like all good athletes Charles was not content to sit idle, so he took up golf, and became very good at that sport, too. Charles became the Rockland Lake Course Champion in the C flight in 1985 and the Rockland Lake Course Champion in the A flight in 1986. In 1994 Charles was the Governors Cup Champion. Charles and Eleanor have three children: William, Diane, and Michael, and seven grandchildren. He still enjoys golf, doing crossword puzzles, and his family.