Sandy Hook hurler 'Muhl' Snyder 'saws-off' Pittsfield striker's bat handle as 'Mudcat' Albano avoids splinters. Newtown's shortscout for the day Dean 'The Dream' Emma and 'Backhoe' Reynolds watch from afar. 'Muhl' retrieved the ball, returned to the box and threw a quick pitch 'strike' for a strike-out before the hitter could retrieve a new bat. Pittsfield won in the end.

 

 

The revitalized Newtown Sandy Hooks traveled the pristine causeways to the vibrant Berkshires on Saturday to perform in the eight team, second annual Pittsfield Vintage Base Ball Tournament to play in historically imbued Wahconah Park. It was to be the single rare occasion in '07 when the local nine was to compete in '1886' overhand rules against established '86' clubs but the team refused to pass up the occasion and miss the opportunity to play in the venerable old park.

The Newtown club, which generally excels in an '1867' style of ball, in an unlucky roll of the dice drew the hosts of the tournament, the 'Monsters of the Midway', the 'Godzillas of the Old Game', the Pittsfield Elms; a team fortified by no less than five former professional ballists. Yet, thanks to stubborn grit and determination, the Sandy Hooks made a valid attempt to stymie the opponents advances and keep the game interesting. 'Muhl' Snyder pitched for the visiting side and after a typical five run 'gimme' in the first was able to hold the trees in check and keep the game interesting while his mates battle valiantly for an advantage.

Newtown bats were generally silent during the match as Terry Bishop mowed and sawed through the line-up whilst his Pittsfield mates slashed and slugged their way through the order.

In the final analysis the Elms prevailed by a score of 8-2 and the Connecticut boys held their heads up high knowing they had battled hard, and would probably never face this juggernaut again in the distant future.

 
     
     


Sandy Hook behind 'Mudcat' Albano slides safely into home with what would have been the tying run verses the Game Hens in the seventh but was called 'out' on a 'interference' call caused by the confusion around the plate. Striker 'Bones' Webster caused visual interference between ball (in catcher's grasp) and 'Blue' Reilly trying too make the play. (What a can of worms!)

 

On Sunday, the Sandy Hooks reconvened at a pristine park with unattractive circumstances. In an effort to stimulate victory on Saturday the Newtown club had vowed to 'Say No To Clapp' yet on this quiet Sunday morning the Hooks found themselves in Clapp Park facing a group of Rhode Island renegades known as the Providence Cornish Game Hens.

The last time these two teams met was at Rogers Park in Danbury in '05 when Patrick 'Blue' Reilly broke his arm in a pitching incident that will be forever ingrained in everyone's memory. On this day 'Blue' Reilly magically appeared in the box for the Game Hens and everyone who had seen him hurl two years back were hopeful they'd not experience a reenactment of another such event.

Hovering two steps from a hangover and three steps from despair the Newtown Sandy Hook squad of eight (and one recruit form the previously defeated Boston Colonials) decided to alter their mood by forsaking their 'NSH' (Sandy Hook) heritage and flipping their bibs to showcase the 'N' logo. The change seem to work and eventually helped carry the team to a productive day on the field and near victory of classic proportions. The two clubs battled back and forth throughout the day; challenging each other with high powered offense and spectacular plays in the field. Snyder and Reilly spun for seven long innings than handed the duties over to their understudies to finish the match. 'Pops' Pendergist sporting a giant raspberry on his knee and other injuries accumulated over a weekend of whirlwind plays and running collisions hurled the remaining innings for the Newtown nine.

The locals made numerous concerted efforts to ring the bell in the concluding innings including a spectacular steal of home in the eighth by 'Mudcat' Albano that was called back on an umpiring reversal cleverly legislated by the Hens captain. At that point it was realized a win wasn't in the cards for the Newtowners. The Hens outlasted the 'Newtown Athletics' in an exciting, see-saw nine inning battle, and clucked away with a well-deserved if not slightly tainted 14 to 12 victory.

Everyone left Pittsfield exhausted and exhilarated by a weekend of fun and games, camaraderie, conviviality and travel and the intention to meet again in the not so distant future.

 
     
  Due to the evident lack of team support for this event, it was determined at the completion of the tournament that a different concept needs to be considered before the management of the club would agree to perform in another tournament of this magnitude. If it were not for the help of members of the Bridgeport Orators, Brooklyn Atlantics and Boston Colonials the NSH club would have forfeited all matches. Our thanks go out to all the teams and players who supported our efforts over this difficult weekend.  

 

 

Tournament Pix1
  
 

Tournament Pix2
  
 

Checkout Phil '90' Keane's Pix
  

 

   
 

New England Base Ball Recap
  
   


 

 

 

 

See the Sandy Hooks in action at the 2006 Pittsfield Tournament on MLB.com < http://www.mlb.com/mlb/video/vintage_baseball/ > Click on 'Different Rules'.

 
 
 

 

 

   
 

 
     

 

 
  
 

© Newtown Sandy Hook Vintage Base Ball Club, Newtown, CT