Newtown Sandy Hook combine with Danbury to produce a formidable combination for the visiting Providence Game Hens

On Saturday the 1st of October the Newtown Sandy Hook Vintage Base Ball Club turned the corner in it's evolution and seemed to gel as a team while taking advantage of a depleted Providence Hens squad who travelled all the way to western New England to play in the Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund game.

'Tex' Casey took the box for the Hooks while Patrick 'Blue' Reilly, the Providence captain, hurled for the visiting Hens. Hatters Craig ' Crash' Renda and Jason 'Shank' Crookshank joined the Newtown Sandy Hook nine to bring a Danbury luster and flexibility to the team.

The game remained close for the initial three and half innings of the '1876 game' with the Hooks holding a 5 to 2 advantage on the strength of key hitting, excellent hurling by Casey and excellent fielding at all corners of the field. Reilly maintained pace with Casey limiting the Hooks to only single base hits until, in the process of delivering a side arm fast ball in the bottom of the fourth, he crumbled to turf clutching his right arm in pain. A significant delay, to tend to the fallen Providence hurler along with a painful EMS ride to Danbury Hospital proved conclusively, the top Hen had completely fractured his right humerus; a fracture so severe as to render his pitching career in jeopardy.

Following this unfortunate turn of events the concerned but determined Hens designated a reliever and return to their positions. The Hooks immediately took advantage of the impromptu relief effort by Jim 'The Hammer' McHale as well as a diminished roster of eight ballists by manufacturing a dozen plus aces with the seemingly nonstop razzle-dazzle hit and run production of the Dieckmans three, 'Moose' Margolus, 'Pops' Pendergist, 'Sparks' Marcucilli, 'Rock' Zulli, and 'Tex' Casey. Pendergist finished the evening with a total of four hits and equal runs the other Hooks managed a minimum of one base hit each on the way to a 25+ hit output.

'Doughboy' Norwich did a credible job of holding down first sack just one week after eye surgery.		Game Hens consider options while fallen captain 'Blue' Reilly awaits medical attention.		Newtown opened the flood gates and started acting like the happy Hookers they pretend to represent.

	'Tex' Casey covers plate as low flying Game Hen glides safely into home in the early going.

Undeterred, the Game Hens maintained their composure and applied pressure to the replacement battery of 'Pops' Pendergist and Taylor Casey in stanzas five, six and seven scoring a total of seven aces. Eventually, the 'Pops' and Taylor battery settled in, and with the help of numerous acrobatic plays, supported by an iron clad defense, they repulsed subsequent scoring attempts.

In the final analysis, the Hooks bested a stout Game Hen squad that lived up to its name and showed great initiative and determination in the three and half hour day/night event. Final tally Danbury-Newtown Sandy Hooks 21 Providence Cornish Game Hens 9.

After the traditional huzzahs, the Newtown squad accepted a invitation to travel to Providence in 2006 for a return engagement.

The Hooks hope to maintain their momentum as they return to play their final season game against the ever-tough Hartford Senators at the St. Rose Oktoberfest on the St. Rose Grounds on Sunday October 9 at 1:30 PM.

The Newtown Sandy Hooks send their sincere best wishes to their worthy opponent and fellow ballist Patrick 'Blue' Reilly for a speedy recovery and successful rehabilitation. We hope to see a full recovery by the start of next season! Get Well Soon! Providence Game Hens Web Site

[Ray Shaw](Photos by Karen O'Maxfield)