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It has been six long seasons since
the Newtown Sandy Hooks have had any success challenging the
mighty Brooklyn Atlantics. One needs only to search the record
books to 2006 to uncover that single glorious day when the likes
of 'Pops' and 'Express' Pendergist, 'Rock' Zulli, 'Moose' Margolis,
the Dieckman twins shocked the base ball world with a resounding
12 to 10 win over the Atlantics on their home turf on Long Island.
Turn-Back-The-Clock:
Newtown verses Atlantics - 2006
Since that time the Atlantics have frustrated every attempt
the Sandy Hooks have made to best the Brooklyn nine.
On Saturday the Newtown Sandy Hooks traveled to the Smithtown
Historical Society grounds at the far reaches of Long Island
too try their luck at taming the potent adversary on his home
grounds.
A formidable nine of Wheat, Toomey, Maleri, Smith, Ortiz,
Friedman, Scarinzi, Donnelly and Chris Ortiz, recruited from
the ranks of Bucknell club ball, met at the fearsome yet picturesque
grounds the Atlantics call home for a1864 and 1886 set.
Since none of the Sandy Hooks '60's era pitchers were able
to make the trip, 'Lightning' Toomey accepted the responsibility
for what was expected to be the 'quick' warm-up for the 'ultimate
match' at 12:30. Little did anyone know what a drawn-out affair
they were about to observe and what the cagy Atlantics had in
store for their guests.
Ed 'Pigtail' Elmore called the two teams to order and outlined
the complicated ground rules for the Smithfield grounds. Toomey
won the bat toss for the visitors and chose 'home side' and second
at-bats and from that point to two hours hence, it all went seriously
wrong for the Sandy Hooks.
In the first inning, using a freshly wound ball, the tempestuous
Atlantics blasted pitch after Toomey pitch to the far reaches
of the yard to score a seemly insurmountable eight aces in the
twenty minute plus inning. 'Dream' Emma and 'Flash' Harrison
lashed monumental discharges that bounded over fences, caromed
into trees and skirted into neighboring yards to highlight the
notable outburst. In return the Atlantic's veteran 'Willy Mo'
Stelmach rolled through inning after inning limiting the Sandy
Hooks to singles and occasional runs while Toomey and the Hooks
tried to find their sea legs. As usual, the Newtown batters managed
to get good wood on the ball, but their towering blasts typically
ended up being caught on a bound or in spectacular fashion by
the Atlantic's mister reliable 'TC' Cannino.
Toomey, Maleri and 'Papi' Ortiz were able to muster some firepower
for the Sandy Hooks but to little avail as the visitors never
got closer than six runs (in the second inning) to the Atlantic
juggernaut. The long-winded nine inning affair took well over
two hours to perform and in the end, the Atlantic ran away with
a 20 to 8, never in doubt, victory.
After some lengthy negotiations regarding the lack of a backstop
(due to a sheep pen that had been erected on the site) the two
sides decided to attempt to play an 1886 game in the old ball
yard.
A brief memorial service was
held by Ed Elmore as the Atlantics honored the later day Brooklyn
Atlantic and vintage base ball founder 'Old Dutch' Dieckmann.
In game two the Sandy Hooks chose to bat second and the battery
of Toomey and 'Bison' Friedman readied to do battle for the second
weekend in a row. In the previous week, Friedman hurled the Newtowners
to a brilliant 3-2 victory over the Providence Grays in Colt
Meadows. The hope was that maybe he could quiet Brooklyn bats
long enough for the Sandy Hook bats to reawaken and find their
full potential.
The Sandy Hooks immediately found 'Wild Horse' Ferchland's
pitching enticing as Friedman and Maleri combined to scrape together
a single run in the first, then Smith and Scarinzi in the second
inning. At the same time, Friedman sent a mesmerizing array of
pitches across the dish in the first three innings that accounted
for just a single run for Brooklyn and three satisfying strikeouts
for the Hook hurler.
For four innings both hurlers seemed to have the situation
well in order with the Sandy Hooks and Atlantics knotted in a
two two tie.
In the top of the fifth frame, in an effort help his own cause,
'Bison' Friedman laced a single to right center to ignite a four
run rally. Hit after satisfying hit scored successive runs to
increase the visitor's margin to 6-2. The Atlantics countered
with runs in the fifth and sixth to close the margin to 6-5.
In the seventh, 'Dirt' Smith ignited a three run outburst as
Friedman continued to toil and hold on to his more comfortable
but still tenuous lead. In the eighth, Toomey reignited the Sandy
Hook offence with a booming double followed by four singles,
another double by Scarinzi, and a Friedman triple to beyond the
distant rightfield shrubbery cleared six aces for his side. With
a little three run icing initiated by 'Crash' Wheat in the ninth
a victory felt certainly in hand.
'Bison', still having enough in the tank to complete his sterling
effort, struct-out two Atlantic batters in the last of the ninth
to bring home a glorious and well-deserved 18-8 victory that
will go down in the history books.
Stars for the Sandy Hooks in
game two included everyone on the roster.
'Bison' Friedman was the unanimous 'star of the day' throwing
a ten hitter, striking out seven batters and knotting his second
complete game win in two tries. At the bat he was five for six
with a triple and three runs batted in.
'Barkeep' Donnelly had a disappointing day at the plate only
mustering one hit all day. On the defense, he made fabulous plays
in the field including sparkling catches (that equaled Cannino)
and showed great skill in handling the horrendous assortment
of trees, bushes, brambles, fences and farm implements in deep
center.
'Lightning' Maleri ignited many fires with his bat as he was
7 for 11 for the day. Along with wearing out Brooklyn fielders
with his gap-opening hits, he played flawlessly at short all
day.
'Thunder' puts a scare into any team. In spite of his less
than sparkling debut on the line in game one, Tristan Toomey
continued to amaze in his backstopping efforts in the 1886 match
as he played stunning defense. In the hitting column, he entertained
the cranks with a copious number of sky rockets (some that ended-up
being caught on the bound in game one) that resulted in an 8
for 11 at the plate.
'Crash' Wheat did a diligent job captaining the Newtown nine
and had the good judgment to choose the 80's game as the Hooks
encore event. He was 3 for 6 in game two with two RBI's
'Papi' Ortiz continued to show his prowess as a dependable
run producer in spite of a nagging ankle injury that sidelined
him earlier. He was 7 for 11 for the day and 3 for 6 in the winning
effort.
'Dirt' Smith's bat was quiet in game one but came alive in
game to go 3 for 6 and drive in three Sandy Hook runs.
'Lefty' Scarinzi left nothing on the field in game two as
he was 5 for 6 with two doubles and 4 runs-batted-in.
The Hooks 'muffin' second sacker 'Kowla' Ortiz proved to be
no muffin at all as he hit 4 for 10 in his initial matches and
took numerous throws from the backstop and made critical putouts
when called upon.
Next Saturday Atlantics return
to McLaughlin Vineyards for Lobster Fest weekend to try to set
the record straight. Even though, the Sandy Hooks showed they
have all the talent to win at 1880's ball, the diminutive size
of the McLaughlin Vineyard ball yard forces the club to depend
solely on 1860's ballwhich is always the Atlantic's strong suit.
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