The "first grand match for the championship of the United States" attracted a crowd of 15,000 to 20,000 to Elysian Fields on August 3rd. "And one old croaker had remarked that baseball was about played out." By 11 a.m., the crowd had started to arrive to secure the choicer locations. All "platform seats" were occupied by 1 p.m. From 1 to 3 p.m., the Hoboken ferry boats were loaded down to a dangerous proximity to the water's edge. Cars were densely packed, wagons and carts were at a premium and many had to walk, so great was the demand for "vehicular conveyance." At 3 p.m., the work of clearing a playing space commenced and consumed 45 minutes. As the game began at 3:45 p.m., "play careful" was the order of the day on both sides. The crowd sweated and burned from 1 p.m. on; at 5:30 the sun suddenly went behind a cloud, then came a thunder storm and a drenching rain at a critical period, ending the game, as nearly all were thoroughly drenched. At the end of the 5th inning, the Atlantics led the Mutuals, 13 to 12. The Atlantics were retired without a score in the 6th inning, the Mutuals were at bat and had two men on base, then came the rain.

(Highlights from 1865) Baseball 1845-1881, Preston D. Orem

Today, the Newtown Sandy Hooks published their preliminary schedule for the 2010 season. The Hooks, sporting a expanded version of their power laden 2009 team, will kick-off the Spring by traveling overseas to Smithtown, Long Island to play the ever treacherous Brooklyn Atlantics at their home opener at the Smithtown Historical Society grounds on April 17th. Note: This Match has been rescheduled for Saturday June 5th in Smithtown.

The last time the Newtown nine played the Atlantics was at Old Bethpage Restoration Village last August when they were throttled by a tenacious Brooklyn defense. Their last meeting in Smithtown was back in '06 when the Newtown boys upset the Brooklynites in what will be remembered in base ball circles as 'The day the world stood still'. STORY

Two weeks thereafter the Sandy Hooks will take part in the annual Waterbury Tourney followed by a three club round robin at Fort Trumbull in New London. At the end of May the club will play in the Colt Invitational at Coltsville in Hartford. The Providence Grays will be the Hook's rival on May 30 in an 1880 match that should be one for the record books.

The June schedule schedule includes the aforementioned Atlantic match on Long Island followed by an 80's match with a Danbury pick-nine at Danbury Base Ball Daze on the 19th. The following weekend, the Sandy Hooks will travel to Rhode Island to an undisclosed location to play the Grays in another sure to be exciting shoot-out.

July is fully laden with three fabulous weekend matches at McLaughlin Vineyard and a big 1880's home match with the Hartford Senators at the Asylum Grounds. Sandy Hook will host Waterbury, New London and Brooklyn on consecutive weekends then close the month at Old Bethpage where they will play a host of new and yet to be announced clubs.

August and September look to be enticing for ballists and cranks alike as the New York Gothams are scheduled to play a home and home series where Central Park, NY and Fairfield look to be the venues. On September 12 Fairfield CT will celebrate Old Time Base Ball with a 1860's match played in the midst of the town's festival. The organizer expect over a thousand cranks to attend the event.

The first annual Harvest Invitational between the Hartford All Stars (from the newly formed Coltsville Vintage League) and the Sandy Hooks is scheduled to close-out August when both clubs meet at the McLaughlin grounds for a big base ball celebration.

A significant number of matches this season will be played by 1880's overhand rules while a good portion will be 1860's rules events. The club has recently fortified itself for the new season with new ballists as well as seasoned veterans from the old Bridgeport Orators club (which has decided to take a year off to regroup) while maintaining the core of their key players who dazzled the vintage base ball world with their late season heroics in '09.

Local non-profit organizations interested in using a Sandy Hooks event to compliment their event are urged to contact either the Sandy Hooks or McLaughlin Vineyard to discuss their plans. Contact information is available at either website.

Persons interested in the Sandy Hooks or wishing to play for the club are asked to contact the club at the link below. The team is seeking base ball historians, umpires, scorekeepers and boosters to support the local nine. Come out and join us.

 

			Zac 'Dirt' Smith

We learned this week the unfortunate news, Zac Smith, the Sandy Hook's crack fielder and lead-off master will have surgery on his left shoulder (sustained in a skiing mishap) and will be lost for the 2010 season. His .500+ batting average, great speed and tough as nails attitude will be dearly missed by his mates and cranks alike. Zac plans to cheer on his mates during his rehab stint. 'Dirt's mates wish him good luck in his upcoming surgery.

On the plus side, the Hooks have signed three veteran ballists from the Bridgeport Orators (who are on hiatus for the foreseeable future) and some added bat strength for the dog days of summer. Jay 'Papi' Ortiz, Peter 'Bison' Friedman and Anthony 'Lefty' Scarinzi will join newcomer Jim Godwin immediately. Ortiz, Friedman and Scarinzi are consistent seasoned ballists who bring multi talents to the table including strength in hitting, fielding and baserunning speed. They are also highly proficient hurlers who will take some of the pressure off Snyder and some of the other Sandy Hook hurles who are typically thrust into service in occasional 1880's action.

	'Papi' Ortiz		'Bison' Friedman		'Lefty' Scarinzi

			'Dash' Godwin

Jim 'Dash' Godwin is another solid pick-up that balances the line-up with impressive fielding and batting strength. Godwin is a newcomer to the Newtown ranks hailing from Valley VBBL where he played for the Beacon Fall Bushwhackers. On top of that, another Toomey (Ryan) was seen at a recent practice at Dickinson Park eclipsing his brother Tristan with thunderous drives beyond the far reaches of the ball yard. Once the younger Toomey finishes his collegiate career in tropical South Florida, expectations are that he will challenge for a role in the batting order just in time to give the Providence Grays a real taste of Newtown Sandy Hook firepower at the Colt Invitational in late May.

Newtown founder 'Shutta' Shaw was overheard to exclaim in a recent interview, 'The Newtown club will definitely be the team to beat in vintage base ball circles with these gamers on the roster!'

Expectations are high for this season. See the 2010 schedule and stay tuned for updates. Organizations and ballists wishing to partner with the Sandy Hooks or take part in upcoming events are urged to contact the NSHVBBC.