Picturing Vintage Baseball

The primary purpose of my blog posts about Neshanock games is to give readers a sense of what a vintage baseball game is like.  Sometimes I wonder if I go into a little too much detail, and sometimes, even when I don't wonder, others do it for me.  As an alternative approach, this post will take a second look at the Neshanock's Memorial Day game in Newtown, Pennsylvania, through Lauren Marchese Nunn's insanely cool photos with minimal commentary.

  Sam "Ewing" Ricco - Neshanock Third Baseman

There are no easy plays in vintage baseball

Thomas "Hawk" Prioli at short, while Paul "O'Neill" Cincotta looks on

Kevin O'Shea Newtown Strakes Captain

Ken "Tumbles" Mandel - an impossible act to follow

Once and Future Opponents 

Two for the Price of One

Every vintage baseball game requires decision-making, especially making out the lineups both at bat and in the field.  Those decisions are even more complicated when the Neshanock has a large turnout, as we did on Saturday at the Howell Living History Farm.  It's seldom simple, but since it's part of every game, it's at least a familiar experience.  Thus far in 2025, however, those decisions haven't been anywhere near as difficult as trying to figure out problematic weather forecasts.  Of the five dates thus far, Memorial Day was the only time, there wasn't any concern about the weather. Once again on Saturday, the forecast was for showers, and once again we decided to show up and see what happened.  That approach didn't work so well for the opener in Clinton, but on Saturday, we, fortunately, only experienced intermittent drizzle. 

Did Hog Weighing attract a bigger crowd than the Neshanock and Resolutes? We'll never tell!

The one downside on Saturday was that the weather was a deterrent to what is typically a large fan turnout.  It was unfortunate because the two games with the Elizabeth Resolutes were a rare opportunity to see Civil War era baseball played by two different sets of rules.  Our good friends, the Resolutes, New Jersey's senior vintage club, prefer to play by 1870 rules, while Flemington typically uses the 1864 version.  To honor both approaches, at least once per season, we play two games, one under each set of rules so the fans can see the differences.

Although the weather held the numbers below normal, those in attendance were attentive and interested. All photos by Mark Granieri

Saturday's first of two seven-inning games was played by 1864 rules.  Elizabeth scored four times while holding the Neshanock in check and led 4-1 after three innings.  With only four innings left to play, the top of the Neshanock order, keyed by a clutch hit from Mark "Gaslight" Granieri rallied to tie the game. Still tied at 4-4 in the bottom of the fifth, the lower half of the Flemington order led the way to a nine-run inning and a 13-4 lead.   Elizabeth got two back, but it wasn't enough as the Neshanock earned a 13-6 win.  Five Flemington strikers got two hits apiece, led by Danny "Lefty" Gallagher and Paul "O'Neill" Cincotta, who both earned clear scores.  They were joined in the two-hit club by Chris "Sideshow" Nunn, Sam "Ewing" Ricco and "Gaslight."  Jim "Jersey" Nunn also earned a clear score.

As much uniformity as we will ever see from the Neshanock

Back in the days when the major leagues scheduled doubleheaders, they were promoted as two games for the price of one.  Although there was no charge for admission at Howell Farm, the fans still got two games, with the second game played by 1870 rules.  While there are a number of differences between 1864 and 1870 baseball, the most important is the elimination of the fair bound out. For the benefit of new blog readers, through 1864, any batted ball, fair or foul, caught on a bounce was an out.  Beginning in 1865, however, fair balls had to be caught on the fly.  Giving the defense one less way to retire a batter obviously favors the offense. Predictably, games played by 1870 rules tend to be more high-scoring and no lead is safe.  Such was the case a year ago at Howell when Flemington led 15-4 heading into the last inning and had to hold on for a 15-13 win.

Chris "Sideshow" Nunn (left) and Paul "O'Neill" Cincotta seldom have this kind of backup

Uncharacteristically, however, the second game got off to a low-scoring start, tied 1-1 after two innings before Flemington took a 6-1 lead after three. In the fourth, Elizabeth's first two strikers reached base, but the Neshanock retired the next two batters and were almost out of the inning.  Next up at the striker's line was Ken "Tumbles" Mandel.  Wait, isn't "Tumbles" a Neshanock player and a legendary one at that?  Indeed, he is, but with Resolutes down a player, "Tumbles" manfully volunteered to play for Elizabeth.  Naturally, in such a crucial moment, he came through with a hit that not only kept the rally alive but got Elizabeth started on a five-run inning to tie the contest 6-6. Flemington scratched out three runs in their next two at-bats, but no one on the Neshanock side was confident about a three-run lead in a game played by 1870 rules.  

Joe "Mick" Murray at the striker's line waits for Lawrence Major's pitch to catcher Craig Combs while Sam Bernstein prepares to make the call

In their last at bat, however, Flemington scored seven times and prevailed 16-6 in a game that was much closer than the score indicated.  What was unusual, at least in my experience with 1870 games, is that the Neshanock gave up only six runs, shutting out the Resolutes over the last three innings. Bobby "Melky" Ritter struck out one Elizabeth striker and induced four others to hit foul tips that "Gaslight" handled with his usual aplomb.  When the Resolutes put the ball in play, Joe "Dispatch" Prioli at short and  JP "Grifter" Prioli at third efficiently sent it on to Renee "Mango" Marrero at first.   Flemington didn't lack for offense, especially Chris "Lowball" Lowry's clear score and "Mango's" four hits.  But what made this game noteworthy is that even though the rules favored the offense, the defense was the difference.  It's a reminder that just when we think we understand the game, baseball throws us a metaphorical curve.

"Two Out of Three Ain't Bad"

When I do presentations on early New Jersey baseball, I tell the audience there are three ways they can learn about the nineteenth-century game: the program they're attending, reading a book (preferably mine), and/or they can watch vintage baseball in person.  Very rarely does anyone have the chance to do two of the three things on the same day. But that was the experience of some Hun School students this past Friday.  Thanks to Bart Bronk, the Head of School, the Neshanock were again invited to be part of "Baseball: More Than a Pastime," his two-week class which is part of the school's Next Term program.  The class aims to examine how "baseball's history and current day industry" enhances a comprehensive understanding of the game's "unique place in the collective American psyche."

Unless otherwise noted, all photos by Mark Granieri

It was clearly a busy two weeks. In addition to classroom work, the students visited three minor league ballparks, the Yogi Berra Museum, the Commissioner's Office and the Phillies R&D department at Citizens Bank Park.  For their final project, the students created a Princeton-based minor league franchise.  The Neshanock's role was to introduce the students to the game's history through a classroom presentation and a match played by 1864 rules.

Sam Bernstein leads the always fascinating discussion of how baseball rules evolved - photo by Sam Ricco

The classroom presentation began with my talk about how organized baseball evolved from the clubs of the 1830s and 1840s through the formation of the major leagues.   Sam Bernstein then gave some background on umpiring and described how he works a game played by 1860s rules.  This included a discussion of how the very different rules of the Civil War era changed into today's rules.  As always, this was the topic the audience was most interested in.  We then adjourned to Hun's WILF field, where the students could play by those rules in a game against the Neshanock.  

WILF Field was ready for baseball, right down to the weather vane

While the Neshanock won the game, the most impressive thing was the tremendous enthusiasm the students displayed from beginning to end.  During the post-game speeches, Hun sophomore Jacob Lilenthal stressed how much fun it was for them to play baseball by the old rules.  Throughout the event, I was reminded of how the New Jersey Historical Society uses "object-based" learning to complement classroom presentations. It's one thing to hear about what it was like to be a Civil War soldier, but wearing a replica uniform and carrying a musket with all the related equipment gives a more complete understanding of the actual experience.

Learning by doing

By all accounts, the students enjoyed the day, as did the Neshanock.  Thanks again to Bart and the Hun students.  We hope to come back next year and would be interested in discussing similar opportunities with other schools.  After all, it's not very often we get to teach in two different ways on the same occasion.  As the song says, "Two out of Three Ain't Bad."

 

    

"People Will Come"

On Memorial Day, the Neshanock finally got to play a game without regularly checking the weather forecast.  In fact, it would have been hard to find a better day to play baseball - pristine blue skies and comfortable temperatures.  In such ideal conditions, it was once again a pleasure to make our annual visit to Newtown, Pennsylvania, to take on the home team, the Newtown Strakes.  The Strakes, like the Enterprise Club of River Edge, play an important part in vintage baseball. One of the many things I've learned from scheduling is how difficult it can be to find opponents.  These two clubs, even though they may play only once or twice a year, play an important part in filling out our schedule.  Thanks to Strakes captain Kevin O'Shea and the rest of the Newtown team.

As always, the Neshanock bench was into the game - all photos by Mark Granieri

Having won the bat toss, the Neshanock took the field and held the Strakes scoreless in the first two innings while tallying three times for an early 3-0 lead.  The game went back and forth for the next two innings, but Newtown took the lead and shut out the Neshanock for the last five innings, earning a 10-6 win.  Danny "Lefty" Gallagher, Thomas "Hawk" Prioli, Tom "Thumbs" Hoepfner and Ernie "Shredder" Albanesius each had two hits for the Neshanock.  Defensively, Bobby "Melky" Ritter made two fine plays on hard-hit bound outs while also pitching the entire game.  Playing in his hometown, Ken "Tumbles" Mandel lived up to his nickname on a diving catch of a foul-bound out.  We were also pleased to welcome back Don "Splinter" Becker, who saw his first action after a season-ending injury a year ago.

Sam "Ewing" Ricco about to put bat on ball

So far, each game this season seems to have two stories - the game itself plus something else at least somewhat unique to that day.  Last week, for example, the story was how our baseball friends helped us honor a commitment.  Monday, at least for me, the story was the crowd, one of the largest I can remember.  I mentioned this to official blog photographer Mark "Gaslight" Granieri, who quickly applied his computer-like mind to the issue and put the attendance at 350.  That may not seem like a large number, but in our world, it's a big deal.  Seldom do we get the opportunity to recreate 1860s baseball for so many people.

Bobby "Melky" Ritter pitches in front of part of the large crowd while Paul "O'Neill" Cincotta awaits expectantly

On reflection, there were actually two recreations going on - the 1864 game, which the spectators witnessed and another in which they were participants.  Every vintage game illustrates in some way the differences between modern baseball and the early game.  Seldom, however, is there such a graphic example as what happened in the top of the first inning.  Newtown had runners on second and third with one out when the batter hit a line drive up the middle.  "Melky" grabbed the hard-hit ball on one bounce for an out and then threw home to "Gaslight," who tagged the runner for an inning-ending double play. And just like that, the Neshanock were out of the inning without giving up a run. Under modern rules, at the very least, the inning would still have been going on.

Ken "Tumbles" Mandel gives the post-game speech - an experience never to be forgotten

Everyone present could see from just that one play that 1864 baseball was a very different game.  Few, if any, of the spectators, however, realized that they were also recreating some baseball history.  Beginning in the 1880s through the 1950s, towns like Flemington and Newtown had their own baseball teams.  Those teams played every weekend on local fields, not infrequently with covered wooden grandstands, before relatively large crowds.  Sadly, that baseball world no longer exists.  But a vintage game, especially in such ideal conditions, facilitates not just witnessing the experience, but being part of it.  At the end of "Field of Dreams," seven-year-old Karen Kinsella tells her father, "People will come to see the baseball game."  And in Newtown on Memorial Day, those words came true once more.

Honoring Commitments

On Saturday, the Bergen County Division of Cultural and Historic Affairs hosted the Neshanock and our friends, the Atlantic Base Ball Club of Brooklyn, for two games of 1864 baseball. Many thanks to Vivian Davis for inviting us and making all the necessary arrangements for us to play at Overpeck Park..  Thanks also to the Parks Department staff who provided an excellent playing surface despite several days of rain.  We are also grateful for Mark Rotundo's photos.  The Neshanock were very shorthanded but, fortunately, received a lot of help from the New Jersey vintage baseball community.  Despite everyone's best efforts, it was a long day from the New Jersey standpoint.  The Atlantics are one of the best vintage teams in the country, and they showed why,  winning by scores of 19-1 and 31-16.

 

Photo by Dave Harris - All other photos by Mark Rotundo

Back in the nineteenth century, a baseball match had three possible outcomes: a win, a loss, and, perhaps surprisingly, a tie.  Thinking about it, there should probably be a fourth category in vintage baseball - commitments honored.  It's no small matter.  Vintage teams have limited opportunities to play - to miss one because the other team doesn't have enough players isn't right, in fact, it isn't manly.  There's also the host organization to think of, typically a not-for-profit that spent time and money to sponsor a game.  Saturday's games only happened because others, especially players from other New Jersey teams, gave of their time.  As a small thank you, the rest of this post will highlight some of those very manly players.

While pitcher Bob "Riverboat" Smith is a regular member of the Neshanock, he is also a go-to guy for short-handed teams, offering both his services and recruiting others. 

Thanks to Albert Aguero for once again helping out the shorthanded Neshanock

Elizabeth Resolutes Captain Craig Combs, who, along with Matt Pytlowany filled some major gaps in our lineup.

Matt Watkins (pictured here) and Brian Norton filled out the Neshanock lineup.  Brian recorded a five at bat clear score in the second game

According to legendary sportswriter Grantland Rice, "When the One Great Scorer comes to mark against your name, He writes – not that you won or lost – but how you played the Game".  Sometimes it's not just how you played, but that you did so!

A Kid's First Tickets

Mark “Gaslight” Granieri

My first game was at “The House That Ruth Built” or “Rebuilt” as it was the first year the Yankees were back at the Stadium, having spent the last two years at Shea Stadium. It was Sunday, July 11, 1976, the last game before the All-Star Break and Jacket Day. The giveaway jacket was mostly thin plastic and didn’t last too long, but I was happy to get one and wear it out. I remember Ed Figueroa was the starting pitcher and the Yankees won, but I had to look up other facts like the score being 5-0 and Oscar Gamble hitting a two-run homer. But my best memories are going with my family (parents, sister), ordering/waiting for the tickets to arrive, the drive into New York City and being taken aback by the size of the Stadium with its endless green grass and blue seats. 

For the story to Oscar Gamble's airbrushed baseball card and required haircut - click on   Oscar Gamble's Haircut

Back then, I would get a Yankee Yearbook at the local drugstore and read it again and again. It was a big moment getting the green light to pick out a game to go see the Yankees in person. At the time, I was playing Little League on the White Sox sponsored by Ted’s Appliances, so picking the White Sox as an opponent seemed like the logical choice. 

1976 Piscataway Little League player photo (Gaslight still bats with his eyes closed for the Flemington Neshanock)

It is amusing now to see how tickets were obtained and their cost. Only $22.00 for a family of four for the best seats, but don’t forget the 25 cents to cover postage and handling (see scribbled notes in photo). 

A check was put into the mail, since a Ticketron or remote ticket office like Grand Central Station wasn't nearby. The wait was rewarded when the Postman delivered an envelope containing 4 bright yellow tickets. The big day came with a car ride over the George Washington Bridge, looking for parking among a crowd of 53,629 and getting one of those big pretzels out of a shopping cart outside the stadium from an “unofficial” vendor. There were other games with my family with bright red or purple tickets ordered through the mail, but the excitement of waiting for those first tickets and then sitting in the Stadium for the first time was pure joy.

Epilogue: 1976 was not only special for that first game, but also because of the postseason. At that time, the intro of ABC’s Wide World of Sports touted “the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat”. The “thrill” was the home run by Chris Chambliss to win the pennant and the “agony” was realizing the Yankees were no match for the Big Red Machine in the World Series. To compound the “agony”, my family planned an outing to Great Adventure during the 1st game of the World Series. So instead of watching the game on TV, I had an RCA transistor radio glued to the side of my head for the day. I had to be the only kid in the amusement park without a smile.

A Kid on a Road Trip

 Paul Cincotta

There’s a lot of background before I get to the game I’ve never forgotten, even though I remember only three plays. On June 26, 1976, the day after 4th grade let out, our family moved from North Merrick on Long Island to the Pines Tuckerton, NJ. I went from New York to Philadelphia, and yes, there is a big difference between the two fan bases.  Baseball tryouts were in March 1977, and I was eager for the day. However, there was a family outing that day at my Aunt’s in New Hyde Park (no one in my family remembers the reason) and regardless of my pleading, my father insisted we all go.   As a result, I missed tryouts and the 1977 baseball season.

Paul at 12

My father was a salesman, and taking trips with him was fantastic.  Why? During these trips to Long Island or Ardsley, NY, where my uncle lived meant I visited my uncle or Grandmother and was treated to food that any 10-year-old would love. To get to Long Island, for about 40 miles you had to take Route 9 (not the Parkway), and my father knew every McDonalds, in a 100-mile radius.   Our nearest McDonalds from home was over 25 miles away, so this was a rare treat. Not to mention, Route 9 must have had 10 Carvels on the way and another treat was White Castle and their little hamburgers that must have cost like 19 cents.  My father was the spender in the family, and so eating out on these trips (which was deductible) was something I looked forward to. 

Taking Part in the Pitch, Hit and Run Competition

So, on June 24, 1977, I was with my father on a trip, and when it ended, we stayed at my Aunt’s house, where my grandmother also lived.   The same Aunt whose visit cost me my baseball season. For the only time I can remember, my father already had tickets for that night’s Yankee game vs the Red Sox. It was late June, and it was hot, and the stadium was packed. Those tickets were $1.50 for the bleachers, but who cares, it was Yankees/Red Sox. We had the bleacher seats in Right Field.

This is the schedule from the 1977 Yankee Yearbook. Notice I followed the games in the schedule and had the June 24  game marked as a “W”.   And how about box seats for $6.00

Although we were in the Bleachers, I guess our seats could have been worse as this advertisement picture from the 1977 Yankee Yearbook shows,

This was without a doubt the most memorable game I had ever attended until going to some World Series games in the late 90s. The Yankees trailed 5-3 with two outs in the 9th inning.  Willie Randolph was up and hit a ball to left field a little more than medium depth and sort of in the alley. Carl Yastrzemski was the left fielder, and it was the last out if Yastrzemski could make a running catch.   But this was not Fenway Park, where this ball may have hit the monster, and Yastrzemski overran the ball. Randolph was on third with a standup triple. Next up was Roy White. The pigeon-toed stance of his as a left-hander was ideal for the short porch in right. Sure enough, a dramatic game-tying homer by White, of which I could not tell if it was fair or foul except by the fan’s reaction, tied the game at 5. The game went extra innings, and a man who did not start the game but came up in the 11th (Reggie Jackson) hit another deep fly to right with a runner on 2nd (Nettles).   At  Yankee Stadium, if you were in the bleachers, you could not tell where a ball would land if it hit in the corner. But it didn’t matter, the ball bounced off the wall and Nettles scored easily for a 6-5 win. 

It was a great game and a win for the Yankees. They went on to win the World Series that year for the first time since 1962. So when asked if I would write a story about a memorable game, I knew this was the game I would write about.  The three hits I remember. I knew it was in June or July 1977, but the score I had to look up. But what made this truly memorable, I did not realize till now, 48 years later. My father was a depression era man. It hit me that this was my dad’s way of saying I am sorry you missed your baseball season without coming out and saying I am sorry.  I went to other games with my family, but this was the only time I took a trip with my father on his sales runs that we ever went to a game. And it happened to be that year 1977. When I realized that, it made writing about this memorable game even more special because I learned about something I never thought of or even considered from 48 years ago.