At about 10:00 on Saturday morning, the outlook wasn't brilliant, not just for the respective nines, but more importantly for even playing baseball at New Bridge Landing. Not only was a steady rain falling, there were no fans in sight and the field could be difficult to play on even if the rain stopped. As I wrote last time, however, just showing up is an important part of recreating nineteenth-century baseball and once again this proved to be the case. Not only did the rain stop, the sun shone and there were plenty of spectators to watch two well-played games on a dry field. As usual, the opposition was the Enterprise Club of River Edge, a local team that plays nineteenth-century baseball so well they deserve full membership in the New Jersey vintage baseball community. Led by Bob "Riverboat" Smith who has become a valued member of the Neshanock, the Enterprise will also play the Neshanock on August 18 in Greenwood Lake.
With a dramatically changed outlook for baseball, the first of two seven-inning games got underway with the Neshanock again losing the coin toss and going to the striker's line. No tallies were recorded and the Enterprise Club struck quickly in their half, scoring twice for a 2-0 lead. Scott "Snuffy" Hengst doubled to lead off the second and eventually scored cutting the margin in half. Flemington tied the game in the top of the fourth on another titanic home run from Danny "Lefty" Gallagher. Thomas "Hawk" Prioli followed with a double and scored on Jim "Jersey" Nunn's single to put Flemington ahead 3-2. However, the local team quickly tied the score in the bottom of the inning and the game was 3-3 going to the bottom of the sixth.
With two out and a runner on first, the Enterprise striker hit an opposite-field home run giving the local team a two-run lead. The River Edge team retired the Neshanock in order in the seventh to close out a 5-3 win. It was a well-played game with solid defense on both sides. "Hawk" had two hits for Flemington and did his usual efficient job at short. "Lefty" added some fine sliding catches of outfield bound outs to his second-inning home run. "Jersey" acquitted himself well at second base, not his usual position, handling numerous force outs flawlessly. The Neshanock are grateful to "Goldie" and "Wheels" of the Enterprise Club who filled in for some of our missing players. Although only a seven-inning game, the contest took just 53 minutes, one of the quicker games in Neshanock history. Thanks also to Jeff "Duke" Schneider, one of the many injured Neshanock, who nevertheless made the trip to support his teammates. We look forward to his return next month.
Not wanting to tempt any possible return of the rain, the two teams quickly started the second game with Flemington in the field. After retiring the local team without a tally, the Neshanock took a quick 1-0 lead on "Lefty's" second home run of the day. The Enterprise tied the game in the top of the second, but, on a day when runs were hard to come by, the Neshanock recorded the biggest inning of the two games in the bottom of the third. After Chris "Sideshow" Nunn singled, "Lefty" hit one nowhere near as far as either of his two home runs. The ball landed about 20 feet from the home plate, but it was so well placed he reached first safely. It wasn't a line drive, even in the scorebook, but it was no less effective, all the same. That set the stage for "Hawk" to deliver a prodigious blast of his own, sending three runs across the plate. This marks the second time "Lefty" and "Hawk" have homered in the same game.
Andrew "Sun Dial" Moschella at the striker's line under the watchful eye of Sam Bernstein
Over the next few innings, the River Edge team tallied twice while Flemington added one run for a 5-3 lead heading to the top of the seventh. The Enterprise put their first two strikers on base, but "Sideshow" caught a fly ball in left and Mark "Gaslight" Granieri retired another batter on a bound out. Unfortunately, the bound out moved the tying runs into scoring position. The next striker hit one towards third which "Hawk" grabbed to give Flemington a well-earned 5-3 triumph. "Sideshow" had three hits while "Gaslight" and "Lefty" each had two. Thanks to "T-Bone" and "Wheels" of the Enterprise Club who played for Flemington. "Wheels" made a key defensive contribution throwing a runner out at home. Special recognition is also due to Andrew "Sun Dial" Moschella for his strong pitching performance in his initial start. Once again, the game moved along very quickly, just a minute longer than the first contest.
Like Ringwood Manor and Howell Living History Farm, the "field" at New Bridge Landing is far from ideal for baseball. Had Abner Doubleday invented baseball, he would have been appalled by the ground rules required to play games at these venues. But even though these fields aren't ideal, they are still perfect because the host organization provides the one thing the Neshanock can't bring to a game - spectators. And fans aren't just a pleasant extra, they are essential for demonstrating how baseball was played in the early 1860s. It's no accident that the Neshsanock has wonderful partners like these three organizations and so many others. Almost 25 years ago when Brad "Brooklyn" Shaw founded the modern version of the Neshanock, he decided the team would play events rather than have a home field. It has proven to be one of his many wise if not splendiferous decisions.
Obviously, both the Neshanock and the host organization benefit from these games. But I think the spectators get something more than a baseball history lesson. As baseball spread after the Civil War, it almost became a requirement for every community to have a team that regularly played teams from nearby towns. This tradition or habit was a part of weekend community life that lasted until the 1950s if not later. Sadly, weekend games between local teams are part of the baseball world that we have lost. Games like those on Saturday recreate not only how baseball was played in the 1860s, but also an experience that was part of everyday life for 75 years or more. I've been doing this for quite some time, but I've never once heard a spectator say they didn't enjoy themselves, suggesting the need for that experience still exists. And to meet that need, the Neshanock, New Bridge Landing and all our other partner organizations are perfect together!
Great article John and the Bergen County Historical Society at Historic New Bridge Landing look forward to our annual game. Have a great season and see you next July!
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