Season's End

The Neshanock rang down the curtain on the 2018 vintage base ball season on Sunday by splitting two matches with the Diamond State Club of Delaware, dropping the first match, 16-3, but then coming from behind in the second for a 13-10 triumph. Neither I nor official blog photographer, Mark "Gaslight" Granieri were present thus the absence of both photos and any detailed account of the matches.  Flemington, therefore, closes the season with a 18-9 mark, the team's fourth consecutive winning season.  The biggest difference between this season and any of my eight prior seasons as Neshanock score keeper is the relatively small number of games played.  The 27 matches played in 2018 is significantly less than the 42 played in 2017, a decline of just over 40%.  Typically Flemington plays about 40 matches a season so this is the fewest number played in some time and it could have been worse.  A review of the matches that were played indicated that 11, close to 50% were played in less than ideal conditions with the cold and rain at Long Valley actually worse than some of the games that were cancelled.  Things were especially bad in August when the Neshanock were only able to play on one weekend - fortunately that was the Philadelphia Navy Yard Classic so that Flemington was able to get four games in.

Season's end also means it's time to thank those who made another season of vintage base ball possible beginning with team founder and president Brad "Brooklyn" Shaw.  From scheduling matches to chasing down 20 or so players every week by social media, it takes a lot of work to make things happen from early April through mid October.   That "Brooklyn's" been doing this since 2001 provides all the evidence needed of his commitment to recreating the game the way it was played back in the 19th century.  Thanks also to everyone who played for the Neshanock at least once during 2018 - there have been a number of additions to the roster over the past few years giving the team a good blend of youth and experience.  A special thank you to "Gaslight" for resuming his official blog photographer position in July since without question the pictures that supplement game accounts had fallen off in his absence.

Photo by Mark Granieri 

It's also important to remember two groups without whom no matches would ever take place - opponents and umpires.  Whether it's renewing old rivalries and friendships or meeting and competing with new friends, vintage base ball is at its best when its competitive, but also with the highest standards of sportsmanship.  Umpires also play a vital role so thanks to all those who officiated at Neshanock matches, especially Sam "It ain't nothing' till I say" Bernstein, our "regular" umpire who objectively calls them as he sees them, but always with a sense of humor.  Finally, but certainly not least are the spouses, partners, significant others, parents and children who support the Neshanock in so many different ways particularly tolerating the time commitment almost every week for seven months.  The reality is that being part of the Neshanock means more than being on a team, it also means being part of a community.  All the cancellations in 2018 should remind us how much vintage base ball means to us and what we miss when it's not there.  Let's hope for better weather in five months time when once again the Neshanock take the field for another season of this great game.