"Go we to the Village"

While it's generally not a good idea for an historian to express an opinion without backup data, I'll risk it this time in saying that vintage base ball has grown considerably since 2010 when I first became involved with the Neshanock.  Not only are there more players and teams, there are far more events and tournaments throughout the country.  Almost every week during the summer, social media brings word of an upcoming event with multiple teams including some like the Gettysburg festival that attract teams from far and wide.  These events break down into two categories - festivals and tournaments, the difference being that tournaments produce a champion while festivals do not.  It's probably fair to say that festivals are more popular probably because they are easier for the sponsors to run, allow participants to better plan their travel and, perhaps most important of all, avoid the hard feelings that competition for a championship can produce.  

Dave "Illinois" Harris strikes well against Live Oak (the gazebo is out of play)

Even so, there's something to be said for championship competition like the Neshanock experienced this past weekend at Genesee Country Village and Museum in Mumford, New York about 20 miles south of Rochester (and a long way from New Jersey).   Five local teams call GCV&M home and each August they take on teams from across the United States (and Canada) in the National Silver Ball tournament.  One of the challenges of hosting a tournament is figuring out an appropriate format that allows the visiting teams to play enough games to justify the trip and plan their travel.  GCV&M's solution to the problem is a structure similar to that used in the World Cup Soccer tournament.  Rather than use a single or double elimination approach with the defeated teams going into a loser's bracket, each team in the Silver Ball tournament plays four games with the two teams with the best record advancing to the championship game.  Needless to say tie-breakers are necessary and for this year's version they were head-to-head competition, runs allowed and then a coin toss.  

Unless otherwise noted all pictures are by Mark "Gaslight" Granieri

After long car rides on Friday from New Jersey and Pennsylvania, the Neshanock settled in for their fifth visit to GCV&M since 2010.   In 2010, a Flemington team that had only won seven games all season, got hot and made it to the championship game before losing to the Cleveland Blues.  Two years later, with it's strongest team ever at the tournament, the Neshanock made the championship game by handing Cleveland it's first loss at GCV&M.  Ironically the championship game was rained out (ironic because it was Flemington's only rainout of the season) and the Neshanock shared the title with Talbot Fair Play Club from Maryland.  On their next two visits, Flemington didn't make the final game, but still enjoyed playing at one of the nicest venues in vintage base ball.  Base ball at GCV&M is played by 1868 rules, the biggest difference being the requirement for fair balls to be caught on the fly, something the Neshanock are very used to.  The ground rules adopted for the festival, however, are quite different for Flemington, especially no sliding or  stealing and lead limits of one-two steps.  

Jeff "Duke" Schneider pushing the lead restriction

Saturday morning, bright and early (well at least early), the Neshanock were on the field at the Grand Meadow for a 9:00 match with the Live Oak Club, the first of four contests with village teams.  Flemington held the home team to just one run over the first three innings, but was unable tally in its own turns at the striker's line.  Live Oak put four runs across in their half of the fourth and led 5-0 going to the bottom of the fifth when the Neshanock tallied three times.  The rally cut the gap to two, but Live Oak immediately responded with four runs in the top of the sixth, for a six run lead.  The Neshanock weren't done, however, scoring twice in the bottom of the inning and adding one in the seventh to make it a 9 to 6 game headed to the eighth.  However, the home team also wasn't done, scoring twice in the top of the eighth for an 11-6 lead as the Neshanock came to the line for the last time.  Although Flemington scored one run and had runners on with two out, it was not to be and Live Oak finished off a well earned 11-7 win.  Offensively, the Neshanock were led by Tom "Thumbs" Hoepfner and Chris "Low Ball" Lowry with three hits apiece while Jeff "Duke" Schneider and Dan "Lefty" Gallagher had two each.  

Neshanock bench before the Spring Creek game - note the corn in the background

With the first game complete, the Neshanock took a two hour break before a 1:00 match against the Spring Creek Club, the first time Flemington has played this local team.  The match took place in the Silver Park, the first replica 19th century ball park ever built in the United States which just celebrated its 20th anniversary.  Flemington took an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second, but aided by some Neshanock muffs, Spring Creek rallied for three and led 3-1 going to the bottom of the third.  However, Flemington put on its own rally in the bottom of the inning, using four straight hits to tally four times and a 5-3 lead.  Spring Creek got one back in its half of the fourth and could have had a lot more, but for Dave "Illinois" Harris' two stellar catches of long throws from Chris "Side Show" Nunn and Gregg "Burner" Wiseburn.  Inspired by its resurgent defense, Flemington tallied twice in the fourth and fifth innings and led 9-7 headed to the top of the ninth.  

Danny "Lefty" Gallagher at the striker's line while Dan "Sledge" Hammer (right) and Tom "Thumbs" Hoepfner wait their turn

No one was comfortable on the Neshanock bench and the stress level increased dramatically when the first Spring Creek striker singled.  As noted earlier, games at GCV&M are played under unusual ground rules including limiting leads off a base.  That rule now haunted the local team when the second batter hit a fly ball to "Side Show" in center field who briefly bobbled the ball, presenting the runner with a difficult choice.  If the ball hit the ground, he would be easily forced out at second, but if he tried to advance, he risked being doubled off first, if "Side Show" held the ball as indeed he did.  Unfortunately for the home team, the runner chose incorrectly and was doubled off by "Side Show's" throw and another fine catch by "Illinois."  With two out and none on, things were looking brighter, but the next two Spring Creek strikers singled putting the tying runs on base.  The next striker hit a hard single to left field where the limited lead rule again bit the local team since "Lefty" had plenty of time to fire a bullet throw to "Burner" at third for the final out.  It was the Neshanock's best win thus far in the 2021 season.  "Thumbs" again led the Neshanock offense with three hits, losing a clear score in his last at bat.  "Side Show," Lefty" and Dan "Sledge" Hammer had two apiece and every Neshanock striker had at least one hit.   

Brad "Brooklyn" Shaw pitching against Spring Creek at the Silver Ball Park

Having played two hard fought games, one might have thought the Neshanock were done for the day, but the Silver Ball tournament gives clubs the rare opportunity to play three games in one day.  If nothing else that gave the Neshanock a chance to experience something that has happened only three times in major league history - playing in a tripleheader.  Just getting to the third game required some effort as the scene shifted back to the Great Meadow for a match with the Victory Base Ball Club.  After the Victory Club tallied once in their first at bat, Flemington struck not only quickly, but well, tallying five times and then adding four more in the the second for a commanding 9-1 lead.  Strong Flemington defense shut out the local team the rest of the way and the Neshanock broke the game open in the bottom of the sixth with an eight run inning.  The final count was 23-1, an offensive outburst that saw "Sideshow," "Lefty" and "Burner" record five hits apiece.  Not far behind were "Sledge" and "Low Ball" with four each while "Duke" and "Thumbs" (once again) had three each.  Flemington again took advantage of the short lead rule with both "Lefty" and "Duke" recording assists from the outfield.

Flemington's best game of the 2021 season

With day one and three games in the books, Flemington was 2-1 and in good position in the tie breaker category having allowed only 19 runs thus far.  It wasn't, however, until the Neshanock arrived at the Great Meadow on Sunday morning (once again bright and early) that we realized that the winner of our match with the undefeated Flower City was headed for the championship game.  Thus inspired, the Neshanock struck quickly, parleying six straight hits into four runs and then set the local team down without a tally in the bottom of the first.  When Flemington added another run in the top of the second, things were looking good, but the bubble burst quickly when Flower City added by some untimely Neshanock muffs (there is never a timely muff) tallied six times to take a lead they would not relinquish.  

Neshanock team picture by Doreen (Mrs. Illinois) Harris

Flemington had one rally left, scoring four times in the fifth to come within one run, but Flower City more than answered with six in their half of the inning for a 16-9 lead as they coasted to a 25-10 win.  The game anticipated the championship game where Cleveland led Flower City 9-0 going to the bottom of the fourth before the local team erupted for 15 runs on the way to a 23-13 win.   "Side Show" and "Lefty" each had four hits, but even more impressively both recorded clear scores, the only ones the Neshanock had in the tournament.  "Thumbs" again contributed three hits while "Illinois" and "Gaslight" had two apiece. "Gaslight," as usual, distinguished himself behind the plate (and with his camera), catching almost every inning of the four games.  Brad "Brooklyn" Shaw took on a major share of the pitching duties and, as at Gettysburg, it was a pleasure to have him back with us.  A special word of thanks and appreciation also to all of our family members who made the long trip to cheer on the Neshanock. Genesee Country Village is one of the best vintage base ball venues in the country and the Neshanock were privileged to once again be part of this fine event. We hope to return in the future.