There is no shortage of memorable lamentations about the end of the baseball season. Speaking for the players, Hall of Famer Rogers Hornsby, when asked how he spent the offseason, said "I stare out the window and wait for spring." Equally melancholy was commissioner Bart Giamatti's claim that the season's end "breaks your heart." Noble sentiments, but not ones I share, if for no other reason because of the concern that year-round baseball might lead us to take it for granted. There is also something to be said for a time to reflect on and evaluate the past season, especially what was learned along the way. And make no mistake, no matter how many years we do this, there's always something to be learned.
How do we evaluate a vintage baseball season? Obviously the won-lost record matters, otherwise there's no reason to keep score. By that measure, the Neshanock's 15-9 record marked another successful season and was, interestingly enough, a repeat of the 2021 record. This was the seventh straight season Flemington finished with a winning record, thanks in large part to another Neshanock trend, a strong second half of the season. Over the past five seasons, the Neshanock's record after the Gettysburg event, the third weekend in July, is 35-14, a very impressive .714 winning percentage. As was the case in the 1860s, the period the Neshanock recreate, there are no pennant races or championships, but playing well can be its own reward.
As grateful as I am for another winning season that's not what I'll remember most about 2022. What stands out are the highest participation levels in some time. That's not to say there weren't some rough spots, particularly on overnight trips, but the important thing is to learn from those experiences when planning future schedules. Far more important were the large turnouts for almost every other game to the point that at Delanco in mid-September, there were almost enough players to field two teams. Ironically, given the problems with other overnight trips, the high point was Gettysburg where we had 15-16 players over the two day event. That's especially noteworthy since the trip requires a commitment, not just of time, but money.
Like all good things, high turnouts come with a challenge, in this case, arranging the batting order and fielding rotation. Setting up the batting order isn't always easy, but it pales in comparison to figuring out how to divide nine innings in the field among 16 players. At Gettysburg, I was so wrapped up in the process, I didn't realize, until Brad "Brooklyn" Shaw pointed it out to me, how much everyone enjoyed the event. It was a reminder of what seemed to be a major theme of the 2022 season - the importance of having fun which may be easier to feel than define. I think it's a combination of showing others how early baseball was played, playing well and, perhaps most importantly, doing so with those who share the same values. Whatever the definition, it doesn't just happen so a similar experience in 2023 will once again require a team effort.
Reflecting on the 2022 season leads to not just the need, but the desire to thank all those who made it possible beginning with our opponents. One realization that comes quickly when working on the schedule, is that finding opponents isn't as easy as it might seem. So thanks to the teams who took the field with the Neshanock in 2022 especially the other four New Jersey vintage clubs - the Elizabeth Resolutes, the Hoboken Nine, Monmouth Furnance and the Liberty Club. We hope to see you on the field again in 2023. Baseball games also need umpires and we were once again fortunate to have Sam "It ain't nothing till I say" Bernstein work a number of our games. Thanks also to the players who filled in when we had no alternative but to self-umpire. It's not ideal, but sometimes necessary and fortunately no problems developed.
The Neshanock community also has plenty of members who make contributions off the field. Of special note in 2022 were Kelly Prioli and Lauren Marchese Nunn. At the first game, Kelly asked me if it was all right if she started a Neshanock Instagram page which I figured couldn't hurt. Never did it occur to me that the page would attract 9500 followers and that some of Kelly's videos would generate millions of views. Lauren once again provided depth at the photographer's position especially updated portraits of Neshanock players on our web site. Special congratulations to Lauren and husband, Chris "Sideshow" Nunn on the arrival of Chelsea Lauren, the newest member of the Neshanock family. Lastly thanks to all of the Neshanock spouses, girl friends, siblings, parents and significant others for your support. Above all we deeply appreciate your willingness to allow us to spend time playing the game we love. Let us hope we are all together again in 2023 for another fun-filled season.
No comments:
Post a Comment