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Bay City Independents make strong showing at Greenfield Village

2009 World Tournament Match Scores for Bay City

Bay City Independents make strong showing at Greenfield Village

The Bay City Independents finished among the finest at the 1867 World’s Tournament of Base Ball, played at Greenfield Village in Dearborn. The Independents lost in the championship game of the Reserve Division at the end of a five-game weekend.

The local vintage baseball team defeated the Indianapolis Blues 3-2 in the semifinal before getting outslugged 22-16 by the Forest City Base Ball Club of Cleveland.

Following is a recap of the event, courtesy of the Independents.

In a two day combination of torrential downpours, and exhausting heat the Bay City Independents Base Ball Club played five matches in the 7th annual re-enactment of the 1867 World’s Tournament of Base Ball played at Greenfield Village in Dearborn, Michigan. On a Saturday morning the Bay City gents were outlasted by a score of 7-4 in the pouring rain by the Capital Base Ball Club of Columbus, Ohio. The loss sent Bay City to the Reserve Championship Division of the tournament.

Due to the inclement weather the tournament was suspended following Bay Citys match on Saturday, and play would commence in the 90 plus degree heat on Sunday. Bay City would have three successive victories to send them into the Reserve Championship Match against the Forest City Base Ball Club of Cleveland, Ohio. The Championship match would be Bay City’s fourth game in only five hours, and would be their second of back to back matches on the day. The combination of fatigue, heat exhaustion, and the power of the Forest City Club would eventually overtake the Bay Citys in a nine inning affair that ended at 22-16 in favor of the Cleveland gents.

Some players of note for Bay City in the tournament would be Alan “Kid” Garcia who went 7 for 11, had 3 doubles two in the Championship match, and scored 5 runs. Jason “Buttons” McInerney was also 7-11 with 1 double, 1 stolen base, and 5 runs scored. Brian “Butterfly” Beceril was 11-12 with 1 double, 2 stolen bases, and 3 runs scored. Beceril would be the star of the Reserve Championship Semi-final against the Indianapolis Blues, when in the bottom of the ninth he drove in the game tying run, stole third base, and then scored the game winning run on a walk off single by Brian “Hooks” Freehling.

Bay City will be hosting their final vintage base ball match at Carroll Park on Saturday, August 22nd at 2pm against the Regular Base Ball Club of Mt. Clemens, Michigan.

rope-worldtourney

Branden “The Rope” Revette and the Bay City Independents finished as the Reserve Division runners-up at the 1867 World’s Tournament of Base Ball at Greenfield Village.

World Tournament Match Scores for Bay City

Saturday, August 8th

Columbus Capitals 7, Bay City 4

Sunday, August 9th

Bay City 12, Walker Wheels 1
Bay City 6, Unknowns of Jackson, Michigan 2
Reserve Championship Semi-Final
Bay City 3, Indianapolis Blues 2
Reserve Championship Match
Forest City Base Ball Club of Cleveland, Ohio 22, Bay City 16

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