Bay City visits Ludington
Saturday, September, 15, 2007 | vs. Ludington
Bay City 13, Ludington 2
Timber!!
Historic White Pine Village, Ludington, MI – After braving the elements in their Conestoga carriages, the Independents of Bay City took to the ball grounds in Ludington braced for a fine match game. The Mariners of Ludington are well known for being one of vintage base ball’s earliest clubs, and also being a fine bunch of gentlemen. The Bay City nine knew their time in these wilds would be well spent in learning the different style of ball that is played by our left siders of the state. The match began in true Ludington fashion, not with a coin toss, but a bat toss, very apropos for a town known for its fine lumber history. The Mariners captain would best the Bay City gents in this contest, and chose to take the field first. This maneuver puzzled the Bay City nine, and they quickly took to striking. Branden “The Rope” Revette would take the first cuts, and he dispatched the sphere with rapid recoil, and drove the ball to the long field for a double. The next striker would lose his hand, but “Doc” Garcia, the Independents first sacker, would send another ball into left field, and he too would make his second while Revette would tally the first run of the match. “Buttons” McInerney would then move Garcia over to third with a fine safety of his own, but the Bay Citys would not score another tally as the next two strikers would lose their hands in order. The Bay City defense, led by the pitching of Twinkle-Toes Brissette, would quickly dispatch the Mariner strikers, and the first innings would conclude with Bay City leading 1-0.
The Mariners would whitewash the Bay Citys in the second innings, and further calamity would strike the Independents in the Mariners second chance at the mark. After easily retiring the Ludington strikers in the first innings Mr. Brissette of the home town nine took to the stripe again and was determined to repeat his previous efforts. His hopes however would be dashed as the first striker in the innings popped a ball down the line towards third base that Brissette sprung after like a cat. This cat would not land feet first however, when in an effort to avoid a collision with Revette, who was tending third, Brissette’s twinkle-toes would catch the soil and send him plummeting to the ground with all of the force of a fallen white pine. The right arm of Brissette would bear the brunt of the collision, and though it is hard to say which of the two, Brissette or the earth, took the worst of the blow it would be enough to drive the pitcher from the contest. The Bay City captain, “High Steppin” Johnson would come on to close out the innings without allowing the Mariners to tally. At the end of two innings the score still stood at 1-0 Bay City.
After seeing their pitcher go down the Bay Citys mustered their efforts and took to striking again. Brissette’s battery mate, Hooks Freehling, would start the festivities when he reached his first on an infield hit. Freehling then made his way to third on a wild throw from the Mariner defenders. The next striker would lose his hand on a drive to the pitcher. Freehling would come home to score when the following striker, Scott “Umpy” Umphrey would drop a hit in front of the catcher that he promptly threw to first to take yet another hand from the Bay City strikers. Revette would then lose the third hand of the innings when the third base man for Ludington made a fine play on his infield smash. The innings would close with no further scoring from either side and at the close of three innings the ledger now read 2-0 for Bay City.
In the fourth innings the Independents would take up the willow yet again, and two consecutive drives to the long field by Buttons McInerney, who would reach his third on his blow, and Doc Garcia, who would achieve the same, would allow the Bay Citys to tally twice in the innings. McInerney would of course score after Garcia’s strike, and then Garcia would score on a clean daisy-cutter by “Double D” Dinauer, who played the short stop for Bay City on this day. There would be no more scoring in this innings for Bay City, and the fine pitching of “Irish” O’Laughlin of the Independents would hinder the striking efforts of Ludington again. The tally now read Bay City 4 and Ludington 0.
The scoring efforts of Bay City would continue in the fifth innings when three consecutive strikers, Ray “The Banker” Banister, “Hooks” Freehling, and Ron “Irish” O’Laughlin reached their first on finely placed balls to the long field. Banister would score be brought to tally on yet another well placed ground ball by “Umpy” Umphrey. Umphrey’s hand would be lost on the play however. The next striker, Rope Revette drove a deep ball that was corralled on the bound by the left fielder, and although his hand was also lost, Freehling would come home to score. The next hand would also be lost to a bound ball by the long fielders of Ludington, and the score would now stand at 6-0. No Mariners would reach base against Bay City in the fifth innings, so the score remained unchanged.
“Doc” Garcia would lead the Bay City charge in the sixth innings and reach his first on a daisy cutter to left field. The next striker would be “Buttons” McInerney who was yet to be retired by the Mariners. This turn would be no exception. McInerney let loose a blast with the whip of the willow that deposited the apple into the right portion of the long field. The Mariner out fielders scrambled in vain to find the ball, but it was no use and “Buttons” had scored his second home run of the season, and of course Garcia would also tally ahead of him. After yet another white-washing of the Mariners the score was now 8-0 in favor of the Independents.
In the seventh innings the Independents would tally again after the captain, “High Steppin” Johnson, dropped a fair foul in front of home plate that allowed him to make his first. The next striker in the order, “Banker” Banister crushed the onion into the long field and easily made his second. Johnson would tally when “Hooks” Freehling bounded out to the left fielder, and Banister would move to third. Banister would score on a well placed single by “Irish” O’Laughlin, who would make his first again on the day. There would be no further scoring on the part of Bay City in the seventh innings, but the Mariners would tally twice behind Shaw and Cooney and draw the contest closer. The score was now 10-2 for Bay City.
“Kid” Garcia, the left fielder of Bay City, would start the eight innings off with a fine smash to the long field. The next hand in the order would be lost to a sky ball to the right fielder. “Buttons” McInerney would then come to strike, and he would drive another howitzer to the center field. What would transpire next would have driven a juggler or contortionist to a defeatist position, as the Mariner center fielder turned his back to the home plate, and ran down the fly ball juggling it repeatedly. After nearly a dozen bobbles and one bound the long fielder captured the ball to record the out, but due to the juggling nature of the play, Kid Garcia was driven home to score. Double D Dinauer and “Sawmill” Koch would then each reach their firsts on well placed drives through the infield. They would each tally on a blast to the long field by “Shoeless Jeff” Dinauer, the Bay City second sacker. That would conclude the scoring on the day, as the Mariners would be skunked in each of the following innings. The final score would find Bay City 13 and Ludington 2. Though the contest would be won by Bay City, many new friends would be made by all.
Ballists H.L. Runs
Revette 3rd 2 1
Garcia K. lf 3 1
Garcia D. 1st 1 2
McInerney cf 1 2
Dinauer D. ss 2 1
Koch 2 1
Dinauer J. 2nd 3 1
Johnson c 3 1
Banister rf 2 2
Freehling c 2 2
O’Laughlin p 2 0
Umphrey rf 4 0
Total 27 13
Timber!!
Historic White Pine Village, Ludington, MI – After braving the elements in their Conestoga carriages, the Independents of Bay City took to the ball grounds in Ludington braced for a fine match game. The Mariners of Ludington are well known for being one of vintage base ball’s earliest clubs, and also being a fine bunch of gentlemen. The Bay City nine knew their time in these wilds would be well spent in learning the different style of ball that is played by our left siders of the state. The match began in true Ludington fashion, not with a coin toss, but a bat toss, very apropos for a town known for its fine lumber history. The Mariners captain would best the Bay City gents in this contest, and chose to take the field first. This maneuver puzzled the Bay City nine, and they quickly took to striking. Branden “The Rope” Revette would take the first cuts, and he dispatched the sphere with rapid recoil, and drove the ball to the long field for a double. The next striker would lose his hand, but “Doc” Garcia, the Independents first sacker, would send another ball into left field, and he too would make his second while Revette would tally the first run of the match. “Buttons” McInerney would then move Garcia over to third with a fine safety of his own, but the Bay Citys would not score another tally as the next two strikers would lose their hands in order. The Bay City defense, led by the pitching of Twinkle-Toes Brissette, would quickly dispatch the Mariner strikers, and the first innings would conclude with Bay City leading 1-0.
The Mariners would whitewash the Bay Citys in the second innings, and further calamity would strike the Independents in the Mariners second chance at the mark. After easily retiring the Ludington strikers in the first innings Mr. Brissette of the home town nine took to the stripe again and was determined to repeat his previous efforts. His hopes however would be dashed as the first striker in the innings popped a ball down the line towards third base that Brissette sprung after like a cat. This cat would not land feet first however, when in an effort to avoid a collision with Revette, who was tending third, Brissette’s twinkle-toes would catch the soil and send him plummeting to the ground with all of the force of a fallen white pine. The right arm of Brissette would bear the brunt of the collision, and though it is hard to say which of the two, Brissette or the earth, took the worst of the blow it would be enough to drive the pitcher from the contest. The Bay City captain, “High Steppin” Johnson would come on to close out the innings without allowing the Mariners to tally. At the end of two innings the score still stood at 1-0 Bay City.
After seeing their pitcher go down the Bay Citys mustered their efforts and took to striking again. Brissette’s battery mate, Hooks Freehling, would start the festivities when he reached his first on an infield hit. Freehling then made his way to third on a wild throw from the Mariner defenders. The next striker would lose his hand on a drive to the pitcher. Freehling would come home to score when the following striker, Scott “Umpy” Umphrey would drop a hit in front of the catcher that he promptly threw to first to take yet another hand from the Bay City strikers. Revette would then lose the third hand of the innings when the third base man for Ludington made a fine play on his infield smash. The innings would close with no further scoring from either side and at the close of three innings the ledger now read 2-0 for Bay City.
In the fourth innings the Independents would take up the willow yet again, and two consecutive drives to the long field by Buttons McInerney, who would reach his third on his blow, and Doc Garcia, who would achieve the same, would allow the Bay Citys to tally twice in the innings. McInerney would of course score after Garcia’s strike, and then Garcia would score on a clean daisy-cutter by “Double D” Dinauer, who played the short stop for Bay City on this day. There would be no more scoring in this innings for Bay City, and the fine pitching of “Irish” O’Laughlin of the Independents would hinder the striking efforts of Ludington again. The tally now read Bay City 4 and Ludington 0.
The scoring efforts of Bay City would continue in the fifth innings when three consecutive strikers, Ray “The Banker” Banister, “Hooks” Freehling, and Ron “Irish” O’Laughlin reached their first on finely placed balls to the long field. Banister would score be brought to tally on yet another well placed ground ball by “Umpy” Umphrey. Umphrey’s hand would be lost on the play however. The next striker, Rope Revette drove a deep ball that was corralled on the bound by the left fielder, and although his hand was also lost, Freehling would come home to score. The next hand would also be lost to a bound ball by the long fielders of Ludington, and the score would now stand at 6-0. No Mariners would reach base against Bay City in the fifth innings, so the score remained unchanged.
“Doc” Garcia would lead the Bay City charge in the sixth innings and reach his first on a daisy cutter to left field. The next striker would be “Buttons” McInerney who was yet to be retired by the Mariners. This turn would be no exception. McInerney let loose a blast with the whip of the willow that deposited the apple into the right portion of the long field. The Mariner out fielders scrambled in vain to find the ball, but it was no use and “Buttons” had scored his second home run of the season, and of course Garcia would also tally ahead of him. After yet another white-washing of the Mariners the score was now 8-0 in favor of the Independents.
In the seventh innings the Independents would tally again after the captain, “High Steppin” Johnson, dropped a fair foul in front of home plate that allowed him to make his first. The next striker in the order, “Banker” Banister crushed the onion into the long field and easily made his second. Johnson would tally when “Hooks” Freehling bounded out to the left fielder, and Banister would move to third. Banister would score on a well placed single by “Irish” O’Laughlin, who would make his first again on the day. There would be no further scoring on the part of Bay City in the seventh innings, but the Mariners would tally twice behind Shaw and Cooney and draw the contest closer. The score was now 10-2 for Bay City.
“Kid” Garcia, the left fielder of Bay City, would start the eight innings off with a fine smash to the long field. The next hand in the order would be lost to a sky ball to the right fielder. “Buttons” McInerney would then come to strike, and he would drive another howitzer to the center field. What would transpire next would have driven a juggler or contortionist to a defeatist position, as the Mariner center fielder turned his back to the home plate, and ran down the fly ball juggling it repeatedly. After nearly a dozen bobbles and one bound the long fielder captured the ball to record the out, but due to the juggling nature of the play, Kid Garcia was driven home to score. Double D Dinauer and “Sawmill” Koch would then each reach their firsts on well placed drives through the infield. They would each tally on a blast to the long field by “Shoeless Jeff” Dinauer, the Bay City second sacker. That would conclude the scoring on the day, as the Mariners would be skunked in each of the following innings. The final score would find Bay City 13 and Ludington 2. Though the contest would be won by Bay City, many new friends would be made by all.
Ballists H.L. Runs
Revette 3rd 2 1
Garcia K. lf 3 1
Garcia D. 1st 1 2
McInerney cf 1 2
Dinauer D. ss 2 1
Koch 2 1
Dinauer J. 2nd 3 1
Johnson c 3 1
Banister rf 2 2
Freehling c 2 2
O’Laughlin p 2 0
Umphrey rf 4 0
Total 27 13