NEW YORK GOTHAM BBC: Opening Day Victories Over Flemington and Brooklyn Win the Day.
The only local vintage base ball club; the New York Gothams; visited Smithtown, Long Island, this past Saturday to kick-off the 2012 MAVBBL Season. The Brooklyn Atlantic Base Ball Club hosted a day of round-robin competition involving the Flemington Neshanock Base Ball Club; the Gothams; and the home team Atlantics.
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2012
Gotham Base Ball Club of New York
New York's first contest of the morning was played against Flemington. The Neshanock Club jumped out to an early lead. But the Gothams struck back to flatten their deficit, then pulled away to win the match by a score of seventeen aces to nine.
Above, Wickets singles against Flemington.
Below, Bugs waits on the Neshanock hurler's next offering.
In their second match, the Gothams met the defending MAVBBL Champions; Brooklyn Atlantic Base Ball Club; and defeated them. But not to Brooklyn's surprise. Over the course of the day; not just one club member; but several members of the opposing clubs related to me how improved the Gothams Club was heading into this season. "Shakespeare" of the Atlantic Club couldn't stress it enough.
Gothams in the field versus Flemington (left).
Early score during Gothams versus Brooklyn (right).
The Atlantics and Gothams share space on the bench.
New York jumped out to an early lead on the strength of timely strikes and their newly improved defensive prowess, and wound up handing Brooklyn their first loss of the season. In defeating the ABBC by a score of eleven aces to seven, the Gothams completed their two match swing through Long Island departing with their season's first two awarded game balls for the Club's (..in legend) display case.
A final salute concludes the day's athletics.
"Chip"
Charles, or, "Chip" (pictured above) - is a rookie member of the Gothams Base Ball Club. Because his official Gothams uniform was still on the way, on this day, he wore a uniform representative of the Elizabeth Resolutes Base Ball Club. In either uniform, the era's style seems to fit him well.
"Scratch"
And this is Ed (pictured above); better known on the field as "Scratch". His story is literally a baseball classic born of many a young man's dreams; involving just how far aspiring players will go to pursue their passion of the game, and seek out a professional career in it. Scratch's love for Baseball quite literally took him across the Atlantic Ocean and back. In 2010, Scratch played in the Professional Baseball League of Spain, for the Valencia Astros ball club.
Bugs, and once again, Wickets, were very welcoming to me as was the entire Gothams club. I wish you all well this season.
It's been confirmed by the team, this season the Gothams Base Ball Club will be playing their home games on Governors Island. Ferries leaving Manhattan and Brooklyn can take you there. The setting seems like a fascinating place to play base ball! I hope to get out there soon.
The Gotham BBC has provided me with a few sepia shots from Saturday,
a game write-up, and commentary written in the vintage tradition.
Please read their account of the game with all the correct vintage terminology,
Photos courtesy of the N.Y. Gothams BBC
Mike.BTB
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