“That hurler is tossing nothing but Jimjams” : Essex Base Ball Club

The players, clad in vintage uniforms consisting of baggy pants, drawstring jerseys and striped caps, shook hands with their opponents.
"To our umpire, our opponents, to our fans.... thank you for coming. Hip, hip, huzzah! Hip, hip, huzzah! Hip, hip, huzzah!"
The Essex Base Ball Club had finished the rousing ball game against the Lynn Live Oaks at Endicott Park in Danvers, Massachusetts. The score? Not important. The stats? Not recorded. What matters to the clubs, is having some fun, gentlemanly competition, and sticking to the 1861 rules that the Vintage Baseball of New England teams play by.
Jeff Peart, the Essex Base Ball Club's player /mascot / umpire / curator, lives for vintage base ball (yes, two words).
"I think it's fascinating," said Peart, or "Greybeard" (another rule? every vintage base ball player has to have a nickname). "When I first started playing this, I thought I was a baseball fan and I knew a lot about the history of it. Then I started reading more and more about it, and you see how the rules changed and the evolution of the game and it's kind of interesting to see some of the quirks of it. You can see why things changed and that's kind of the beauty of it."
"When the civil war guys reenact battles, they already know how it's going to come out. We play by the 1861 rules, but we don't know how it's going to come out," says Peart. "A lot of people are like 'Oh, you're playing old games,' but we aren't, we're playing by the old rules."
Watching a vintage base ball game is unlike anything you see today. Underhand pitches are thrown from a mound 45 feet away, as opposed to the 60 feet 6 inches today. And fielders don't wear gloves.
“Some people think we have a few screws loose,” said team captain Brian “Cappy” Sheehy, who has broken a few of his fingers from catching many a pitch and foul ball bare-handed.
There are no called strikes, therefore, no walks, just warnings. Like today, if you catch a fly ball in the air, it's an out. But if you catch it on one bounce, it's also an out. A ball is determined to be fair or foul depending on where it first struck the ground.
Don't overrun first base unless you plan on running back to the bag. There is only one umpire, behind home plate, and his word is final. Arguing a call is considered ungentlemanly and isn't permitted. The umpire is also known to ask fans their opinion before making a call. Base Ball in 1860 was a sport of gentlemen and ladies, both Players and Cranks (fans) were and are expected to act in that way.
Common phrases heard throughout the game are "Strike well, Mr. Foley" or "Tally me one, sir." Base Ball in 1860 was a sport of gentlemen and ladies; both ballists (players) and cranks (spectators) were and are expected to act in that way. Anyone who did not exhibit this behavior was and will be fined.
Even the equipment is vintage: the handmade bats and lemon-peel ball (a stuffed, single piece of leather with two seams) are made by Essex Base Ball Club members. They play on fields with no dirt or lines, and bases made of sacks.
Players in the club range in age from 18 to their 50s.
“With the 1861 rules, no matter what your age, you can do well,” said Sheehy.

The Essex Base Ball Club was founded in 2002 by the Danvers Historical Society, taking its name from an actual club playing base ball in Danvers in 1859. The Essex Base Ball Club played its first match on July 1, 2002 vs. the Melrose Pondfielders before 1,000 cranks (fans) in Danvers, MA. Since then, the EBBC has traveled throughout Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Maine, and Connecticut playing & promoting vintage base ball.
“We play every weekend and travel all around. It’s a lot of fun,” said Sheehy.
In 2004, the EBBC joined the New England Vintage Base Ball League, which was founded in 2001. There are 20 teams in New England and about 200 throughout the country. Within the Essex Base Ball Organization, there are three teams: The Essex Base Ball Club; The Lynn Live Oaks, which was founded three years later and is modeled after a team from 1877; And the newest addition, the Boston Beaneaters, which formed last year and plays by 1886 rules (a harder ball, overhand pitches, something resembling a glove).
Playing vintage base ball has made the players practicing historians, though some have a head start: Fan favorite Rob "Stumbles" Michaud (though fans call him “Magglio,” for the mop of curly hair that protrudes from his cap) is a history teacher at Andover High and Sheehy is a history teacher at North Andover High.
“It’s a lot of fun to recreate baseball history and as corny and lame as it sounds, it’s really a living history lesson,” said Sheehy, a Methuen resident. “It’s important to teach people about the history. A lot of people think baseball started with Babe Ruth or Ty Cobb, but there was so much before then.”
Playing the vintage game, Sheehy said, gives players an appreciation for the game played today. Nineteenth century players didn’t have the advantage of Under Armor, Nike, or Louisville Slugger. “The heavy canvas and long sleeves [of 19th century uniforms] aren’t really good for 90 degree heat,” Sheehy said.
Pat “The Other” Foley admits to watching modern games with a more critical eye. He thinks Eric Byrnes, the Arizona Diamondbacks left-fielder, plays with energy and intensity, like the 19th century players did.
“I love Manny Ramirez,” said Foley, a Haverhill native. “But he doesn’t play hard like we do.”

Redemption for the Revolution

FOXBORO - New England reverses the curse again.
After being beaten by the Houston Dynamo by penalty kicks in 2006’s Major League Soccer Cup final, and again in overtime during the 2007 MLS final, the New England Revolution got their revenge Tuesday, hoisting the SuperLiga trophy after a 6-5 win over Houston.

After the regulation 90 minutes ended in a 1-1 draw, the tournament went into two 15-minute overtime periods, where each team scored an additional goal. It took eight rounds of penalty kicks before Houston's Corey Ashe hit the crossbar solidifying the 6-5 win for the Revolution, behind their outstanding goalkeeper Matt Reis.

The 9,232 fans in Gillette Stadium were perched on the edge of their seats, as the Revolution came from behind not once, but twice.

"Whenever these two teams meet in big games there is definitely a lot between the two," Houston head coach Dominic Kinnear said.

The first goal came for Houston in the 18th minute, when New England's center back Amaechi Igwe attempted to clear the ball backward in the Revolution end, and Dynamo forward Nate Jaqua took advantage, giving Houston an early lead.

The 19-year-old Igwe almost cost his team another goal a minute later, when Jaqua stole the ball from him in front of the Revs’ net, and passed to Brian Ching, who hit the post.

Houston forward Dwayne De Rosario broke from the New England defense, but his shot was first cleared by Chris Albright, and the corner kick cleared by defender Chris Tierney.
In the 41st minute, the Revs’ Steve Ralston tied the game with an assist from Mauricio Castro.

The score remained 1-1 throughout the second half of regulation, before the two 15-minute overtimes.

In the 98th minute, Houston forward Brian Ching passed to substitute Kei Kamara who put his team ahead again with a header giving the Dynamo a 2-1 lead.

Three minutes later, the Revolution's Steve Ralston passed to Shalrie Joseph, who headed in the clutch goal to tie the score at 2 at the end of overtime.

Revolution defender Chris Albright scored in the eighth round of penalty kicks to give the Revolution the advantage before Ashe's miss.

The SuperLiga tournament, only in its second year, features eight teams- the top four MLS teams and the top four Mexico first division teams.

New England proved victorious over the orange-clad team that trumped them twice before in the MLS Cup, and amid a celebration of streamers, glitter, and New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft hoisting the SuperLiga trophy, the Revs became the first American team to claim the $1 million SuperLiga prize.

"Our boys pride themselves on their commitment and passion to the game and each other and that was really what got it through," said New England head coach Steve Nicol. "I can't say enough about the quality and the character of the players."



Halfway through the season, the two MLS Cup rivals are in good standing to meet again in the playoffs. New England (10-4-3) is the league’s top team, and Houston (6-4-8) is second in the West.

Houston coach Dominic Kinnear would like to see a rematch between the teams, and that the Dynamo's ambition right now is to get to the MLS Finals.

New England coach Steve Nicol agrees, saying “If we can get these two teams in the MLS final, I’d vote for that.”

From the Farm System to the Big Leagues: Brandon Moss

Brandon Moss walks into the Pawtucket locker room after batting practice. Four or five reporters with microphones and notepads follow, asking "how does it feel?". It's a lot of commotion for the clubhouse of the Triple-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox.

That afternoon, the 24-year-old Moss (along with pitcher Craig Hansen) was traded to Pittsburgh in the blockbuster trade that sent Manny Ramirez to Los Angeles and Jason Bay to Boston. Andy LaRoche and Bryan Morris of the Dodgers were also sent to Pittsburgh.

Shouts echoed throughout McCoy Stadium at quarter past four; hot dog vendors and groundskeepers asking each other if they've heard the news. Moss seemed to be the last person to find out he was involved in the deal, which occurred moments before the trade deadline.

"My wife already knew," Moss explains. "I'm excited; I don't know where I'm going."

One of the reporters told him he was going to Pittsburgh. "It's a great place- Sean Casey talks about it," Moss replied. "The Pirates are trying to build, get some young players."

Moss himself was only in high school when he was picked by Boston in the eighth-round in 2002. He paid his dues in the minor league system, starting with the Gulf Coast Red Sox, then playing for the Lowell Spinners, Augusta GreenJackets, and Sarasota Red Sox. He spent 2005 and 2006 with the Double-A Portland Sea Dogs, and the Triple-A Pawtucket Red Sox.

"I love this organization. I've basically grown up in it- I've been here for six years, since I was 18-years-old," Moss says. "It's all I really know."

"You're going to develop personal relationships with people. It's like a fraternity," manager Ron Johnson says. "But our job is to prepare people for the big league, and this is an opportunity for Moss to become a big league player.

In his Boston Red Sox debut in August 2007, Moss got his first major league hit, his first run, and struck out against Francisco Rodriguez, with the tying run on base. He was optioned back to Pawtucket when Eric Hinske returned from bereavement leave. The next month, he was recalled to Boston when Major League rosters expanded to 40 players.

Moss hit his first major league home run in March 2008 at the Tokyo Dome in Japan, as a last-minute replacement for J.D. Drew in right field. He was sent back down to Pawtucket in March, after starting two games.

"[The trade is] exciting for him. He's going over there as an every day player," pitcher Jon Switzer says of Moss.

"It's a good opportunity for him," says catcher George Kottaras. "He's a great guy, a great teammate... It's sad to see him go."

Moss, who was Pawtucket's MVP last season, leading the league with 41 doubles and 59 extra-base hits, had no inkling that he was going to be part of the blockbuster three-team trade, which took management and agents days to settle upon. "I followed the Manny thing, but had no knowledge of me being traded."

"We don't have any control over that kind of stuff," says infielder Joe Thurston. "We're all excited for Mossy for getting an opportunity to play in the big leagues."

Before he cleans out his locker, and says his final goodbyes to his teammates and the organization that he's spent the last six years with, Moss explains, "Our part of the business is the easiest part... playing the game."


Moss' first home run as a Pirate: http://mlb.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?mid=200808033247006&c_id=pit

Boston Beat: Weekend of July 31 - August 3

Shortly before the trade deadline on Thursday, Boston dealt future hall of famer and controversial left fielder Manny Ramirez to the Dodgers in a monumental trade. The Sox also sent prospects Brandon Moss and Craig Hansen to Pittsburgh, and received outfielder Jason Bay in return.

Ramirez and Bay have comparable numbers this season, but the Red Sox were basically desperate for a replacement who wouldn't be such a "cancer" to the team. In recent months, Ramirez has been flamed for faking injuries and dead grandmothers, and generally not playing with 100 percent effort. Management was afraid that if he were not pleased with his status (i.e. not re-signed for a multi-year, high contract deal) Ramirez may not give his all for the rest of the season.

In his Sox debut on Friday, newcomer Bay scored both runs, the second (a triple, which was driven in by Jed Lowrie's single) winning the game in the 12th inning.

The 2-1 victory of the Oakland A's broke the Sox three-game losing streak.

In his second game, Bay hit a 3-run home run in the first inning. Fans who were weary of the trade are now certified members of the "Bay state." The new left fielder is batting 4-for-11 with 1 home run and 3 RBI.

On Sunday, Bay went 2-for-4, scoring two runs and gunning down a runner at second from left field in a 5-2 victory over Oakland. The win completed a three-game sweep. Daisuke Matsuzaka rebounded from his last start, earning his 12th win, posting 8 strikeouts and only 2 walks. He improved to 4-1 with a 2.38 ERA in seven starts since June 27.

The bullpen, which has been one of the Sox' biggest problems, pitched three shutout innings; one each for Hideki Okajima, Manny Delcarmen, and Jonathan Papelbon, who recorded his 103rd career save.

The bullpen allowed just one run in 10 2/3 innings in the series (0.84 ERA) and lowered its ERA to 1.82 since July 20.

Shortstop was looking a little weak, but with Julio Lugo out with a strained left quadricep, 24-year-old Jed Lowrie is picking up the slack, posting 5 hits in his last 10 at-bats and 7 RBI. Downside is that once Lugo is healthy again, he's likely to get his spot back and resume putting up sub-par numbers; and he's got two years and $18 million remaining on his contract.

In Sunday's game Lowrie hit a two-run triple in the fourth, Coco Crisp posted two sacrifice flies, and Kevin Youkilis hit a first-inning RBI single that extended his hitting streak to 10 games. Youkilis has 40 multihit games of the season, and his 75 RBI are sixth most in the league.

Pre-Manny, The Sox had lost five of the last six home games at Fenway. Now that they've gained momentum, they're headed on the road with a newfound sense of confidence and unity in the clubhouse. They didn't lose any ground to Tampa Bay (three games behind) and are still ahead of the Yankees.

Those still weary of the Manny trade, think of the amount of money that the Sox will have to spend on the free agent market come this winter. Bay's $7.5 million salary will allow the Sox to improve the club in other areas, i'm looking at you, bullpen.

Without the one-two punch of Manny and Ortiz, the Sox will have to stop relying on offense to beat opponents, and start working on areas like pitching. Luckily, the Sox have two potential aces developing: Justin Masterson and Michael Bowden.

Luckily, the Red Sox have a concrete farm-system, which has groomed such talents as Jonathan Papelbon, Kevin Youkilis, Jacoby Ellsbury, Clay Buchholz, John Lester, and Dustin Pedroia.

(Manny Speaking Manny: http://wbztv.com/video/?id=65249@wbz.dayport.com)

(Peter Gammons on the Manny trade: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nli3fecSB80&feature=related)