A year ago, it was a sort of pipe-dream discussion on the New Scotland Town Park infield between Mike Aiello and Jim McQuade. A year ago, McQuade sat miserably at his desk believing there was more to life than sitting at his workstation. A year ago, several CDMSBL players had more to do on Wednesday afternoons than play baseball.
That initial discussion caught the ears of several CDMSBL players. It spread like fake news on social media. But yesterday, there was nothing fake about it. At noon Wednesday June 5, 2019, CDMSBL played its first Matinee Division game and the pipe-dream became real news. We played 8 innings as the Home team defeated the Visitors, 14-7, at the "A" Diamond, Central Park, Schenectady.
The outcome was never important, nor was the quality of play. The quality, however, matched the enthusiasm of the 17 who showed up. Good baseball, good times and many ''firsts.''
Yes, we had just 17 players. One bowed out at the last minute and another came up injured. We subbed in defensively, but that was a positive - more time on the field.
In trying to research how many weekday divisions existed in MSBL National, I found just one - in Denver, Colorado. I'm sure there might be others, but for this small market MSBL chapter, and after many meetings and discussions, the thirst for this "first'' was finally quenched on our own field of dreams.
As for "firsts,'' Jim Hicks threw the first pitch - a ball to first hitter Tom Maney. SBUO Umpire Bill Smith, who is also a current and long-time perennial all-star CDMSBL player, made that historic first call. He's also going to be spotted on the field as a player as the season progresses. He signed up for this as well.
Ted Valente threw the first pitch for the Visitors. Jerry Rosen of the Visitors got the division's first hit - a sharp single to left, which also turned out to be the first RBI.
Jim Hicks got the first extra-base hit - a screaming double to left-center in the third. He also drew the first walk leading off the second inning. Hicks wound up with FOUR doubles!
A newly elected CDMSBL HOFer was the first strike-out victim, following Hicks' walk in the second. Tim Brown was our Home team's only strikeout. (Oh crap, did I just say that? Sorry Timmy).
Hey, as friends go, I can't do that to you without throwing me under the bus as well. I committed the first error on Ted Poleto's easy grounder to 2nd base, but responded by starting the first double play - a 4-6-3 effort. Tim also had two hits, two RBIs and two runs scored.
For the Home team, Pat Alston drove in the first run; Vince Koster scored the first run; Jim Hicks earned the first win. Don Ball got the Home team's first hit and finished with FIVE on the day. All singles, but in his final at-bat, lined one to the gap in left-center and, exhausted from catching 7 innings and running the bases all day, decided not to run out what would have been an easy double.
Then there was the first hand shakes and first photo.
Here's the teams: VISITORS: Tom Maney, Ted Poleto, Ed Rogers, Jerry Rosen, Jim McQuade, Tim Brown, Ted Valente, Chris Abrams.
HOME: Ron Massaroni, Jim Hicks, Don Ball, Pat Alston, Vince Koster, Jim Konstantakis, Tom Bain, Jim Ansel, Mike Aiello.
PHOTO: Top row from left: Ron Massaroni, Ed Rogers, Jerry Rosen, Mike Aiello, Tom Bain, Jim McQuade, Vince Koster, Don Ball, Bill Smith.
Bottom from left: Ted Valente, Tim Brown, Tom Maney, Jim Konstantakis, Ted Poleto, Jim Hicks, Pat Alston.
-- Edited by sfgiants on Thursday 6th of June 2019 04:30:02 PM
-- Edited by sfgiants on Thursday 6th of June 2019 04:30:50 PM
We here in the CDMSBL aren't afraid of first. Good start! congrats to Jim McQuade and Jim Konstantakis for working all winter to make this happen . continued success in this first season of mid week mid day baseball.
John Reel
Thanks to you also John Reel for your participation in our planning meetings, working with Schenectady to secure the A Diamond, and working with the umpire association. We now have a premier field and licensed umpires for each of our Wednesday afternoon games through mid-October. Thanks also to Don Ball for his guidance and for building a successful model for the Capital Division that we could copy.
It was a lot of fun playing baseball during the middle of a week day when most people are at work. While we were out there playing a "kids" game, a construction crew was hard at work installing a drainage system a couple of yards behind the backstop. A few of them, hardhats and all, had their noses up against the fence watching us during their break.
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We don't stop playing because we get old, we get old because we stop playing.
