The Old Time Baseball Game - An All American Classic

Baseball fans looking for a good time Thursday?  I have the event for you.

This Thursday night in Cambridge, grab a lawn chair and head to St. Peters Field in Cambridge around 7:00pm.  There, you'll have your chance to sit right on a baseball line, and watch 9 innings of old-time baseball.  

Before I get to details about the game below, I want to share why I love the game so much (I went in 2014 and 2015).  I love it because it feels like baseball at its purest.  There is nothing more fun than sitting close to the field, eating a hot dog, and chatting with your neighbor.  The sites and sounds so genuine.  Its as if you were placed at the Field of Dreams.  As I walked up to the field, I was reminded of one a portion of the famous monologue from the movie:

The one constant through all the years, Ray, has been baseball. America has rolled by like an army of steamrollers. It's been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt, and erased again. But baseball has marked the time. This field, this game, is a part of our past, Ray. It reminds us of all that once was good, and it could be again. Ohhhhhhhh, people will come, Ray. People will most definitely come.

People are definitely there, and you should be too.

Now, onto the details!

The Old Time Baseball Game, which began in 1994 has been a staple in Cambridge in mid August ever since.  Every year, 50 or so baseball players, mostly college guys, but some old pros, line up in some old school uni's and play for a cause.  These old school unis include some classics like Yogi Berras #8, Pete Frates #3 or Ted Williams #9 to name a few.

Since the beginning, this event has been both about fun, but also charity.  The founder Steve Buckley, estimates they raise about $75K fro raffles, auctions, food sales, donations and more.  

This years game will support a disease with baseball roots - ALS or commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease.  As anyone in Boston knows, this terrible disease has come to the forefront since the Ice Bucket Challenge was started by former BC Star Pete Frates.  This year, the money will go to two worthy causes, the John Martin Fund and the ALS Therapy Institute.  Its worth reading about them on the Old Time Baseball Game Site.  

The year I went Mike Tomlin - ex Red Sox RP, started the game and Lou Merloni played shortstop.  Other ex Red Sox have played as well.  This year, a special treat - Pedro Martinez will take the mound to start.  Yes, the Pedro Martinez!  Getting a chance to sit a few feet and watch Pedro on the mound, no matter how old he is, is worth it enough to go.

For one time, every year, for free, we all get a chance to relive baseball from the beginning.  With college kids and ex pros dressed in old unis.  The baseball game, the same that our fathers, grandfathers and great-grandfathers watched will be brought back to life.  Its not heaven, its not Iowa, but for a few hours, its just as good.  If you can, go out there be a kid again, and enjoy!

More Details about the Old Time Baseball Game: 

http://oldtimebaseball.com/about-the-oldtime-baseball-game/

   

The Dollar Game

Baseball is great.  It is also sometimes slow.  To help make the breaks more enjoyable, my friends and I play the dollar game.  I'm always asked the rules that I play with, so rather than rehash via text...here they are. 

Enjoy the game!

Whats Required:

• 2-5 people
• $1/$5 bills preferred (can use all-star ballots, pieces of paper and a pen.etc)

Draft/Player Rules:

• Draft is done snake style - typically 2 players selectedper person (no pitchers)
• To add a 3rd person to each roster, in the 3rd round you 'select' a player for someone else's team
• Payout is whatever is decided on the field at the time - any re-scoring is not made up
• If a player is taken out of a game, you take the player that replaces him.  In a double switch, take the position in the field that is replaced

Scoring:

Everyone pays you:	You pay everyone:
Single - $1	Strike Out Swinging - $1
Double - $2	Strike Out Looking - $2
Triple - $3	Caught Stealing - $1
Homerun - $4	Make an Error - $1
RBI - $1	GIDP - $2
Stolen Base - $1

Below are some additional rules I have also seen played that I do not:

-$1/hit of any type + double score for a home run (single, double, triple worth $1 +$1/RBI, home run worth =(1+RBI) x2

Reach out or comment with any updates

Taylor

Ballparks and Strange Food

I have the pleasure of spending a lot of time in Cape Cod every summer.  Every year, I go to a Cape Cod Baseball League game or two.  This year, I decided to venture beyond Harwich and Chatham.

I posted a few weeks ago about taking my daughter to Orleans.  That field has the most charm of any I've seen, with the hills set up for lawn chairs, picnics and some catch in the outfield.  To me, it was the quintessential Cape Cod Baseball Field.

This week, I went somewhere with a similar, yet also very different charm.  I ventured to Red Wilson Field in Yarmouth-Dennis for a Cape Cod Playoff game between the YD Red Sox (3 time reigning champs) and Brewster Whitecaps.  When I first walked to the field, the main thing I noticed was the open space around the field.  There was a lot of flat grass available, more than expected from the street.  This was taken up by little kids playing catch and tag and parents trying to watch botht heir kids and the game.  It left space for lawn chairs to sit almost directly behind home plate giving amazing access.  Behind them, bleacher seats to give space for more people to watch.  Down the line, more lawn chairs, and more bleacher seats.

behind home plate - 6 rows back

The most amazing part, was the bleacher seats directly down the line...15 feet from the foul line, looking into both dugouts.  This unparalleled access was something I havent seen at any of the other parks I visited.  With no fence in front of it, and not much space from the field, you really felt a part of the game.  You felt for someone when they struck out and were excited after a great play in the field.  It was a cool experience that brought me slightly back to playing again.

seats down the line

the separation, lawn chairs or in the 'bleachers'

But thats not why I went to Red Wilson Field in Yarmouth.  I went for the food...one of the most creative foods around.. their Dunkin' Donuts Burger.  This burger has been famously sold at Red Wilson Field since the 1990s.  It is, exactly as it sounds, a nice cooked burger (with cheese if you want!) inside of a Dunkin' Donut.  There are many options including glazed, chocolate glazed, jelly and Boston cream.  When asked why it was created, the inventor Burger Bob said "Why wouldn't you put all the key food groups together?  Donut, burgers, easy cheese."  I (guess) its hard to argue with that...

You're probably thinking..."Gross, why would I want that?"



I did too, but I'm always willing to try something once.  I ordered the Jelly Glazed Donut with Cheese.  As I took my first bite, I was quite surprised, the sweet Jelly actually fit nicely with the crispy burger.  The cheese taste, which is somewhat overwhelmed by the jelly adds a nice final touch.  Strangely enough, I enjoyed the burger.  I gave a bite to my father in law, and wife...they both agreed.

So if you are ever in Cape Cod, and want to eat something you haven't eaten before, head to Red Wilson Field and try the Dunkin' Donut Burger.

Do I look like I'm enjoying?

The famous shack to snag a burger

Daughter didnt get to try a burger, but enjoyed the game

Sunday Night Baseball

Growing up in LA, Sunday night baseball was always a big thing. 5:00 game on a Sunday afternoon. Early enough to enjoy the whole thing. Late enough to be a special Sunday thing. I grew up such a big baseball fan I watched almost every week, even when the Braves wernt playing.

Then I moved to Boston. First for college, now for real life. In college, The games were still great. Heck, 8pm was still 15 hours before my first class at 11am. I was still in a fantasy land.

Then, real life but. Sunday's wernt as fun anymore, and the Sunday night game wasn't quite as common. Sure I would tune in if the Braves were playing or I needed a win from my fantasy pitcher, but it wasn't an every week thing anymore....

...and that has made it kind of special.

Last week, in Sunday night. I attended the Red Sox-Yankees Sunday night game. It was my first since probably 2011 and I was pumped.

The crowd was too. It was game 2 of a Double Header. The Sox had lost earlier in the day and their lead dwindled to 1.5 games. It was Price vs Tanaka. Betts vs Judge. It was going to be a showdown.

The specifics of the game aren't that important. The Sox won 3-0 in a close game with a lot of intensity. Jackie Bradley Jr robbed Aaron Judge of a homerun with one of the better catches I've ever seen live and the Kimbrel closed it out with 2 on in the 9th.

But that was the least important part. It was more fun going to the game with my dad. Sitting behind the dugout, enjoying a beer, having a laugh and doing an uncountable amount of "would you rather". The lateness and rarity added to the fun, as it's a game time neither of us are used to seeing.  In the end, I appreciate the late start, The rarity, and the fun I got to have on a late Sunday night.

One piece of advice, but an extra shot in that coffee on Monday AM.

The Cape

There's nothing quite like baseball on a Sunny afternoon. My favorite part of watching baseball games is the the ambiance is different everywhere you go. The site lines, crowd, food, chatter and more. There is always so much going on!


 Last night I was lucky enough to take my 6 week old daughter to Orleans in Cape Cod to her first baseball game - the Orleans Firebirds vs the Brewster Whitecaps. This was extra special for me. I have traveled to every MLB stadium with my dad and brother in trips since I was 7. I wrote my college essay about my baseball trips. My best friends today are guys I played little league with. So you could imagine The excitement when I could bring my daughter to a game, alongside my dad, wife, sister and father-in-law.

The field in Orleans is like I've never seen. Minimal bleachers set up behind home and in the outfield, and instead fields of grass down the lines for folks to set up picnics, lawn chairs or just sit on the cool grass. Though the sitelines were not great,the atmosphere was! Kids everywhere running around, food good baseball, and enough space for everyone to enjoy. Free entrance, Programs and cheap food along with all this space made bringing my baby extra easy and extra special.

For those unaware, the Cape Cod Baseball League is the summer league with the cream of the College crop. Guys like Chris Bryant, Aaron Judge and Chris Sale have all showcased their skills here. In fact, in 2016 279 MLB players came from the cape league. Everywhere games are free, fan friendly and nearly every day. Below are some pictures of my trip with my baby girl. I'm excited to go to many more!I

group at the game

view from the seats

selfie with my girl!

group selfie from our seats

Bringing Things Back

Boy its been a long time! And a lot has happened since I worked on this blog as a graduate out of school...I think its time to bring this sucker back, even if just for fun. So lets see how it works! I'll be blogging my trips, cool events, ideas to make sports fun again and much more. If anything just to keep me on my toes during my trips.... First blog coming back at you this week as I head to spring training with my pops - a little last father son trip before some big life events come! T

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