NewtownVBB

Sandy Hook's to return to 1880's Style in '09

2008-11-08T17:52:00.002-05:00

Oct. 29 - NEWTOWN
Following a two year experiment playing primarily 1860's style base ball, it was decided by the Newtown Sandy Hook Vintage Base Ball membership to revisit the 1880's and play a balanced schedule of 1860's, 70's and 80's style base ball in the upcoming '09 campaign. This along with the proposed opening of Colt Park in Hartford and the addition of experienced opponents from New York, Boston, Hartford and Providence should help the Sandy Hooks return to a more disciplined practice and enable the club to recruit serious talent who generally regard the '60's game as grandma's softball.

In '05 and '06 the Sandy Hooks had very good success playing the '70's and '80's style game but in ‘07 decided to sample the 60's game in an effort to balance the playing field and reduce wear and tear on the body. As it turned out the '60's game proved to cause more injuries and the 'softball' style of play made generally proficient ballists into sedentary slackers. ‘It was like they were playing in a stupor.’ said a long time student of the game. Batting averages went through the floor and frustration and indifference became the norm. Most speculate that hardly anyone prepares for a ‘softball’ game but when a ballist anticipates he is about to face an afternoon of overhand pitches coming across the dish, only the foolhardy will show up on gameday without visiting the local batting cage.

It is felt a well-rounded schedule highlighted by 1880’s style matches with established vintage clubs will inspire members to hone their skills and improve their technique and new members to look seriously as this compelling form of base ball that made the sport the ‘National Pastime’.

To help differentiate 80’s from 60’s style ball and to commemorate their return to the deadball era in ‘09, the Sandy Hooks will return to traditional knickers for all 80’s matches.

Openings are available for serious ballists who wish to play 1880’s style base ball. Contact ‘Shutta’ Shaw OR ‘Muhl’ Snyder for more information.

Sandy Hooks Launch 'Hits for Harmon'

2008-04-13T16:24:00.002-04:00

The Newtown Sandy Hook Vintage Base Ball Club announced the launch of a fund raising program for the Harmon Family Fund. The program will be run in conjunction with 'Hearts for Harmon', the Newtown Bee, The American Heart Association, Newtown Savings Bank and Newtown Parks & Recreation.

All local baseball and softball clubs touched by Kim over the years are invited to take part in this program.

For further details visit the 'Hits for Harmon' web site or contact one of the participating organizations.

Go to http://www.vbbnewtown.com/hfh.htm

Sandy Hooks Announce Officers for '08

2008-03-13T12:10:00.003-04:00

The Newtown Sandy Hook Vintage Base ball Club announced the election of new officers for the 2008 season along with their preliminary schedule for the new campaign.

President - Ray 'Shutta' Shaw, Vice President - Doug 'Pops' Pendergist, Secretary - Tom 'Bingo' Long, Co-captains - 'Pops' Pendergist and 'Dennis 'Muhl' Snyder. A treasurer has yet to be named.

The new schedule for 2008 is available on the Club's website.

In other news:

On March 9 - 'Shutta' Shaw and his merry group of ballists descended on New Haven last Sunday to march in the annual St. Patrick's Day Parade. In spite of blustery cold and unfamiliarity with the surroundings, the Newtown Sandy Hook Vintage Base Ball Club showed good spirit, personality and form to tens of thousands of inebriated undergraduates and revelers who lined the route.

In spite of the fact that post-parade libations were impossible to acquire, the Club looks forward to the next time to share their geniality.

Parade attendees included Dame and 'Muhl' Snyder, 'Pops', 'Express' and 'Matty' Pendergist, 'Rock' Zulli, 'Mister' Edwards, 'Smoke' Carasone, 'Honus' Pernerewski, 'Bulldog' Paes, 'Doughboy' Norwich, 'Zack' Wheat, and a journeyman ballist named 'Buck', and the aforementioned Shaw.

Vintage Base Ball in July

2007-06-30T06:49:00.000-04:00

Join us at Harbor Yard in Bridgeport on July 1 at 12:00 noon as the Sandy Hooks and Bridgeport Orators clash before the Bluefish afternoon game.

Then return on Wednesday for the 4th of July Tournament at Seaside Park in Bridgeport to benefit The First Hit organization.

On July 15th the Orators and Sandy Hooks meet again at Seaside Park for an 1886 match to benefit The First Hit, and on July 29th the Atlantic Base Ball Club visits Newtown for the first time.

2007-06-11T22:56:00.000-04:00

Newtown Sandy Hooks Join Orator Cause

2007-03-07T19:16:00.000-05:00

The Newtown Sandy Hook Base Ball Club has agreed to help their sister club the Bridgeport Orator Vintage Base Ball Club to build awareness of The First Hit organization and its effort to save Hall of Famer James 'Orator' O'Rourke's house in Bridgeport, Connecticut and make it a permanent museum for Bridgeport baseball.

The Bridgeport Orators under the command of Joe Vigorito was formed in 2007 to play base ball by the rules of the 19th century. A number of events are planned in the coming season including a 19th century base ball tournament to be held at the club's home turf, Seaside Park, on July 4th.

More information regarding this project will be forthcoming.

Go to: The First Hit
Go to: http://www.bridgeportorators.org
Go to: http://www.vbbnewtown.com

Newtown Sandy Hooks Welcome Orators

2007-02-07T18:04:00.001-05:00

The Newtown Sandy Hooks are proud to welcome the Bridgeport Orators to the vintage base ball community and look forward to a long and eventful relationship. The Orators are headed by Joe Vigorito who has gone to great lengths to launch this new and historically significant nine into the Connecticut vintage base ball community.

In a short period of a month and a half the Orators (named after the Hall of Fame Bridgeport native, James 'Orator' O'Rourke who formed a team by the same name in Bridgeport in the 1890's) have launched the concept, formed a team, uncovered sponsors, launched a website (go to: bridgeportorators.org), received the endorsement of Michael Roer (who has written extensively about Mr. O'Rourke) who will function as their team historian, received approval to use Seaside Park as their vintage home, and scheduled their first vintage tournament on July 4th.

The Sandy Hooks will play the Orators on a number of occasions throughout the season (three official matches are scheduled) and on rare occasions the clubs will join forces when and if the need arises.

Please check the Sandy Hook website with up to date schedule of matches including recognition of Orator events not affiliated with Newtown Sandy Hook. Other unconfirmed events are on the horizon.

The current Newtown Sandy Hook roster includes 18 fully committed ballists including five new members. All will be sporting a new look (see NSH Home Page) for 2007. The uniform style is patterned after the style worn in the 1860's; the era the club will be focusing on this coming season. Two new national brand sponsors have also joined the ranks of the Sandy Hooks over the past couple of weeks and the club and its membership have high expectations for the season.

Newtown Planning for 2007

2006-11-28T21:01:00.000-05:00

Sandy Hook's Looking Forward to 2007

2006-11-16T18:03:00.000-05:00

The Newtown Sandy Hooks are recruiting for 2007 and want all able ballists in Northern Fairfield County who are interested in either forming a new team or joining the Newtown nine for another season of good old base ball fun.

The Newtown Sandy Hook Base Ball Club will be embarking on their third season in 2007 and have already scheduled a number of exciting events including: the Waterbury Tournament in on May 6 with three other vintage nines, the highly successful Memorial Day Tournament in Pittsfield on May 26 & 27 where as many as eight teams will compete, the Westfield Tournament on July 14th with six teams and discussions are in play to attend this year's Old Bethpage Tournament in early August. Other matches and events will be scheduled in the coming months.

The team appeared in last year's Pittsfield Tournament and are part of the yet to be launched Major League Baseball Productions video called 'Vintage Base Ball' which is due for broadscale distribution in the Spring.

All interested parties should contact Ray Shaw at rcshaw1@earthlink.net or Doug Pendergist at dougpend@yahoo.com for further information.

The Newtown Sandy Hooks have decided to step back in
time, shed the polyester and play 1860's ball in '07.

A pretty aggressive schedule of overhand games in '06 that resulted in numerous injuries helped reinforce this new direction. Detractors on the current squad who favor the new Federation approach which will feature overhand pitching and 10/10 speed action have been politely told to start or seek a separate club. That is not to say Newtown won't play the occasional overhand game with old friends but, the emphasis for the coming season will be on a '60's style of play.

It should be noted, the squad intends to play by 'real' sixties rules and not 'muffin' rules that seem to dominate the sport in some quarters. The fear of running and stealing bases provides little interest to true athletes and the Newtown Sandy Hook team plans to play a highly competitive brand of ball or not at all.

Since Newtown is outside of mainstream New England, the Hooks are hoping to schedule regional, special events and round robin affairs so as to be able to play multiple teams on one game date and limit travel time for all parties.

Current plans are in place to:
- Conduct tryouts in early Spring to find interested ballists who may either want to join the Sandy Hooks or be part of a sister team based in the local area;
- Seek suitable home field(s) and venues for special events both in Newtown and beyond;
- Connect with area Civil War Reenactment organizations to plan demonstrations and matches in conjunction with local events;
- Partner with civic groups who may want to use the old fashioned base ball platform to generate interest in their organizations or events;
- Conduct youth related educational events to stimulate interest in base ball history and the game.

Please contact Ray Shaw if you are interested in discussing any of the above topics. We'll be happy to hear from you.

Best wishes to all and hope to see you in '07!

Shutta