Vintage Ball Players Invite Local Restaurants, Bands

Jan’s Pitch for Breast Cancer and The Arts on October 19 to benefit Susan G. Komen, Lawrence Art Students

Newbury, MA – August 26, 2013: On Saturday October 19, the Essex Base Ball Organization will host Jan’s Pitch for Breast Cancer and The Arts – a day of vintage base ball, great food, live music and more at Spencer Peirce Little Farm in Newbury, MA.

The event honors Janice Sheehy, who lost her two-and-a-half year battle with breast cancer earlier this year. Sheehy was a talented and dedicated art teacher in the Lawrence, MA school system – and mother to Brian Sheehy, president of the Essex Base Ball Organization, and Chris Sheehy, captain of the Lowell Base Ball Club.

Proceeds from Jan’s Pitch will be split between Susan G. Komen For The Cure, the world’s largest breast cancer organization, and The Janice Sheehy Art Fund, established to send students from the Arlington (Middle) School in Lawrence to the Museum of Fine Arts Boston, and to provide these students supplies to hold their own art exhibit.

The day will include a triple-header of vintage base ball games, featuring players from teams based in Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire and Connecticut. Vintage base ball is played according to the game’s original 19^th-century rules – with wooden bats, authentic ‘lemon peel’ baseballs, and no gloves. During and after the games visitors can sample food from local eateries, listen to live music, enjoy delicious beers from the Ipswich Ale ‘Tap Truck,’ and much more.

Restaurants, food vendors, and musical acts that would like to participate in this event should contact Brian Sheehy at 978.790.5707, or via email at historyball@yahoo.com, no later than Wednesday, September 4. Space is limited and offered in a first come, first served basis.

For more information about the event visit http://janspitchgame.wordpress.com, or the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/JansPitchForBreastCancerAndTheArts. For more about the Essex Base Ball Organization visit https://essexbaseball.wordpress.com.

 

History repeats itself….

On Saturday the Lowell Base Ball Nine made the same trip they did 146 years ago to challenge the Portsmouth Rockinghams and the result was the same with Lowell winning both ends of the doubleheader 25-17 and 22-6. Sloppy play for the Lowell defense in the first game made the game close through 7 innings but the Lowell bats came to life scoring 7 runs to pull ahead for good. The offense for Lowell was led by Chris “Monkey” Sheehy and Payton “In the Weeds” Garbarino who both had homeruns. We would like to thank the Portsmouth Athenaeum for hosting us, and Sam Adams and the Rusty Hammer for hosting the after game festivities.
Story on the game

Sunday members of the EBBA headed to Lelacheur Park in Lowell to play a quick demo prior to the Lowell Spinners Game. Fun was had by all.

Re Match 146 Years In the Making

In June of 1867 the crack baseball club of New England, the Lowell Base Ball Nine of Boston, came to Portsmouth, NH to take on the local Portsmouth Rockingham Club. The Rockinghams were formed in 1866 and had played a handful of games prior to taking on the much more experienced Lowell Nine, and that inexperience showed as the Lowells were able to easily defeat Portsmouth Rockinghams by a very lopsided score.

Fast forward to August 17th 2013 and we shall see if history will repeat itself as the current version of the Portsmouth Rockinghams take on the current version of Lowell Base Ball Nine at Leary Field at 12pm. Prior to the game the clubs will be offer a kids clinic in which members of the clubs will show kids the old equipment and allow them a few swings.

Along with the games acclaimed author Ed Achorn will be on hand singing copies of his book
“59 in 84” and “The Summer of Beer & Whiskey” . After the games members of the clubs will be
doing a meet and greet at the Rusty Hammer.

Both clubs are members of the five team Essex Base Ball Organization, a non profit 19th century base ball organization that recreates the game of baseball as it was played in the 1860’s. The game is sponsored by the Portsmouth Athenaeum, Sam Adams, and the Rusty Hammer.

Essex Beats Elkton… Both Enjoy Lobsters… Clamdiggers Sweep Lynn

We had a busy weekend this past weekend with teams playing both days. On Saturday the Elkton Eclipse of Elkton, MD traveled up to Spencer Peirce Little Farm to take on the Boston Red Stockings (aka Mudville) and Essex. The Red Stockings played the Eclipse in the first game and matched the boys from Elkton run for run until finally the Eclipse were able to charge ahead for the victory.

In the Second game Essex was able to put 5 runs on the board in the 6th to win commandingly 12-4. The offense was led by Chris “Monkey” Sheehy, Brian “Cappy” Sheehy, and Patty “Boom Boom” Wadland. Pat “Short Order” Cook was able to keep the Eclipse batters off balance only surrendering 4 runs. After the games both teams traveled to Woodman’s in Essex for some clam chowder and lobsters. We would like to thank Woodman’s for hosting us and providing such great food. We would also like to thank Ipswich Ale for the fine ales we had at the game. We would like to thank the Eclipse for making the trip. We hope to see them again soon….(maybe Gettysburg 2014?)

The Newburport Clamdiggers squared off against the Lynn Live Oaks on George’s Island in Boston Harbor Sunday. The weather was perfect and the fan turn out was even better. Players brought a good family crowd and dozens of tourists sat and watched (some with great confusion until the rules were explained).

The Newburport’s bats were very alive in the first game, winning 18-5. Daisy cutters were a plenty for both teams, as the field was dry and played very fast.

Game two was much closer. Lynn trailing 8-4 in the top of the ninth got the score to 8-7 with two outs and the bases loaded. A cleanly fielded ground ball got the lead runner out at home and Newburyport held on to the 8-7 win.

Jan’s Pitch for Breast Cancer Game

Join the Essex Base Ball Organization & friends on Saturday October 19th 10am as we play a series of games at Spencer-Peirce- Little Farm to help raise money for breast cancer and the arts.

This game is in honor of Janice Sheehy who lost her two and a half year battle with breast cancer this past April. Jan was a mother, grandmother, and dedicated educator. She spent over 20 years teaching art at the Arlington School in Lawrence while raising two baseball obsessed sons. This game is in honor of a wonderful woman who was taken from us far too soon. Funds from this game will be split between a breast cancer society and the Janice Sheehy Art fund. The goal of the art fund will be to bring 125 8th grade students at the Arlington School to the MFA and provide them with materials for an art exhibit.

Admission to the games will be $5 and all proceeds will go to the Susan G Komen Breast Cancer Foundation and Janice Sheehy Art Foundation.

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