Grays Take One in Hartford, Head to Cooperstown This Weekend
May 13, 2021
PROVIDENCE, R.I. - The Providence Grays traveled to Colt Meadow in Hartford on Saturday, May 8, and returned home with a split of the twin bill, falling to the Connecticut squad 16 to 1 in the 1884 matchup, then hanging on for the 23 to 21 victory in the second game following the rules of ’64. This weekend, the club journeys west to Cooperstown, New York, for four games at Historic Base Ball on the Lawn at Brewery Ommegang, the two-day festival featuring the 1860s style of play.
Providence vs. Connecticut, May 8, 1884
The hosts struck first at Colt Meadow and jumped out to a
sizeable 7-run lead in the first inning, testing Grays’ pitcher Jerry McCormack
in his debut outing. Providence gave up another ace in the second, then settled
in, holding Connecticut scoreless in the third and fourth frames. Meanwhile,
the Grays struggled at the plate, facing heat from the youthful ace Drew Moran.
Left fielder Jamie Maynard managed a single in the first inning but got caught
stealing third against the strong arm of veteran Connecticut backstop Chris “Grit”
Moran for out number three and a scoreless effort. Providence batters went down
in order for the second inning but found a bit of offense when center fielder
Helen Sheldon led off the third frame with a base hit, followed by a walk for
McCormack and a single off the bat of short stop Johnny Carlevale before the
steam evaporated.
Connecticut put up four more runs in the top of the fourth
inning, then the Grays tallied their lone ace in the bottom of the frame when
right fielder Aidan Pirruccello-McClellan (APM) hit a single then scored on a
base knock from third baseman Charlie Dryer to settle the score at 12-1
Connecticut at the midpoint. Carlevale picked up another single in the fifth,
which marked the end of the offensive output for the Grays in game one, as
Connecticut scored twice more in the sixth and iced the cake in the top of the
ninth with two more tallies to set the Final: Connecticut 16, Providence 1.
Providence vs. Connecticut, May 8, 1864
The second match of the day commenced with the local club
swinging first once again, and the gents from Connecticut put up two runs
against Grays’ pitcher Jon “Bones” Henson. Offense was a different story for
the Rhode Islanders in the matinee, starting off with a 13-run barrage in the
first frame. Catcher Carlevale, Captain Brian Travers, short stop APM, right
fielder McCormack, third baseman Dryer, and center fielder Dave “Grandpa” Watson
all recorded singles, and Travers, McCormack, and Dryer each notched doubles in
the opening frame as well. The Hartford squad remained unaffected by their
significant deficit and chipped away at the Grays’ lead, scoring twice in the
second, three times in the third, four more in the fourth, and added two more
in the fifth to build themselves back into the contest. However, Providence
kept up and, after a goose egg in the bottom of the second, added eight runs of
their own across the middle innings for a 21 to 13 lead after six. Carlevale,
APM, Grandpa, Bones, and Maynard contributed singles to help the runners cross
the disc, and Aidan blasted another double in the sixth inning as well.
Historic Base Ball on the Lawn at Brewery Ommegang
This weekend (May 15 and 16) the Providence squad heads west
to Cooperstown for an exhibition of 19th century-style base ball
played on the beautiful back lawn of Brewery Ommegang (656 Co Hwy 33, Cooperstown,
NY 13326). The brewery’s Tap House (Mercantile & Café) will be open regular
hours this weekend, but guests are welcome to observe the games throughout the
event. The festivities take place both Saturday and Sunday, featuring seven
clubs from New York and New England including the Atlantic BBC of Brooklyn,
Boston Union BBC, Bovina Dairymen, Connecticut Bulldogs, Fleischmann’s Mountain Athletic Club, the Mutual BBC of New York, and the Providence crew. On
Saturday, the Grays square off with the Mountain Athletic Club to open the
event followed by a rematch with Connecticut in the afternoon. Providence will
face the Mutuals on Sunday morning and finish up with a match against Bovina
before making the trek back to the coast.
If you’re in the Central New York region this weekend, be sure to come out to support historic ball and get a sample of the local brew to whet your whistle. Follow the action on Facebook and Instagram for updates and highlights as events unfold.
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Photography: Michelle Maroon
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