Category: Headlines

by AspiDimitrov

YANKEES AND RED SOX DOMINATION CONTINUES

Report from Herts Little League Reporter, Tracey Manning

 

Third week of Little League saw Yankees versus Cubs on Diamond One.  They get off to a great start with the Minor Leaguers joining in with the Majors. One of the League’s newest members Taylor O’Connor on second base for the Cubs had a stellar catch also Chris Lynch who played his very first game ever had the only run for the Cubs. Gage Petar of the Herts Yankees also scored a run. Yankees pitcher Adam White made many out.  Final score 5-1 to the Yankees

 

 

On Diamond Two Redsox – Cardinals slow start but things soon warmed up. Cardinals pitcher Aki Matsuo proved to be an accurate throw keeping the Redsox at bay. Drew Mayhew (Cardinals) added to this with an unassisted double play, however his brother Charlie Mayhew (Redsox) played a key role with a superb catch leaving the score at 3-1 to the Redsox.

 

 

Second Game of the day on Diamond one Cardinals – Yankees, things carried along at a good pace, Yankee Jose Morillo giving his all on the mound, some very nice catching from Michael James (Yankee). Not wanting to stand around Cardinals pitcher James Day took up the slack and got many outs, even with all the hard work this saw Marty Cullen Jr hit a home run and just squeezed home with Kieran Manning missing him by a hairs breath at the home plate ending with Yankees winning 4-3.

 

 

Cubs – Redsox. Lewis Green pitcher for the Cubs got many strikeouts and was helped along by Ben Dormody on first base who caught a very impressive pop up. Redsox worked well as a team for the third week running. The game ended 4-0 for the Redsox winning their second game of the day.

 

 

Photos by Ward Davis (view more images from Week 3 of the Herts Baseball Little League)

by AspiDimitrov

HERTS BASEBALL YOUNG PROSPECT SELECTED BY GREAT BRITAIN TEAM

Herts Baseball Club is pleased to report that Liam Green has been selected to join up with the Great Britain National Team squad for Under-16 year old players (Cadets).

Liam Green was one of the very first members of the Herts Little League which was founded in the summer of 2007.  Despite the fact that he had never played baseball before 2007, his hard work, dedication and undouted talent has turned him into one of the club's brightest prospects.  He was a member of the Herts All-Stars (Under-13) who came second in the National Baseball Championships last year and made his debut with the Herts adult teams in 2009 gradually moving from the Single-A League Herts Raptors to the other Herts teams playing in the AA and AAA Leagues.

Liam will be preparing with the GB Team for the European Championship qualifiers which will take place in July this year in Nykoping, Sweden.

Herts Baseball Club will be supporting Liam in raising funds to cover his costs while with the GB Team.  Any individuals or organisation who are interested to support Liam Green can contact Herts Baseball Club.

 

by AspiDimitrov

A DAY OF CELEBRATION OF BRITISH BASEBALL IN HERTS

 

As advertised, the NBL Summer Classic turned out to be a true celebration of British Baseball. The event started at 10:00am and ended just as the sun was going down at 9:15pm. It had everything from home runs, strikeouts, spectacular plays and late inning drama, to hot dogs and the signing of “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” in the …ninth inning stretch.

HERTS RED SOX SETTING THE PACE

The Herts Little League teams opened the day. The Herts Yankees and the Herts Red Sox picked up convincing wins against the Herts Cubs (14-1) and Herts Cardinals (8-0), respectively. This set up a top of the table clash between the Red Sox and Yankees and the Red Sox came out on top 13-5. This means that they are now leading the league with the Yankees one game back on them, followed closely by the Cardinals in third after they beat the Cubs 9-0.

 

Click here to view full Little League report by reporter Tracey Manning

BLAZERS EXTEND WINNING STREAK

At the same time the National Baseball League action commenced on diamond 1. 2009 champions, Bracknell Blazers were the hot favourites to win the clash against the Croydon Pirates, but the team from South London had plans of their own. They kept fighting and it was only the loss of concentration at critical moments that cost them the game at the end. This was the tenth consecutive league win for the Blazers with a chance to move top of the table depending on the outcome of London’s evening game on diamond 2.

FALCONS SURVIVE LATE ARROWS ONSLAUGHT

The game between the hosts Herts and rivals Essex saw a record attendance for an adult league game in the history of Grovehill Ballpark. This was thanks to the loyal support from the Herts Little League families who had packed the spectator area on the first base side and it was their support right up until the bottom of the ninth inning that contributed to the win for the Falcons.

Before the start of the game the newly built second diamond was officially opened by Mike Penning, Member of Parliament for Hemel Hempstead, who was one of a the many supporters of the Grovehill Ballpark project. Others who supported the project include Dacorum Borough Council, Awards for All, BSUK, Sport England, PropertyLandeArchitercture, Royal Bank of Scotland and many others.

The ceremonial first pitch is usually thrown out by one or two celebrities. On this occasion there were 40 ceremonial first pitches and they were all thrown at the same time by 40 celebrities from the Herts Little League. The unlucky player who had the impossible task of catching all 40 balls at the same time was Falcons catcher, Andy Cornish. Ultimately he didn’t manage to catch any of them, which was not a good sign for Herts ahead of this vital league game.

The Falcons took a comfortable early lead. Kimiyoshi Saionji’s home run was followed by two home runs by Pete Kikel. Despite this the Arrows never lost hope and produced a sensational come back. Going into the ninth inning Essex were on the verge of claiming their first win of the season trailing 12-10 with runners on first and second base and the winning run at the plate. Richard Chesterton came through with the clutch hit. It went over the head of centerfielder Jamie Munn and all the way to the outfield wall. With the runner from first rounding third base and being waved home to tie up the game, the Herts Falcons needed to execute the relay perfectly, and they did. With a runner in scoring position the Falcons needed to get one more out and they ended the game in style, Pete Kikel striking out Lance Louw.

Click here for box scores and images from the Essex vs Herts game.

SOUTHAMPTON IMPRESSIVE WIN

Southampton Mustangs maintained their strong recent form by dispatching the slumping Mildenhall Bulldogs with ease in the day’s only one-sided victory. The majority of Mildenhall’s players work at the airbase in Cambridgeshire and their team was significantly weakened by the absence of the majority of their roster due to an emergency military exercise. Despite this Southampton did produce an impressive performance to pick up another good win.Chuck Druelson pitched the win, with Oscar Sierra clubbing a home run.

LONDON STILL TOP THE LEAGUE

The showpiece game of the day was the match-up between London and Richmond. A large crowd had gathered at the new diamond to watch this eagerly anticipated clash, and then the storm came resulting in a rain-delay. This did spoil the occasion slightly but when the game was restarted it did not affect the quality of baseball with both teams producing a real classic. The Londoners broke out early, cashing in on a number of Richmond errors. The Flames managed to claw their way back, only to fall just short. Jason Roberts claimed the win, pitching a complete game that required over 200 pitches, with Kyle Hickson adding a home run for the Mets.

 

For full NBL report and reaction from the teams click here.

Images from the NBL Summer Classic.

 

by AspiDimitrov

HERTS FALCONS 12 ESSEX ARROWS 11

  

Herts Falcons at Essex Arrows
Score By Innings 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Herts Falcons 1 8 0 0 1 0 0 2 0 12 18 6
Essex Arrows 0 6 0 0 0 0 0 4 1 11 11 2

Herts Falcons12, Essex Arrows 11
Herts Falcons Essex Arrows
  ab r h bi   ab r h bi
GONCALVES Luis ss 5 1 1 0 SONGWON Jeon rf 5 2 2 1
CASAL Carlos 2b 5 1 2 2 SHAER David 1b 4 2 4 2
GREENBERG Jason dh-c 3 3 2 0 CHESTERTON Richard p-cf 5 2 2 3
CORNISH Andy c 3 1 2 1 LOUW Lance 3b 5 0 0 0
(b4) GOETZ Nic p-3b 2 0 1 0 GILBERT Matt cf-p 4 1 0 1
CULLEN Marty 1b 5 1 2 1 FOLEY Luke ss 4 1 3 1
SAIONJI Kimiyoshi lf 4 2 2 1 FLORENCE Brandon lf 3 1 0 0
KIKEL Peter 3b-p 5 2 4 3 (t6) MERTZ Matt lf 2 0 0 0
MUNN Jamie cf 4 0 1 0 CHRISTOFOROU Chris c 2 2 0 0
MARTINEZ Marc rf 5 1 1 0 CLARK Andrew 2b 5 0 0 0
TEAM TOTALS 41 12 18 8 TEAM TOTALS 39 11 11 8

 

E: CASAL Carlos, GREENBERG Jason, KIKEL Peter, MARTINEZ Marc, SAIONJI Kimiyoshi,
GOETZ Nic, CHESTERTON Richard(2). DP: Herts ALL 1. LOB: Herts ALL 7, Essex Arrows 11.
2B: CORNISH Andy, CHESTERTON Richard. HR: KIKEL Peter(2), SAIONJI Kimiyoshi,
CHESTERTON Richard. SB: MARTINEZ Marc, GREENBERG Jason, GONCALVES Luis, SONGWON Jeon,
FOLEY Luke, CHRISTOFOROU Chris. SF: SONGWON Jeon.

Herts Falcons IP H R ER BB SO
GOETZ Nic W 7.00 6 6 3 2 4
KIKEL Peter 2.00 5 5 4 3 3
Essex Arrows            
GILBERT Matt 7.33 11 3 1 0 7
CHESTERTON Richard L 1.67 7 9 4 5 0

HBP: by GOETZ Nic (FOLEY Luke). . . . , by GOETZ Nic (CHRISTOFOROU Chris), by GOETZ
Nic (SHAER David). . , by KIKEL Peter (GILBERT Matt). . WP: KIKEL Peter. PB:
CHRISTOFOROU Chris(4). Balk: GOETZ Nic. T: 3:12. A: 196.
Herts ALL – Top of the 1st:
GONCALVES Luis grounded out.
CASAL Carlos flied out.
GREENBERG Jason walked, advanced to 2nd on passed ball, batted forward to home.
CORNISH Andy doubled, advanced to 3rd on passed ball, 1 RBI.
CULLEN Marty grounded out.
1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Essex Arrows – Bottom of the 1st:
SONGWON Jeon singled, batted forward to 3rd.
SHAER David walked, forced out at 2nd.
CHESTERTON Richard hit into double play.
LOUW Lance popped out.
0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Herts ALL – Top of the 2nd:
SAIONJI Kimiyoshi hit solo home run, 1 RBI.
KIKEL Peter hit solo home run, 1 RBI.
MUNN Jamie walked, picked off.
MARTINEZ Marc singled, stole 2nd, advanced to 3rd on passed ball, batted forward to
home.
GONCALVES Luis walked, stole 2nd, batted forward to home.
CASAL Carlos singled, picked off, 2 RBI.
GREENBERG Jason walked, batted forward to home.
CORNISH Andy singled, batted forward to 3rd, advanced to home on passed ball.
CULLEN Marty singled, batted forward to 2nd, advanced to 3rd on passed ball, batted
forward to home, 1 RBI.
SAIONJI Kimiyoshi walked, advanced to 2nd on passed ball, batted forward to 3rd,
awarded home.
KIKEL Peter singled, picked off, 1 RBI.
8 runs, 7 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Essex Arrows – Bottom of the 2nd:
GILBERT Matt reached on error, advanced to home on error.
FOLEY Luke hit by pitch, advanced to 3rd on error, batted forward to home.
FLORENCE Brandon reached on error, advanced to 2nd on error, batted forward to 3rd,
advanced to home on balk.
CHRISTOFOROU Chris walked, advanced to 2nd on balk, batted forward to home.
CLARK Andrew struck out swinging.
SONGWON Jeon sacrifice flied, 1 RBI.
SHAER David singled, batted forward to home, 1 RBI.
CHESTERTON Richard hit 2-run home run, 2 RBI.
LOUW Lance flied out.
6 runs, 2 hits, 2 errors, 0 LOB.
Herts ALL – Top of the 3rd:
MUNN Jamie struck out looking.
MARTINEZ Marc grounded out.
GONCALVES Luis singled.
CASAL Carlos grounded out.
0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Essex Arrows – Bottom of the 3rd:
GILBERT Matt flied out.
FOLEY Luke singled, advanced to 2nd on error.
FLORENCE Brandon flied out.
CHRISTOFOROU Chris popped out.
0 runs, 1 hit, 1 error, 1 LOB.
Herts ALL – Top of the 4th:
GREENBERG Jason popped out.
CORNISH Andy grounded out.
CULLEN Marty singled, advanced to 3rd on error.
SAIONJI Kimiyoshi flied out.
0 runs, 1 hit, 1 error, 1 LOB.
Essex Arrows – Bottom of the 4th:
CLARK Andrew flied out.
SONGWON Jeon struck out swinging.
SHAER David singled.
CHESTERTON Richard struck out swinging.
0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Herts ALL – Top of the 5th:
KIKEL Peter hit solo home run, 1 RBI.
MUNN Jamie struck out swinging.
MARTINEZ Marc struck out looking.
GONCALVES Luis grounded out.
1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Essex Arrows – Bottom of the 5th:
LOUW Lance struck out swinging.
GILBERT Matt grounded out.
FOLEY Luke singled, stole 2nd.
FLORENCE Brandon popped out.
0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Herts ALL – Top of the 6th:
CASAL Carlos flied out.
GREENBERG Jason singled, stole 2nd.
GOETZ Nic called out by illegally batted ball.
CULLEN Marty flied out.
0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Essex Arrows – Bottom of the 6th:
CHRISTOFOROU Chris hit by pitch, forced out at 2nd.
CLARK Andrew reached on fielder's choice, batted forward to 2nd.
SONGWON Jeon grounded out.
SHAER David hit by pitch.
CHESTERTON Richard popped out.
0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
Herts ALL – Top of the 7th:
SAIONJI Kimiyoshi grounded out.
KIKEL Peter lined out.
MUNN Jamie struck out swinging.
0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Essex Arrows – Bottom of the 7th:
LOUW Lance flied out.
GILBERT Matt flied out.
FOLEY Luke reached on error, forced out at 2nd.
MERTZ Matt reached on fielder's choice.
0 runs, 0 hits, 1 error, 1 LOB.
Herts ALL – Top of the 8th:
MARTINEZ Marc struck out.
GONCALVES Luis popped out.
CASAL Carlos singled, batted forward to 3rd, advanced to home on error.
GREENBERG Jason singled, batted forward to 2nd, advanced to 3rd on error, awarded
home.
GOETZ Nic singled, picked off.
2 runs, 3 hits, 1 error, 0 LOB.
Essex Arrows – Bottom of the 8th:
CHRISTOFOROU Chris walked, advanced to 2nd on error, batted forward to 3rd, stole
home.
CLARK Andrew struck out looking.
SONGWON Jeon singled, stole 2nd, batted forward to home.
SHAER David singled, batted forward to 2nd, advanced to 3rd on wild pitch, batted
forward to home, 1 RBI.
CHESTERTON Richard walked, advanced to 2nd on wild pitch, batted forward to home.
LOUW Lance walked, batted forward to 3rd, forced out at home.
GILBERT Matt hit by pitch, batted forward to 3rd, 1 RBI.
FOLEY Luke singled, batted forward to 2nd, 1 RBI.
MERTZ Matt struck out looking.
CHRISTOFOROU Chris reached on fielder's choice.
4 runs, 3 hits, 1 error, 3 LOB.
Herts ALL – Top of the 9th:
CULLEN Marty struck out.
SAIONJI Kimiyoshi singled, batted forward to 3rd.
KIKEL Peter singled, batted forward to 2nd.
MUNN Jamie singled.
MARTINEZ Marc struck out looking.
GONCALVES Luis flied out.
0 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors, 3 LOB.

Essex Arrows – Bottom of the 9th:
CLARK Andrew reached on error, forced out at 2nd.
SONGWON Jeon reached on fielder's choice, batted forward to home.
SHAER David singled, tagged out going to 2nd.
CHESTERTON Richard doubled, 1 RBI.
LOUW Lance struck out swinging.
1 run, 2 hits, 1 error, 1 LOB.
by AspiDimitrov

HERTS LITTLE LEAGUE (WEEK 2) REPORT

REPORT BY HERTS LITTLE LEAGUE REPORTER, TRACEY MANNING

 

Second week of the Herts Baseball League and the Majors Division got off to a scorching start. Yankees-Cardinals on Diamond 2 with a great start for the Cardinals as Carlos Casal got the first run but the Yankees decided on it being the only run for the Cardinals. Gus Beedell scoring a home run for the Yankees set the end score at 13-1 to the Yankees

 

Over on the other Diamond Red Sox and Cubs played a hard game with many players away our younger members joined the four Major Division teams and got a taste of how the big kids play. Final score 7-0 to the Red Sox.

 

The second game of the day had the Cardinals ready to prove that they could do better and beat Cubs 5-2 Big Hitters Kieran Manning (Cardinals) and Robert Binns(Cubs).

 

Diamond 2 saw Yankees-Red Sox both ready to have a very determined game and they didn't disappoint. Big hits Marty Cullen(Yankees). Yankee Catcher Michael James gave his all, Red Soxs brought on Pitcher Ben Day for the second half of the game which helped Red Soxs to have a run away win of 14-5.

 

Little League had the chance to throw out the ceremonial first pitch to the Herts Catcher Andrew Cornish just before the National Baseball League game. The second Diamond was also officially opened,so many more games to host and enjoy.

 

by AspiDimitrov

ONE VENUE, 14 TEAMS AND 10 HOURS OF NON-STOP BASEBALL

 

This year, British Baseball is introducing several special events as part of the league schedule, and the first of these, the NBL Summer Classic, will take place this Saturday, June 5.

All eight teams from Britain’s top league will come to the same venue and each team will play one nine-inning game. Since these games are part of the league schedule, the outcomes could have a crucial effect on the race for the post-season.

The event will be held at Grovehill Ballpark, the home of the Herts Falcons in Hemel Hempstead. The venue has undergone major building work in the last two years, and last month the club unveiled its brand new second diamond. As a result, Herts is now able to stage these large national events.

With this event taking place on a Saturday, it is rare opportunity for AAA, AA and Single-A league teams to make the trip to Herts for a day packed with top-quality baseball.

STARS OF THE FUTURE LEADING OFF

The day will begin at 10.00 am with youth league games involving the six Herts Little League teams.

Combining youth and adult league games as part of the same event is unusual in British Baseball, but it is expected to be an effective way to bring baseball communities together, increase attendances and make events more vibrant and enjoyable.

Bracknell (9-1) v Croydon (4-6) on Diamond One at 12:00

The NBL action starts at noon as the 2009 Champions Bracknell Blazers take on the Croydon Pirates. Bracknell goes into the game with an impressive nine-game winning streak. The resurgent Croydon Pirates split their doubleheader with the Herts Falcons last Sunday, which puts them in fourth place in the standings. Can they cause an upset against the Blazers?

PLAYERS TO WATCH:

Maikel Azcuy (Croydon) leads the league in home runs after his grand slam on Sunday at Herts, his fifth home run of the season.

Brendan Cunliffe (Bracknell) has been an RBI-machine for the Blazers so far this year. He hits for average (BA .500) and for power (3HR and Slugging .929). He leads the league in RBIs (13).

 

 

Essex (0-10) v Herts (3-7) on Diamond Two at 13:45

Neighbours Essex Arrows and Herts Falcons will resume their long-standing rivalry on Saturday. Essex have been showing signs of revival and they will probably target their game against Herts as a perfect opportunity to record their first win of the season.

On Sunday, Herts returned home after a painful six-game road trip and ended their losing streak, coming back from a three-run deficit in the bottom of the seventh inning to win against Croydon.

Two of Herts’ key pitchers are on the disabled list and the question is whether those players who are healthy can keep the team in touch with the pack. Despite their bad starts, both teams are still in the running for playoff places, and they will be desperate to pick up a win on Saturday and put their seasons back on track.

PLAYERS TO WATCH:

Jeon Sungwon (Essex) is tied for the lead for most base hits (15) so far this season in the NBL.

Luis Goncalves (Herts), a 16-year-old shortstop, has been phenomenal with both bat and glove in his second season in the NBL.

Southampton (4-8) v Mildenhall (4-6) on Diamond One at 15:30

Despite finding themselves second from bottom in the standings, the Southampton Mustangs have quietly been producing some very impressive performances against the top teams in the league. Saturday’s game against the Mildenhall Bulldogs is the first of five upcoming games which they will see as must-win to put them right back in the race for the post-season.

After winning their opening four games, Mildenhall have suffered six losses in a row. Can they turn their season around against Southampton? They will go into the game with confidence, in the knowledge that just a few weeks ago they came out on top against the Mustangs on the same field in the final week of the Herts Spring League.

PLAYERS TO WATCH:

Charles Truelson (Southampton) may not have a 90 mph fastball but he more than compensates for that with control and movement. He has picked up two of the four wins for the Mustangs so far this year with an ERA of 5.40.

Jon Mabie (Mildenhall) is one of the toughest catchers in the league and a perfect example for young players of what it means to give 100% on every play. He has a batting average of .389 with 5 RBIs.

London (11-1) v Richmond (7-3) on Diamond Two at 17:00

This is undoubtedly the game of the day. The first-placed London Mets are bringing back memories of their championship-winning seasons in 2007 and 2008. However, after a slow start, the Richmond Flames are back to their best and on Saturday we will find out if they can stop the Mets.

This is billed as the main event of the NBL Summer Classic this Saturday and the other games have been scheduled to finish in time for all those attending to gather around the brand new diamond at Herts for this unmissable clash.

PLAYERS TO WATCH:

Jason Roberts (London) leads the league in wins (5) and strikeouts (38).

Ryan Bird (Richmond) is the 2008 and 2009 MVP.

SCHEDULE: SATURDAY, JUNE 5

10:00 – Herts Little League games: Yankees @ Cubs, Red Sox @ Cardinals, Tornadoes @ Crocs (Diamond 2).

11:30 – Herts Little League games: Red Sox @ Yankees, Cubs @ Cardinals, Crocs @ Tornadoes (Diamond 2).

12:00 – NBL: Croydon Pirates @ Bracknell Blazers (Diamond 1).

13:45 – NBL: Herts Falcons @ Essex Arrows (Diamond 2).

15:30 – NBL: Mildenhall Bulldogs @ Southampton Mustangs (Diamond 1).

17:00 – NBL: Richmond Flames @ London Mets (Diamond 2).

VENUE

Grovehill Ballpark is located at Washington Avenue, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire HP2 6NH.

For a map and directions, click here.

For more details please contact Herts Baseball Club via the official website.

Photos by:

— event-photos.co.uk

— www.hp2photographic.com

 

by AspiDimitrov

CROYDON AND HERTS SPLIT IN NBL WEEK 7 ACTION

(this report by Simon Fitzjohn first appeared on www.britishbaseball.com)

 

The improving Croydon Pirates and the Herts Falcons split the only doubleheader played in the National Baseball League on Sunday, May 30, a make-up from the previous weekend.

Meanwhile, the rest of the league took a Bank Holiday breather.

Special NBL reporter Simon Fitzjohn provides the details.

 

Croydon Pirates @ Herts Falcons

This battle produced a pair of thrillers, with home runs, stunning comebacks and even a pitching duel for the fans to savour.

In Game One, the contest was tied 3-3 heading into the sixth inning, only for Mikael Azcuy to smash a grand slam for the Pirates to open up a 7-3 lead.

But the Falcons clawed back a run in the bottom of the frame before scoring four runs in the bottom of the seventh for an amazing 8-7 triumph.

Luis Goncalves took the win, while Tim Ssala was dealt the tough-luck loss.

If Game One was an offensive delight, Game Two was the exact opposite, as pitchers Jose Sosa for the Pirates and Nick Goetz for the Falcons went at it.

With plenty of mound magic, Tim Ssala’s RBI single proved decisive in a 1-0 Pirates win.

Herts’ Aspi Dimitrov said: “It was a real boost for the club to win Game One, as it was a great comeback. We have had a tough few weeks on the road recently so it was good to get home.

“Both of us are in the bottom half of the table,” Dimitrov continued, “and they were two tough games. We could have won both, but we could also have lost both so we have to take the positives.”

by AspiDimitrov

RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW

The head coach of the NFL's Buffalo Bills, Marv Levy, used to rally his team with a speech which ended like this — “Where else would you rather be, than right here, right now?” And that phrase rang though my head as the Herts Raptors' epic game against Tonbridge came to a climax on Sunday evening. Bottom of the ninth, bases loaded, two out. Tying run on third base, winning run on second. It had been an extraordinary game, lasting over five hours, and the day had waned from blazing sunshine to long shadows. Moments like this are why we play sports.

But it was to end in heartbreak. Tonbridge held on to take the game 31-30.

No matter how high the score, or how long the game, when it ultimately comes down to such a fine winning margin you can't help but wonder “what if”.  I know that our fearless leader, Ken — who fate dealt the final out — had plenty of them going through his head on Sunday night. But three quickly leapt into my own, showing how easy they are to find: what if I had swung away in the final inning, rather than taking the walk? What if, as third base coach, I had earlier helped keep my runner out of a double play when we had a man on third and nobody out? And what if I had caught a bloop which went over my shoulder as Phil tried to close out the top of the ninth?

I don't know the answers, of course, but I can have a good guess. Question 1 — very little would have been different (and he only threw me one strike anyway). Question 2 — very little would have been different (sometimes the ball just goes where you least want it to). And Question 3? You guessed it. Very little would have ben different (and I couldn't have caught it, otherwise I would have done so in real life instead of just in my head). A baseball game is a collection of tiny incidents and tiny confrontations which make up a rich whole. If you deconstruct it, it's just not the same any more.

 I personally contributed little to the game, to be honest, I was an enthralled passenger as much as anything. But at least I broke my duck at the plate, getting my first hits of the season. Actually, my best “hit” wasn't a “hit” at all. It was a line drive which crashed into the trees just foul down the third base line.  You don't score anything for how many leaves and branches you take out, and at the end of the day it's just another strike.  But I did get a couple in the right place later, and my batting average jumped dramatically from .000 to .286. Impressive, eh? I am still taking solace from my .583 OBP. But who's counting. I would've had another walk in my first plate appearance if I had kept my bat out of the way of a pitch behind my head! I haven't done that since my rookie season.

There were enormous positives for the team. Our three pitchers, all first-timers this season, battled fantastically and even threw up zeroes on the scoreboard. Simon was a rock at first base. And of course the players scored thirty runs, three times their previous best. Where would they rather be? Right now, they'd probably rather be celebrating a win. But — failing that — I hope they are happy to have been part of both history and drama.  

by AspiDimitrov

BBC AUDIO SLIDESHOW: “SWINGING AWAY”

The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) at Lord's and the Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New York, have collaborated to produce a groundbreaking new exhibition on the connections between baseball and cricket that is now open to the public at Lord’s Cricket Ground.

The MCC Museum at Lord's is trying to dispel a few myths, and reveal some surprising connections, in a new exhibition that looks at the shared history of cricket and baseball.

The BBC have published an interesting audio slideshow taking a trip back in time looking at the games of baseball and cricket. (Click to view)