CVBBA 2009 STATS LEADERS
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Idaho Springs 150th Gold Rush
Bee Family Farm
September 19
Blues rally, sting Bee Farm 15 to 9
The Berthoud Blues posted perhaps the best single inning in their history using a 10-run rally to overcome a 6-run deficit and beat the Bee Farm Buzzzards.
The occasion was the first (annual?) fall festival at Bee Farm, a Colorado Centennial Farm located south of Wellington in the north-central portion of the territory. There were about 200 visitors viewing farm life as it used to be, as well as providing an enthusiastic backdrop for the national game. The field was flat, but recently mown hay kept there from being many true bounces. It was feared that a cornfield in the left garden might become a factor, but the fears proved unfounded.
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Rockledge Ranch
September 7 1:00 p.m.
Marathon Men: All-Stars Outlast Cloudbusters in 15 Innings, 8 to 6
In the longest match ever in Association history, the Colorado Territorial All-Stars rallied from near defeat in regulation to best the determined (and a bit testy) Camp Creek Cloudbusters before a large and sometimes overly-enthusiastic gathering of cranks.
In recent years, the Colorado City boys had become used to having their way when the Territorials came to town, as indicated by last season's embarrassment when the visitors only batted five men above the minimum in its 1-9 loss. Some felt a contributing factor could have been the oversubscription of ballists in that contest (24) making it difficult for any one player to get into a groove. Perhaps it was this season's limitation on participants or maybe a thirst for redemption, but for whatever reason this match started much differently.
Read the full Match Report by The Deacon
Firestone Honey Festival
August 29 1:30 p.m.
I'll just have to admit this up front. This was one of those matches that doesn't lend to a very inspired retelling. There was little scoring, little excitement, and a little crowd. I'm not kidding much to tell you that I started the team introductions with, "Lady and Gentleman!" Perhaps if Digger Hadix had gotten hurt in the first inning rather than the eighth, the looky-loos that followed the emergency crew over from the faire might have hung around to watch. Oy!
Despite the dearth of eye-witnesses, the home club began putting on a show, as four hits brought home a couple of runs. The All-Stars countered. A leadoff single by Tiny Heine, double by Hands Phelan, and sacrifice by Rattler Gallegos got two matching aces ....
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Berthoud Ice Cream Social
Special Event for Ian Traveller Tinney
August 15
It seemed a sure sign that the travelling All-Stars were in trouble when Captain Bicycle Mike Roberts had to reach de-e-e-e-ep into the hurling rotation and peg the Deacon as his starting hurler. No one else made the trip who had any innings this year (as Mad Dog Mason was handing the umpiring duties). It had been a long time (early last year) since the Deacon had stood behind the hurling line, and a lot longer than that since he had shown any prowess at the position. The only alternative was anyone who wanted to try their hand at the toss for the first time ever, and Breadbasket Beckers stepped up in relief.
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Palmer Lake
August 8
On one of our more rustic and authentic ballfields of the season, the Swans of the Tri-Lakes Region were rudely, but gentlemanly, indoctrinated into the National Game.
Match organizer Digger Haddix had done a wonderful job. The home club had a full compliment despite two ballists on the DL, including one who broke an ankle during pre-game shagging and had to be transported to the local hospital. While a tad smallish, the field had some interesting terrain, including a right-field train track (and a couple of "Iron Horses" added to the ambience). There were perhaps 200 cranks cheering on their charges and on at least three occasions the festivities were interrupted by a boisterous throng of lady suffragists. And lastly, I heard from a confidential source, Digger's performance in the previous night's local talent show "brought down the house". We'll need to get him to repeat it at the year-end dinner!
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Silt Hey Day
August 1
There was a time, not too many years past, when the Silt All-Stars would make an annual trip over the hill into Denver City for matches, and sometimes double up on the western slope with another match in Glenwood -- once playing as many as six matches in one season against the Denver gang. There was some lamenting this weekend about why this wasn't still the case, among both eastern and western slopers. For those nearer the left coast of our great nation the reasoning is obvious -- they keep winning!
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Walker Ranch
Sunday July 26
Was Football Invented at Walker Ranch?
While there is still uncertainty regarding the origin of our great national past time of Base Ball, it could be that the Denver Blue Stockings and Walker Ranch Boys teamed up to invent a new game this Sunday past high on the foothills overlooking Boulder. For want of a better name, I'll call it "foot-ball", because it was that appendage as much as any that came into contact with the ball. In what this observer believes to be a record, on at least a half-dozen occasions (and maybe a couple more) runners on the base-paths redirected struck balls -- mostly with their feet, mostly by the Stockings, and mostly successful at adding bases to their runs.
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Westminster Historical Society
July 11
R-E-L-I-E-F
As in the old advertisement for the heartburn medicine "Rolaids", the major theme of this year's annual match at Westminster was "relief" -- as least for the beleaguered Lightning Bolts. They haven't had too much success in this second oldest of continuing CVBBA rivalries, and especially the past two matches weighed heavily on their captain, Happy -- coming oh-so-close to victory both years, dominating really, only to see the All-Stars snatch victory from the jaws of defeat in the final frame. This year looked to be a carbon copy, but not quite.
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Sterling Historical Society
July 4
I have to admit, I can't remember if I ever played "sandlot ball" as a kid. But veteran sandlot-baller Old Hoss Foster assured me that this was, indeed, sandlot ball. Although he also didn't remember there being quite so many "sand-burrs" to deal with.
What might be the most lasting memory years from today were all the goat-heads (and their various cousins): especially for Red Dog Wickett who picked up some in both knees and hands crawling to make an out at home; or every behind who had to pick one out of every hurled pitch; or every striker who pulled them out of the bats; or anyone else, like Magic Piccolo, who took one (or a dozen) for the team by hitting the ground to make a play.
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Eagle Flight Days
June 27
On the same field where the All-Stars humbled the Merchants last year 4-0 in one of the finest defensive performances ever in this Territory, the Merchants turned the tables this season and stifled the Denver men 9 to 2. It was never really that close.
Embarrassment is a strong motivator, and it was evident that the Merchants still felt the sting from last year's "Chicago". During the pre-match parade (which was attended by Fast Eddie Phelan, Cannibal Tinney, Suds Knezevich, myself, and the swami himself, the prognosticator supreme, that gold-encrusted palm-reading cone head -- Red Dog Wickett), the announcer called on a large crowd to support the home boys and made the prediction that they would do better than last year. One of the several marching Merchants retorted, "Yeah, this year we are going to score!"
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Idalia
June 13
In my many years umpiring and reporting on the National Game, I have seldom seen a finer display of ginger, muckle, and true grit as that exhibited this Saturday past by the Territorial All-Stars in their tussle with the Idalia Cow Tippers.
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An interesting and inspirational story about a small Colorado Town
named Joes-Contributed by Pat Deacon Massengill
The Boys from Joes
BERTHOUD DAYS SPECIAL EVENT
June 6
Saturday's 3pm game in Berthoud will honor our brother, Ian "Traveller" Tinney, who was hospitalized nearly a month ago after a stroke in the brain stem area. Ian had been battling dibilitating headaches for months, unaware of their cause. Ian's family, Laurel, Dathan "Cannibal" and Jarad "Slacker" have been coping with the suddeness of his collapse as best they can, but are in dire need of assistance. A fund has been set up at Guarantee Bank and can be accessed from any of their locations. Supporters may contribute to the "L. Ian Tinney Assistance Donation Fund". If anyone wants to help in other ways please contact Teri Johnson at 970-215-8785. Expect an update when Ian is moved to a rehabilitation facility, hopefully very soon. He would love to see any of his friends and compatriots.
A hearty HUZZAH! to the CVBBA! I must say that I am convinced the term "Gentlemen" can truly be applied to the members of the CVBBA with no qualms attached nor questions raised. In addition, as true "Ladies", their wives and families have supported their generosity to the Tinney family. Not presuming to know the nature of each of your faiths or beliefs, I thank God for you all.
Cherokee Sharon
Canon City Western Heritage Days
May 30 & 31
This weekend past several members of the Colorado Territorial All-Stars and Denver & Rio Grande Reds (from Colorado Springs) made passage by various means (rail, carriage, and saddle) to the southern Colorado town of Cañon City. Being home to the Territorial Prison, this was a risky proposition for a few of the visitors -- having either been former residents of said lockup who escaped or perhaps deserving to be future residents. Either way, everyone seemed to avoid detection and ferreted away to continued freedom.
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Loveland Historical Society
May 23
The day dawned muggy and cool and rain clouds were on every horizon, but the match went off as planned on May 23rd last. The venue was the old county fairgrounds south of the hamlet of Loveland, which provided excellent seating for the 50 or so cranks in attendance. It also featured some uneven terrain for the ballists, with a hill elevating the second and third bags some six feet above the rest, which made for some interesting plays. Recent torrential rains had also created a lake in the far mid-garden -- but fears that it would come into play were not realized.
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Superior Days
May 9
Despite a forecast for wet skies, the actual conditions in the hamlet of Superior were perfect for the national game. The local Swans were represented by a half-dozen veterans of previous encounters and five rookies. Significantly, none of their ballists appeared to be above the age of 30 and were all fine, strapping lads. On the other hand, the visiting All-Stars showed up with all the usual suspects, a number of whom were -- how should I put it -- veterans of many, many, many campaigns.
Read the full Match Report by The Deacon
Fort Lupton Heritage Fair
May 2
With the day dawning overcast and cool and a forecast for rain most of the day, the late-arriving ballists finally began tossing the ball around an hour after the scheduled appointment. As there were no designated clubs for this engagement, the 15 ballists and five volunteers were distributed to Captains Old Hoss Foster and Cannibal Tinney as evenly as could be determined.
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