FLEISCHMANNS - Following two wins at the Gettysburg Nineteenth Century Base Ball Festival, the M.A.C. returned to the historic M.A.C. Grounds at Fleischmanns Park on Saturday, July 22 for a double header of 1864 baseball with the Kingston Guards, who are in a rebuilding phase following a 12 year hiatus. The M.A.C. won both contests handily with scores of 26-10 and 30-2. Roughly 50 to 60 spectators were in attendance with many locals and some traveling from the cities of Rochester and Hyde Park to see the matches. In the second game, the Guards fell short of a player and recruited directly from the crowd - a practice common in 1860’s baseball when the sport was young and had to compete for players with the sport of cricket. Kevin Blau, a ticket broker for the New Orleans Pelicans (the new NBA team named after the City’s former minor league baseball team) appearing to be in his late twenties and able-bodied, had watched the first contest and was wishing to play. He is visiting his family’s summer home in Halcottsville. Kevin fielded the second base position perfectly and collected two hits in the final game.
The M.A.C. will travel for another two games at the Doc Adams Nineteenth Century Base Ball Festival at Old Bethpage Village Restoration in Bethpage, NY on Saturday August 5th before returning to the M.A.C. Grounds on Saturday, Aug. 12 for a 2 p.m. doubleheader with the newly formed Saugerties Base Ball Club. A chicken barbecue will be held in conjunction with the matches to benefit the Fleischmanns Volunteer Fire Department. Admission is free and donations are always appreciated. For more information, visit www.macvintagebaseball.org
