Colonials Play Hard, Drop 2 in Hartford

HARTFORD - The local nine traveled to Connecticut to compete in the Colt Meadows Vintage Invitational Tournament on June 27. Though missing several members of the squad, the team played with grit and determination. In the end, the vintage ballists from Boston fell in two games to the Hartford Senators and the Olneyville Temperance Cadets. The Colonials battled to the last frame, though.

Catcher Brendan Reilly, once known as "Nature Boy," was given the new vintage nickname of "Stitch" after taking a throw from Hartford's Chris Moran in the forehead while sliding into home. The imprint of the stitches stayed on Reilly's head long after the ball bounced off it with resounding crack louder than that made by contact between ball and bat. Stitch remained behind the plate and caught the second game as well.

Steve "Saber" Smith hurled the entire first game and all but the last two innings of the second. He battled through several back and forth contests with opposing strikers and showed no signs of backing down.

Next up for the Colonials is a rematch with the Cadets in Boston on July 11.

Colonials Kick Off 2009 Season With A Win

BOSTON, MA - The Boston Colonials kicked off the 2009 regular season with an 18-15 victory over the New Hampshire Granite. Though the score may be misleading, there was some excellent defense turned in by both clubs. Steve "Saber" Smith hurled 9 frames for the boys in green, earning the win. Other highlights included:

• Brendan "Nature Boy" Reilly's successful steal of home plate
• Nature Boy, showing an accurate arm in his first game behind the plate, throwing out an albeit hobbled Pat "Blue" Reilly in a steal attempt (thanks to Blue for providing his gritty services to the Granite)
• Pete "Big Red" Aiello making an absolutely ridiculous, horseshoe shoved up the a**, one-handed catch mere seconds after being mocked by Blue
• Pat "Nickname TBD" Brennan making a timely and beautiful catch in right field to silence a late rally from the Granite

The local nine saw excellent offense and defense from all of its new vintage ballists, including John "Steel" Banks, Pete Zak, Jon Marcus, Pat Brennan and Rob Nee. Along with veterans Nature Boy, Big Red, Saber, Drew McConville and Derek Martel, and a handful of players who could not make the season opener, the Colonials are confident this will be a very successful season.

Boston Colonials 2009 Schedule

Here is the 2009 Season Schedule for the Boston Colonials. We have a lot of new players and a fun season ahead, so come out and watch. Additional games may be scheduled so keep checking back.

5/23 @ Olneyville Cadets, Warwick, RI (Exhibition)
5/30 vs New Hampshire Granite in Boston (W, 18-15)

6/20 vs Chicopee Skipmucks, 1 p.m. in Rhode Island
6/27 @ Hartford Tournament in Colt Park, Hartford, CT vs Olneyville Cadets and Hartford Senators

7/11 vs Olneyville Cadets in Boston

8/1 vs Boston Beaneaters in Boston
8/8 vs Olneyville Cadets in Boston

9/5 vs Hartford Senators in Boston
9/12 @ New Hampshire Granite, Nashua, NH

Colonials Best Pioneers in First Meeting

BRIGHTON, MA - In the local nine's highly anticipated first home game of the season, the Colonials defeated the Whatley Pioneers by a score of 15-9. After several two-hour drives to meet on the fields of their opponents, a battle-tested team from Beantown returned to Cassidy Field after a valuable week off.

The Pioneers are new to the vintage game, though they have experience in other leagues and proved to be determined opponents. Solid striking from every part of the Boston lineup led the way as Boston improved to 4-3 on the year.

Both teams showed tremendous hustle and never let up despite the 95+ degree weather that could only be described as hell on earth. The Colonials look forward to their second meeting with Whatley on their home field in July.

Colonials Split Another Doubleheader, remain 2nd in Division

EAST WINDSOR, CT - The local nine hit the road again for their second doubleheader in as many weeks Memorial Day weekend, this time travelling to Connecticut to face the Westfield Wheelmen and the Hartford Senators. As was the case in Rhode Island last week, Boston (3-3) showed grit and determination, splitting the day's contests and remaining at .500 on the year.

The first game pitted the Colonials against the Wheelmen in a tough contest. Both teams were in a tight race until the fifth frame when costly defensive miscues resulted in a seven-run inning for the Wheelmen, ending in a 12-4 loss for Beantown.

The second game of the day got off to a rocky start for Boston and things looked to go south. The boys in green battled back from a nine-run deficit with a "party at the bat rack," a term now immortalized in Boston Vintage Base Ball by Jay "Simba" Baroff. The final frames saw some tough defensive plays from a battered team behind the excellent pitching of Steve "Saber" Smith.

Smith took the ball when Boston was down and stopped the bleeding, leading his team to a 20-16 victory. The season series sits at 1-1 with these two teams, and Hartford is a team that the Colonials look forward to playing each and every season. This friendly rivalry deserves nothing less than a battle of a rubber match later this year, followed by the usual tomfoolery.

The next game for Boston will be the first home game of the 2008 campaign, played at Cassidy Field in Brighton against the Whatley Pioneers. Game to start at 1:30 p.m.