The Rochester Grangers base ball team
By Douglas “Moonlight” Otlewski
A full winter’s hibernaculum has come and gone, heralding the return of spring and the arrival of base ball. At the direction of their procrustean potentate, Patrick “Barnraiser” McKay, the Grangers have lately laid aside their farm implements in favor of re-acquaintance with the mottled orb and truncheon. To that end, a schedule of training maneuvers has been conspicuously affixed to the gate at Van Hoosen farm, spurring the veteran ballists to acclimate their dormant muscles to the rigors of the game.
Students of this gazette may recall news of last year’s campaign which included memorable performances at the Petoskey Fudge Bucket Classic and the Royal Oak Gatling Gun Shootout. In accord with an over-arching ambition to nurture the fledgling game, the Rochesters will proffer justice to their reputations this summer in such far-flung territories as New York, Pennsylvania, and Ohio.
Underscoring their ongoing commitment to spectator enlightenment, the Grangers will soon unveil a tally keeper’s board designed and built by the talented craftsmen at the OPC woodshop. Other slated amusements include the first ever Thursday evening match, as well as regular game day samplings of a new novelty victual called the “hot dog.” All indicators thusly point to another banner season for the suspendered stalwarts and their devoted followers.
As is their custom, the Grangers and their opponents are mindful to eschew all manner of offensive or disputatious personality on the exercise grounds, demonstrating the game of base ball the way it was meant to be played by gentlemen, according to the rules of 1864. The Rochesters appreciate the patronage of their two steadfast benefactors, Antoniou’s and the Hills Grille, who will again assist the ballists with their usual postprandial smorgasbord.
Encounters of the barehanded kind will be played, unless otherwise noted, at the Rochester Museum at Van Hoosen Farm at 1:00 p.m. The complete home schedule appears as follows:
Saturday, May 26, Port Huron Welkins (at Halbach Field)
Saturday, June 16, Detroit Early Risers
Thursday, June 21, Royal Oak Wahoos (6:30 p.m.)
Saturday, July 28, Wyandotte Stars
Saturday, August 11, Union BBC
Saturday, August 25, Saginaw Old Golds
Saturday, September 1, Union BBC of Dexter
Douglas “Moonlight” Otlewski contributed this Granger update in the writing style used in the late 1800’s. For further information on the entire schedule please call the Museum at (248) 656-4663 or circumnavigate the new fangled web at www.RochesterGrangers.com
