On Thursday night we headed to New Hampshire for opening night of the 2008 season of the defending Can-Am champion Nashua Pride. It was still unseasonably cool at historic Holman Stadium, but it was a fun evening, especially since rain showers in the area ended just in time for the pre-game ring ceremony.
This first game of the season also featured the first giveaway: a dust pan and broom in honor of the Pride's sweeping of the North Shore Spirit for the 2007 Can-Am title. A cute idea!
We were glad to see a decent crowd turn out for the game. We like to see independent teams do well and would not want to the Pride go the way of the afore-mentioned North Shore Spirit. That team folded after last season, despite making it to the league championship series.
The Can-Am league (which the Pride joined two years ago after having been in the Atlantic League for several seasons) exists in an interesting alt-baseball world. There are a lot of good players who have been overlooked by MLB teams and it's great to see them get a chance to play. Every year some players from the Can-Am league as well as other independent leagues wind up getting signed by major league organizations. In fact, two Pride players from last season, shortstop Olmo Rosario and pitcher Steve Palazzolo, were signed by the Giants and assigned to the Double-A Connecticut Defenders, a favorite DITR team.
As far as last night's Pride game goes, "we" won in the tenth inning over the Brockton Rox, 8-7. Catcher Luis Rodriguez delivered the two-out, game-winning hit.
Entertainment during the game was provided by Krazy George, a professional cheerleader who certainly lives up to his nickname. He is reportedly the originator of "the wave" and knows how to work a crowd.
The Pride and the city of Nashua are justly proud of the role they played in the integration of modern baseball. In 1946, while Jackie Robinson played in Montreal, Roy Campanella and Don Newcombe of the Nashua Dodgers were the first African-American players on an organized team in the United States, playing their home games at historic Holman Stadium.
In the photo above you can see the retired numbers of Newk (36) and Campy (39) alongside the number 42 of their future Brooklyn Dodgers teammate.
So, you get to take in a bit of history with your baseball. A great time!
This first game of the season also featured the first giveaway: a dust pan and broom in honor of the Pride's sweeping of the North Shore Spirit for the 2007 Can-Am title. A cute idea!
We were glad to see a decent crowd turn out for the game. We like to see independent teams do well and would not want to the Pride go the way of the afore-mentioned North Shore Spirit. That team folded after last season, despite making it to the league championship series.
The Can-Am league (which the Pride joined two years ago after having been in the Atlantic League for several seasons) exists in an interesting alt-baseball world. There are a lot of good players who have been overlooked by MLB teams and it's great to see them get a chance to play. Every year some players from the Can-Am league as well as other independent leagues wind up getting signed by major league organizations. In fact, two Pride players from last season, shortstop Olmo Rosario and pitcher Steve Palazzolo, were signed by the Giants and assigned to the Double-A Connecticut Defenders, a favorite DITR team.
As far as last night's Pride game goes, "we" won in the tenth inning over the Brockton Rox, 8-7. Catcher Luis Rodriguez delivered the two-out, game-winning hit.
Entertainment during the game was provided by Krazy George, a professional cheerleader who certainly lives up to his nickname. He is reportedly the originator of "the wave" and knows how to work a crowd.
The Pride and the city of Nashua are justly proud of the role they played in the integration of modern baseball. In 1946, while Jackie Robinson played in Montreal, Roy Campanella and Don Newcombe of the Nashua Dodgers were the first African-American players on an organized team in the United States, playing their home games at historic Holman Stadium.
In the photo above you can see the retired numbers of Newk (36) and Campy (39) alongside the number 42 of their future Brooklyn Dodgers teammate.
So, you get to take in a bit of history with your baseball. A great time!
No comments:
Post a Comment