Went to Hartford last night to see the Binghamton Rumble Ponies against the Hartford Yard Goats.
When we got there, we found out it was Irish Night.
There were dance groups, music, food (the specialty kiosk was from an Irish Pub and Restaurant in Hartford*) and the national flags for both the USA and Ireland were unfurled before the game and both National Anthems were sung.
The giveaway as we entered was a replica baseball card of (John Joseph) "Dirty" Jack Doyle - from Killorglin in County Kerry - who made his Major League debut in 1889. He batted .299 over a 17 year career and stole 518 bases (which still ranks # 31 all time) and the picture shows him in a Brooklyn uniform.
The card was provided by the Irish American Baseball Society, and if you'd like a free one year membership you can text "IRISH" to 877-358-2891 or log onto IrishBaseball.org/2021 .
As for the game, I went there to see three players, 3B Brett Baty, and 3B Mark Vientos (who played first) who are two of the Mets top 5 prospects, and C Hayden Senger, who isn't on the top 20 list but I think will be. He's hitting .310. But Senger didn't play.
Binghamton won 6-5 and the guys I was watching didn't disappoint.
Both of them got two hits, including a double each.
The doubles were as different as you could imagine. Vientos was a line drive to center that hit half way up the batters' eye/ fence to the right of the 392' sign. Baty's was a line drive that caromed off the umpire standing behind the pitcher and went into short center field Baty hustled it into a double.
Of course, the best part of the night was seeing my grandson's picture up on the scoreboard.
Box score: https://www.milb.com/gameday/rumble-pon ... ame=645866
* = Vaughn's Public House:https://www.ctvisit.com/listings/vaughans-public-house
Later
Irish Night at the Ballpark
Irish Night at the Ballpark
"It is better to light a candle than curse the darkness". William Lonsdale Watkinson
I have never insulted anyone. I simply describe them, accurately.
"They fear love because it creates a world they can't control" - George Orwell
I have never insulted anyone. I simply describe them, accurately.
"They fear love because it creates a world they can't control" - George Orwell
Re: Irish Night at the Ballpark
Congratulations to the Vaughn Family for sporting a name of Welsh origin and not trying to fake it by calling their pub something more Irish-sounding like Tubby O'Shamrock's.
A Shaolin monk does not sell himself for a handful of rice.
