May 28, 2011 at Abnet Field in La Crescent

APPLE JACKS OFF TO SLOW, BUT PROMISING START

The La Crescent Apple Jacks hosted the St. Croix BBC/Minneapolis Quicksteps and Olmsted County Roosters for three games on Saturday to ease into the vintage base ball season. The clubs enjoyed perfect playing conditions, even if the bats and fielding were a bit rusty and a cache of veteran players were absent.

The combined St. Croix/Quicksteps came away with two wins, including a 10-3 triumph over the Roosters in the first match of the day. The St. Croix Quicksteps sustained their fervor with an 11-0 victory over the Jacks. This was only the third time in eight years that the Jacks had been shut out.

The St. Croix/Quicksteps’ weighty offense was no match for the Jacks in the first innings. Consequently, the adversaries tallied five runs in the first inning and three more in the third. The Jacks’ bats were plagued by grounders that failed to reach the fields and sky balls that were easily caught.

The Jacks also lost to the Roosters 10-3 in their 10^th meeting since 2005. The Roosters took an early lead with the score 3-2 in the fourth inning. After a batting frenzy in the bottom of the fourth, the Roosters extended their lead 9-2. The Jacks will face the Roosters at least once more this season.

It is natural for players to misjudge the distance and bound of the ball in the first outing of the season, and so it was with the Jacks’ defense. Not ones to mope or swagger, the Jacks dutifully made adjustments. By the end of the day, Bill “Ho-hum” Ohm, the Jacks’ captain, labeled his men ready for a full season.

Erik “Stretch” Deetz swung the bat with authority, reaching base 2 of 3 times in the first game and three times against the Roosters. He was joined in play by brothers Samuel “Shorty” and Benjamin “George,” as well as his father Dan “Skunk.” Eric “Doc” Kiesau, the Jacks’ shortstop, was in the lineup after a year off, and he cracked three hits against the Roosters. His son Thomas served as the Jacks’ mascot, keeping a watchful eye over the bats and equipment.

Another family connection was Steve “Whitey” Geronime and his brother Paul “Swiss,” both stalwart batsmen who ignited the Jacks’ offense against the Roosters. Noticeably absent from the Jacks roster were several lads from Holmen, including Bryan “Smalls” Hove and Darrin “Scruff” Witt. Witt created the Jacks’ signature prank of pitching an apple to an unsuspecting adversary. As a result of his absence, no apples were tossed in Saturday’s games.

The three 1860s matches and an hour-long exhibition of 1863 play proceeded smoothly, with very few fines levied for errant behavior. Prince Peter Petersilie, the umpire for both Jacks games, seemed to twice clarify the rule that players cannot advance when a fair ball has been caught without having touched the ground. For future reference concerning balls in and out of play, Mrs. Joan Ohm, the official tally keeper, noted the references to Section 16 of the rules.

NOTE: The 2nd Annual Apple Jacks Festival, scheduled for Saturday, May 21, was canceled due to stormy weather. As a result, the players were invited to La Crescent on May 28, even though full teams were not possible. Two members of the Afton Red Stockings joined the Apple Jacks for the May 28 games.