Applefest 2016

Apple Jacks savor Applefest with a win and a sting

The first appearance of 1860s base ball at Applefest took place on Saturday afternoon at George Horihan Field, a glorious expanse of green grass with mature trees guarding from the south. The day began under sunshine and a scattering of clouds as players swiped at the air with their bats and loped gingerly to their defensive stations. The weathered timber grandstand lured a bevy of spectators to witness a vigorous physical game with humble rules and a courteous nature.

In the opener, the host Apple Jacks Base Ball Club of La Crescent handily defeated the Highland Prairie Hayseeds 13-6. The Jacks surprised the Hayseeds with four aces (runs) in the first inning. They followed with four more in the third driven in by Jim “Scoop” Schupbach’s skyball to the outfield fence and hits by Jon “Numbers” Jones and Scott “Roman” Pechacek. The score sped to 8-5 in the Jacks’ favor, and they continued to amass 20 hits compared to the Hayseeds’ 13.

The Jacks impressed defensively, eliciting cheers from the spectators, as Prince Peter Petersilie, the umpire, kept watch. Twice the Hayseeds were dispatched after three quick outs due to the Jacks’ precision throws. Nevertheless, the Hayseeds and Jacks joshed easily with each other throughout the innings and shook hands in camaraderie as the contest ended. After this first defeat, the steely Hayseeds succumbed to yet another formidable opponent in the Roosters of Olmsted County.

By the time the Jacks played the Roosters, clouds and a brisk wind had chased away the sun and the Jacks’ dynamic performance as well. The respite between games seemed to extract power from the Jacks bats and stymie their defense. The Roosters quickly tallied 33 hits to the Jacks’ 20, defeating the host team 13-3. Led by the Jacks captain Joel “Hefty” Affeldt, handshakes abounded, symbolic this time of the long-standing friendship between the Jacks and Roosters and their mutual respect for the game.

According to Affeldt, a wins feels good and a loss stings, but foremost is the pure joy of playing base ball, especially during Applefest.