Vintage Base Ball: Apple Jacks thank departing manager with victories

The Apple Jacks thanked their retiring co-founder and long-time general manger with two victories Saturday at Old Hickory Park.

Mary McLaughlin, along with Kim Czechowicz, founded the Apple Jacks in 2004. Mary has served as general manager since then. Her duties included writing those wonderful stories for the Houston County News, obtaining and maintaining uniforms, maintaining the Apple Jacks website, fund raising and generally mother-henning the club.

The annual gathering of Vintage Base Ball teams at the “Field of Dreams” Movie Set in Iowa was her brainchild. After a brief celebration of her service to the club, the Apple Jacks took care of base ball business.

The skies were blue, the temperature was in the 90s and winds gusted in the 20-30 mile per hour range as the Apple Jacks defeated the Quicksteps of Minneapolis 8-1 in the first game. Gary “Big Wease” Pericak pitched a fine game. He was aided by hits from every batter including three hits each from Samuel “Roundabout” Deetz and Erik “Stretch” Deetz. Roundabout even got a two-base hit.

Andy “Ziggy” Johnson, Joe “Roadrunner” Schmida, Big Wease, Bill “Ho-hum” Ohm and Dan “Skunk” Deetz contributed two hits each. Benjamin “George” Deetz, Milt “Huh” Schmida and Kevin “Hurricane” Knerzer had one apiece.

The other game was more of a defensive struggle between the Apple Jacks and the hard-hitting Rum River Rovers of Anoka. Big Wease was again the pitcher. On this day, when Big Wease won two, it was fitting the he made the last putout of the game on a ball bounced to him. Ziggy had four hits. Roadrunner, Stretch, George, Big Wease and Hurricane had two hits including a 3-bagger from Stretch. Roundabout and Huh had one apiece.

The Apple Jacks next games are Sunday, June 25, against Highland Prairie and Lanesboro at Highland Prairie.

If you would like to join the Apple Jacks on the field, call Captain Joel “Hefty” Affeldt at 608-769-1782 or Captain Emeritus Bill “Ho-hum” Ohm at 507-895-691 for more details.

The Apple Jacks Base Ball Club is a community outreach program of the La Crescent Area Historical Society and respectfully acknowledges its eminent corporate sponsor, Merchants Bank of La Crescent.