Apple Jacks' Grizzled Veterans Compete

Apple Jacks' Grizzled Veterans Compete

Bill Ohm

Amongst thousands of visitors at Pioneer Power Days in Le Sueur, the most veteran of the Apple Jacks fought the good fight. The younger players were not available to make the trip, so the task of playing two of the state's Vintage Base Ball powerhouses fell to the team's older players. With only one player under 45, the Jacks stood up to the much younger Anoka Rum River Rovers and the Mankato Baltics. Alas, the Rovers triumphed 10-0 and the Baltics did likewise at 12-3.

In spite of what may seem to be lopsided scores, the Jacks did well as their experience paid off. Many fine defensive plays were made such as third base man Brian "Moose" Deutsch's (the youngest player) unassisted double play, right fielder Paul "Swiss" Geronime's over the shoulder catch, first base man Jim "Scoop" Schupbach's heads-up play to tag out a runner who over ran first base, catcher Bill "Ho-hum" Ohm's tag out at home plate of a runner trying to score and left fielder Scott "Roman" Pechacek's throw to third base to catch an advancing runner.

Perhaps showing his age, an unnamed Jack reached third in the first game and had the team's best chance of scoring but lost track of the number of outs and was caught off the base for an inning ending double play.

Apple Jacks pitchers for the day were Gary "Big Wease" Pericak and Ho-hum.

Keeping track of hits was a little haphazard as the Apple Jacks' regular tally keeper was unable to make the trip. It appears that Moose, Roman and Ho-hum lead the team by reaching base four times each. Swiss, Mike "Mickey" Jaquette, and Scoop were on base three times each. It was twice each for Big Wease and Joel "Hefty" Affeldt and once for John "Rook" Wilke.

The Apple Jacks will next play at Highland Prairie Lutheran Church on Sunday, September 9th. Their opponents will be the Decorah Driftless Dodgers and the Highland Prairie Hayseeds.

If you would like to play base ball by the rules of 1860 kindly call Captain Joel "Hefty" Affeldt at 608-769-1782 or Captain Emeritus Bill "Ho-hum" Ohm at 507-895-6912 for more details. The Apple Jacks Base Ball Club (https://sites.google.com/site/lacrescentapplejacks) is a community outreach program of the La Crescent Area Historical Society and respectfully acknowledges its eminent corporate sponsor, Merchants Bank- La Crescent.