9TH ANNUAL FLEETBOSTON
OLDTIME BASEBALL GAME

Held Thursday, August 15, in Cambridge, MA


Some of Greater Boston’s finest amateur baseball players assembled at St. Peter’s Field, Sherman St., North Cambridge on Thursday, August 15 for the 9th Annual Fleet Boston Oldtime Baseball Game. This year’s game was played as a fundraiser for the Joslin Diabetes Center.
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What makes the Oldtime Baseball Game so special is the glittering array of old-style flannel uniforms worn by the players. Used just once a year for the Oldtime Baseball Game, the uniforms represent such long-ago teams as the Brooklyn Dodgers, St. Louis Browns and Boston Braves. Negro League teams are represented by the Kansas City Monarchs, Baltimore Elite Giants and Homestead Grays. Even long-ago minor-league teams are represented, including the San Francisco Seals, Oakland Oaks and Roswell Rockets.

However, one uniform in the Oldtime Baseball Game collection sat out this year’s game. The 1939 Ted Williams’ No. 9, which in the past has been worn by Steve Langone of Boston College, Dan Morse of Tufts University and Todd Korchin of Northeastern University, was held in reserve this year in memory of the greatest hitter who ever lived. Instead, Ted’s No. 9 was displayed on the left-field fence throughout the game.

Throwing out the first pitch at this year’s game was Felipe and Juana Pena, whose son, Carlos Pena, plays first base for the Detroit Tigers. Carlos, a product of Haverhill High School and Northeastern University, played in the Oldtime Baseball Game in 1996 and ‘97. When he broke into the big leagues with the Texas Rangers last September, he became the first veteran of the Oldtime Baseball Game to play major-league baseball.

Brendan Grant Tribute at the Oldtime Baseball Game

2002 Oldtime Bball Game2.jpg (64830 bytes)During the summer of 2001, the Greater Boston sports community was stunned by the tragic death of Belmont native Brendan Grant, a 19-year-old baseball player who had just finished his freshman season at American International College. While playing left field for his Belmont Senior Babe Ruth League team on June 27, Brendan suffered fatal injuries when he collided with his center fielder in a game against Arlington.

Though Brendan never played in the Oldtime Baseball Game, he was a posthumous selection to last year’s Game. In a pre-game ceremony, a commemorative banner was unveiled in left field, containing Brendan’s name and his uniform number from his days at Belmont HighSchool – No. 1. The Brendan Grant banner will remain on the left-field fence for each edition of the Game.

One of this year's players, Matt McEvoy, played baseball with Brendan at Belmont High School. Matt is a 2003 Holy Cross graduate who is playing in his third Oldtime Baseball Game this year.

List of players chosen to play in the 2002 Oldtime Baseball Game:

HOME TEAM: Ricky DeVanna, Westford; Anthony Del Prete, East Boston; Alex Hakesley, Haverhill; Nick Yaeger, Danvers; Joe Sousa, Chelmsford; Joe Keough, Hyde Park; Rich Yanatos, Bay Shore, NY; Steve Vickers, Andover; Alfredo Nunez, Haverhill; Bo Delduca, Methuen; Ben Stoll, Swampscott; Connell Clark, Springfield; Brendan Cody, Boston; Garrett Tingle, Cambridge; Tamayo Manzanillo, Dorchester. 2002 Oldtime Bball Game3.jpg (53785 bytes)

ROAD TEAM: Dave Martin, Arlington; Chris Bodnar, Carlisle; Zach Soolman, Newton; Ryan Edell, Lexington; David Sullivan, Winchester; Bob Kenny, Milford; Garrett Greer, Peabody; Jamie Williams, Shoreham, NY; Josh Klimkiewicz, Lexington; Zak Farkes, Boston; Brian Trupiano, Franklin; Matt McEvoy, Belmont; Tim Dunphy, Cambridge; David Graham, Cambridge; Sal Mendonca, Somerville.

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