Saw Dogs Defeat Babies 9-6 The Houston Babies gave it a good shot in their first outing since 1888. In the end, however, the valiant resurrecting nine fell to the talented and more experienced ballists from the piney environs north of Houston by a score of 9-6. The victors in this first Babies-step effort back on the field in the past 120 years are a crafty bunch who call themselves the Montgomery Saw Dogs, in deference to sawmill and timber businesses that once dominated the landscape of this area. The Houston Babies want to thank Michael Hickey and his entire organization for the warm and hospitable welcome the Saw Dogs extended to those of us from Houston. Anyone interested in seeing the Babies continue from here as an ongoing vintage base ball club, compelte with sponsored new uniforms of our own, should stay in touch with me. Larry Dierker will also be on hand to manage future games if we schedule our games at times he is in town and free of other commitments, but take that the right way. Larry is going to do all he can to be available for some fun vintage games in the future. We did have another former big leaguer playing for us today. Jim Foor, a former Tiger and Pirate pitcher from back in the early 70's, played 2nd base for the Babies today. His presence on the club as a fun-loving, upbeat guy was in itself worth the drive to the far north this morning. Sandy Foor, Jim's eife, was equally charming and a real gamer. Coming off recent knee surgery, Sandy played right field for the Babies until other player arrived late. She also kept score for us and wants to help bring the Babies back to life as an ongoing club. As for the game itself, the Saw Dogs used their experience with the one-bounce out ruleto spray the ball all over the field with worm-burning g rounders and sharply hit liners while the Babies hit too many flies that were too easily catchable on one bounce for outs. Matt Frazier of the Babies unloaded the only home run bomb of the game on a deep fly to right field in the top of the 7th. Matt also bared handedly grabbed a smashing drive over his head for a run-saving out in the bottom of the 5th. Another Matt, Matt Miggins, made the play of the game, going way back to make a running barehanded grab in left field on a play that would have left Carlos Lee looking for a wall to play it off. In this case, the play had to be made. With no wall, that ball appeared to have been on target for an over-his-head-and- headed-for- the-woods roll into vintage ball homerland. Thanks to Mr. Miggins, it was not to be. Sadly, we lost our starting 3rd baseman to injury. Virgil Ray had to leave the game early with a probable hamstring pull. Hope you're doing better, Virg! Thanks for laying it on the line today for the Babies! Since a lot of the e-mails I sent earlier bounced back, I'm assuming it had something to do with the load of photos I attached. This time I'm just sending the one team photo we took prior to the game with our Chick-Filet mascot ringer. We almost used that Chick -Filet bovine to beef up our lineup, but, 'HOLY COW,' the dadgum bull jumped over the daylight moon just before game time and pulled a hammy of his own. Great fun, everybody! Thanks for coming out! Bill McCurdy |
| Members of the newly re-formed Houston Babies base ball team pose with the Montgomery College Saw Dogs who appeared for the first time in their new uniforms. The 2008 Babies were made up of SABR members (Society of American Baseball Research) and individuals associated with the Texas Baseball Hall of Fame. |
Montgomery College Saw Dogs 6 Orwall 5
On Saturday last, the Montgomery College Saw dogs matched up with the
visiting Houston Babies for a game of base Ball. The lads from Houston tallied
the first ace of the day in the top of the first hand. However, the Saw Dogs
dented the Pan Twice in their half of the hand and took a 2-1 lead. In the
bottom of the second Hand the hometown lads struck the ball with some well-
timed and placed striking and tallied five aces. The Saw Dogs held an 8-3
advantage going into the 6th hand when the babies decided to whip out the
favorite Swat sticks. The Houstonians landed on the Saw dogs for three Tallies.
However, it was too little too late, as the Saw Dogs won the match 9-6
In the afternoon, the Saw Dogs travelled South to take on the ORWALL 9—a
group of finely honed coaches from the ORWALL Little League. The Saw Dogs
broke out their favorite willows early and managed to dent the pan four times
in the first hand. However, the coaches did come back to make a game of it, but
in the end the game fell to the Saw dogs 6-5. The next game for the Saw Dogs
will be on April 19th, when the Stonebridge 9 come to call.
Michael Hickey