It was a brisk afternoon, and everyone at 23 Park Rd. knew what was at stake: pride, glory, honor, reputation, and perhaps above all else... the belts. But before we get to the story of what happened at Backyard Stadium last week; let’s take a brief look into the past. At the begging of this fall Backyard season an upset of epic proportions sent shock waves through Backyard Baseball. For over two weeks the belts of backyard baseball were paraded around the state by league new comers: Orzulak, Silva, and Hosey. League veteran Mark Thomas Quinn was also a part of that magical roster; however he too expressed discontent over the bearers of the belts. That is, no one within the Backyard Baseball community was happy to see a group of untested Rookies snatch the belts from some of the league’s biggest names and hall of famers.

     Unsatisfied with the current state of affairs, Commissioner Fenton called a closed-door meeting with two league board members. The exact context of that meeting is still unknown, but only days later Backyard loyalists around the country were notified that a title game would be played on Saturday 10/23. The matchup pitted league new comers Orzulak, Anderson, Seaver, and Suchy against what has become known to Backyard baseball fans as the greatest combination of Backyard talent in the history of the league. That’s right; Scott Barnes, Williams “Big Hurt” O’Brien, and the Commissioner once again came out of retirement to RESTORE ORDER TO THE LEAGUE. The result of the game was known before the players even hit the field, but the play of the game was made by the game’s POG Bill O’Brien when he completed an awe-inspiring double play in the bottom of the seventh. The leagues Commissioner ended the game in style with a 2-run homerun that sent the opposition packing in the top of the ninth. The day was not a day about statistics and inflated batting averages; instead it was a refreshing return to what Backyard Baseball has always been about: respect. Team Awwight shocked onlookers as they came back from retirement to destroy their worthy opponents and triumphantly returned the belts to their rightful owners. Scott Barnes of the San Francisco Giant’s had this to say in his post-game interview, “I’m just glad I was able to come back and help the team. It’s always great to come back to this field, I have so many memories here… but to do it with the group of Backyard talent that I had the privilege of playing with today… it’s truly something special.” Surely the league’s fans can rest easy knowing that the league’s only team to ever comprise three Hall of Fame players holds the belts.

     Before the historic game this past Saturday, many were worried that Backyard’s legends had lost a step, and the perhaps the youth of the league would once again leave with the belts. Their talent was unquestioned, but league veterans knew that it takes much more than talent to bring home the belts. The youthful talent of the opposition was in fact so great that many believe that the only team on Backyard history that could have beaten them was team Awwight… and they did give Barnes and company a run for their money. In the end, team Awwight remained undefeated and preserved their league record of never having to finish an entire game, but questions around the league still remain. Was this once in a lifetime comeback from Backyard greatest team the last flicker of light from a dying dynasty? Or was it a sign of more to come; will Backyards greats pick of the torch from Team Awwight and return to Backyard supremacy? The grim alternative of Backyard’s legends is that a new wave of talent could sweep through Backyard baseball creating a legacy of their own. Indeed the future of Backyard Baseball if uncertain, but such is the beauty of the game. At least for now ORDER IS RESTORED to Backyard Baseball; and we all have the league’s three most historic hall of famers to thank for that.

As Always,

The Commish