MATCH RECAP: September 11, 2004 - vs. St. Louis Unions
Mains Win Two At Homestead Harvest Festival

The Trenton Mains Vintage Base Ball Team improved their season record to 10 wins, 3 losses by winning a pair of high scoring games against the Unions of St. Louis. The Trenton nine won by scores of 25 to 6 and 24 to 21.
While these scores may seem high by today’s standards, scores in this range were very common in 1860’s era ball. What may have lead to the match’s high scores might have been the conditions these two games were played under. The field was a recently mowed clover filed on the historic Latzer Farm south of Highland. The setting is most likely very similar to sites and conditions under which games would have been played before the turn of the century. The bound of the ball was unpredictable and the footing was treacherous to say the least.
Both teams were truly into the spirit of the event and did their best to play each ball with as much dignity as they could muster. Players from both teams came away from the afternoon with a greater appreciation for ball players of those early days, and they will likely have less tolerance the next time they witness a modern player complain of a bad hop. Bad hops were the rule rather than the exception on this day.
The games were held as part of the Harvest Days Festival, a Highland tradition. A large crowd had gathered at game time to witness the match and the cranks (fans) were treated to a spirited match. To start the days festivities, speeches were made by both team’s representatives and then the players introduced themselves using their vintage nicknames. After a presentation of the American flag by an honor guard, a moment of silence to remember the victims of September 11, and the national anthem, Lynn Rehberger of the Highland Historical Society threw the first hurled ball to ceremonially announce the beginning of the first game.
The Trenton boys came to play and play they did scoring tally after tally. Trenton jumped out to 15-1 lead after two innings and went on to win 25-6. The Unions did make a run late in the first game but the Trenton lead was just too big a hill for the solider boys to overcome.
Then in the second game, the tables turned and the Unions were the ones who came out striking from the line. It was as if the leather ball was cannon shot and the Mains fielders seemed dazed by the onslaught of hitting. Fortunately, the Trenton ballists recovered their form and made a sixth inning run at the Unions. The Mains scored 10 times to come from behind and win 24-21.
Hitting stars on the day were Kevin “Ace” Weber and Brady “Hambone” Kesner along with Jeff “Peanut” Kohlbrecher who pulled off a vintage rarity by hitting a home run. Defensively all who survived the field without a bruise or a turned ankle considered themselves skilled. Hurler Ken “County” Hilmes also turned in a vintage first for the Mains by striking out a batsman. New Mains who made an appearance for the first time were Dale “Buckethead” Hoffmann and Todd “Fargo” Welz.
The Mains return to action on Saturday September 18, in Danville Il. against the Vermillion Voles. They will be playing in Danville Stadium, a refurbished minor league park there. The match features the return to this stadium of the Main’s own Rich “Boomer” Ritzheimer who played on this field 50 years ago as a young professional player. The people of Danville will honor “Boomer” before the game in a brief ceremony. Anyone wanting to travel with the Mains to Danville can join us at when we leave from the city park at 9:00 am on Saturday morning.