August 27, 2010
Oldtime Baseball Game is a hit
by Ed Flaherty/
The charm and lure of the Oldtime Baseball Game is obvious immediately upon arriving at St. Peter’s Field in Cambridge, Mass.
Hundreds of fans on chairs and blankets line the foul lines as players wear vintage flannel uniforms that conjure up images of a bygone era.
The Homestead Grays, Boston Braves, St. Louis Browns and Kansas City Monarchs are all represented on the field, uniforms that would normally only be seen in a baseball encyclopedia brought to life by some of New England’s finest baseball players.
Make no mistake about it: baseball is what brings fans and players together here for one night to get a glimpse of the past.
For 17 years the Oldtime Baseball Game has put the roots of the game on display for anyone who wants to take a peek.
But one other thing is also certain: while baseball brings everyone to St. Peter’s Field, the game itself has become secondary to something more meaningful.
“It’s a great day, it’s a great cause,” said former Major League standout Mike Pagliarulo, who served as a guest manger along with fellow Medford native and Red Sox pitcher Bill Monbouquette. “It’s fund-raising at a very difficult time. I think baseball is almost secondary.”
“This is awesome,” said Boston College’s Matt Watson, who played in his second Oldtime Baseball Game. “It’s a great experience.”
Worthy cause
The 2010 Oldtime Baseball Game was dedicated to the Marley Jaye Cherella Memorial Fund for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.
Proceeds from the game will be used to support the research of Dr. Hannah Kinney at Boston Children’s Hospital.
In addition, part of the proceeds from the game will go to the C2 Mission, which benefits children and families affected by cerebral palsy and cystic fibrosis.
Montalbano honored
The 2010 Oldtime Baseball Game celebrated the life of former Red Sox minor league pitcher Greg Montalbano, who played at Northeastern and played in the Oldtime Baseball Game in 1997 and 1998.
Montalbano, a Westborough, Mass., native who was named Red Sox Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2001, died of cancer last summer at the age of 31.
The first Greg Montalbano Award was presented prior to Thursday night’s game. The award will be given to a former player in the Oldtime Baseball Game who best exemplifies Montalbano’s spirit, competitiveness and good nature.
Todd Korchin, a Stoughton, Mass., native who played with Montalbano at Northeastern and played in the Oldtime Baseball Game from 1997-2001, earning MVP honors in 2000, was presented with the award prior to Thursday night’s game.
Korchin honored his friend by wearing the 1926 St. Louis Cardinals uniform that Montalbano wore in the 1998 game.
“We thank the Oldtime Baseball Game for honoring my brother with the Greg Montalbano Award,” said Montalbano’s sister Kristen prior to the game during the award ceremony. “My brother exemplified what it means to live life to the fullest. He loved taking the mound in the Oldtime Baseball Game.”
A banner honoring Montalbano was unveiled on the left-field wall.
Major presence
There was plenty of Major League experience on hand with Pagliarulo, Monbouquette, Red Sox legend Johnny Pesky, former Sox infielder Lou Merloni and former Cubs shortstop Lennie Merullo, a Boston native, on hand.
Merloni played in his third Oldtime Baseball Game.
Pagliarulo, owner of a World Series ring earned with the Twins in 1991, played in the Oldtime Baseball Game from 1997 to 2000, earning MVP honors in 2000 with his two-homer effort.
Pesky and Merullo, both in their 90s, had long served as guest managers in the Oldtime Baseball Game prior to this year.
MVP, MVP
Starting pitcher James Greeley earned MVP honors after leading the home team, sponsored by Bejoian Family Trust, to a 9-2 win over the away team, sponsored by Abbott Financial.
Along with a solid effort on the mound, Greeley also drove in a pair of runs to become the first player in Oldtime Baseball Game history to win the MVP award twice.
Greeley (Newton North High School/Mass. College of Liberal Arts) has played in the game six times, dating back to 2005.
