Both the Monitors and the Merries had a busy day on this Saturday back in August: after walking in the Chelsea fair parade, they each played a match. The Merries played the River Belles and the Monitors played the Early Risers, both from Detroit. (You may recall these clubs from Chelsea’s visit to Detroit’s Fort Wayne early in the summer.)
The Merries started the doubleheader.
A bus full of residents from the local retirement community enjoyed the match.
Take note of the bearded gentleman at the top right of this photo:
If you remember the Monitors’ match at Flint, you may recall that he goes by Stagecoach and that it was his first-ever match with the Monitors. On this day, however, he was earning his nickname: he drove the bus that brought the residents.
The Merries paired solid hitting with an excellent defensive performance — including a double play — to collect a 9-8 victory in only their second-ever match! Were they excited about the victory?
PROBABLY.
Shortly after the Merries match ended, the Monitors took the field.
How much were the retirement community residents enjoying the base ball? They stayed for part of the second match, too!
Stagecoach decided to give the kids stilts a try.
One little guy found a different way to use a bat.
The Monitors put up five runs in the first inning and never looked back, ending up with a 16-6 victory and Chelsea’s first-ever Monitors/Merries sweep!
If you’d like to see the Monitors and the Merries in action this year, you have ONE MORE CHANCE to see each club in 2014:
• The Monitors will be in action at the Webster Fall Festival this Saturday, September 27, at 2pm. There’s plenty going on at the festival, and admission is free!
• The Merries will be playing a three-team match with Detroit and Benton Harbor at the site of Detroit’s old Tiger Stadium this Sunday, September 28 at 2pm. If you haven’t been to a match at Navin Field, I’d strongly encourage you to come to this match. There’s no telling when the site will cease to be open to the public for events like this, and — as the Monitors can tell you — there’s nothing quite like base ball being played on a field with so much history. It’s a great experience for both players and fans.
Come on out and join the fun!