The early months of the Newtown Sandy Hooks '09 base ball season has been distinguished by weather related false starts yet, new faces has brought many hopeful signs. Thanks early successes, a fortnight ago in New London, and new-found cohesion, the revitalized club has developed a new sense of purpose and confidence as it moves into the serious months of the season.

On Saturday, the local nine traveled to New York City to take a first glance at the annual the fabled Gotham Cup which is held in the North Meadow of Central Park, and plays host to a dozen or more clubs from all over the northeast.

On the slate were two matches with here-to-for untested opponents from the Garden State that the Sandy Hooks viewed with some trepidation. The Elizabeth Athletic Club (EAC) had a storied history, as a tough customer in 1880's ball, and the Flemington Neshanock have always been able competitors in the 1860's style game. Newtown had agreed to play both the overhand game (1884 rules) as well as the less-demanding underhand game (1864 rules) in order to take part in the day's events. However, of greatest concern going into the affair, neither of their esteemed hurlers, Snyder and Hazelton, was available to pitch.

As the club stepped from mass transit to greet the overcast Manhattan skies, pending doom faced the Sandy Hooks. Yet, instead of dwelling on the looming disaster, team management went to work to find able-bodied assistance that could staff the central cavity in the local club's line-up. The Zig Zags of Glen Head, Long Island, coming off a decisive victory over the newly born Jersey City Skeeters, offered their catcher Josh Micelotta, for a 'jug of rum' and a handshake. Knowing little about the pitching skills of the Zig Zag behind, the Hooks suited up their new-found 'professional' as 'Trolley' Schlapp (the umpire) called both clubs to the plate.

	Josh Micelotta tries his luck in the box for the Sandy Hooks

Stationed at backstop for his first time as a Sandy Hook was Tristan 'Thunder' Toomey who has spent his first half season with the Hooks roaming the outskirts taking sure hits away from enemy strikers and manufacturing monumental round-trippers against rival hurlers. At first sack stood 'Hoboy' Norwich who would share bag duties with prominent bat spinner 'Bulldog' Paes, second sack was shared by 'Herman' Weiner and 'Mits' Silkowski, Matt 'Lightning' Maleri, checked-in at shortscout while 'Mister' Edwards locked-up third. The trio of 'Pig Iron' Miller, captain 'Zack' Wheat and 'Bingo' Long, just off an extended stay on the DL from last season patrolled the outfield.

It did not take long for the new Sandy Hook battery to size-up the Elizabeth batters and thanks to a sure-handed performance by Newtown fielders including a masterful, Jeter-like, over-the-shoulder catch by Maleri in the initial innings kept the EAC offense at bay. At the same time, the patient Sandy Hooks endeavored to acquaint themselves with the overhand style of the Elizabeth hurler. In spite of no hits in the first, the Hooks placed a single ace on the board thanks to two walks, a stolen base and an infield out. In the second frame, Long walked, Weiner singled and Silkowski uncorked a monumental shot to deep center that interrupted play on the accompanying field. Two runs scored on the clout to elevate the tally to three to nothing for EAC after two frames.

	'Quickstep' Salomone and Mike Flanagan sizes-up the situation

As Micelotta dug deeper into the event, he got stronger and more determined. His pitches were close to perfection while the EAC batters seemed baffled by his pace. Performance such as this makes one wonder why such a nugget of pitching potential earns backstop duties on the talent laidened Glen Head nine.

In the third inning, with the Sandy Hooks showing a three run margin, Micelotta drove a double to the gap. As Toomey toed the dish for the second time, Josh immediately stole third. With Toomey trying to size-up the EAC hurler, Micelotta feigned a move toward home, which ruffled the slinger and cause him to balk in the fourth ace of the day.

The Hooks cruised for the most of the game in the field, as every potential hit found its demise. In the second inning, Maleri snagged a hot shot to short and pulled off a glittering short to first double play to snuff-out a potential rally. He then spent the rest of the afternoon acting as a fourth outfielder running down shallow pop flies to the garden. Maleri's range in the field in both 1860s and 80's ball is hard to match and is sure to find admiration in the ranks of the vintage game.

In the fifth and final inning the Sandy Hooks finally measured-up the opposing hurler and struck singles by Norwich and Figueroa then Miller struck out (thanks in some extent to off and on erratic pitching, that would unglue any striker). 'Mister' Edwards, taking his turn at the dish for the third time, found a dead-red pill that he propelled to the distant yard to drive in two of his mates. It was good to see Edwards, returning after year-long knee rehabilitation, find his stroke and get back into the swing of things which such success.

	After early frustrations, 'Thunder' is about to strike in the fifth.

Toomey, having been baffled by the unsteady hurler and striking out on two previous occasions, took his place at the plate. After two unsuccessful tries, he cracked a double to bring a couple runs across. Micelotta and Maleri hit safely to further fortify the run total as time ran out on the match. EAC was unable to beat the predetermined time-limit foisted on them by the event organizers, and the match came to an abrupt conclusion with the Newtowners Chicagoing the New Jersey club by and impressive 9 to 0 score.

Prior to the nightcap the Sandy Hooks retired to a local dive to drink their lunch and prepare for the second half of their quest. At mid afternoon the umpire 'Wombat' Dyte called 'striker to the line' and the Newtowners returned to their offensive ways by accumulating eight aces before the Neshanocks could answer the call. The Flemington nine had made the trip with two players under the minimum so had to recruit from the ranks of other clubs which did little to enhance their firepower or their confidence.

On the way to manufacturing twelve runs for the home side, the Sandy Hooks connected on 21 hits while Jay Edwards hurled a complete game allowing just two hits and two runs in seven innings of masterful, multi-disciplined pitching.

	'Mister' Edwards serves a pitch with the tenacity of a Peter Luger's waiter

Highlights of a full team effort for Newtown, who seemed well-primed by the initial match experience as well as multiple drafts between matches, were Miller's three hits, Wheat's three hits (including two doubles and four runs batted in), and Weiner's three hits (including a crowd-pleasing three stolen bases including an unfathomable steal of home).

As the sun baked down on inning after inning of one-side play, the final bell could not come soon enough for either side. The match was finally called and two sides, lead by 'Brooklyn' Shaw and 'Zack' Wheat, honored either side as the local nine packed its bags and returned to the Dive Bar on Amsterdam Avenue to celebrate a most unlikely sweep and a successful conclusion at their first Gotham Cup.

The Sandy Hooks thank the Gotham Club and the Honorable Mister Schlapp and his men for a magical day in Central Park that will be long remembered by all. The New York Gothams return to McLaughlin Vineyard on Saturday June 6 to play the Sandy Hooks and partake of Newtown hospitality.