Saturday’s Cincinnati Red Stockings vs. Volunteers of the Ohio 9th vintage baseball game in Silver Grove was actually part of a larger celebration.
The Red Stockings survived a seventh-inning rally to knock off the Volunteers, 22-18, in the third annual contest at Chief Sayers Park. The thing was, there were multiple reasons for folks to visit the Campbell County town.
There was a chance to remember the 1956 Silver Grove Big Trains baseball team – the only squad in any sport in school history to win a Ninth Region tournament game.
There were raffles. The Silver Grove Community Foundation donated four kid-sized bicycles, Lexington sports memorabilia businessman David Shannon contributed a 1970s Kentucky Colonels basketball jersey signed by University of Kentucky legend Dan Issel, and recently-retired New Riff Distillery owner Ken Ellis awarded a bottle of Silver Grove Bourbon.
And there were home run derbies for grown-ups and children.
And the baseball? A glimpse into 1869 – the year the Cincinnati Base Ball Club became the first all-professional nine.
The first things you noticed were the uniforms – knickerbocker pants, double-breasted jerseys – the Red Stockings wore white denim to go with crimson socks, while the Volunteers were decked out in navy blue.
Equipment – or the lack of it – was next. The ball is a little larger than what the Cincinnati Reds use at Great American Ball Park, and players don’t have gloves.
Many of the rules were different, too: A coin toss determines who hits first; the lone umpire – known as the “arbiter” – doesn’t call balls and strikes; and the pitcher can only throw underhand.
Larry Phillips was behind the plate Saturday. He was a Red Stocking from 1997-2019.
“I retired,” Phillips said. “I hit 75, and I decided it was time to hang it up.”
There were, however, some concessions to 21st-century baseball.
Each player had a nickname given by his teammates and walk-up music.
Christian Olsson of the Volunteers goes by “Boston” because of his noticeable New England accent, and teammate Scott Bornemann is “Shack.” (It was shortened from “Snack Shack” because he always brought food to games.)
Red Stocking shortstop Sal Lagonia teaches Economics at Thomas More University. He came to Northern Kentucky after a stint at Fordham University in New York City.
“I’m a big fan of baseball history,” Lagonia said. “I was a minor league baseball player back in my youth, and I’m always looking for a way to play ball and keep in touch with history, and it just all worked out perfect.”
Sometimes, the nicknames weren’t what the players wanted.
“If you did something stupid, that was your nickname if you didn’t have one,” Bornemann said.
An accidental win
It took a three-swing third round for Corey Pelle to defeat his brother Justin Pelle in the adult home run derby. Corey had nine long far ones to Justin’s eight.
“Now that I’m done, I feel bad about it,” Corey said afterward. “My brother’s three times the hitter I am. I accidentally beat him; he’s the baseball player.”
A few minutes later, 7-year-old Michael Cooper of Silver Grove and his 9-year-old brother Gabe took some swings – both verbal and on the diamond.
Michael was first. “It took him, like, 10 times to hit it,” he said about Gabe’s turn.
Gabe’s retort was brief: “Shut up,” he said.
Saturday was also the first time 6-year-old Margo Theis had ever stepped onto a baseball field. She liked it.
“I’m happy,” she said.
‘I didn’t even see it’
Silver Grove won the 35th District at a time when only district winners advanced to the Ninth Region tournament.
The Big Trains drew Newport in the regional first round. The back story: infielder/pitcher Cole Arthur played for the Wildcats his freshman season in 1953.
Local baseball historian Grady Brown said Newport took a 2-1 fourth-inning lead on a home run by Kenny Pigg. Silver Grove tied the score in the bottom of the fourth.
After Newport went down 1-2-3 in the top of the seventh, Silver Grove’s Darrell Whitford and Jimmy Remley struck out. The Big Trains’ Charlie Baker was hit by a pitch on his left elbow.
“I think it was a fastball; I didn’t even see it,” Baker said.
Baker stole second and scored on Frank Hilton’s bloop single.
“After the game, Norman Youtsey, Newport’s catcher, he’s running after Charlie Baker with the ball and his catcher’s outfit on, trying to tag Charlie, saying he missed home plate,” Brown said.
Newport Central Catholic eliminated Silver Grove in the next round on the way to the 1956 state title. (The Thoroughbreds also won in 1946, 1950 and 1954.)
Baker and Youtsey were good friends after that; they often played golf at A.J. Jolly Golf Course near Alexandria. Baker said Youtsey occasionally tried to tag him with a golf ball.
“Or the golf club,” Baker said.
