Belmont's Ramsey Ready To Lead Trinity's Nine

Not long ago, Belmont's James Ramsey was a key contributor to the North Shore Navigators' title run in the North Shore League.

Ramsey once again savored the glory of the baseball diamond in this year's Old Time Baseball Game held at St. Peter's Field in North Cambridge. Organized and hosted by Boston Herald sportswriter Steve Buckley, the event served as a fundraiser for the Mary Jaye Cherella Memorial Fund. Cherella passed away at five months old from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).

"It's all for a great cause and I'm very happy to be here,'' said Ramsey, donning a Hollywood Stars Uniform. "It's such a great experience playing with guys who've had major league baseball experience."

With nearly 3,000 spectators on hand, Ramsey played alongside the likes of former New York Yankees infielder Mike Pagliarulo as well as retired Red Sox  infielder Lou Merloni.

"Just being able to talk baseball with those guys is a memorable experience,'' said Ramsey. "I had all of my friends and family come down to support me and it's something that I'll never forget."

A lifelong Belmont native, Ramsey emerged as a budding star at the Belmont Hill School where he excelled in football, basketball and baseball.

"It was a lot of fun at Belmont Hill and I certainly learned a lot from my experience,'' said Ramsey. "It definitely helped me prepare to get to that next level."

Ramsey continued his athletic career at the collegiate level, where he served as a key asset for the Trinity College Baseball squad. Ramsey saw playing time in a number of positions, including pitcher, third base and shortstop during his four years at Trinity.

In the off-season, Ramsey maintained his baseball conditioning by playing for the Wakefield Merchants in the Intercity League before helping the North Shore Navigators win the New England College Baseball Summer League.

"It was an amazing experience to win it (the title),'' said Ramsey. "I got to play with a lot of people from all over the area, and I definitely learned a lot from it all."

Now with his senior year at Trinity College looming in the distance, Ramsey is looking forward to another strong year on the diamond.

"I'm definitely looking forward to it and playing here at the Old Time Baseball Game is a great way to end the summer,'' said Ramsey. "It's been a great summer for me, but I'm looking forward to going back."

Bryan Watkins, a former two-time Middlesex League all-star for the Belmont High baseball team, also enjoyed his time in the spotlight. Currently he's on the baseball squad at Worcester Polytech Institute serving in a number of roles.

"It's a lot of fun playing this game, and playing with a lot of people you've played with at one point or another,'' said Watkins. "It's also great playing with Lou Merloni, who once played with the Red Sox and talking to Pags (Pagluarulo). I always have fun playing this game, and it's something I'll remember for a long time. It's amazing to play in front of this huge crowd because most of our games, don't have these types of crowds."