UPDATED: Boys of Summer Greet Fall

It has become an annual rite; a chance for the boys of summer to greet fall with one final swing.  And though the boys are older now, their boyish enthusiasm for the game, and love for the way it was played when they were young remains undiminished.

Every fall since 2005, the year the large trucks carrying light towers arrived at Adams School, Chuck Kozubal has scheduled this
contest.   And it is here, that men who refuse to let time dictate their options, grab a wooden bat and a tightly wound baseball for at least one more time.

This year was no exception.  Kozubal’s annual call for arms is eagerly
anticipated by those who appreciate the notice in both its literal and
figurative terms.  As a result, 18 men gathered at Adams School last Saturday evening, and dividing up, took the field.

It was a wonderful night and a fabulous game.  Kozubal’s Killers battled Woodsie’s Whiners (my names, but somehow appropriate) to a 3-3 nine inning tie.  The pitching was, in a word, outstanding.

Rob Waddell and Mark Risio shared pitching honors for the
Killers, while Ken Engstrom, Paul Howland, Steve Lawless and Dan Higgins took the hill for the Whiners.  Paul Howland
delivered the evenings big hit with a long RBI double in the second inning.

ENGSTROM EARNS HONORS, RESPECT

The Holliston Super Senior Softball League began play this weekend, and as in prior years, the presence of big Ken Engstrom on the
mound usually spells success for his team.

Ken took the mound Sunday night for Keith Buday’s Terriers, and with his bat and pitching prowess, helped lead them to a 15-8 victory over the Huskies.  He showed no signs of fatigue resulting from his fine baseball pitching the night before at The Chuck Kozubal Invitational Hardball Game, proving himself equally skilled whether delivering the ball over or underhand.

Ken’s fine play has earned him Patch Player of the Week honors.  Ken’s extensive Navy background, including his present work with the Office of Navy Research, earns him our respect and admiration, particularly now, as we remember the events of September 11, 2001.

The Scores:

Minutemen 26  Crimson 8

Terriers 15  Huskies 8

Eagles 16  Huskies 9

SPIES AMONG US

In our basement, we have a closet filled with empty suitcases, old jigsaw puzzles, and infrequently used board games.  The puzzles and games are reflective of particular periods in our family’s evolution, while the suitcases reveal far more about where we’ve been than where we’re going.

Periods of prolonged power loss, such as recently experienced by many town residents, in the past provided the perfect opportunity for our family to pull one of these musty boxes off the shelf.  But with our children all off on their own, family time for the lovely Suzanne and me often consists of reading books on adjacent couches.  “Will you get me a cup of tea, John? “ “Certainly, Sue.”

Thus the box containing two 500 piece panoramic jigsaw puzzles of the Brooklyn Bridge remains untouched.  No one disturbs any of our three Monopoly sets.  Four separate Trivial Pursuit games fail to earn even one pie piece, including my Beatles Collector’s Edition.  “Twist and Shout” was the last song recorded for the British “Please Please Me” album.  Now you know.

I’m reminded of these games by a recent opportunity I had to assume the identity of a character in one of them.  No, it was not Clue’s Colonel Mustard, or the tweezers-wielding doctor in Operation.  Remove funny bone?  Just give me a chance!

No, the character I played was the Spy from Stratego.  Stratego is a board game where the object is to capture your opponent’s flag. 

There are a number of varying player pieces with differing values.  The most powerful piece is the Marshall, who can only be successfully defeated when attacked by the Spy. The Spy can be defeated when attacked by any piece.  In addition, the game provides that land mine like bombs can be positioned in strategic spots that when invaded can blow up the attacker.

My opportunity to play arrived in the mail in the form of an envelope addressed to my wife and me.  A Garden Party Fundraiser was being held on September 9^th for State Representative Carolyn Dykema, my third favorite Democrat, and we were invited.

Loyal readers of The Patch have probably long recognized my conservative leanings, so I viewed this invitation as an opportunity to lift the curtain on Oz, as well as to spread some good libertarian cheer.  I entered the garden with caution.

Almost immediately, this spy recognized the “bombs” placed to disarm me.  I was greeted by Linda and Mark Ahronian, good friends with whom I could never exchange a cross word.  I ran into Bill Mayer, a man of great influence with a secret underground organization with which I seek entry.  Nearby was Beth Greely, a charming woman I have met on the campaign trails, whose Washington Street fence serves as a bulletin board for candidates and causes I will never support.

Moving into the pool area, I noticed the bar at the far corner
and approached it seeking a drink.  Being a Democrat affair, I fully expected someone else to pay for it, and was delighted to discover this was the case.  It was then that I noticed the well-coifed Marshall and moved in for the attack.

Representative Dykema was certainly in her element, as she chatted amiably with all those around her.  In her I recognized the embodiment of the Hillary Clinton adage that what one needs most is “Good friends, a good sense of humor, and a good hair stylist.”

We exchanged pleasantries and then the game began, with
verbal artillery filling the air with sharp-edged flak.  Many nearby persons ducked for cover, while more courageous observers hovered like vultures over the burning field. Gay marriage, Secure Communities, voter identification and other conversational Molotov cocktails were tossed, each side defending their turf with vigor.

Our game complete, the smoke cleared and both sides remained standing.  Though differences remained, the warring parties had found common ground upon which they could co-exist.  The Spy, rolling up his collar, turned his back on the darkness and retreated, grabbing three tooth-pick impaled meatballs for the long journey home.

LIONS CONDUCT SCREENINGS IN MATTAPAN 

The Holliston Lions Club is dedicated to serving the community, but there is little that they do that is more important and has a more immediate and beneficial impact, than their efforts related to the District 33k Eyemobile.

The Eyemobile is a self-powered vehicle containing state of the art medical equipment useful in the detection of glaucoma, macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and more. 

Last year, the Lions provided over 2,000 people with 6,500 screenings, of which 27 percent were deemed in the abnormal range. Most of these were referred for professional follow-up.

On Saturday, members of the Holliston Lions made their annual trek to the Health Care Revival at the Mattapan Community Health Center.  There they screened 69 people, and will follow up on at least two who require financial assistance.  At least two others were found to have extremely high scores on the glaucoma testing and were advised to seek immediate medical attention.

The Lions, whose motto is “We Serve”, invite any potential new members to visit their booth at Celebrate Holliston on September 24^th.

SHOWING APPRECIATION, LEST WE FORGET 

For those who care to remember, September 11, 2001 was a day of unimaginable horror. 

But for those who seek positives from even the most difficult of circumstances, the heightened appreciation that resulted for the men and women who serve and protect us on a daily basis might easily be recognized.

Such was the case Sunday morning at the Holliston VFW as members of Holliston’s Police and Fire Departments were recognized for their outstanding contributions. 

The Fire Department’s Andrea Gossels, Keith Knowles and James McGowan, along with the Police Department’s Mathew Waugh, Mark Lewis, Chad Thompson, Craig Denman,Kenneth Bilson and Bryan DiGiorgio were lauded for their efforts that have directly and specifically benefitted the community.

911 Committee Member Steve Bradford led the thoughtful and
respectful proceeding.  At 8:46 AM, a moment of silence was heard, recognizing the time of the first plane’s crash into the World Trade Center ten years ago.

Representative Carolyn Dykema was the keynote speaker,
marking this opportunity as one on the greatest honors she has received.  Dykema, who has received accolades from veterans groups for her efforts on their behalf, thanked the veterans for their involvement in the event, noting that “911 touched our souls and changed the way we live.”

Selectman Chair Jay Marsden questioned “What would you do in the last hour of your life” in describing the heroic action of a man who gave his life while saving many others at the Trade Center.

Congressman Jim McGovern and State Senator Karen Spilka also spoke at the event.  Post Commander Alan Greendale presented past commander pins to Steve Napolitano and Bobby Blair, while also recognizing Steve Bradford.