A fun way to get it started

Steve Delvecchio, North Shore Navigators Sports Information Department

Not that anyone doubted it for a millisecond, but the crowd at hand for the first ever New England Collegiate Baseball League game at Fraser Field was impressive to say the least. With a large crowd already seated and waiting for the action to begin, fans continued to trickle in throughout the first inning. Piping hot Chick-Fil-A sandwiches put smiles on the faces of those first one thousand fans lucky enough to have earned the privilege of enjoying them. Call it foreshadowing, or call it a coincidence, but the Navigators first game under the lights at Fraser Field was played under a beautiful summer sky. In contrast, the North Shore Spirit’s inaugural season at Fraser had to be put off due to inclement weather. For the sake of the Fraser Field legacy, we can only hope that this is the Baseball Gods’ way of telling us the Navs will be here for many years to come.

The continuing excitement amongst the crowd was extremely encouraging. The best part about baseball at this level is that there is no questioning the commitment of neither the players nor the fans. By the start of the game, roughly two thousand fans had filled the stands, very few of them knowing exactly what kind of baseball they were getting themselves into. My guess is that it was not a concern. That is what makes baseball at Fraser Field so special. Regardless of the reasons teams past have packed up and left after only a few seasons, there are always plenty of fans anxiously awaiting the return of baseball to Lynn. Tonight, in timely fashion, they were put at ease once again.

After the third inning, with the home town Navigators enjoying an early 1-0 lead, fans danced the Chicken Dance and enjoyed themselves as though they had been coming to this same stadium to watch the Navigators play for years. But it wasn’t the score that had everyone in such a great mood. Even after a shaky top of the 4^th, spirits remained high. Needless to say there isn’t a whole lot that could have ruined this night for the true baseball fans that made their way out to the ball park to be introduced to their newest home team.

Although he would love to gaze around his new ballpark and see each and every seat filled, Navigators’ owner Philip Rosen field was pleased with the first ever Navigators game at Fraser Field.

“After a winter of preparation, the first game allows us to take a deep breath and get ourselves into gear,” Rosenfield said. “Now it’s baseball time. I hope we do this city proud by having a winning season and bringing a championship to the city of Lynn.”

Aside from the highlights that occurred on the field in the Navigators opener, the noise the crowd made all evening is worthy of praise. Using the steel structure underneath their feet to their advantage, the crowd slammed their feet in unison each time the Navigators rallied and knocked runs. Chants of “put the bat on the ball!” and “come on now, kid, do something!” made it clear that the new Navigators fan base took virtually no time at all to become comfortable with their new team. As if they had been watching them for years, fans already felt as though they could criticize and praise at will, and that is a fantastic sign going forward into the young season.

Taking a tight game into the 7^th inning and leading by a run, the Navigators players and staff did all they could to keep the good times rolling for the large crowd in attendance. When public address announcer John Kane announced in the 7^th inning that beer sales would continue through the 8^th inning, rather than end in the 7^th, he gave fans plenty to cheer about aside from the ballgame.

Although the crowd was everything it was expected to be and more for the 2008 North Shore Navigators season opener, a loss just wouldn’t have been appropriate given the beautiful summer weather and manner in which the fans received their team. Undoubtedly feeling pleased with the warm welcome they were given, the Navigators showed the same courtesy they were shown, defeating the Vermont Mountaineers 4-3 and running their record to a perfect 1-0 on a near-perfect night at Fraser Field.

Lynn Roots

Steve DelVecchio, North Shore Navigators Sports Information Staff

“Stephen, that’s an engine.”

This is only the most recent sarcastic remark my father has made about my lack of knowledge when it comes to grease, engines, and the world of automotives. Well Dad, in case you were unaware, this is what we call a sports article. Don’t get me wrong, my being a sports guy and my father being a gearhead makes our relationship what it is, and has always been the main source of firepower in our never-ending father son heckling matches. By now you may be wondering if I have a point with all this, and yes of course I do. If I don’t, I’m in trouble because I’ll lose this internship before it even begins. The point is this – isn’t it strange how things more times than not seem to work themselves out?

There was never a dull moment growing up in Lynn, MA. Those of us who have lived here all our lives have come to know this very, very well have we not? The home of the high school that sank within a 4 year span, and the place where peanut butter originally began cheating on jelly when it found its new lover, Marshmallow Fluff.

Maybe your dad took you to the ballpark when you were a kid, or maybe he was the one who pushed you to be the best little quarterback, pitcher, slugger, shooter, shot-blocker, gymnast, or softball star you could be. Sure, Dad was supportive every step of the way, but he’s the type of guy that if he saw Tom Brady drop back in the Super Bowl with a catcher’s mitt on his left hand, and a baseball in his right ready to fire it downfield, he probably wouldn’t even notice something (because it wasn’t a loose lug-nut or rusty carburetor) was fishy.

For me, Mom was the sports fan. I have no doubt people in other families have the same type of relationship with their parents, one that’s a little backwards from “traditional” standards. Although a little strange, I’m a firm believer that this type of relationship help get me where I am today. And you know why that is? Mixed up and abnormal has somehow never failed to become a common theme in Lynn,MA year after year after year.

Remember the Lynn, Massachusetts Mad Dogs? Man, that was fun. Some of my earliest childhood memories include cheap tickets, Stop and Shop burgers and dogs, free t-shirt give-aways, that big, dusty couch you could sit on behind home plate if you entered a contest and lost (or was it won?), and of course George “Boomer” Scott’s “what the hell am I doing here” attitude every time the legend himself was introduced to the crowd of a few hundred faithful fans. Of course, I was always there with Mom and a few friends, but what a blast it was while it lasted. Then, devastation came over the hearts of many as the Mad Dogs were to be no more. Fraser field had a few (thousand) architectural issues and the fans just weren’t showing up anymore, so it was time for the Mad Dogs to go. The pride of Lynn,MA took a huge blow.

The pain was eased when a few years later plans were announced that Fraser field would be completely renovated, and even I must admit they have done a fantastic job. In would come another semi-professional baseball squad, by the name of….ummmm….hang on I’ll get it….oh yeah the North Shore Spirit. Excitement at Fraser was renewed, and decent attendance numbers seemed like this team would be here for a while. Wrong, again. Maybe I’m exaggerating, but it sure feels as though I fell asleep one night, woke up the next morning, and baseball had once again disappeared from Lynn. Fraser Field, the home of The Golden Greek Harry Agganis, was no longer the home of the North Shore Spirit. We all remember it. The only other time I could remember being this devastated was when I found out that Mayor Pat McManus would no longer be gracing Lynn with his nasally snow emergencies because there was a new sheriff in town (no offense Chip but those things were fun). Stay with me people, there’s a light at the end of this tunnel. Has Lynn ever let you down for an extended period of time?

As I mentioned when I began this rant, things somehow have a way of working themselves out. We’re trying it again. It’s up to all of us to give a warm Lynn, MA welcome (actually, better just make it a plain old warm welcome), to the North Shore Navigators. Unlike when the Spirit came to town, I have a fantastic feeling about this one. And if you’re thinking I’m required to say that because I work for the organization, well you may be right, but take my word for it I do believe it’s true. The players on this roster are motivated, because they’re still playing at the college level. I challenge anyone to tell me that the intensity of the NCAA Men’s Division 1 Basketball Tournament can be rivaled by the NBA Finals. Baseball will be no different. These players have something to prove, and we’re all hoping they can prove it in front of as many fans as possible. No one knows better than I do that Lynn rarely gets it right, but threes a charm.

Here in Lynn we don’t do things normally, but in my experiences more times than not it’s turned out right. Look at me. I grew up in the house of a brother and father who constantly wore a tool belt around their waist, and a mother who would sit in front of the TV and have just as many choice words as I would when the Sox were having their annual meltdown. Now, I somehow find myself blogging for the newest addition to Lynn’s continuously growing baseball history. We Lynners may do things backwards, but we all know we can get them done. This is why we owe it to our city to keep a team here, and not allow them to pack up and leave town as fast as the Mad Dogs and Spirit.

The Navigators can only add to the legacy that has over the years become "Fraser Field". Baseball belongs here and my gut tells me we’re about to see we’ve found a keeper.

“Stephen, that’s an engine.” A phrase that is all too familiar to me. “Stephen, this is a Baseball Team.” A phrase that with a lot of fan support, and a little luck, will become even more familiar to me.