Independents Release 2013 Schedule

The Boys of Summer had their annual Winter Meeting this past month, and ratified their upcoming schedule for the 2013 season of historic base ball.  The new schedule includes a trip to Indiana, a home and home engagement with the Dexter Club, an opportunity to host the new Flint ball club, and a Fourth of July weekend, base ball extravaganza.

May

The season kicks off in May with a road trip, and doubleheader against the Champion Hill Toppers on May 11th, and then follows with a home match on May 18th against the mighty La-de-dah Club of Greenfield Village.

June

The road is long for the boys in June with no home matches currently on the slab.  They will  however, be hitting the road for three dates in June beginning with a rare, evening match at Van Hoosen Farm against their friends the Grangers of Rochester Hills on June 15th.  Then the Bay Citys hitch up their wagons and head further south to Wyandotte for a match with the Stars on June 22nd, and then follow it up with their first ever match against the Dexter Club in Ypsilanti on June 30th.

July

Bay City hosts their first ever Fireworks Weekend Base Ball Extravaganza on July 6th, and 7th. The Fireworks Weekend in Bay City displays some of the finest fireworks in the state, and the Independents have secured two fine clubs to play on that weekend in Bay City for the folks to relax and enjoy an old-fashioned ball game before the big displays.  Bay City will host the Wyandotte Stars on Saturday, the afternoon before the main show, and the Dexter Club on Sunday the afternoon following the festivities.  July 11th will bring the Independents out to play at the Cornfest of Auburn for our second go around against the area Firemen.  On July 13th the Bay Citys will host the newest club in the State, the Lumber City Base Ball Club of Flint.  Then the Independents hook up their team and head out East to take part in the Gettysburg Historic Base Ball Festival during the 150th Anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg on July 20-21.

August

In August Bay City frequents more familiar haunts making a trip to Saginaw for a Thursday match on August 1st against the current World's Tournament, Michigan State Cup Tournament, and Gettysburg Festival Champion, Saginaw Old Golds.  The following week will see the Independents take part in their 8th World's Tournament at Greenfield Village held on August 10-11th.

September

After a break in the action Bay City hosts their neighbors the Saginaw Old Golds in Bay City on September 7th, and then finish the season with the 1865 Michigan State Cup Championship Tournament on September 21st.

It should be a fun-filled season of historic base ball, so we hope to see you all there!

The 2012 season has already been for the most part a smashing success, and when Tom "Cat" LeRoux and Jeff "Silverback" Rahl started a race towards the all-time season record for extra base hits in an Independents season at the beginning of the year, then we knew it could get fun.  In no way did anyone expect that the record would be broken after only 12 games.

In 2009 Jason "Buttons" McInerney set the standard for making extra bases for the Independents by launching howitzers at a record pace and put 17 balls deep into the garden.  It took McInerney 19 games to replace the former record holder from 2008, Branden "The Rope" Revette, who set the original standard at 16 extra base hits in 20 games.  This year though, will see the mark set incredibly high, as Jeff "Silverback" Rahl has already surpassed the McInerney bar with 19 extra base hits in only 12 matches.  Who knows what heights might be reached as Rahl is currently being pushed by Tom "Cat" LeRoux with 14, Alan "Kid" Garcia with 12, and Justin "Doc" Garcia with 11.  It should be fun to see just how many offensive records fall this year.

A formal challenge was presented by the captain of the Walker Wheels Tavern Base Ball Club to the Bay City Base Ball Club.

"Bay City Independents,
As the Captain of the Walker Tavern Wheels BBC, I would like to formally challenge the Bay City Base Ball Club, the current State of Michigan Champions, for the Cup at our upcoming game July 15th at 2pm to be played on your home field." - James Terwilliger, Walker Wheels Tavern Base Ball Club

The challenge was then formally accepted by the captain of the Bay City Base Ball Club.

"As, a formal representative of the Bay City Base Ball Club, current State of Michigan Base Ball Champions, we of the Bay City Base Ball Club accept the challenge presented by the Walker Wheels Tavern Base Ball Club, this Sunday, July 15, to commence at 2pm at Carroll Park, Bay City, MI."- Jayme Johnson, captain of the Bay City Base Ball Club