P.E. Teachers Vs. Dead Citys Precedes A’s Game Thurs.
Posted: July 13, 2010
The Sheboygan A’s are on the road Tuesday and Wednesday this week, but when they return home Thursday they will be joined on the card by the Greenbush Dead Citys, a roster of Sheboygan physical education teachers and the Oshkosh Giants.
Thursday’s historic baseball exhibition which features the Dead Citys and the teachers was slated for a 6:30 p.m. solo show at the ball park. Now fans will be treated to a doubleheader as the A’s take on the Oshkosh Giants in a make-up game immediately following the exhibition.
“Oshkosh has agreed to an 8 p.m. start, but it is a long ride home for them and if we can start a few minutes earlier, we would like to do that,” A’s general manager Denny Moyer said. “If we can get the first game going a little earlier than 6:30, we will, so we are asking fans to try to get there early so they don’t miss any of the first game.”
The Dead Citys, who deal in terms of apples, willows, strikers, cranks, cloud hunters, bud bruisers and ballists, take fans back to the way the game was played in the 1870s. In addition to the unique terminology, they play by a unique set of rules and a unique code of etiquette with which the teachers will have to become acquainted.
Among those rules:
“The striker is out after swinging and missing three balls if the behind catches the third strike on the fly of first bounce.”
“If three balls are struck at and missed, and the last one is not caught, either flying or upon the first bound, it shall be considered fair and the strike must attempt to make his run.”
“The striker is out if a fair ball is struck and the ball is caught either without having touched the ground or upon the first bound.”
“If an adversary stops a ball with his hat or cap, or takes it from the hands of a party not engaged in the game, no player can be put out unless the ball shall first have settled in the hands of the pitcher.”
“Foul balls do not count as strikes.”
And there are others instructing the pitcher where to pitch the ball, describing fair balls and banning the placing of bets.
While others are expected to join the club on the night of the game, the teachers who will be playing are: Tim Crowns, Fred Engelhardt, Christine Harrison, Kevin Herber, Kim Hotz, Mike Martin, Tanya TenPas, Peter Toutenhoofd, John Van Veghel and Chris Wright.
The Oshkosh game was rained out on June 15. AAA Travel and Insurance has also rescheduled its night at the park for Thursday and will be bringing prizes for fans.
On Tuesday night the A’s are playing at Kenosha where they will complete a game suspended by lightning on June 8 before playing the regularly scheduled game. On Wednesday they play at Manitowoc.
The Sheboygan A's are members of the Wisconsin State League and Northeastern Wisconsin Baseball League. The A's have helped develop more than 43 players that have reached professional baseball, including 2002 World Series Champion Jarrod Washburn (Anaheim Angels). All Sheboygan A's home games are played at Wildwood Baseball Park in Sheboygan. Connect with the A's on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
