June 27-28

Monday afternoon: Dick, Marty Hornberger and I met up for a trip south of the Mason-Dixon Line to Hagerstown, Maryland. We decided the best way to go was via route 283 to Highspire, the turnpike to Carlisle and I-81 south from there. One could also take route 30 west from Lancaster but that's more stop-and-go, either way it's better than 100 miles. The Hagerstown Suns play in the South Atlantic League, a "Low-A" league which would be considered two steps below the Eastern League. Hagerstown has been in pro ball since 1981, I've been there many times but not for several years. The visiting club on this night was the Lakewood (New Jersey) Blue Claws, the Phillies' SAL affiliate (the Suns are a Washington Nationals club). Hagerstown won 5-2 in a game that started at 7:00 and ended before 9:30, we were back in Lancaster well before midnight. From there Dick drove another friend to the airport in Philadelphia for an early-morning  flight, at least they used her car for that. On Tuesday Ab Suter (one of Dick's longtime friends) was along as the four of us headed to Maryland once again, this time to Aberdeen for a New York-Pennsylvania League game. We left Lancaster shortly after 4:00 and arrived around 5:15 or so, it's only about 45 miles but little of it is highway. The NY-P is a "short season" Class "A" league which would be one step below the SAL, on this night the Brooklyn Cyclones (New York Mets affiliate) defeated the Aberdeen Ironbirds (Orioles) 1-0. For the second straight night we saw a rapidly played game, we were back home by 10:45. On Wednesday Dick and I are planning to head southeast for a game in Wilmington, he asked me if I could drive since he is feeling driver's fatigue (small wonder after what he did on Monday night). I can relate to that feeling so I told him I'd handle it, hopefully we'll see another quick game. Take care, thanks for reading.