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They Score!!!
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The Buffalo Gap Chips, a vintage baseball partnership between the Buffalo Gap Historic Village
and the McMurry Public History Program, have now won two consecutive championships in the President’s Cup Tournament
held at the Montgomery County Community College in Conroe, Texas. The Chips won the inaugural tournament last year,
on Saturday, September 17, 2005. Now, they’ve done it again, on September
23, 2006. There are now two President’s Cup trophies on display in the
McMurry University History Department.
The Buffalo Gap Chips posted 8-2 and 16-8 victories over the Conroe Woods
and the Big Thicket Saw Dogs. Anchored by the solid hitting of tournament
Most Valuable Ballist Craig “Little Papi” Richardson, they extended their
tournament record to 3-0, emerging from the weekend undefeated in Texas
Vintage Base Ball Tournament play. The first game was a struggle that showcased
the defensive prowess of the Chips, as they battled against a well-stocked
and physically impressive Conroe Woods team. With hurler Bob “The Commish”
Wettemann holding the Woods scoreless in the top half of the first frame,
the Chips used Richardson’s first of five tournament home runs to build
a 3-0 lead. From that point forward, the Chips never looked back, tallying
two “aces” (runs) in the third and three more in the fifth while holding
the Woods to only one ace in the third and a second in the fifth. Final
victory was a product of the ginger shown by cagey and wily veterans like
Wettemann, Warren “Spider” Simpson (of Hardin-Simmons University) playing
behind (catching), and Trey “Cracker” Cox, coupled with the youthful athleticism
of defensive standouts Richardson, Leman “The Windmill” Saunders, Matt
“Mitts” Crisman, and Alex “Rosco” Orosco.
The second game allowed the Chips to show their offensive power against
host club the Big Thicket Saw Dogs. Richardson added three more home runs,
and managed to stretch what would have been a fourth into a triple, as
Joel “Flaps” Brant did everything he could to leg it in from first, and
scored nonetheless. With that effort, the Chips carried a 8-2 lead mid-way
into the third inning. The Saw Dogs came back to tie the game in the bottom
of the frame, though the re-energized hurling of “Fossil” Joe Christensen
and solid catching by Arlen “Huff-n-Puff Daddy” Jeffery proceeded to hold
the Saw Dogs scoreless for the remainder of the game. In the meantime,
two more home runs by Josh “The Prophet” Poorman, and sound play by “Steady”
Wade Goolsby allowed the Chips to prevail. Fighting through controversial
calls, the Chips were (for the most part) faster than the old eyes of the
umpire, and after a hard fought game, yet another trophy was awarded to
the club.
The Buffalo Gap Vintage Base Ball Club will be holding an exhibition game
at the McMurry practice field on October 15 at 2:00 p.m., in conjunction
with McMurry Homecoming Festivities.
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