On Sunday, September 20, just as was the setting when the Eclipse Base Ball Club of Northville first started the 2015 season back in May, we were blessed with blue skies, green grass and a golden sun. The finale at Ford Field saw the Eclipse host the Richmond Bees during Northville’s annual Victorian Festival weekend. Pregame festivities saw a former member of the Eclipse, Paddy, make a surprise visit and pay homage to a current member, Crusher, who was retiring after thirteen seasons with the club. As one of two remaining members who started in 2003 with the recreation of the original club, Crusher has been a great teammate and a superb member of the Northville Base Ball Club while demonstrating sportsmanship, vitality and ethics to all who have had the privilege to share the field with him.
The Richmond Bees started the match off quickly by scoring three tallies in their first at bat. Sure Thing came away with the big blow by assisting in two tallies with a stinging three bagger into left and then Lucky followed with a fly to right that unfortunately found Mac’s hand in an awkward position which resulted in Mac planning his return for the 2016 season.
Starring Mac
For the first three innings the Eclipse bats prepared for the upcoming long winter layoff by practicing hibernation in the arms of their strikers. A double by TinMan in the second inning was the only blemish against the Bees hurler for the first ten Eclipse strikers. In the fourth inning TinMan planted another peaceful offering into the green shrubbery in right center field which resulted in Northville’s first tally. Cuppa plated another two tallies with a single to center and the score stood tied at three after four innings.
Richmond would begin the fifth with a Big Mac single and eventually plate home along with the speedy Jonny on JMac’s well-struck single to right. Lucky found fortune again with his favorable bound to center that would plate Swear Jar and give the lead back to the Bees. The Eclipse would answer with six tallies of their own on the bottom half of the inning that began with Crusher. Not just known for stealing the hearts of the ladies but also for his enviable speed, Crusher found safe haven at first after legging out an infield single. The next ninety feet were property of Crusher’s feet as he raced unimpeded towards second and recorded what would turn out to be his final steal in his illustrious career of crime.
Crusher would eventually score when Chip would plate one while hitting with a full Eclipse. Louie would drive two additional runs across with a single to right and TinMan would deliver the knockout punch with another towering drive to center that would lead to three bases while aiding in plating two more tallies. The Bees would respond with a tallies of their own in the sixth and seventh, but the Eclipse would answer the threat with another six tallies, highlighted by a Cuppa double that plated two.
Ever resilient, the Bees would answer with two tallies of their own in the eighth and were looking for more until Frisco snared another deep drive in right center off the lumber of Swear Jar who also reached deep and contributed to his team’s finances after extolling a wide range of new vocabulary. The final inning saw Doc make a rare appearance for the Eclipse as hurler and performed wizardry upon the Richmond hitters, including recording the final out of the season by striking out Moose.
The Bees were led offensively by Sure Thing and Jonny who accounted for three hits apiece while Sure Thing assisted in tallying three runs. The Eclipse, who finished the season with a 10-4 record, were led once again by TinMan’s five hits, three runs and four assisted tallies. Cuppa followed closely behind as he generated four hits, five assisted tallies and three steals while Louie collected three hits, steals and assisted runs. It was another successful year for the Eclipse and the future looks promising as we go into the off-season hoping to add new faces while planning to meet up with old ones.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Total | |
| Bees | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 10 |
| Eclipse | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 15 |