Honoring The Saginaw Old Golds

The Vintage Base Ball Club known as The Saginaw Old Golds started in 2008. Leading the way was Thomas Mudd (he was the originator & umpire  laying down the "Golden Rule") and Richard Curry (Manager & catcher). Within a year, Harold Campeau (Heck's Bar) came aboard as the team owner. The Golds play by the rules of 1864 - hard ball, no gloves, open fields and no stadiums.

 In the Golds first game at Ojibway Island they were run over by a score of 31-3. After that game, my 72 year old second baseman  said,  "I can't hit, I can't field, I can't run, & I can't see". I told him "You just checked all 4 boxes on why you're not coming back next year."

I released most of the players over 45 & started over with young talented players. One was Dennis Konuszewski- he was a 3 year starter at the University of Michigan who pitched for the Pittsburgh Pirates and played 6 years of Minor League Ball. This team went to its first World Tournament in Greenfield Village in 2008, losing a close contest to the "Lah-de-dahs." In 2009, they won the Worlds and followed that up with Championships in: 2011-2012-2013-2014-2017-and 2021 (7 in all).

At one of the Championship games-the Detroit Tigers pitcher Dave Rozema was the announcer. During the game our pitcher "Ducky" Mahan caught a line drive on the mound! Dave said "No way am I doing this".

We're arguably the best Vintage Ball Club in the Midwest, adding 6 Michigan Cups, 25 Tournament wins, 2 Sylvania Cups, 14 straight wins in Gettysburg (including the Tournament's Gold Ball), 3 Ohio Cups, 2 Clarkson Classic's, 3 Fudge Buckets, wins in Traverse City, 2 wins in front of the Grand Hotel (2 Red Wings watched this game: Thomas Holmstrom & Kris Draper) & 200 plus wins.

This team changed vintage ball in America. . The Saginaw Old Golds were featured in numerous papers, most notably the Detroit Free Press. The Golds were on the front page of the Gettysburg Times with their bat boy flipping a ball in the air. They have been honored by the City of Saginaw (Inside the Court House), Saginaw Spirit (On the Ice), and the Great Lake Loons (On the field).

The Golds played a contest against both Bay City & Midland before a regular Loons game. Inside the "Dow Diamond" the Golds All-Stars played a game for 4 straight years & raised money for people who survived cancer They were in attendance (got in free) for all the games. After a game the third baseman "Ozzy," was given the game ball. He walked over to a cancer survivor & gave the ball to him, saying "You're the Hero of this game."

There is a huge painted mural painted on the side of a barber shop of the Championship Golds on Hamilton Street. The Golds played in a variety of places. We were on the grounds of Fort Wayne in Detroit. It was built during the French & Indian Wars of 1760. On the field inside the Civil War era "Fort Warren" on Georges Island at the entrance of Boston Harbor, I had a senior moment here: rounding 3rd base my belt loosened up & my paints fell to my feet.

A day later we were in Fenway Park to visit Saginaw's Curt Young-Red Sox pitching coach just outside the team locker room. Played 2 more games in Mudville, Mass. After the Tournament win we paraded through town to the new "Casey At Bat" statue. Later the teams went to the Mudville Bar where they honor its vintage baseball team.

We went to Cooperstown, N.Y. and played two games on the Double Day Field. We were in the same Dug Out that was used by the 1945-1968-& 1984 World Champion Detroit Tigers. Played two more games behind the James Fenimore Cooper home on Otsego Lake. It was built in 1796. One day here we toured the Baseball Hall of Fame. My favorite venue was playing a doubleheader against the inmates inside the St .Louis Michigan Prison. We had a captive audience there. They were elated to see us in our vintage wool uniforms.  Game one saw Saginaw winning by a narrow margin. In Game Two the warden put together his best athletes. This was just like the movie "The Longest Yard" & they we're better than good. They hit long home runs and played great.

At the end of our loss, I asked if anyone was getting out soon. Sure enough, one raised his hand. I asked when? He said next week, I followed by giving him my phone number and saying call me. Sure enough he did. But before the practice my team captain told me about his long & violent career. He also had a litany of terrifying tattoos. He never went to the practice, I think he went right back in.

The Warden called me after the games and said his inmates had the best time here in years.  He said "Thank You & God Bless You." I take a lot of pleasure in that. A lot of young men have made bad choices and I'm hoping they get a second chance to straighten out their lives.

The legacy that is the Saginaw Old Golds now lives on in the creation of the Saginaw Young Golds. Two of my talented teammates Nick Hammond & Tobi Larkin brought into existence baseball for kids & young adults. It all started in 2012. It now consistsof 22 teams (14 Hard Ball-8 Softball Teams).

This program has created 20 plus college sports scholarships.