11TH ANNUAL FLEET BOSTON
OLDTIME BASEBALL GAME

Held Thursday, 19 August 2004, in Cambridge, MA


One of the largest crowds in recent memory showed up at St. Peter’s Field, Sherman St., North Cambridge on Thursday, 14 August to watch some of greater Boston’s finest amateur baseball players in the 11th Annual Fleet Boston Oldtme Baseball Game. This year’s game was played under humid summer skies as a fundraiser for the Radiation Oncology Department at Mount Auburn Hospital.

 The glittering array of old-style flannel uniforms worn by the players is one of the prime factors in making the Oldtime Baseball Game so special.. Used just once a year for the Oldtime Baseball Game, the uniforms represent such long-ago teams as the Brooklyn Dodgers, St. Louis Browns and Boston Braves. Negro League teams are represented by the Kansas City Monarchs, Baltimore Elite Giants, Homestead Grays and Havanna Cubans. Even long-ago minor-league teams are represented, including the San Francisco Seals, Oakland Oaks and Roswell Rockets.

Brendan Grant Tribute at the Oldtime Baseball Game

During the summer of 2001, the Greater Boston sports community was stunned by the tragic death of Belmont native Brendan Grant, a 19-year-old baseball player who had just finished his freshman season at American International College. While playing left field for his Belmont Senior Babe Ruth League team on June 27, Brendan suffered fatal injuries when he collided with his center fielder in a game against Arlington.

Each year, a Belmont High School graduate represents Brendan at the Oldtime Baseball Game.  From 2001 to 2003 it was Holy Cross standout Matt McEvoy, and this year it is Billy Watkins who was a member of the Franklin Pierce baseball squad in 2004.  Billy was wearing a 1950s vintage Havana Cubans uniform, who at one time were champions of the Class B Florida International League.  The full Billy Watkins story can be found through this link.  

Though Brendan never played in the Oldtime Baseball Game, he was a posthumous selection to the 2001 game. In a pre-game ceremony in 2001, a commemorative banner was unveiled in left field,  containing Brendan’s name and his uniform number from his days at Belmont High School – No. 1. The Brendan Grant banner will remain on the left-field fence for each edition of the Game.

In addition to the special ceremony that was held in Brendan's honor at the 2001 game, other honors included his picture being featured on the 2001 program cover, a short write-up within the game program,  opening ceremony remarks in 2001 by his Father, Casey Grant, and the aforementioned banner on the outfield fence that is to be displayed at each year's game.  Many were on hand to enjoy this tribute in 2001.  

Additional details are also available from last year's 2003 event or for the story on the 2002 game.  Further information on the event is available on the Old Time Baseball Game website.

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