Your Wilton Redding Retro’s journeyed to Fussenrich Park in Torrington today to face the Torrington Dragons in our quarterfinal playoff match. After the game I was struck by the similarities between Torrington born abolitionist John Brown and his hometown Dragons-let’s see what they have in common besides geography and why history seems to rhyme.
Outlook on Life:
The Torrington Dragons are playing men’s adult baseball and thus have to be glass half full kind of guys.
John Brown fathered 20 children so not only was he a glass half full kind of guy, his bed must have been pretty full and his house, with 20 kids really had to be full.
Ambition to achieve great accomplishments:
The Torrington Dragons made the playoffs with 10 wins during the season and come in armed with their top players in an effort to win the league championship . Numerous fans and family are behind their efforts . “Let’s win on the field” they chanted when the playoff pairings were announced
John Brown attempts to start a liberation movement among slaves in 1859. Frustrated with the advocates of peaceful resistance and pacifism he is reported to have said “ These men are all talk –what we need is action”
The Beginning or “We are off to a good start!”
Tied at 1 in the fourth, the Dragons squeeze out a run to take a 2-1 lead
John Brown seized the armory at Harper’s Ferry where seven people were killed, and ten or more were injured. He intended to arm slaves with weapons from the arsenal.
The Middle-or “ Uh oh !”
Trailing by 1 in the 5th the Wilton /Redding Retro’ tie the game and then break it open with a bases loaded single on a 3-2 pitch taking 3 run lead.
John Brown’s attack failed. Within 36 hours, Brown's men had fled or been killed or captured by local farmers, militiamen, and U.S. Marines led by Robert E. Lee.
The End – “Yikes”
The Retro’s tack on another run in the 7th to take commanding 4 run lead 6-2 . The Dragons last hope is the bottom of the 7th but they go out 1-2-3 to end the game and get eliminated from the single elimination tourney.
John Brown is executed by hanging in Charles Town, Virginia (now West Virginia) thus being eliminated from the tournament of life, which is also a single elimination format.
Streaks
The Wilton/ Redding Retro’s move on to the semi- final round of the playoffs next Saturday with confidence facing the next challenge with is not likely to feature any Civil War personalities. The Retros have been on a great streak of late winning 7 of their last eight .
The Union Army went on a streak as well beating the South, and winning in WW1, WW2 and Korea before losing on the road at Vietnam . Of course, war is also played in a single elimination format so lessons can l be learned all around
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