PHOTOS: Nashville Maroons defeat Franklin Farriers to claim Vintage Baseball Sulphur Dell Cup – Brentwood Home Page

PHOTOS: Nashville Maroons defeat Franklin Farriers to claim Vintage Baseball Sulphur Dell Cup  Brentwood Home Page


PHOTOS: Nashville Maroons defeat Franklin Farriers to claim Vintage Baseball Sulphur Dell Cup

Photos by Alexander Willis

BY ALEXANDER WILLIS

After five consecutive games over a two day period, the Nashville Maroons came out above the rest on Sunday, defeating the Franklin Farriers during the Tennessee Association of Vintage Baseball (TAOVBB) 2019 Sulphur Dell Cup at the Rippavilla Plantation in Spring Hill.

Established in 2012, the TAOVBB is a baseball league modeled after the sport as it existed in 1864, from its slightly tweaked rules, all the way down to the outfits players wear. Consisting of 12 teams across the middle Tennessee area, the final match of the season came down to the Franklin and Nashville teams, with the Maroons clenching the top spot for the 2019 season.

Known as “School Boy” on the field, James Guthrie is the captain of the Maroons, and has been playing for the team since its inception seven years ago. When asked what he thought secured victory for the Maroons, Guthrie was quick to praise his team’s defense.

“On a fast field like this one, being able to handle things in the outfield and make good throws in the infield really cuts down on extra bases that make a big difference,” Guthrie said. “A lot of high scoring games this weekend, and just having a good defense — I think — seemed to matter the most.”

Guthrie was not without praise for his opponents, however, singling out the Farriers’ defense as incredibly strong and formidable.

“Franklin has a lot of big bets,” Guthrie said. “If you play deep enough to try to keep them from hitting home runs, they usually get a lot of singles right in front of you, so they’re just some guys that it’s impossible to play defense against. That’s a tough thing to face.”

During the final match Sunday, both teams appeared to be equally matched throughout the duration of the game, coming to a still-competitive 10 – 4 during the final inning. It was with this last inning that the Maroons really cemented their victory, however, scoring 7 points in under 15 minutes.

As was tradition in baseball games of past, both teams raised their caps to each other, shouting cheers in the spirit of friendly competition. Only the Maroons, however, were lucky enough to all share a drink of a freshly-poured pale lager straight from the Sulphur Dell Cup trophy.

The 2020 TAOVBB season will begin in April, with games always free to attend. For more information on the TAOVBB, click here.