5/15/04 -- Opening Day 2004 a week earlier than last year. Veto League has two divisions for the first time along with team names. There are a scheduled 50 games.
24 players show up for opening day tying the record set in 2003. Of course, in 2003 we had 7 players play who were picked up beyond the right field fence. One left fearful of lightening.
5/16/04 -- Jeff Kilgard, pitching to the other team, manages to strike out the side for the first time in history.
5/19/04 -- The VLB debuts at the former Moline Legion diamond. Consideration circulates to making it the official home of the VLB.
5/22/04 -- Rain builds puddles on Old Legion raining out the game. Still, players consider Old Legion a great field.
5/23/04 -- The VLB plays their second full nine inning double header in history at Old Legion.
5/25/04 -- Old Legion is flooded completely souring VLB hopes. All fields are taken and the second game of the season it cancelled.
5/26/04 -- Jason Jones hits for the cycle in his VLB debut becoming only the fourth player in history to hit for the cycle in a game (Mike Myers '03, Bobby Carter '03, and Vinny Polito '03).
5/29/04 -- Jon Escajeda demands he be listed in the highlights for hitting a homerun with a cast on in 2002. It's true, he did, but I have no idea what game it was, so here is the posting. Additionally, Jon has not worn a cast and played in a game yet. He probably won't, as we were informed, he sawed off his previous cast with hedge trimmers because "It was annoying."
5/30/04 -- Colby Moore and the Latino Heat keep the "Miracle Eighth" tradition alive with an 8 run rally to defeated the King Cobras 15-13.
5/31/04 -- Memorial Day double header. Game one Casey Thomas makes a diving catch, only to dislocate his shoulder and leave the game.
Game two: Trailing 21-4 in the sixth inning, Scott Boruff offers his team Whitey's ice cream if they came back to win. The Heartbreakers scored 11 in the sixth, 5 in the seventh, and 12 in the eighth to cap off the greatest comeback for a win in VLB history.
Veto League is compared to a video game for the first time when a running leaves first heading for second drawing a throw allowing a runner at third to advance to home. Mitch Heckenkamp said, "It's like RBI Baseball."
Dark, threatening storm clouds pass off to the south of the diamond, narrowly missing the field. The game continues and bright sunshine follows. Brett Carlson says, "I think I liked it better when we were in the shade."
6/4/04 -- The official order for Veto League jerseys is sent in by Temple's Sporting Goods.
6/6/04 -- Jeff Darras saves the game with a snow cone catch.
Three ground rule doubles manage to one hop the left field fence.
6/8/04 -- For the first time in 6 years, the VLB comes under scrutiny by the Rock Island Red Sox for the use of Saukie Field. A permit request was made and accepted.
6/9/04 -- Jason Jones comes a triple shy of his second cycle of the season in a 9 player 9 inning game. Craig Fyfe manages to spike himself in an attempt to field a looping drive.
7/3/04 -- Commissioner Matt Veto makes official notice of the VLB's first ever night game. The game is scheduled to be held at Richmond Hill field in Geneseo on July 11. Fans/families are encouraged to attend, as the festivities include a homerun derby, a classic rivalry (Veto's Meteors v. McCafferty's King Cobras), as well as "a few tricks up the sleeve." The game is also slated to be highlighted on the evening news.
7/7/04 -- Kiel Engstrom becomes the first player to hit his own foul poul for a homerun. The grand slam round-tripper helped the Vandals take the lead after trailing by 5.
Scott Ellefritz hits the first homerun with the "forbidden bat" sealing up his fate as the true "Lord of the Bat."
7/11/04 -- The lights came on over Veto League Baseball. At 7:30 p.m., members of the VLB took the field under the lights of the Richmond Hill Sports Complex in Geneseo. It was the first ever night game for the VLB and was free of charge thanks to Keith Kennett of Geneseo. Jon Escajeda's dad worked the PA all night, ripping on Jon along the way. There were around 70 fans in attendence and they stayed the entire 9 innings cheering along the way. Raffles for Whitey's and Biaggi's gift certificates were won. Programs were drawn up. The classic Veto/McCafferty matchup ended in a two run 13-11 Veto win, just holding on after a 4 run King Cobra ninth inning. The entire night was a complete success. Fans and players were hopeful that a whole year would not have to pass before another night game could be enjoyed.
7/13/04 -- Both Saukie and Black Hawk was taken, so 10 VLBers resorted to taking batting practice at the MHS sophomore diamond. Jacob VandeMoortel batted left-handed. That didn't go well. However, Scott Ellefritz relinquished his title of "Lord of the Bat" allowing fellow players to swing a few.
8/7/04 -- Josh Paul ties the record for doubles in a single game with five.
8/8/04 -- Brett Carlson hits a ninth inning grand slam to tie the game sending it into extra innings. His team would win in 11.
Jon Escajeda is placed on the DL after squirting pepper juice in his left eye... the "eye he needs to see with.
8/10/04 -- The coldest game in VLB history is played with a game time temperature of 65 degrees.
The Vandals turn the first triple play in history during a playoff win.
Ashley Engstrom becomes the first player to hit the for the cycle in the playoffs.
8/22/04 -- Scott Ellefritz and the River Bandits win the 2004 World Series 7-3 in a torrential downpour at Black Hawk field.
24 players show up for opening day tying the record set in 2003. Of course, in 2003 we had 7 players play who were picked up beyond the right field fence. One left fearful of lightening.
5/16/04 -- Jeff Kilgard, pitching to the other team, manages to strike out the side for the first time in history.
5/19/04 -- The VLB debuts at the former Moline Legion diamond. Consideration circulates to making it the official home of the VLB.
5/22/04 -- Rain builds puddles on Old Legion raining out the game. Still, players consider Old Legion a great field.
5/23/04 -- The VLB plays their second full nine inning double header in history at Old Legion.
5/25/04 -- Old Legion is flooded completely souring VLB hopes. All fields are taken and the second game of the season it cancelled.
5/26/04 -- Jason Jones hits for the cycle in his VLB debut becoming only the fourth player in history to hit for the cycle in a game (Mike Myers '03, Bobby Carter '03, and Vinny Polito '03).
5/29/04 -- Jon Escajeda demands he be listed in the highlights for hitting a homerun with a cast on in 2002. It's true, he did, but I have no idea what game it was, so here is the posting. Additionally, Jon has not worn a cast and played in a game yet. He probably won't, as we were informed, he sawed off his previous cast with hedge trimmers because "It was annoying."
5/30/04 -- Colby Moore and the Latino Heat keep the "Miracle Eighth" tradition alive with an 8 run rally to defeated the King Cobras 15-13.
5/31/04 -- Memorial Day double header. Game one Casey Thomas makes a diving catch, only to dislocate his shoulder and leave the game.
Game two: Trailing 21-4 in the sixth inning, Scott Boruff offers his team Whitey's ice cream if they came back to win. The Heartbreakers scored 11 in the sixth, 5 in the seventh, and 12 in the eighth to cap off the greatest comeback for a win in VLB history.
Veto League is compared to a video game for the first time when a running leaves first heading for second drawing a throw allowing a runner at third to advance to home. Mitch Heckenkamp said, "It's like RBI Baseball."
Dark, threatening storm clouds pass off to the south of the diamond, narrowly missing the field. The game continues and bright sunshine follows. Brett Carlson says, "I think I liked it better when we were in the shade."
6/4/04 -- The official order for Veto League jerseys is sent in by Temple's Sporting Goods.
6/6/04 -- Jeff Darras saves the game with a snow cone catch.
Three ground rule doubles manage to one hop the left field fence.
6/8/04 -- For the first time in 6 years, the VLB comes under scrutiny by the Rock Island Red Sox for the use of Saukie Field. A permit request was made and accepted.
6/9/04 -- Jason Jones comes a triple shy of his second cycle of the season in a 9 player 9 inning game. Craig Fyfe manages to spike himself in an attempt to field a looping drive.
7/3/04 -- Commissioner Matt Veto makes official notice of the VLB's first ever night game. The game is scheduled to be held at Richmond Hill field in Geneseo on July 11. Fans/families are encouraged to attend, as the festivities include a homerun derby, a classic rivalry (Veto's Meteors v. McCafferty's King Cobras), as well as "a few tricks up the sleeve." The game is also slated to be highlighted on the evening news.
7/7/04 -- Kiel Engstrom becomes the first player to hit his own foul poul for a homerun. The grand slam round-tripper helped the Vandals take the lead after trailing by 5.
Scott Ellefritz hits the first homerun with the "forbidden bat" sealing up his fate as the true "Lord of the Bat."
7/11/04 -- The lights came on over Veto League Baseball. At 7:30 p.m., members of the VLB took the field under the lights of the Richmond Hill Sports Complex in Geneseo. It was the first ever night game for the VLB and was free of charge thanks to Keith Kennett of Geneseo. Jon Escajeda's dad worked the PA all night, ripping on Jon along the way. There were around 70 fans in attendence and they stayed the entire 9 innings cheering along the way. Raffles for Whitey's and Biaggi's gift certificates were won. Programs were drawn up. The classic Veto/McCafferty matchup ended in a two run 13-11 Veto win, just holding on after a 4 run King Cobra ninth inning. The entire night was a complete success. Fans and players were hopeful that a whole year would not have to pass before another night game could be enjoyed.
7/13/04 -- Both Saukie and Black Hawk was taken, so 10 VLBers resorted to taking batting practice at the MHS sophomore diamond. Jacob VandeMoortel batted left-handed. That didn't go well. However, Scott Ellefritz relinquished his title of "Lord of the Bat" allowing fellow players to swing a few.
8/7/04 -- Josh Paul ties the record for doubles in a single game with five.
8/8/04 -- Brett Carlson hits a ninth inning grand slam to tie the game sending it into extra innings. His team would win in 11.
Jon Escajeda is placed on the DL after squirting pepper juice in his left eye... the "eye he needs to see with.
8/10/04 -- The coldest game in VLB history is played with a game time temperature of 65 degrees.
The Vandals turn the first triple play in history during a playoff win.
Ashley Engstrom becomes the first player to hit the for the cycle in the playoffs.
8/22/04 -- Scott Ellefritz and the River Bandits win the 2004 World Series 7-3 in a torrential downpour at Black Hawk field.
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