One Step Closer ...

Happy 2015!

As I recycle the 2014 New Britain Rock Cats calendar in my office and exchange it for a fresh 2015 series of months, I feel anticipation growing. That means we’re one hurdle closer to a new baseball season.

Even as a youth, I anticipated the first day of practice as much as Christmas. We didn’t play many organized games in those days, but I savored every one.

I still feel most alive when I’m at the ballpark. The expanse of green. The span of the base paths. The crisp sound of wood meeting ball.

So how do I spend New Year’s morning? Posting the Fan Club calendar to our blog site:

http://harrisburgsenatorsfanclub.blogspot.com/p/events.html

Please check back often since our schedule is fluid and subject to change. Better yet, join us for our first Fan Club meeting of the new year. (You’ll find details at the link above.) Bring a friend. And don’t forget to bring your annual dues – still just $5 per person and $15 per family.

I also want to thank you for your vote of confidence during October’s elections. Thank you for your patience when my business travel interferes with our scheduled events, as it did for that meeting. One of my resolutions is to continue to grow into the role as your elected president.

As you'll notice on our updated Events page, only 97 days until our traditional Welcome Back Senators evening! That alone makes 2015 look brighter already.

 

Brian Williams

"From Deep Short”

Celebrating the Holidays with the Fan Club

The Fan Club foregoes business meetings in both November and December to focus fully on celebrating the holidays with our membership. Traditionally, we gather the first Sunday in December for holiday cheer.

After last year's snowfall truncated our post-dinner gifting and games, we were relieved to see clear skies and feel a December chill on the 7th. Thankfully, everyone safely returned home last year.

After greeting each other, sharing snacks and finding seats, Dave Prediger offered grace. We enjoyed a fantastic dinner thanks to the hard-working team at the New Cumberland American Legion. Dessert included chocolate and white cake topped with a light baseball-themed icing.

During dessert, Fan Club board members began to call prize winners. Each attendee could choose among the many attractive gifts and poinsettia centerpieces.

Following a full round of gift giving, we donned our thinking caps for a couple of fun holiday-and-baseball-related word games. Our festivities with even more gifts, more skill (such as the ever-popular "Guess the number of pieces of candy in the jar" game), and a special prize generously donated by John Barrick.

Congratulations to Annie Miller, who won both the candy guessing game and the special backpack prize!


Dolly Kmetz donated creative, homemade holiday tissue box covers. One lucky person at each table took one home to add to their decorations.

I want to thank everyone for participating in this year's event. Special thanks to our Fan Club board, (Jeanne Jacobs, Margie and Barry Fealtman, Ruth Patrick and Barb Thomas), who invest a lot of time and effort to make our events special for all of us.


Thank you also to Dave Prediger for his constant support and willingness to offer thoughtful prayers. And a special thanks to the Harrisburg Senators for supporting the Fan Club. Due to the timing of baseball's Winter Meetings in San Diego, we only got to enjoy the company of two front office representatives: my long-time friend, Todd Matthews, and the newest member of the team, Blair Jewell.

I know that all of us want to enjoy this season with family and friends. Please know that your newly elected officers (thank you again for your votes of confidence!) held a recent board meeting and are already working on an aggressive 2015 Fan Club calendar.

We promise to reveal more during our next business meeting Tuesday, January 20th, at the New Cumberland American Legion. Details to come. Meanwhile, Happy Hanukkah and Merry Christmas!

Brian Williams, President

Plan Now for Our Fan Club Christmas Party

Greetings!

Is it too early to bid you “Holiday Greetings”? After all, Thanksgiving is less than two weeks away.

The Harrisburg Senators Fan Club dives headlong into the holiday spirit with our annual Christmas Party. If you haven’t already, mark your calendar for Sunday, December 7th.

We’ll begin to gather after 5:30 PM at the New Cumberland American Legion on Market Street. Our delicious buffet dinner will be served at 6:30. Save room for dessert; and save time after dessert for fun holiday games and gifts for all attendees.

If you plan on some early Christmas shopping, please pick up an additional gift or two to wrap and add to the table. To learn more, please call Fan Club Vice-President, Jeanne Jacobs at 717-774-2730 by November 29th. Reservations are $25 per adult and $12.50, 12 and under.

Since our next business meeting will be after the New Year, we look forward to seeing you December 7th. Happy Thanksgiving!

 

Brian Williams

President

Election Day

You may believe that Election Day is Tuesday, November 4th. You would be correct. Please take advantage of your right as an American to vote for our leadership.

You’re also invited to participate in Election Day next Tuesday, October 21st. That’s when the Harrisburg Senators Fan Club will elect its leadership for the upcoming season.

Please join us to exercise your right as a voting member in good standing. We will accept nominations from the floor. Each of the current officers has accepted a nomination as well.

Following the democratic process, we plan to celebrate our affection for the National Pastime with a special classic baseball surprise. In addition, Senators General Manager Randy Whitaker will provide an update of off-season goings-on at Metro Bank Park.

Don’t forget: vote on Election Day before Election Day, Tuesday, October 21st at the New Cumberland American Legion on Market Street. We’ll come to order at 6:30 PM.

 

Brian Williams
President

No-No History

Sunday, September 28, 2014

The Fan Club's traditional final Sunday home game trip to Nationals Park resulted in an extra-special historical treat this year: the Nats' very first no-hitter! The proof is in the MASN broadcast: during Adeiny Hecchavarria's 3rd inning at-bat, the centerfield camera panned down the left field line. Pause the broadcast and you'll see all of us cheering on Jordan Zimmermann from Section 110.

What a thrill to be on hand for such a historical occasion! Only two of us on the trip had ever experienced a Major League no-hitter prior to this date: Bill Given attended one in the 90s while I was fortunate enough to be invited to witness Roy Halladay's playoff no-hitter versus Cincinnati.

Nats Park was electric as the innings ticked by. Ian Desmond's line drive homer into the Marlins pen accounted for the only scoring, so the game was always in doubt.

Nationals starters would exit to standing ovations as more recent Senators took the field. Ryan Zimmerman, trying to work in some ABs following his DL stint, would be the last to depart as Steven Souza, Jr. trotted out to left field for the 9th inning.

None of us sat through the final two innings as Jordan put away Marlin after Marlin. His only perfect game blemish was a mid-inning walk to rookie Justin Bour.

After 26 outs, Christian Yelich battled and laced what appeared to be a gapper, splitting between Souza and Michael Taylor to snuff the drama. As Steven laid out, he snagged the liner and rolled over to preserve the victory and the team's very first no-hitter.

The aftermath was as much fun as the very efficiently played game. None of the 35,085 left or even wanted to leave. This is the last day of the regular season. Nationals baseball would take on a very different feel from this point forward.

Even the 8-year-old sitting next to me, attending his first ever MLB game, seemed to grasp the magnitude of what we'd just witnessed. Our bus was abuzz the entire way home.

The moral of this story? Don't miss another Senators Fan Club event. You never know what you're going to experience.

Fan Club Meeting Tuesday

The Harrisburg Senators Fan Club gathers this Tuesday at the New Cumberland American Legion on Market Street. Please join us for this All*Star event featuring some very special guests.

Our meeting begins at 6:30. All are welcome to join our organization. Please enter through the banquet room doors.

We promise you'll be home in plenty of time to enjoy the Major League All*Star Game festivities.

Congratulations, 2014 MOSELF Champions!

As part of our mission to promote baseball in the area, the Harrisburg Senators Fan Club has been sponsoring a little league team for a number of years. Since our affiliation began, the Harrisburg Senators Fan Club team has now won the championship three times.

We tip our caps to this year's squad, who recently brought home that third ring. Congratulations to these young men as 2014 M.O.S.E.L.F. Champs!

We also wish to recognize Aaron Johnson and his colleagues for continuing to teach these young men teamwork, hard work and the finer points of the game. We've been treated to many examples of how they retain these values well past their playing years. We celebrate your dedication, Aaron!

We hope the team and coaches can join us at an upcoming Fan Club meeting. Revel in your success!