North Adams Players Soak in Boston Experience
 The North Adams Babe Ruth team won in Boston and had a chance to see the big city this past weekend. The North End was hosted in the Berkshires in June. |
Big buildings, bright lights and thick accents.
"Look, he's got a beahd. We're screwed," one of the North End players said when he caught a glimpse of Jake Tietgens, a Drury High School student from Stamford, Vt. The Bostonian was referring to Tietgen's beard, but it took a few seconds for the North Adams team to catch on.
The accent may have taken some getting used to for North Adams, but the boys looked right at home on the diamond. North Adams triumphed 6-1 on Saturday night, then followed up with a come-from-behind 6-4 victory on Sunday, with both games played at Puopolo Field.
North Adams took three out of the four games this year — the teams split at Joe Wolfe Field in June. After 70 games, dating back to 1991, the series’ overall win-loss record favors North Adams' by a handful of victories.
Although the Exchange is geared more toward the cultural experience than the baseball game, the players are still aiming for bragging rights. On Saturday night, Robert "The Juice" Jutras pitched a gem, going the distance while allowing only one run in the victory.
"It's a very different environment," Jutras, 16, of Readsboro, Vt., said. "Pitching in North Adams, you look around and all you've got is trees and woods. You pitch here in the city, you look behind you and there's [Boston] Harbor. It's really cool."
While Joe Wolfe Field treated North End players to a big-league environment, Puopolo Field was nothing short of fascinating for the visiting teenagers. Off in the distance past left field, the Zakim Bridge hovers. The left and center fielders can look up in between pitches and spot a commercial airplane that just departed from Logan International Airport.
 The now iconic Zakim Bridge rises behind the ballfield, leaving no doubt you're in Boston. |
Right field is unique for several reasons; it's so shallow that any ball that clears the tall, caged fence in right leads to an automatic ground-rule double. Much like the Green Monster in Fenway Park's left field, Puopolo's right field can be cruel to both batters and fielders, depending on the hit.
Not too far from the first-base side, beyond the home team's bench, is an outdoor swimming pool. Just a few feet behind the backstop is the hustle and bustle of Boston's North End, with taxis whizzing by and urbanites on the fly.
"It's quite a difference," Ricky Brown, 15, of Stamford, Vt., said. "There are a lot of people around, and I enjoy that. Coming from a small town, it's a change. I enjoy the experience, and it's something I would like to become a part of in the future."
The North Adams coaches and players arrived in the city around 11 a.m. on Saturday morning, and they were welcomed with a cookout by their hosts. After the meal, both teams hopped aboard a Duck Boat and received a tour of the city — by land and by sea.
"That was a really cool thing to do with my team, to see the city in a different way," Stephen Tworig, 15, said. "It's like we're meeting new types of people; they experience things on a day-to-day basis much differently than we do. And the same goes [when they visited the Berkshires]. All the things that we take for granted at home, they thought were so cool."
Following Saturday night's game, the teams shared an Italian dinner and then hit the streets for the Madonna Della Cava Feast Celebration. Chaperoned by team manager Jason Card and Exchange organizer George Canales, the North Adams players got another sampling of city life as thousands of people gathered for desserts, carnival games and live music, among other sources of entertainment.
Card, who has managed the Exchange team for the last 10 years, said it's fascinating to watch his players interact — on and off the field. Although the team's shirt and hat boasts the city of North Adams, most of the teenagers actually hail from Southern Vermont and other Northern Berkshire County communities.
Their common thread is that they play in the North Adams Babe Ruth League in the spring, and two boys from each of the seven in-house teams come together to play on the Exchange club.
But once they’re walking the unfamiliar streets of Boston, Card said the team bond grows stronger.
"We've got guys from different towns and different backgrounds," Card said. "The way the team meshes is something to see altogether. They're moving in a pack. As much as they want to be individuals, they travel in a pack."
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 It wasn't all games; sometimes it was fun. The players attended the annual Madonna Della Cava Feast Celebration and took a Duck Tour through the city. Read more about the Exchange here. |
