Farwell Game - thoughts from the other dugout

MURDOCK JITTERBUGS OUTDANCE FARWELL FENCEBUSTERS


The date was June 8th 2007 and the location was the Farwell Ballfield. The temperature was 95 degrees at 6 PM, but nothing was going to stop the fans and players from pulling this game off. Playing in replica (green and yellow and red and while) uniforms, the game appeared as a flashback to the 1940's.
The young, handsome, collegiate, trim, 20-26 years olds comprised the The Murdock Jitterbugs. They are the brainchild of Lucas Stock, UNL grad student, who wanted to retrace the steps of his great uncles who played on the original team from the depression-era. Lucas created this 2-week documentary project aiming at capturing the character of small town baseball and the effect on their respective communities. Farwell was the final game of their season and the end of a very memorable tour for these, outstanding in character, group of young men who shortly would be embarking on new careers of their own across the country.
The Farwell Fence Busters were made up of dad's, grandpa's, childhood friends, cousins, neighbors and Little League teammates who all had some direct connections to Farwell townteam from the past. When Lucas Stock contacted Randy Lukasiewicz, organizer, about wanting to play Farwell because of it's long and great baseball tradition, Randy , could " not turn down this golden opportunity to re-enact the past." Of special significance is that 2007 is the 95th anniversay of the founding of the oldest amateur league in mid-Nebraska, the Sherman-Howard, also 75 years since Farwell fielded a team called the "Fence Busters."
Fans and players came from as far as Omaha, Sutton, Lincoln and Murdock to witness this wonderful outdoor spectacle. A brief visitor was even big baseball enthusiast and player in senior leagues until recently, former Omaha Mayor, Hal Daub.
Prior to the game and a prayer by former Farwell player and Farwell coach, Larry Lukasiewicz, the "National Anthem" and "Take me out to the ballgame" were sang.
A valant effort was certainly given by the home team, including cheers of "Go Grandpa, Go" but the youthful Jitterbugs just outdanced the dazzling bunch of Polish Fence Busters who just came up short by the score of 21-6. Ray Hurt was the starting pitcher and was relieved by Neil Ritz. Only at a game saturated with Polish descendants would you find the umpire going up to bat!!!!!! The mixture of ethnics groups, youth, near misses, LONG baselines, close-calls and pot-bellies brought much fun and humor to the evening.
Other Fence Busters included Lou Waltman (Lincoln), Alan Lewandowski, Joe Kezior, Kevin Chelewski Mike Horky, Jim Horky, Randy Kauk, Tom Mudloff, John Mudloff and Randy Lukasiewicz, Don Jehorek was the umpire and Tracy Lukasiewicz was the scorekeeper.
The sound of steel cleats and wooden bats can be heard again in Farwell next year on June 8th. Time and location to be announced.