Knights Baseball

by Josh Holm

The smell of Honey Nut Toasty O's accompanied by the scent of freshly cut grass wafting through my open windows brings me to only one place in the world, Sechler Park. On this hollowed ground lies the home of the Northfield Knights, where all summer you can take in great baseball played by regular local guys, that can't get enough of our national past time. These men-in-teal charge the field day after day, most of them fresh off a hard days work. Some sacrifice their home lives to get out and show what they can do with their leather and lumber. Although the team members range from 18 year old Luke Rasmussen (Future Gopher) to 40 yr old Jay Lucas (Former College World Series Pitcher), they are held together by a bi-managerial crew of Scott Paulson and Chris Graupmann. These two provide the leadership needed while creating the line-ups to deciding to wave 'em home or hold 'em up. Their two styles of managing compliment each other in a way that allows the guys to have a good time, and still play the game right.

Let's be serious...
The Knights are the most laid back bunch of dudes I've ever seen take the field together. They play baseball hard, and after the game adult beverages and baseball talk can last for hours.

Contrary to their lackadaisical look in the dugout, they show an unusual amount of talent and aggresiveness on the diamond. Some of the gloves found around the Knight's diamond are the finest you'll find in five counties. Their pitching staff is full of both veteran wit and youthful spunk. T.J. Sigstad, with his devistating heater, makes up the top of the rotation. He is flanked by two newcomers that are anything but rookies; Jay Lucas, and Aaron Rushing have shown their journeymen's knowledge of the game, and brought greatly appriciated help to the pitching staff that looked to be running thin after a few guys hung it up at the conclusion of last season.

So...

If you find yourself chattering at your inanimate television while watching a Twins game, you might as well make your way down to the friendly confines of Sechler Park. There you will be welcomed with some die hards grillin' up brats and kickin' back beers. You can join them in their shouting some chatter that is worth their while. You may even want to bring your glove, you never know if a foul is coming your way!

This weekend there will be three games to watch. Two of them will be at lovely Sechler Park (Friday 7pm, and Monday 2pm), and the other will be played on Sunday versus the Rail Cats in Randolph (not too far of a drive). Monday's game is one that you will not want to miss, as they play their cross-town rival, the Dundas Dukes. This match-up is always hyped by both towns, and should draw one of the Knights' largest crowds of the season.

For more information go to: www.northfieldknights.com