Via Community News Service, a University of Vermont journalism internship, for the Bradford Journal-Opinion
BRADFORD – On a recent Sunday afternoon, players sat in the dugout at the Oxbow High School baseball diamond. They put on their athletic shoes, talked about their week, and got ready to play some ball.
Out on the field, balls flew through the air as players warmed up their throwing arms. They cracked friendly jokes about each other’s weak hits or lousy pitches. These players are not high schoolers, however, but a group of fun-loving adults who are serious about baseball: The Woodsville River Rats.
Every week, this team of about a dozen men from across Vermont and New Hampshire gather to share in their love for baseball and the spirit of competition. The team is a part of the Vermont Senior Baseball League, which was founded in 1984 by Floyd Brown. The official 10-man roster’s average age is 49.
The River Rats practice in the Oxbow gym for the last few weeks of winter, then transition to the baseball diamond when the weather permits. At practice they focus on hitting, fielding, and catching.
Marshall Caldon, 48, grew up playing baseball in Concord, New Hampshire. He holds fond memories of playing catch for the first time, chasing foul balls, and running around the bases. Caldon joined the River Rats 13 years ago. His 82-year-old father still attends Caldon’s baseball games whenever possible, and continues to coach him from the sideline.
“Last year, he was still yelling the same things he used to yell when I was in grade school. When I was pitching, he’d yell, ‘Keep the ball down!’” said Caldon. “I had to think for a second, ‘Is this 2025 or is this 1989?’ Having someone joyfully watching you play for all those years—from age 4 until now—is pretty incredible.”
Caldon’s teammate from Lisbon, New Hampshire, Ray Doubleday, is also nostalgic about growing up with baseball. The 44-year-old has fond memories of playing ball in the backyard with his dad. Now, he has a son of his own.
“Becoming a father myself and being able to relive the same feelings my dad did gives you a nostalgic feeling,” Doubleday said. “I spend a lot of time in the backyard playing catch with my son and letting him watch me do the things I’ve been teaching him. It’s just a different view of the game.”
Like Doubleday, 44-year-old Matt Newell is a big believer in passing the game on to the next generation. Newell’s stepfather taught him baseball at a young age. Newell now coaches baseball for the local Little League and school teams in Haverhill, New Hampshire.
“I teach young athletes and I take pride in continuing to play the game so that when I coach, I don’t just have to tell them how to do it—I can show them.” Newell said. “I find a lot of kids these days are visual learners; if you can go out there and show them what to do, you’ll find the kids doing it. That’s why I do my best to stay in baseball shape.”
Not only does Newell have an opportunity to stay in shape, but his son, who was also at practice, gets to see his dad modeling physical activity.
Other players also have sons that participate in youth baseball and daughters in youth softball. Sam Rosa’s daughter is a softball player and she inspired him to get back into baseball after a 30-year-long gap.
As a kid, Rosa grew up playing baseball in his local Little League. In 2019, he tagged along with a coworker who was trying out for the River Rats, and has been a part of the team ever since.
“In a roundabout way, it feels like completing some unfinished business,” said Rosa, who is now 49. “As a kid, I loved it so much but I didn’t get to continue on and play in college or wherever. I never had that opportunity, so coming back in my early 40s felt good. It felt like I finally had somewhere to finish off, even though it’s just a friendly community league. It’s special in that way.”
Some of the players joined the team when they realized how much they missed competitive sports. This was true for 51-year-old Jermey Wheeler, who grew up playing soccer, baseball, and ski racing. He joined the River Rats in 2016 and has not looked back.
Since 2018, Wheeler has been the team manager. The role includes discussing rules, team dues, setting up game schedules, arranging umpires for home games, and obtaining baseballs. Part of Wheeler’s connection to the sport comes from the bonds formed with his teammates.
“As a young kid, playing in college, and then throughout my adult life, my teammates have been my best friends all the way out through, even to this day,” Wheeler said. “They’re always there for you. People that you can count on, and you already know what they’re like. That trust factor when you spend every Sunday with somebody.”
The Woodsville River Rats play their next home game on May 16 at Oxbow High School against the Mad River Valley.