Catfish fall 7-4 to Lucky Shoes, but THAT was NOT the story of this game

Family and friends of Scott Shuler (in uniform, standing on the right), Kevin Balfe (in uniform, standing on the left), and Matt McKay (in uniform, seated) gather with the guys after they suited up for the Catfish in their game against Springfield at Capaha Field. The three were teammates at Alta (Utah) High School and led the Hawks to a 1990 Class 4 state championship.

Tom Davis ~ Tdavis@semoball.com

Rule No. 1 to young journalists: When covering a summer-league baseball game, the STORIES within the game are what is important, NOT the actual game itself.

As it relates to the Cape Catfish, yeah, they fell to Springfield 7-4 on Sunday in front of 711 fans at Capaha Field. There you go. That is the game info.

But if you want to know what really caught the attention of those in attendance, it was Scott Shuler and Kevin Balfe taking the diamond for the Catfish at second and first base, respectively.

“It was a great opportunity,” Shuler said following the game. “To be around the boys and to do something like this was phenomenal.”

“Boys?”

Why is the Catfish second baseman referring to his teammates as “boys?”

Well, because Shuler and Balfe, as well as their Hawk teammate and friend from Alta High School in Sandy, Utah, Matt McKay, weren’t your typical Catfish roster additions.

The three players are all in their 50s and were graduates of Alta in 1990 (not a typo), which is more than a decade before any of the current Catfish players were even born. Yet, there they were, along with a throng of family and friends, some of whom had driven three days from Idaho to watch the trio compete again, wearing their uniforms, fielding grounders, and in the case of Balfe, handling throws at 80+ miles per hour coming into first base, AND stepping into the batter’s box.

“I did not feel one nerve,” Balfe said. “My cheeks are tired because I have been smiling since I woke up this morning. I thought that I would feel nervous, but I’m just a little kid who is 51 years old.”

OK, here is the story behind all of this.

Shuler is a former business associate of Catfish President and Director Glenn Campbell.

The two were in Arizona over the winter when Campbell learned that Shuler, Balfe, and McKay, who was scheduled to pitch on Sunday, but an arm injury prevented him from doing so, were teammates at Alta High, where they led the Hawks to the Class 4 state championship in 1990 (it was actually one of three state championships, soccer and softball being the other sports, that Alta won THAT day).

The old guys got to reminiscing about glory days and Shuler asked Campbell if it were possible to suit up one more time for the Catfish.

It turns out, it was.

The trio wrote a check (which will be given to several charities) to the Catfish, as well as took the entire team to Mary Jane’s in Cape Girardeau for dinner on Saturday, and then suited up on Sunday, where Shuler drove in the first Cape run of the game.

“I wasn’t nervous until I got out there for the National Anthem,” Shuler said, “and then I got a little choked up. But after that, I was good.”

Before Sunday, though, Campbell had to clear it with all involved parties, ranging from the Catfish leadership and players to the Lucky Shoes (the opposing team).

“I told (Cape manager Scott Little) that you’ve got the lineup card for 57 games,” Campbell said, “I’ve got it for one. I called (Springfield) and they said that they loved the idea and that they do this stuff all the time.”

The Catfish players were all in on the idea, and the fact that their three new teammates have been training (seriously) since February, made the afternoon go a lot smoother.

“I thought it was a little crazy,” Scott’s wife, Kathleen Shuler, said. “But he has had his sights set on this game since February and he has been training. He has been having the best time.

“Being here, and seeing all of these people, and his family, has truly been a dream come true for a lot of people.”

Now, THAT was the story that unfolded at Capaha Field on Sunday.

Dreams were made. Pitches were hit. Friends and family coming together and making memories that will be recalled for decades to come.

How many Prospect League games played on Sunday can make that statement?

One is the correct answer.

The Catfish (25-9 overall, 3-3 second half) will host O’Fallon (16-16 overall, 1-4 second half) on Monday at 6:35 p.m.