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Plenty of uncertainty to go around

By Tom King - Sports Writer | Aug 1, 2020

Courtesy photo The Merrimack High School hockey program is mourning the recent loss of assistant coach Gary Moore.

Here are some tids and bits to ponder as we saw July speed by, and all four pro sports ramp up with that COVID cloud of uncertainty hanging over all:

• August will be a very, very interesting month, as we’ll likely know the full extent of fall high school sports, the summer baseball seasons will wrap up in the NEIBl, NHCBL and of course the Silver Knights in the FCBL. And don’t forget, despite the cancellations of the CHaD and Shrine Bowl All-Star football games, the first New Hampshire Girls High School Hockey Invitational is set for next Saturday, Aug. 8 at 7 p.m. at Hooksett’s Tri-Town Arena. It will feature some of the top talent not only locally, but from around the state, and yes, it’s set to go. Check out the info at nhgirlshockey.com.

• You never know who you’re going to run into at a golf tournament. Nashua Country Club golfer Jack Brown had quite a support staff at the recent New Hampshire State Am. Two former Nashua Silver Knights were with him; his brother, Tyler and Max Burt.

Burt, who caddied for Brown, is basically losing a year in the Yankees organization with the cancelling of the minor league season. “It’s tough, but everybody’s in the (same) situation right now,” Burt said. “You’ve got to try and stay right.”

He’s been in Houston at a friend’s house, along with Merrimack’s Mickey Gasper, just working out, hitting, etc.

Telegraph Sports Reporter Tom KIng.

“Honestly this has been a blessing in disguise for me,” he said. “I had some stuff to work on, consistency, trying to figure some things out.”

Burt says the key is to be prepared.

“Exactly, just have to stay ready,” he said. “When they call our name, just be ready to go,” Burt said. He was looking to head back to Houston, but he and Gasper are planning on returning to the area in mid-August.

Meanwhile, Brown’s older brother Tyler – it’s tough to tell the two apart – is, like Burt, a Northeastern alum, but unlike Burt, says baseball is over for him. No thoughts to trying to hook on somewhere.

“Nah, I was content with the career I had (at Northeastern),” Brown said, “and sometimes you just have to move on.”

Brown says he still misses the game, but it was a lot easier to handle this year because there was no baseball all spring. “It was a little easier this year without a (college) season,” he said, “so I kind of forget about it.”

Time flies, we can still remember Brown on the mound for Alvirne High School.

• In 2008 in Bejing, Nashua’s Tim Neverett had to broadcast baseball in the Summer Olympics from a remote location, just like he’s going to be doing with the L.A. Dodgers. The only problem was, he couldn’t see much from the international broadcast center.

“I couldn’t see foul balls, I couldn’t see if there was a pinch-hitter on deck, anyone warming up in the bullpen. You really had no idea what was happening outside of the foul lines. … which is key to calling a game you’re not physically at.”

• We’ve had some tough tragic losses this summer, both young and old. But one that will really take effect next winter was the recent passing of Merrimack High School assistant hockey coach Gary Moore. Moore always got a kick out of yours truly shivering in the local rinks. He was popular with the players and certainly with Tomahawks head coach Dan Belliveau, who also had him by his side when he ran the Souhegan High School program. Moore’s absence was felt beginning in January, and he never returned to the bench, battling cancer. He’ll definitely be missed. “RIP Coach Gary Moore,” Belliveau posted on social media. “You’re a champion. Keep making those saves. … Goalie Strong!”.

• Add Silver Knights pitching coach Ariel Ramos to the Daniel Webster alumni who are thrilled to see Harvey Woods Field be used. “Coach Henz (Mike Henzley) spent so much time on that field,” Ramos said of the former DWC assistant, who now coaches the Merrimack NHCBL team that uses it. “And that’s the reason why we were able to appreciate it.” Ramos wondered last year “Is the field withering away? And then to find out they’re actually using it, that was awesome.”

August is here. Let’s keep our fingers crossed.

Tom King may be reached at tking@nashuatelegraph.com. Also, follow King on Twitter (@Telegraph_TomK).

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