Remember fans, sports never take a summer vacation
School’s out for summer, or will be. Everyone just assumes for the local sports scribes it’s two months ahead of laid back relaxation, right?
Ah, guess again. There’s plenty to keep all of us in the sports world busy – locally, regionally, and on a national basis.
Here’s your list of key summer dates to keep in mind:
SUNDAY, JUNE 18
A big sports day this weekend on Father’s Day. Nationally of course it’s the U.S. Open golf tourney, and that’s in California so you can check it out in prime time. Locally, there’s the oldest high school boys decathlon in the country being held at Nashua South’s Fran Tate track, its second day, as well as the girls heptathlon. It’s always a great way to cap off the local high school season,
And later that day, it’s the annual New Hampshire High School Girls Hockey Invitational, two All-Star games at Tri-Town Ice Arena in Hooksett, the brainchild of Nashua businessman and former Lowell Spinners/Nashua Silver Knights VP Jon Goode. The freshmen and sophomores play at 5 p.m. while the juniors and seniors take the ice at 7:30.
Goode created the event, which made its debut in 2020, to recognize the best prep school and high school hockey girls hockey players in the state. Check it out; it’s our annual Summer Cooler, being held about a month earlier than last year.
TUESDAY, JUNE 27
It’s hard to tell the best competition sometimes for Coffey Post, but Exeter has been strong at the high school level and should be a team to watch in District B. The seacoast crew comes to Holman for a doubleheader starting at 5:30. Coffey under manager Tim Lunn will be strong as usual. Sadly, Nashua is the only local in District B as Hudson Post 48 will only have a junior team, but didn’t have enough Senior Division players try out. Merrimack Post 98 will compete as usual in District A.
TUESDAY, JULY 4
The Nashua Silver Knights will play at Holman for the second year in a row in a holiday 11 a.m.game vs. Vermont, a rematch of last year’s FCBL finals. It was a smashing attendance success a year ago, the first time they were home on the 4th, and was a nice lead in to the rest of the celebration at Holman that includes the nighttime fireworks plus the Nashua Lions Holman Hall of Heroes Induction.
Who will it be this year?
MONDAY JULY 10-SATURDAY, JULY 15
If you’re a golf fan, block off the week, it’s the 120th New Hampshire Golf Association Men’s Amateur Championship, and it’s not far away – Manchester Country Club in Bedford.
Nashua’s Brandon Gillis, step right up. It’s your title to defend this year, and it should be interesting. Check it out.
TUESDAY, JULY 11
It’s the annual MLB All-Star Game, which is now so watered down thanks to interleague play, etc. Gone are the days when the game mattered more to fans and players because the American and National Leagues were so separate. But, that being said, it’s still the best All-Star game of the four major sports.
It was all hugs for Nashua’s Brandon Gillis after he won the NH State Am title last July. This year’s tourney is at Manchester CC beginning July 10. (Telegraph file photo by TOM KING)
FRIDAY, JULY 21-TUESDAY, JULY 25
An annual Holman Stadium staple, the New Hampshire American Senior Legion Baseball Tournament. Will Coffey Post be able to win it for the first time since before the pandemic? We’ll see. Games in the double elimination event begin that Friday with the finals on Tuesday, rain dates the 26th and 27th.
SATURDAY-SUNDAY, JULY 22-23
Welcome, as the website says, to the 63rd Annual Nashua City Golf Championship. It will be a two-day event, Satuday July 22 at Nashua Country Club and the second day on Sunday the 23rd at Sky Meadow. Jon Dyer will defend his championship while Steve Lane – he masquerades as a boys basketball coach at Nashua North, but we all know he’s PGA material – is the defending Senior champion.
TUESDAY, JULY 25
If you want to take a mini vaca, head up to Burlington, Vt.and the campus of the University of Vermont for the annual Futures Collegiate League All-Star Game. We’ll see how many Silver Knights are in what is always a good take. It’s been at Holman twice, the last time in 2018. But it’s fitting Vermont finally hosts it.
WEDNESDAY, JULY 26-FRIDAY, JULY 28
We’re guessing here because the actual date hasn’t been announced, but the New England Patriots will begin training camp with practices open to the public sometime in those three days. We’re guessing Thursday the 27th. It starts, fans; the odds are the offense and Mac Jones won’t look as clueless as it did a year ago with Bill O’Brien running it. We’ll see. Also, the guess here is that second-year corner Jack Jones wont’t be there, or may not even be a Patriot by then. Wil DeAndre Hopkins? Stay tuned.
SUNDAY, AUGUST 6
It’s the final day of the Futures Collegiate Baseball League regular season, and the Silver Knights close it out at Holman Stadium at 3 p.m. vs. Vermont. Now, the question is, will that be the final game of their 2023 season? After their horrendous start, it could very well be. Stay tuned. The playoffs will begin likely Monday, August 7 and wrap up by the end of the week.
THURSDAY, AUGUST 10
It’s the New England Patriots preseason opener at Gillette Stadium, and the only preseason game here because there are, remember, only three games. Game time is 7 p.m.vs.the Houston Texans. We’ve missed this first game in past years because of the FCBL playoffs, we’ll see if that’s the case this time again. Not looking like it.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 11
Summer’s over for local sports scribes, because on this day high school football practices begin all over the state, with the season opener three weeks away.
MONDAY, AUGUST 14
Summer is really over now, because the other high school fall sports can start practices: Soccer, field hockey, girls volleyball, golf and cross country. You’ll be amazed at how quickly we’ll arrive at this date from now.
FFRIDAY-SUNDAY, AUGUST 25-27
We usually end with the high school tryouts, but the Red Sox have an interesting opponent during this time frame you might want to check out as the Los Angeles Dodgers come to Fenway Park. How often does that happen? The feeling here is the Dodgers are the best organization in baseball, followed by Tampa Bay.
That’s your summer, folks. Swim safely, eat hardy, and if there’s any good barbecue leftovers feel free to send them our way.
Tom King can be reached at tking@nashuatelegraph.com, or on twitter @Telegraph _TomK.
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