Here’s a few tids and bits as we are -gulp – halfway through what we consider the best month of the year, July, and one week away from the start of New England Patriots training camp. Double gulp:

—- First, we were watching the MLB All-Star Game on Tuesday night and a Futures Collegiate Baseball League game broke out.

Seriously, those who haven’t been to a Silver Knights game, the mini-Home Run Derby you saw in last night’s All-Star Game is how the FCBL breaks ties – but after one extra inning with the automatic runner at second.

Managers in the FCBL hate it, because it counts. Last night it was a party for MLB, even though the FOX crew foolishly kept trying to create pressure and a sense of urgency. Really?

Well, Baseball, this is what you want, and while the MLB game is clearly the best of the four major sports All-Star events, last night was yet another reminder that the days of the late Pete Rose for the NL barreling over AL catcher Ray Fosse at the plate are, well, long, long gone, never to return.

—- Still on the Silver Knights, the July 4 morning game was once again a hit. What’s better than a walk-off in front of a four-figure, festive crowd? Word was the city wanted the game ended by around 1 p.m. to prepare the stadium for the rest of the day’s festivities, including lengthy fireworks prep, so it’s likely the game will remain a seven-inning affair.The 10:30 a.m.start worked, and it was a late arriving crowd but more notice next season should help that. The July 4th Silver Knights game has been a hit the four years, to the point where it should be considered a holiday tradition. And treated as such.

—- Is there a better event for the betterment of high school girls hockey than Nashua business man Jon Goode’s New Hampshire Girls High School Hockey Invitational. The annual event, which began in August of 2020, had its doubleheader – freshmen/sophomores and then juniors/seniors a few weeks ago at Tri-Town in Hooksett and drew its usual large crowd for both games.

And there were a few locals participating: Nashua’s Kate Tarr, who will be junior at Lawrence Academy, played in the underclassmen’s game; in the upper classmen nightcap, it was Hudson’s Alexine Beaulieu, a defenseman at Loomis Chaffee; recent Bishop Guertin grad Riley Goldthwaite of Nashua; plus Nashua’s Kenzley Goode and Victoria Hausberger. Goode, a defenseman, just graduated from Cushing Academy and will be playing at Keene State while Hausberger, also a defenseman, played at Lovell Hockey Academy and will be following her sister, goalie Sophia, to Merrimack College. If you get a chance, check the games out next year because the talent and speed are incredible.

—- If you want to see progress, check ou the athletic participation for Nashua High Schools North and South. According to graphics on social media earlier this week, Nashua South had 1,000 or more participants for the first time since 2013-14. Nashua North, meanwhile, had 900 or more for the first time since 2018-19. We all tend to focus on wins and losses, etc., but athletic programs in high school are all about participation. That’s the key. You get the participants, the education process is working. The wins will come, but great participation numbers mean that students and parents are showing they care about high school athletics. Huge.

—- Want to know who is going to finish last in the AFC East? It won’t be the New England Patriots. We say at this early time the leader in the clubhouse is the Miami Dolphins, who are stripping away their talent one by one. The New York Jets are an unknown, but we think Aaron Glenn will have them playing better than the Dolphins. Miami head coach Mike McDaniel looks like an early candidate to walk the plank either during or right after the 2025 season.

—- North’s junior Class President, Evan Linscott, a three-sport athlete (soccer, basketball, tennis) is putting together a golf tournament in August to help raise money for all the Titan junior and senior class activities.

The Nashua North Class of 2027 Fundraiser Tournament will be held on August 12 with an 8:30 a.m.shotgun start .

What’s unique about this tourney? It’s run by the kids, for the kids, as one parent said, as they’re working to get sponsors, golfers, etc. There’s an internet flyer you can scan or visit https://forms.gle/yQCaPmuZ2Ak3vjts5

—- When there are larger crowds at Holman Stadium this summer – and sometimes even when there aren’t – check out the left field picnic area beyond the brick wall. There seem to be more and more fans taking advantage of the unique view, mingling out there, etc. We’ve written about this great part of the stadium many times. At some point yours truly ought to walk that walk, right?

Tom King can be reached at tking@nashuatelegraph.com, or on X @Telegraph _TomK.