Sure, it rained.

Sure, fans at Historic Holman Stadium didn’t get to see an All-Star Game, but they can tonight.

Instead, they got treated to a fun Home Run Derby. Hey, in past years the Futures Collegiate League All-Star event was divided into two nights, Derby one night then game the next. Mostly.

So Silver Knights general manager Cam Cook, who poured his heart and soul into the event along with the host committee, shouldn’t be disappointed. The Derby was, well, a home run.

Jonny Gomes had fun. As he said, he didn’t get hurt and didn’t put up a zero, with three homers instead.

Another Sox legend, Bill Lee, was walking around with a bat, looking like he wanted to crash the Derby. Too funny. And his sidekick, former Sox standout and Nashua Pride manager Butch Hobson, had that twinkle back in his eye we always enjoyed when he said to yours truly, “Hey, what do you think of Bill Lee getting into the Derby?”

Meanwhile, the left field Beer Garden was the most popular destination. A great idea, and that left field tent was keeping people dry and busy during the rain delay for what was the postponed game and part of the Derby.

But you know what we liked the most about Tuesday?

The kids in the outfield. Watching them go after fly balls out by the brick wall and the left field billboards, and some in right field, was classic. Much more than we can remember in 2018, the last time the FCBL All-Star Game was in Nashua. Oh, and remember, that event got postponed a day, too.

It was kids galore, with gloves or without, running around on an outfield that looks incredible. The Nashua Parks-Rec Department people who maintain the stadium have done a fantastic job. Looking out at the field from the left field picnic area Monday night at the All-Star Eve VIP event, the green grass looked like you could sleep on it.

Yesterday we loved the players from the Bikers and Hikers cheering everyone on. We loved Gomes’ theatrics after he hit his three homers. And during the rain delay, he signed autographs for all the fans under the cover of the main councourse.

It was Gomes’ first visit to Holman, and he had a great observation.

“It’s a great ballpark, man,” he said. “Any time you’ve got a bunch of adverstisement in the outfield, that means people come and watch baseball.

“Hosting the All-Star Game is great for the city and the organization, so it’s fun to be a part of it.”

What does he think of his former team’s incredible turnaround?

“Fourteen games in a row, that’s impressive,” he said. “I’m just glad it was now, heaven forbid they run that in September when there’s not enough time. The trade deadline is really appealing right now. We’ll see who they’re willing to part with, but they have some big pieces to part with. I’m not sure what the market’s going to hold. But they still have Crochet coming back (from injury), that’s arguably one of the biggest trade dealine pieces you can get. See if Story comes back and gets hot. Red Sox baseball, when they’re good, it’s good for the game.”

Kids galore had a blast in left field at Historic Holman Stadium Tuesday tracking fly balls during the FCBL All-Star HR Derby Tuesday. (Telegraph photo by TOM KING)

Gomes has also noticed the rise in popularity over the years in the summer college baseball model.

“I think a lot of cities ballparks have rallied around it,” he said. “Especially with the New York Penn and the App League (Appalachian) getting dropped. What a disaster to have those stadiums empty. So it’s great to have ball there. And development in the high school and college is important, it’s great for them to get some more games and develop.”

Astute observations, for sure. And then he went out and did, as he said, “Show and Go”.

That’s what the Silver Knights did. They put on a great show on Tuesday, and tonight will be a go. Hopefully the fans will return for another great show. A dry forecast, so even Mother Nature might do a dance with Monkey Boy.

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