HAGERSTOWN, Md. – Vincent Towns made history Sunday at Meritus Park.
The 53-year-old knuckleballer became the oldest player ever to appear in the Atlantic League when he started the second game of a doubleheader for the Hagerstown Flying Boxcars against the York Revolution.
The previous record was held by seven-time Cy Young Award winner Roger Clemens, who pitched for the Sugar Land Skeeters at age 50 in 2012.
“It felt great. I waited a long time,” Towns said. “I was excited, nervous and anxious. But I did my best. I didn’t look too bad today. I just have to make some adjustments and get used to the crowds.”
Towns faced four batters. Three singled and another was hit by a pitch before he was relieved by Brennen Oxford with the Boxcars trailing 1-0, the bases loaded and no outs in the top of the first inning.
“It wasn’t discouraging. I made history today,” Towns said. “But after today, you’ve got to start winning. That’s how it is with the knuckleball. Some days you have it, some days you don’t. That’s just the way it is. I missed a few pitches, and I had to come with other pitches that were just below average for this level. Other than that, I was fine.
“I was scared, I was nervous. But that’s behind me now, and now I can move forward and try to help win some games.”
The Boxcars escaped further damage in the first inning and led 5-4 after two. However, the Revolution scored four runs in the sixth and five more in the seventh to pull away for a 13-5 win and avoid a series sweep.
Brian Rey led the way for York, going 4-for-5 with a double, grand slam and eight RBIs.
“We ran out of arms at the end,” Hagerstown manager Mark Minicozzi said. “York is a good team, and they’re going to hit. That’s what good teams do. They’re tough to sweep.”
The Boxcars won Sunday’s first game 3-1 and finished the day 4-2 on the season, with series wins over the Long Island Ducks and York.
“It was a great series,” Minicozzi said. “In our first two series, we played two really good teams, two of the top teams in the league. We took both series and played really good baseball. I’m really happy with this first week of the season.”
He also was pleased with his 53-year-old pitcher, whom the team drafted with the No. 1 overall pick in the ALPB Draft earlier this month.
Towns hadn’t pitched in a professional game since 1992, when he played rookie ball for the San Francisco Giants in the Arizona League. But he never stopped playing, competing in men’s leagues and, in recent years, working to perfect his knuckleball.
“He went out there and competed, and that’s all you can ask for,” Minicozzi said. “It didn’t go his way, but it’s a great story.”
The Boxcars open a six-game road series against the Charleston Dirty Birds on Tuesday. They return to Meritus Park to open a six-game homestand against the Long Island Ducks on May 5.
