Four guys piled out of the Suffern D.A.R.E. truck in center field but five guys showed up to play in a classic softball game to benefit Amy Clifford on the Vincent Crotty field in Suffern. Clearly the King and his Court must have known that something was up as Amy’s All-Stars showed up with an arsenal of players including a pitcher brought down from Syracuse just for this game.
Suffern Mayor Dagan LaCorte threw out the first pitch as Town Supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence looked on. Trustee Jack Meehan served as umpire for the game, Police Chief Clarke Osborn played for Amy's All Stars as did Suffern Chamber of Commerce members, Aury Licata from Licata Insurance and Gina Bertolino from Mystic Images.
As a pitched battle was fought, with trick pitches and trickier plays, the King looked to the stands and drafted a former Court member to join in a signal to all just how much game Amy’s All Stars brought to the field.
More than 350 people came out to see the legendary King and his Court take on Amy’s All Stars with Cliffords scattered throughout the venue. There were big Cliffords, and small Cliffords, old Cliffords and young Cliffords, aunt Cliffords and uncle Cliffords, brother Cliffords and sister Cliffords, Mom Cliffords and dad Cliffords, Grandma & Grandpa Cliffords and an endless stream of cousin Cliffords. Everyone was a member of the Clifford clan last night as the community came together to support one of their own.
The Bash Brothers (Cliffords of course) showed up wearing mismatched pink and green socks in an effort to confuse the visiting team. The ploy backfired as the King’s catcher Charlie Dobbins, appreciating the fashion sense of Mike Clifford, gave him a big smooch on the cheek while standing together at home plate.
Bases were stolen, two batters batted at the same time and pinch runners entered the game in the middle of plays in what has to have been one of the most exciting and most difficult to follow softball games ever played in Suffern history.
It’s the end of an era as the King and his Court, now in their 65th and final season, are playing their last 100 games. The stop in Suffern, the final game to ever be played here by the King is game number 53 on the 100 game schedule.
With constant, hysterically funny banter by the King and his Court and a budding romance at home plate; one might assume that the All Stars would be put off their game.
They weren’t.
They battled through the behind the back and between the legs pitching to even up the score and even take the lead numerous times.
The game ended in what is a rarity for the King and His Court during their 65 years of play--a tie game.
However in the end there was a winner as Amy Clifford, Suffern’s brave 16 year old cancer patient was clearly the big winner of the night thanks to the kindness, generosity and support of friends, neighbors and businesses in Suffern. Continue to Fight Like a Girl Amy!
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