Newport Rams Baseball Club had a big reason to celebrate at the end of last month as club stalwart Roland Stott reached his 800th game milestone.
On Sunday 27 February, Stott took the field at K.C White Reserve, starting in the VSBL Division 2 Fourths in his 800th senior game for the Rams.
This exciting occasion was celebrated by many in the Newport baseball community who know Stott well, considering he has played more than 200 games in each of the Firsts, Seconds, and Thirds, plus 100 games in the Fourths and 23 in the Fifths. He has served as playing manager across many of these competitions over the years and also put in 16 seasons of Monday Night Masters.
“I have stated that I am planning on playing forever, and 800 senior summer games for Newport makes it feel like I am getting close to my goal,” Stott said. “It was great to receive well wishes from many people within the baseball community, as well as from all the people at Newport.”
As the club’s longest-serving player and president, Stott has come a long way since he first joined Newport as a 16-year-old in 1979. His junior baseball career actually started a few years earlier when took up the sport with Geelong Baseball Association in the winter of 1976. Once he moved into U17s and met A Grade Coach John Armstrong from Newport, he scored an invite to play with Newport in the summer of 1979/80.
“I was hesitant at first because I played cricket in the summer, but once they told me that baseball played on Sunday I agreed straight away,” Stott said. “I have played every season since - 43 seasons in a row and counting.”
Stott has approximately 670 winter games under his belt too, including 332 with his current winter club Lara, putting his total number of baseball games played across summer and winter at well over 1,000.
Not only has Stott been playing baseball year-round since 1979, but he’s also given back to the sport he loves, serving as president of Newport Baseball Club for 13 years and treasurer of Geelong Baseball Association for 27 years.
“It was a privilege to lead Newport Baseball Club and with the committee ensure that the club matured and continued the trend of becoming more family orientated,” Stott added. “The club has always welcomed new players and made them feel at home, treating the playing group as a whole, which means that all the players from the Firsts to the Fourths feel valued.”
With such impressive dedication to his beloved baseball, reaching this 800th game milestone was a big moment for Stott, who was both playing and managing the Newport Fourths as they looked to beat ladder leaders Moorabbin to get into the top four.
“We got out to an early lead and were in front for more than an hour, but Moorabbin were too good and won 12-8. No hits for me, but I did get a couple of walks,” Stott said.
“I was humbled when the Fourths players made a guard of honour for me to run onto the field and asked me to throw the first pitch. It was nice to be congratulated by many of the Moorabbin players, who seemed impressed by my longevity. I was also honoured by a presentation before the Firsts game, which included cutting a cake and throwing the ceremonial first pitch.“
Overall, his 800th Newport game gave Stott the chance to take a little trip down memory lane, reflecting on the highlights of his baseball career which are vast and varied. “I pitched a 1-hit shutout against Coburg in Div 1, losing the no-hitter with one out in the 9th. I almost hit for the cycle against Essendon in Div 1, only missing the single, and it may have been the only triple I ever hit in Div 1.”
His best highlight of all wasn’t even during a game. “The biggest highlight was when I married Natalie at Home Plate on the Newport field on 31 Oct 2011, which was Melbourne Cup Eve. I got married on a Monday so that it would not interrupt the weekend’s games.”
Coaching also holds a special place in his heart. “I have coached 20 junior teams and it made me happiest when I was able to instill my love of the game.”
Stott’s passion and love for baseball are obvious to all those who know him at Newport, and after honouring his off-field commitments to NBC, the club community was excited to recognise his playing achievements, too.
“The milestone of Roland's 800th game was a great celebration for all members, as it allowed the current senior playing group and supporters to acknowledge his 800th game and for the club to show our appreciation to Stotty for his commitment to NBC on and off the field over so many years,” Club President Paul Walshe said.
“Newport prides itself on being a family club with so much homegrown talent and Stotty is an example of how that can look long term on and off the field. Community sports clubs are built on the efforts of volunteers off the field and players of all abilities on the field, and Stotty typifies this for us. Newport Rams are very proud of Stotty's achievement and it is a great example to the younger guys coming through.”