Shelter Island Bucks throwing a party for fans

Organizers of the Shelter Island Bucks Collegiate Baseball Team are poised for a Bucks Appreciation Day to thank Island fans for their support despite canceling the past two seasons because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The Bucks couldn’t play this summer but our appreciation of all our supporters is as strong as ever,” team General Manager Brian Cass said.

On Saturday, Aug. 14, between 2 and 4 p.m., organizers are inviting fans to Fiske Field for an afternoon of celebrating the team that Islanders hope will be able to resume play next summer.

Team mascot Billy Buck will be hand to greet fans and, so too, will New York Times best selling author Sally Cook, perhaps best known to her readers for a number of baseball-themed books. Among them is “Hey Batta Batta Swing! The Wild Old Days of Baseball,” written with James Charlton.

She’ll share some baseball lingo, run a trivia contest with prizes and sign books for those who wish to purchase them.

Raised in the Blue Ridge Mountains in Roanoke, Va., she became a baseball fan early on in her life. R.L. Stine, who wrote “Goosebumps,” said of her book, “She writes the funniest, cleverest, most readable, most enjoyable books about baseball anywhere. I’ve read this book again and again just for its amazing baseball lingo.”

Best selling author James Patterson said the authors present a potpourri of anecdotes and facts that reveal the many ways baseball has changed over the years.” He complimented the authors on “weaving insider slang into their narrative.”

Organizers will be providing free hot dogs and hamburgers and team merchandise will be for sale at a discount.

There’s also a 50/50 raffle for $5 a ticket that can be purchased at Shelter Island Ace Hardware or by calling Mr. Cass at 631-445-0084. The winning ticket will be drawn at the event although the winner doesn’t have to be present.

Rain date is Sunday, Aug. 15.