Football Legend Flutie, College Athletes Power Reading Bulldogs

When John Halsey assembled his Reading Bulldogs Intercity Baseball team, he tapped a suite of college athletes and one football legend to give the team pop.

Below follows just nine of the talented players he collected to power the team through its first season.

Doug Flutie. Your eyes aren't deceiving you. There is a Reading Bulldogs middle infielder whose name is Doug Flutie – and yes, it's that Doug Flutie. Hail Mary Doug Flutie. Boston College superstar Doug Flutie. New England Patriot Doug Flutie.

But this isn't playtime for the football legend. Flutie takes these games seriously.

After some initial awe from the Bulldog players, Flutie defused any hero worship quickly by just introducing him to each of the players as simply "Doug." He has quickly become one of the guys. He's a player who shags fly balls and digs foul balls out of the woods.

Flutie hopes to play between 50 and 75 percent of the games (he plays in another league with friends).

"He really wants to play," said Halsey. "He has been very careful about wanting to be one of the players."

"It's a great thing. Not just for publicity, but to just have him on the bench is great for the kids," said Jeff Pierce, Bulldogs' COO.

Halsey said many of his players have been waiting their turn on the bench in college and the Bulldogs will be their chance to shine.

Pierce said the wooden bat league is strong in pitching and defense. If the Bulldogs are going to make inroads immediately, they will need pitching depth.

"I think there's enough talent positionally. It's the pitching that is the big question mark at this point," said Pierce.

Ben O'Shea is a 6-foot, 5-inch, 250-pound lefty, who throws a cut fastball. Halsey said he wouldn't be surprised if O'Shea ultimately plays pro ball.

O'Shea graduated from RMHS in 2009, and went 5-1 and sported a microscopic ERA for Roger Williams this year. He also struck out 56 while walking only 6.

His numbers can actually improve with the Bulldogs because he won't have to face batters with aluminum bats.

"Ben has the potential to be a stand out," said Bulldogs owner/GM John Halsey.

Mike Drinkwater, is a 6-foot, 4-inch, 200-pound rightly, who has been in the bullpen for Endicott College. The sinker-throwing righty, who graduated from Hamilton-Wenham High School in 2007, will start for the Bulldogs, and Halsey thinks the combination of the heavy sinker and wooden bats will make for a fine campaign for Drinkwater.

Andrew Bishop, a 6-foot, 3-inch right-handed hitter, hit .387 while as a freshman at Williams College this year. 

Brendan McGinn, a three-year starter at UConn, will bring the team some experience. McGinn is currently rehabbing, but the 2006 University of Connecticut graduate could play a major role for the Bulldogs this year.

T.J. Murphy, a 2007 RMHS graduate and a leader on the Middlesex League championship team, will patrol the outfield for the Bulldogs. He now plays for St. Anselm's College.

Steve Buitkus, who was an RBI machine while playing for RMHS, has been playing for Merrimack College and will transfer to Salem State College this fall.

Steve Panza has been playing with St. Anselm's College in a wooden bat league, which should give him an advantage over the college athletes who use aluminum bats. A middle infielder, the Watertown High School graduate has been hitting the ball well for St. A's.

John Halsey Jr. has played both catcher and third base for Endicott College. The 2008 RMHS graduate was a Middlesex League All-Star.