Flutie makes visit to Fraser Field

LYNN – Fans could not believe their ears and eyes Tuesday when the Fraser Field announcer blared “Now pitching for the United States Military Baseball All-Stars ? Doug Flutie.”The disbelieving onlookers asked each other if this “Doug Flutie” was a son or a nephew or a military player with a similar name. The fans surmised that this could not be the legend connected nationally with Flutie Flakes, the Hail Mary Pass, the Drop-Kick as a Patriots quarterback, and the Heisman Trophy. No way.But it certainly was the Boston College legend, wearing his famous 22, and looking younger than a man turning 50 in October. There he was toeing the mound in Lynn under the lights about to face the power-packed Tom Yawkey League All-Stars from Boston.Flutie fired hard, tossed in some knuckleballs and did well for a while but took the loss in an 8-3 setback. At the plate, he smacked the ball sharply, including a single in the fifth.Flutie resembled Dustin Pedroia, making some fine plays as a second baseman the final five frames.About his pitching, he said, “I had the Yawkey batters hitting to shortstop early, but soon they found the holes. I felt good, keeping the ball low.”He also revealed he plays about four games a year for the Armed Forces team.Flutie, a superstar QB at BC with Lynn’s Tony Thurman and Peter Holey, recalled being at Fraser Field a few years ago.”I reenacted my drop-kick (made famous in his last-ever NFL game with the Pats) when I kicked the ball into the Fraser screen behind home plate,” he said. “Then I played drums with my band on top of the then-North Shore Spirit third base dugout.”Late in Tuesday’s game, Peabody’s Jeff Allison took the hill for the Yawkey stars, throwing heat in one strong inning.Flutie was besieged for autographs from Yawkey players and the finally-convinced fans after the game, hosted by Fraser facility director John Kasian and the Navigators staff.