By Caitlin V. Reidy
It was, perhaps, the most intense game of minigolf that Sterling has ever seen. It was the ultimate game of police versus fire…blue versus red. It had families betting against each other, and included grown men scolding golf balls when they kept missing their targets (which happened a lot). It was hot, it was competitive, it was more nail-biting than the 2015 Super Bowl, when Butler intercepted Wilson’s pass at the goal line. Yes, it was that intense.
The Sterling Police and Fire Departments held this special minigolf match on Saturday, August 6th, at Mulligan’s Miniature Golf Course. Mulligan’s opened early for this special event, and the heat index was approaching 90 degrees in Sterling. Despite the heat, there was a huge crowd of first responders. Every moment of this tournament was packed tight with high-stakes drama, competition, and friendly banter- which was all recorded by the minute.
The following takes place between 8:00AM and 10:00AM. Events occur in real time.
8:13AM: John Chase of the Sterling Police Department greets everyone. He expresses that he feels the “police department is going to win,” especially after the 2018 Battle of the Badges Softball Tournament. Officer Chase emphasizes that there is a “six hole limit,” and breaks both departments into groups, each starting at different holes. (According to Jim Emerton of the Sterling Fire Department, Battle of the Badges was held September 29th, 2018 at the Chocksett school field. Emerton stated that the “Sterling Police prevailed” at the game).
8:26AM: Erin Cullinane, newly inducted full-time firefighter and paramedic, cheers excitedly and jumps in the air at Hole 4, when she gets a hole-in-two. Firefighters appear to be in the lead.
8:37AM: Fire Chief Hurlbut misses his hole several times, despite being close to the target, while Police Chief Gaudette laughs hysterically. It appears that Sterling Police has taken the lead. Chief Hurlbut hits the six hole limit.
8:44AM: Jim Emerton of Sterling Fire is dressed head to toe in a bright, yellow, Ramen-noodle outfit at Hole 8. When asked why, he states that he is a “souper hero.” The souper hero misses his target.
8:50AM: Michelle Braconnier from Sterling Police dominates the putt at Hole 12. Jim “Souper Hero” Emerton follows her lead and makes a slight comeback with an impressive hole-in-two.
8:52AM: Chief Gaudette is asked who he thinks will win the competition. “It will not be these two [Fire Chief Hurlbut and his Deputy Chief David Day].” Chief Hurlbut accuses Chief Gaudette of cheating and misses his hole five times.
8:59AM: Fire Chief Hurlbut says he “almost got a hole in one at Hole 8.” Things start to get heated as Shawna Hurlbut, Chief Hurlbut’s daughter, says she loves her father but “if she wants to win, she has to put her money on Sean [Chief Gaudette].” Chief Gaudette gives Shawna Hurlbut a nod of appreciation.
9:08AM: The heat index is rising and is now over 90 degrees. Both teams are persevering, despite the heat. The blue team is trying to ‘fire up’ the red team with ribbing, while the red team is trying to distract the blue team with outrageous outfits, including a lemon suit and Jim Emerton’s souper hero costume. Things are getting intense. Sweat is pouring, and it’s not just from the heat.
9:15AM: Patrolman Steve Mucci states that the game is becoming “an uphill battle for both parties but that this game is about true camaraderie.” Officer John Chase furthers this by saying “We don’t all get together often, but we’re still close as departments.” Despite the high stakes, both teams are in good spirits.
9:21AM: Jim “Souper Hero” Emerton is at Hole 17 and misses his target more than a few times.
He states that he “thought gravity would help his swing,” as Hole 17 is on a decline. Gravity does not help the souper hero’s swing.
9:25AM: Bill McNamara, owner of Mulligan’s Miniature Golf Course, states that he is more than happy to open Mulligan’s two hours early for Sterling’s first responders. “Anytime there’s a problem, SPD and SFD come right away. We love our fire and police departments, and we’re happy to support them.” Mulligan’s opened and staffed the golf course two hours early so the Sterling Police Department and the Sterling Fire Department could tee off in this monumental event. There’s a true feeling of community on the course.
9:31AM: “Respect” by Aretha Franklin is playing over the loudspeakers. At the chorus, Chief Gaudette pats Fire Chief Hurlbut on the back. Despite the blue vs. red golf competition, R-E-S-P-E-C-T captures the true spirit of camaraderie between the police and fire departments.
Chief Gaudette misses his target when he tees off. Fire Chief Hurlbut laughs at Chief Gaudette, and says, “Good job, Cheater.” Chief Hurlbut then proceeds to miss his target as well. It’s a good thing Aretha is still singing “Respect.”
9:40AM: The heat is sweltering. Teams are starting to wrap up on the course and are heading over to await the results. Several firefighters and police officers are still on the course, and dance excitedly when their golf balls hit their targets. They dance as if no one is watching. People are watching.
9:45-10:00AM: Teams are wrapping up and heading over to the patio area where winners will be announced. It’s a close call, and both teams seem optimistic that they are in the lead.
Results: After the golf match, the winners were announced and prizes were awarded in the form of golf balls and passes to Mulligan’s to use at a future date. When the clock struck 10:00AM, this Cinderella story took an unexpected turn. The fire department prevailed against the police department with an average of 55.8 strokes, compared to Team Blue’s average of 58 strokes.
Both departments expressed their gratitude to Mulligan’s for their support and help in making this competition happen.
“Our thanks to the owners of Mulligan’s who came in early, and opened the course before their normal business hours so we could enjoy this contest. They insisted our round of golf was free that day – and we much appreciate their support and generosity,” Jim “Souper Hero” Emerton said on behalf of Sterling Police and Fire.
Later that day, both departments and their families celebrated the event with a cookout that included hotdogs, hamburgers, and “a lot of water on that hot day,” according to Jim “Souper Hero” Emerton. Talks began about next year’s Battle of the Badges competition, and Sterling Police claimed that they “were off their game,” this year due to the fire department’s costumes.
This type of event shows the true community and human-aspect of Sterling’s first responders, and that they’re normal, Average Joes, just like the rest of us. If anything, like Jim “Souper Hero” Emerton’s Ramen-noodle costume, this event truly shows us that not all heroes wear capes.