On Saturday, November 24, as people near and far digested yet another turkey sandwich, the Mattapoisett Public Library hosted a Purrington Lecture Series event featuring the well-known Boston Globesports columnist, Dan Shaughnessy.

Shaughnessy was introduced by his sister, Anne Martin, a longtime Mattapoisett resident, whose remembrances of her brother included his passion for baseball.

“Dan would make up his own rules and teams,” said Martin, as he played solo in the backyard. She credits that passion and an overall interest in all things sports for helping him find his voice, one that he has used to inform and entertain his readers since 1981. Martin said with pride that Shaughnessy had received the J.G. Taylor Spink Award by the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2016, then invited him to the lectern to rousing applause.

Shaughnessy’s sense of humor was on full display as he explained how the following hour would unfold – no PowerPoint presentation, no canned lecture. Instead it was an extemporaneous, witty, clever slide through New England sports followed by questions from the full house audience.

Shaughnessy began by saying that this time of the year was especially important and stressful for school age kids trying out for a place on winter sports teams. He noted his own efforts at securing a varsity position in the shadow of his sister, nodding in Anne’s direction, who was the better athlete.

His editor had suggested he write a piece of fiction for the growing young adult audience, which inspired him to ponder one that featured a young girl who hid away at Fenway Park and lived for a season in a luxury box.

“It is the ultimate way to watch a game,” said Shaughnessy. “There’s food, beverages, and a private bathroom!”

Alas, his book idea never scaled the Green Monster, but he has written six well-received books, including one with former Red Sox Manager Terry Francona that became a best seller, Francona: The Red Sox Years.

Fresh from reporting on the Red Sox World Series win, Shaughnessy said the 11 championship titles Boston teams have earned in this century kind of made up for the 86 years that preceded, although, he pointed out, “The Celtics used to win every year.”

“I’ve been to eleven Duck Boat parades. … If you’re a sports writer and live in this century, people are eating it up,” Shaughnessy said. “You are being well read.”

Joking about that 18-inning, coma-inducing third game of the 2018 World Series, Shaughnessy asked for a show of hands from those who survived the seven-hour and 20-minute game. About five hands valiantly were raised. Shaughnessy joked that the folks out on the west coast were commenting on the lateness of the hour, but he knew that the folks back in Boston were staring down a clock that read 3:00 am.

When asked which Red Sox team was better – the 2004 or 2018 – Shaughnessy didn’t hesitate.

“[It was] 2004,” he replied. “There were five starters all in their prime.” He added that he holds John Henry in very high regard. “Especially since he now owns theGlobe,” a comment that elicited a hearty round of laughter.

Of Manny Ramirez, Shaughnessy called him a beautiful hitter whose hitting philosophy was, “I see the ball: I hit the ball.” More laughter.

Back to the 2018 Red Sox win, when asked his thoughts about Alex Cora not receiving Manager of the Year, he said, “Alex took the team from first place to first place … with the most expensive team in the league.”

And what about that mystery man in the NFL, Ernie Adams, and his intriguing behind-the-scenes coaching of the coach – Belichick that is –Shaughnessy replied, “He makes big decisions, a genius, a very unusual guy: he wouldn’t talk to me.” He said that no one in the game seems to know what Adams does, but that “he’s responsible for a lot.”

As for the NBA in terms of the game now being one of 3-point shots exclusively, he said, “It’s a different game now. We are baying at the moon. This is the way it’s going to go.” He said that this type of scoring strategy saved wear and tear on the players, albeit not the game most grew up with.

When asked how he gained access to players and management, Shaughnessy said it’s hard to do, but added, “If you’ve been around long enough …” Shaughnessy smiled. He said that he didn’t have any inside sources, and that he wrote what he knew. “It’s established we are not friends.” He continued, “Pedro hated me, but now we’re pretty good.” Shaughnessy’s fully engaged audience chuckled along with him.

As the hour grew to a close, Shaughnessy was asked if sports and players are too heavily emphasized.

“Hey, movie stars are compensated. … This is a country with a lot of leisure time.” He said he wished that the people teaching our children were as handsomely paid, but that’s life in 20th century sports.

After the talk, all were invited to attend a reception on the first floor where refreshments and more sports-talk, along with laughter, were enjoyed.

By Marilou Newell

For many of us, gushing over rows of indescribably adorable dogs has become a Thanksgiving Day tradition of oohing and aahing in front of the television while watching the Annual National Dog Show.

This Thanksgiving, perhaps some of you might have even recognized one of those dogs or his charming young handler strutting across your TV screen during this year’s 17^thAnnual National Dog Show, receiving the Sporting Group title as millions watched.

For the last 14 years, Annie Henshaw of Mattapoisett has been training and showing dogs. That’s no small feat when you consider that she’ll be turning 21 in a few days. That’s right – Henshaw has been working with dogs since she was only seven years old.

Growing up on the Mattapoisett family farm and kennel known as Poisett Kennel, Henshaw learned at a very early age just how important it is to breed animals from healthy stock as well as training them.

Henshaw’s grandparents, George and Paulie, have been breeding, raising, training, and showing dogs for decades. But it wasn’t until she was seven years of age that Henshaw became aware of how much she enjoyed the whole process. As her grandparents prepared to leave the farm one day, Henshaw asked, “Where are you going?” Her grandmother replied, “To train the dogs.”

“Can I go too?” And with that simple request to tag along, the course of Henshaw’s life was set, even if she didn’t really know it at the time. “I loved it and wanted to keep on doing it.”

Though her grandparents have raised a variety of breeds over the years, it was the Chesapeake Bay retriever that became the main breed the Henshaws would be drawn to.

“My grandmother saw one at a show and said, ‘I have to have one.’”

The rest has become history.

Henshaw said the Chesapeake Bay retriever is an intelligent animal, one whose loyalty can only equate to its protective tendencies, something that can prove dangerous, even, Henshaw commented.

“They can be extremely stubborn, so early training is mandatory.” She said the breed has the ability to problem solve, a unique trait in dogs, but, again, one that can get them into trouble.

Still, their hardworking natural talents coupled with their devotion to their owners can produce a well-balanced family dog if the humans do it right, attests Henshaw.

The family breeds their dogs once every two years at the Poisett Kennel, but not for profit, said Henshaw. While some dogs are in fact sold, the cost of breeding and raising healthy animals quickly outpaces any compensation they receive from the sale of a single dog.

“My grandmother doesn’t make any money,” she chuckled.

Currently, the kennel is home to eight dogs.

As for the dog show circuit that Henshaw has just recently returned from with Ducky, not unlike other competitive endeavors, it is a sub-culture unto itself, she explained.

“For dog show people, it’s all that matters,” she said. The shows can be a drudge to those who don’t enjoy the atmosphere and the competition, she added. “There’s a lot of hurry up to wait.”

One upside of showing these sporting dogs is that their grooming is effortless – au naturel. Henshaw said that the judges look for the water-resistant coats to be oily, making it unnecessary to bath them prior to showing. Just a quick combing and brushing and they are ready to go.

The two big dog shows most people are familiar with are the Thanksgiving Day Annual National Dog Show, which is the most heavily attended, Henshaw said, and the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show that she described as the most “prestigious.” Over the years, Poisett’s dogs have earned nine titles, with Ducky taking a championship in addition to Grand, Silver, and Gold.

Working with animals and doing it well takes a special type of person whose passion supersedes all other endeavors. For Henshaw, as much as she has enjoyed the dogs and all that showing them entails, she always felt it was just a great hobby. So after she graduated from Old Rochester Regional High School in 2016, she began pursuing a career in the health care industry.

“I fought the feeling of working with dogs as a career for a long time,” admitted Henshaw. But now, as she is about to graduate from Bristol Community College, Henshaw is fully embracing dog training as a profession, but not just any type of dog training – the intense and critical training that prepares dogs and their handlers for security work known as Schutzhund, which means “protection dog” in German.

Henshaw also hopes to start her own business as training German shepherds. Comparing the shepherds to the Chesapeakes, she said, “The Chesapeakes are the only sporting breed mentally and physically strong enough to handle Schutzhund training.”

Because of her many years in and around the dog show and training circuits, Henshaw has gained knowledge of the dos and don’ts when considering the purchase of a dog.

“It’s extremely important to go to a responsible breeder,” said Henshaw. “Just because someone knows a lot about a breed doesn’t mean they are good.” She said that puppy mills might masquerade as quality breeders, so doing research is necessary. “If their main source of income is selling dogs, don’t get that dog!” She said that genetic testing for disease is another critical element in understanding if a dog is healthy.

“My grandparents gave me this gift,” Henshaw said. “I just always wanted to be with their dogs.” And now, as her future unfolds, it looks like the Poisett Kennel will one day be in good hands.

“When my grandmother decides she’s done, I’ll do it,” she said.

By Marilou Newell