Little League-1930’s Style

Like more than 50% of the television viewers in San Diego I spent time last weekend watching the Little League World Series. The team from Chula Vista just down the road from where I live won it. I admit I had a bit of mixed emotions knowing whom to root for. As an American and Californian I wanted to be loyal to my own country and area. But I also had a heart for the Taiwanese. I am forever grateful for all that my Chinese friends have taught me and just this last year my 11-year-old grandson had spent the year in Taiwan where he really fell in love with baseball and caught that country’s baseball fever. In the end the locals won and I joined in the celebration!

In the process I recalled my baseball life when I was around 10. There was no Little League in Texas in the 1930’s (at least not out in the country where I was growing up). In fact, I remember no structured programs of sports for kids. So we created our own. At school we went to the pasture just outside the schoolyard. We put in the bases and played at school and else where, wherever and whenever. When a group of more than 4 gathered we quickly choose up sides (after flipping a bat to see who chose first) and then went at it. We were our own umpires and we set the local ground rules. At school we played before school, at recess and noon hour (which now in memory I am sure the teachers extended so that each team got to bat at least once). Equipment was minimal. One good ball was a luxury. I remember being a hero. I had codgered relatives and friends until I had 20 tops of Post Toasties cereal boxes. Sent them off. Four weeks later the prize arrived: a brand new 12-inch in-seam softball. To this day I recall taking it to school where it was passed around to all the guy, our first experience of actually handling a brand-new never been hit softball!

Competition was limited. My memory is that we were allowed about 4 games a year, two each against the nearest public schools (in Walburg and Jonah). Being a Lutheran school we were not allowed to play against the local Catholic school. I don’t know which of us feared spiritual contamination more! Forever etched in memory is the day my mom and dad took me to a very rare dentist appointment on the very day we played and I missed the game. I was convinced that my replacement at shortsto,p Wimpy Kalmbach would lose the game for us. I regret to report that after the game when I returned from the dentist it was reported that Wimpy had played very well and in fact made one spectacular put-out. To my shame. I was kind of sad to hear of this threat to my position.

Fantasy often replaced formal opportunity. Sunday afternoon after Sunday afternoon found the two us together: Skippy Mertink and me. We played fantasy big league baseball. The batter stood in front of the barn. The pitcher out toward the barb-wired fence. Singles, doubles and homeruns were carefully delineated by benchmarks. The pitcher was also the radio announcer. Since there were only 2 major leagues with only 8 teams in each league we knew by heart the line-up for each team. Sunday after Sunday we assumed the identity of both player and announcer: the names keep coming back: Bucky Walters, Red Ruffling. Bob Feller, Dizzy Dean, Carl Hubbel - throwing strikes and fastballs at Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig. Jimmy Foxx, Mel Ott, the whole lot ! My blood flows more quickly just remembering it.

So now we have tee ball, Pony League and Little League etc.etc. There are managers, uniforms, and umpires, and water coolers and new balls and aluminum bats and away games and playoffs - even Little League World Series! Great! I am glad our kids have them all. And sometimes this old man would love to see a group of kids just creating their own field, choosing sides and then going at all on their own until the sun goes down!