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Sport Sparks OffTHE EMERY WHEEL_By LUTHER EMERYElwood Kammer may not have the biggest head in Massillon, but none aches anymore. Of that he is sure, and he's just about read}7- to tell you this job of being city recieation director isn’t what it is cracked up to be—or is it. ihat depends on how you view it. One recreation director wih crack up shortly unless the city finds a few more ball fielos.At the present time Massillon has four playing Hems, Lincoln park, the golf links, Tiger stadium and the-Agaihon field. There are 16 others that can come under the classification of fair to very poor. With seven leagues operating at the present time and a couple of more in the process of organization, all fields are occupied practically every night by league competition with the exception of Saturday and^U1Now*its just too had that such a condition exists, but that is the wav it is. The neighborhood gang can’t get out anymore and challenge- the boys in the next block to a ball gamo, nor can a bunch of boys inflate their chests and use the diamond to prove to their Gads how legs grow old and arms become soup bones with. age.Because there will be neighborhood gangs as long as young blood flows through lively veins and because boys have tried to outsmart their dads from the days of Isaac, Jacob and Esau, the troubles of Kammer are multiplied this season.This is what happens, not once,but two or three times a night, Monday through Friday.Two league teams are scheduled jo play on a certain diamond. When they arrive they find the diamond already occupied, usually by pickup teams from the vicinity, but occasionally by non-league teams.An argument follows when the unauthorized team refuses to surrender the diamond. The question of rights, authority and in some instances fistic supremacy enter into the argument. Sooner or later Kammer receives a hurry-up call to the field and thus far, his word has been accepted as law and he has not had to call out the police to clear the diamond. He* * $hopes that will never be necessary but realizes breaking up a ball game is sort of a nasty thing to do.No doubt Kammer and every other reader recalls some of the happiest days of his youth were spent playing ball in a back lot.It is too bad if it cannot be continued, and it could be with the scraping of a few more fields and vacant lots in the city. Kammer has some in mind, and he hopes to have this done soon. This being the case, some diamonds should be kept free from league play so that youngsters and older folks for that matter, can have a friendly game without fear of being thrown off the field in the third inning.WHILE ON the. subject of baseball, it is interesting to note_ that the St. Louis Cardinals are planning a three-day camp for Massillon, Friday, Saturday and Monday, July 5-3 in their ivory7 hum for baseball players. . , • ,•Kammer has received a letter from V' alter Shannon, a former Massiilonian and a scout for the Cards,, disclosing the July dates, and thanking him for the cooperation. The Cards were given the choice of two fields for their operations. Tiger Stadium field or Lincoln park. They selected the stadium field. Many likely^ looking players will be given tryouts during the Card camp, which is being held in conjunction with the recreation hoard as part of tie latter s summer program. ....
Newspaper Details
Evening Independent
Massillon, Ohio, US
Sat, Jun 08, 1946
Page 3
Full Page
Clipped by
Massillon P.
OH, USA 29 Jan 2024
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