After School Sports 193x

Perhaps because Aug. 3^rd marks the first pro football exhibition game, The Hall of Fame Game, and baseball still has one third of its season to go, it is a good time to remember childhood sports.

In the 30s a very heterogeneous group of boys within the same general age group lived in what I will call the Grant Ave Axis, This spread from roughly Darrow Ave, to Monroe, and from Fourth St. to Sherman Ave.

When the weather was nice in the spring and summer we played baseball. The pickup games were usually held on a large empty lot on the southeast corner of Grant and 7^th. Occasionally we played on another lot on the northeast corner of the same intersection.

Typically there were a few good athletes who did the picking of players from those available, I was a klutz and usually being one of the last picked played right field. The pitcher was usually the one who had the ball.

In the fall we played football. The SE corner field at Grant and 7^th was still the most common one. There was also an empty lot on the west corner of Lee and 7^th, Vanderveers, a small lot on Stelle directly across from Hubbard School, a large area between two family houses on Eight St. between Grant and Hobart, and another field way-out near Clinton Ave.

As can be expected the composition and size of the teams varied, if we had six on a side that was sufficient for the field. It goes without saying that there were no uniforms, no padding just play clothes.

About 1932 a high school math teacher organized an after school athletic program to which some concerned parents sent their sons. Among these boys was ‘Pete” Williams who later became a US Senator.

This group needed opponents, so we “West Enders” assembled a team, I don't remember the number of players at least eight, and scheduled a game with them to be played at the Kenyon Gardens. At that time the area was also used by several area women’s field hockey clubs.

A high school senior had been selected by Mr. W. to be official. The game was to be timed in quarters and two halves. There was no kickoff, the “uniformed team in pads etc. put the ball in play on their? 40? line. After what seemed a long time they managed to score a touchdown. The quarter then ended.