Family matters...

Fifty years ago right now, we were at the American Legion Baseball World Series at Kiger Stadium in Klamath Falls, Oregon. Less than a week after I flew home from visiting cousins in Tacoma, Washington, Dad bundled us into Mom's brand new 1971 Ford LTD to head back up to the Pacific Northwest for what would turn out to be our family's sixth and last baseball road trip.

1960 - Washington, Pennsylvania (PONY League World Series)
1963 - Mishawaka, Indiana (Chicago Cubs tryouts)
1964 - Caldwell, Idaho (Chicago Cubs AA)
1965 - Yountville, California (American Legion State Tourney)
1965 - Phoenix, Arizona (Chicago Cubs AAA)
1970 - Klamath Falls, Oregon (American Legion World Series)





We went to watch the boys from West Covina Post 790 play in the championship series. Dad's friend and former co-coach – Don Sealy – was managing this year's team, and our family traveled to Klamath Falls just to root and relax and have a good time watching some great youth baseball.

A handful of memories. Max Patkin – 'The Clown Prince of Baseball' – was a guest star at all the games. At the time, I didn't know he was world famous. I just thought he was a local drunk dressed up in a baseball uniform who did stupid annoying stunts on the field.

Some boosters at the series – I think they were the local Kiwanis – wore a red windbreaker that had the cutest cartoon pelican logo on the back. Wow, did I ever covet one of those jackets! Even thought of trying to steal one if I saw one unattended on someone's seat. I knew I couldn't get away with something like that, though, with my parents around. Darn.

In the parking lot at almost every game was an absolutely cherry and stock olive-green 1939 Chevrolet coupe. Inside and out, it was spotless; so perfect, it looked like it dropped right out of a time machine. It was the first time I fell in love with a car. I wanted one just like it so bad! Anyway, at one of the games, someone hit a foul ball out of the park and it was headed straight for the old Chevy! It struck harmlessly on the ground a few feet away, but for a few seconds there, I was as panicked about that foul ball hitting that car as if I were its actual owner.


Courtesy transpress nz.

Looking back now, I realize that car was only 30 years old at the time. Which also brings to mind the fact that my present car is now 30 years old, too. A beat-up Volvo 240 wagon compares in no way, shape or form to that gorgeous '39 Chevy coupe, though, alas.

Anyway, West Covina won the whole shebang! Yay! It was the first time a team from WC won it all at the American Legion level. (They would actually repeat the feat the next year... and haven't won another since.)

A couple of snapshots from the trip. First is me at Crater Lake, where I think we went 50 years ago yesterday.



Also me trying to fish a golf ball out of a water hazard at the Reames Country Club in Klamath Falls (I always sucked at golf), where I remember we played the day before we went home. Once again, Mom shows off her proclivity for taking pictures of me from behind. ;)



And finally, I got this championship bat recently on eBay. I guess all the players got one for winning the series. I wonder who this one belonged to?



My only memories of the drive there and back was seeing Mount Shasta on our way up (my second volcano of the summer!), and the vinyl roof blowing off Mom's brand new car on our way home. That was kind of exciting. Actually, I do remember more about the drive, but those were my main memories, and the only ones really worth sharing.

After we got home, it was back to school for my junior year at South Hills, and finally getting my drivers license! Woohooo!

 

Dad wasn't just a baseball coach; sometimes, he umpired, too. He used to have a home plate umpire's count indicator, which he would let me play with when I was little. At some point, though, he gave his indicator away. I was disappointed when I found out; I wished he would have given it to me.

Anyway, I don't know why, but I saw this one on eBay the other day and bought it on impulse, even though I'm at the point in life where I'm trying to shed material things. Just a sentimental old fool, I guess, wanting to recover some bit of my past, long lost.

 

I've updated my blog on the West Covina American Little League All-Stars to cover their 1958 post-season. The team didn't advance as far in the playoffs as last year, but there's still lots of interesting local baseball history to be found there!

https://westcovinaallstars.blogspot.com/

 

In the summer of 1957, my father was named manager of the All-Stars of the West Covina American Little League. The team was very successful; moreso, in fact, than any other in the history of the young city. In the coming days, I will be telling the story of the 1957 WCALL All-Stars as they progressed through post-season play to the California State Tournament, as it happened, day-by-day, 60 years ago.

You can read all about it here:

https://westcovinaallstars.blogspot.com/

 

Greatest man I ever knew.

Sixty years ago – in 1957 – my dad began his brief but highly successful career coaching youth baseball. Although I have many pictures of Dad standing alongside his boys in team photos, this is the only solo one I have of him from his coaching days (from his last year, 1964, when he was manager of the Covina Post 790 American Legion ballclub). It's a great portrait, too; probably the best close-up of him that I have.

Anyway, this past week, I scanned this tiny print and made an enlargement of it at one of those self-serve photo kiosks, and the result was definitely suitable for framing. So now, the portrait has taken its place in my family shrine in my living room, next to his trophy for the West Covina American All-Stars' third place finish in the California State Little League Championship Tournament in 1957. (More on that later this summer!)