11 June 1995 – Tidewater Cement Co. Baseball Game 1920

“Tidewater Cement Co. Baseball Game 1920”

Carroll County Times article for 11 June 1995

By Jay A. Graybeal

During the last quarter of the nineteenth century, baseball became the predominant local sport. Baseball games were played on a variety of makeshift ballfields throughout the county until after World War II. 75 years ago two local teams, composed of workers at the Tidewater Cement Plant (known as Lehigh Portland Cement Company since 1925) in Union Bridge, prepared to face each other on July 5th. The Pilot newspaper carried letters from the captains of the opposing teams and noted that interest in the game was “nearing the fusion point.”

Then you take Mr. Eichelberger, he can out run any two men on your team. While the balance of the team will consist of extra star players, we hesitate at this time to name any more, but if you boast again what you team is going to do, we will name the balance of the players and show you beyond the shadow of a doubt how utterly impossible it is for you to get up a team to play against the FOREMEN’S TEAM.

As you feel that we are unable to secure a team of operators to compete with the Foremen’s team, this very feeling of yours is as helpful to us as the sunshine to the flowers.

You mention in your letter that you advise us to have several doctors to take care of our players, we retaliate your remark by advising that it will be well for you to have several undertakers to take care of your team.

Calling your attention to your able catcher, Mr. Harvey Harry, it is our humble opinion that the only thing he can catch is the measles, and your star Pitcher, Mr. Rinehart, whom we know so well as being a good man when it comes to pitching horse-shoes.

The way to inspire Mr. Eichelberger to run is to have a lunch counter at each base. Mr. Lindsay can only qualify as a player by putting a protecting screen over the open space between his chippendale nether extremities. The only way to get Dad Cover over the bases is to attach a sky-rocket to his coat tail and touch it off at the proper moment. We take it for granted that you have gotten your “dope” from Mr. Moyer, who has consulted the Ouija board.

Here’s to Mr. Selby that he gets Eli to apply a cost of black paint to his head so that the glare of the sun may not dazzle the players and also to keep the flies from using his head as a skating rink.

We might even go so far as to admit Mr. Ike Saylor’s donkey so that he can ride it to travel the bases. You may mention to Mr. Crawmer that tobacco spitting around the bases will not be tolerated as someone may slip and break a leg. If he feels that smoking Home Run Cigarettes will encourage him to make a home run, it will then pay you to have a supply on hand for him.

Recess should be called at proper intervals so Mr. Galt, the scoreman, can take his naps at the usual times. A bucket of pink lemonade should be kept on hand to keep Mr. Dibbert from wandering around and getting in the way of the players.

Ask Mr. W. C. Thompson to buy puncture-proof balls but not to buy them where he gets his auto tires. As your player Mr. R. Green has an abundance of strawberries, it will be well to tell him that the selling of berries, during the progress of the game, will not be allowed.

To make a suggestion about Mr. Taylor, another one your star players, we advise that as he is a Taylor (tailor) it may be well to put him with the undertakers making a shroud for each of your men. As Mr. Broadwater is an able electrician, why not have him to give a little light on the subject.

Let me mention a thing or two about our Pitcher and Catcher. Our pitcher can pitch anything from a croquet ball to a 57-inch Fuller Mill ball and our catcher can catch balls like Tanglefoot can catch flies. He can pick the balls right off the bat.

When our teams steps on the field on that glorious day you will look with marked surprise, but behold, the worst is yet to come.

Now as for yourself, your name and your team’s score will be the same-BLANK.