The Oldtimer's Baseball Association of Maryland
An Historical Overview
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The Oldtimers Baseball Association of Maryland was first organized in 1952. At that time, a group of former Baltimore baseball players teamed up and decided to assemble a social club. The group would be composed of their teammates and rivals from days past on the local diamonds. Initially, the Oldtimer's membership roster was made up of professional, semi professional and amateur ballplayers from in and around the Baltimore area. There were umpires, baseball executives, managers, coaches and scouts in the original group as well. In early 1953, the Oldtimers held their inaugural dinner at the Knights of Columbus Hall in the Highlandtown section of East Baltimore. Herb Armstrong was the toastmaster of that first event and Merwin Jacobson was the main speaker. Armstrong had been a manager in the Eastern Shore League and was at this time an executive with the International League Baltimore Orioles. He had been the baseball coach at City College and was involved in the Maryland Scholastic Association for decades. He later became the business manager of the American League Orioles. Merwin Jacobson was a former Oriole centerfielder who played on six of Jack Dunn's seven straight pennant winners. Jacobson compiled a .404 batting average for the Birds in 1920. He played in the major leagues with the New York Giants, Chicago Cubs and Brooklyn Dodgers. Guest speakers for the Oldtimer's that evening were former Oriole and major leaguer Johnny Neun along with Glenn L. Martin, James Anderson, Royden Blunt, Roger Pippen, Jack Dunn III and Henry B Hess. Oldtimers Bob Owings, Alvin Lowman, Harry Booth, Ernest Rehmann, Val "Dutch" Lentz and Chauncey "Doc" Ashley all played big parts in the overwhelming success of the organization's first major function. Due to the great turnout of their inaugural event, chairmen Henry Hess called a meeting to formalize the Oldtimers Baseball Association of Maryland. It was at this meeting that the club initiated their yearly elections for positions within the organization. Henry B. Hess was voted in as the Oldtimers's First President. Harry L. Booth was elected as the Vice President, John Peterson as second Vice President, Chauncey "Doc" Ashley as Secretary /Treasurer and Matthew Groom won election as the club's Sergeant at Arms. The Oldtimers Baseball Association's motto was at this time as it still is today, "To do everything within their power to promote amateur and professional baseball." The first order of business for the club was to bestow a yearly Oldtimer's award to the champions of Baltimore's Citywide Little League tournament. These trophies were given out before Oriole games at Memorial Stadium. The organization held their second annual dinner on February 4, 1954, at the Alcazar ballroom. The toastmaster for the event was Don Payne of the Saint Martin's club. The guest speaker was the general manager of the Baltimore Orioles, Arthur Ehlers. That evening, the Oldtimers' members were seated according to the teams they had played for during their careers in the Baltimore semi pro and amateur leagues. The organization gave awards that night to two of Baltimore's outstanding young ballplayers. The first award was given to Travis Jackson who represented the most talented of the 14 -16 year old players. The second award was presented to future Hall of Fame outfielder, Al Kaline, who was the best among the 16-to18 year olds in Baltimore that year. A few months later, the Oldtimer's played a part in Baltimore's celebration of the return of the Orioles to the American League. Ginger Settan was the chairman of the committee that put together a float that represented the Oldtimers during the 1954 opening day parade. In 1958, the Oldtimer's began inducting local players into their own Hall of Fame. The initial ceremonies were held at a banquet room inside Memorial Stadium. Beginning in 1963, the Oldtimer's held an annual beauty pageant called the Miss Baseball Contest. The pageant has been discontinued for sometime now but over the years, many of Baltimore's most beautiful young women took part in the contest. Famed Baltimore newspaper photographer, Leroy Merriken, was usually the Master of Ceremonies for this popular event. For over a half century, the organization has held Crab Feasts, Oyster Roasts and various other events in and around the Baltimore area. Over the years, the Oldtimer's have been deeply involved with all levels of baseball in Baltimore. Their quiet generosity had extended to amateur and little league programs throughout the city. The Oldtimers were instrumental in helping to establish Babe Ruth's birthplace at 216 Emory Street in Baltimore as a museum. The organization paid for and donated a bronze plaque to the museum in honor of the Babe. The inscription commemorates the outstanding achievements of Baltimore's own hometown legend. The Babe Ruth plaque is currently located behind the right field wall on the Eutaw Street walkway at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. In the late 1960's, the city slated the Ruth house for demolition. The Oldtimers and Mayor D'Alesandro, along with a committee of concerned citizens plus other local groups, stepped up to the plate and put a halt to the plans. This aggregation of Baltimoreans and baseball fans helped save the cornerstone of the city's baseball history from being lost forever. There was an Oldtimer's night held at Memorial Stadium that was always well attended by members of the Association and their families. On August 25, 1971, over 200 Oldtimers and their families were in attendance to watch the Orioles defeat the Chicago White Sox 6 to 3. The Oldtimers roster listed over 700 members at this time. For many years, the Oldtimers suited up and traveled all over Maryland and Pennsylvania playing exhibition softball and baseball games. These exhibitions raised money to benefit local little leagues and other worthy causes. In the 1960's, the club played games at Cottage Grove beach. Later, Frank Yurkanin and Charlie Fletcher each fielded ball clubs for the Oldtimers. These teams truly played ball for the love of the game and in the genuine spirit of giving to others. The current Oldtimers continue to embody all of these wonderful qualities and principals. The group's goals remain the same as when the club was first founded. It is the organization's heartfelt desire to promote our great national game at every level of play. The group believes that every child in Baltimore should have the opportunity to step out onto a ball field and experience our wonderful national pastime. The sincere purpose of the organization is, "to promote the advancement of the game of baseball, to renew old baseball associations of its members, sponsor and conduct many social activities and encourage the playing of baseball by youngsters in the community." The Oldtimer's Baseball Association of Maryland holds a Spring and a Fall Dance every year along with their annual Hall of Fame night in January. All of these events, along with monthly meetings, are held at the Del Capri on German Hill Road in Dundalk. Copyright 2007 - JLK - 03/26/2007 |