The Game

 

During Aug 1924 South Side Beaver County celebrated Old Home Week.  Addresses were prepared and read.  Food was prepared and served.  The main sporting events of the celebration were baseball games.   On Thursday of the week more than five thousand people gathered to renew old acquaintances and recount the days gone by, and watch The Game. 

 

The “Hookstown” team, as it as described in the “Historical Events of South Side” by Robert M Bryan had arranged daily games with the neighboring towns like Midland, Florence and Burgettstown, and Industry. [1]  All the local teams were easily defeated.  All games were played on the baseball field in Georgetown. 

 

 

Mollie Ebert Trimble ca 1910 (Anna L and John F Nash Collection)

Mollie Ebert Trimble ca 1910 (Anna L and John F Nash Collection)

Game day, Thursday, 21 Aug, dawned clear and warm.  Manager BC Laughlin had Honus Wagner and his All Stars from Pittsburgh scheduled as the main attraction for the week long celebration.  Without doubt Honus Wagner was the greatest ball player who had ever lived.  Five thousand people arrived in Georgetown by packet, train, trolley, ferry, car, buggy, and on foot to see Honus Wagner.  Every available space in town was used for parking cars, wagons, and buggies.  Georgetown was pulsating with humanity.   Mollie Ebert Trimble was the oldest resident to attend the game.

 

It was a great and warm day.  Hard times were forgotten.  Everybody seemed perfectly happy.  Repeated hurrahs filled the air.

 

At the end of nine innings, the score was tied at 14.  In the tenth inning the All Stars scored two runs.  Things looked bad.  The home crowd was quiet.


But big things were about to happen.  Hays started with a single.  Good rip.  Dawson flew to second.  He’s out.  Shrug it off.   Robert Mackall reached first on an error.  Bailey hit to short who threw to second getting Mackall while Hays scored.  Now we’re in a pickle.  Two outs – one run behind.  Jimmie Green singled.  Way to hump.  Two base runners – two dead – one run behind.  Buzzard walked.  Bases loaded – two outs.  Chuck Kinsey worked the count to three and two.  Good eye.   Dig in.  Win the battle.  Kinsey drove the next pitch over the center fielder’s head ending the game.  Final score Hookstown 17, Wagner’s All Stars 16.  Honus Wagner said they were the best team he had played all year. 

 

On Fri to close the week, a team from Mt Olivet Church lined up.  They took a beating.  The score was 18 to 3.  The “Hookstown” team won all five games during Old Home Week. 

 

For the Honus Wagner contest, the Georgetown players by position were:

 

                Catcher.  Ed (pork) Dawson, who like five or six generations before him lived in Georgetown, caught all five games.

Pitcher.  Frank Duncan, son of the oil well driller Milton Duncan, lived in Smith’s Ferry.

                First Base.  Del Hays lived in Smith’s Ferry.

                Second base.  Robert Mackall lived in Georgetownn and was related to Mollie Ebert Trimble.

                Short Stop.  Jimmie Green was a ringer from Pottstown, PA.

                Third Base.  Chuck Kinsey son of Charles Kinsey and grandson of Mollie Ebert Trimble, hailed from Georgetown.

                 Outfield.  The Mackall twins, Dwight and Duane, Paul R Laughlin, and Ray Buzzard were Georgetowners.  The Mackall twins, Poe descendants not through the Mollie Ebert line, were well known speedsters in the outfield.

 

 


References.

 

[1]  Robert M Bryan, Historical Events of South Side Beaver County, Pennsylvania, Robert M Bryan Publisher, p 81-82 .

 

 

 

 

Copyright © 2009 Francis W Nash
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