At age 10 through 12, I was selling the Brooklyn Daily Citizen Newspaper (25copies) at Ebbetts Field, the home of the Brooklyn Dodgers. They allowed us kids to enter the ball park in the 6th inning.'
At age 12 to 16 I joined the Plaza Cubs to play sandlot amateur baseball. We played at a ball park that had 21 baseball fields on one plot of ground. I was their catcher behind the plate.
At age 12 to 16 I joined the Plaza Cubs to play sandlot amateur baseball. We played at a ball park that had 21 baseball fields on one plot of ground. I was their catcher behind the plate.
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At age 18-24 I was playing semi professional baseball for the Rheingold Beer Company traveling throughout the state of New York. At age 25 Wiley Moore, a retired major league pitcher signed me to a contract to the New York Giants in October, 1941 to report to their farm team, a class D minor league team, in Oswego, New York. I was to report on March 15th, 1942. However I was drafted on February 26, 1942 and never got there.
At age 18-24 I was playing semi professional baseball for the Rheingold Beer Company traveling throughout the state of New York. At age 25 Wiley Moore, a retired major league pitcher signed me to a contract to the New York Giants in October, 1941 to report to their farm team, a class D minor league team, in Oswego, New York. I was to report on March 15th, 1942. However I was drafted on February 26, 1942 and never got there.
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In the military, I was eventually assigned to Clovis Army Air Force Base, later renamed Cannon AFB. I played for the base team traveling to many Air Force bases in the United States. After leaving the military in 1946, I was out of baseball for a few years, and farmed in the Grier, New Mexico area. While farming in 1947 I decided to tryout for the Clovis Pioneers Baseball team at age 31 and made it, playing two full seasons in 1947/48. Joe Dotlich was my first manager and later Grover Seitz a former Pampa manager became my manager. I was their catcher. My batting average was 290 and was good enough to play in the regular lineup. The Clovis Pioneers were a member of the West Texas/New Mexico League. We visited Borger, Pampa, Lamesa, Amarillo, and Albuquerque, all members of the same League.
In the military, I was eventually assigned to Clovis Army Air Force Base, later renamed Cannon AFB. I played for the base team traveling to many Air Force bases in the United States. After leaving the military in 1946, I was out of baseball for a few years, and farmed in the Grier, New Mexico area. While farming in 1947 I decided to tryout for the Clovis Pioneers Baseball team at age 31 and made it, playing two full seasons in 1947/48. Joe Dotlich was my first manager and later Grover Seitz a former Pampa manager became my manager. I was their catcher. My batting average was 290 and was good enough to play in the regular lineup. The Clovis Pioneers were a member of the West Texas/New Mexico League. We visited Borger, Pampa, Lamesa, Amarillo, and Albuquerque, all members of the same League.
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At one point Dizzy Dean, the great pitcher of the St. Louis Cardinals bought the Clovis club and his brother Paul Dean became their manager. This was after I left the club being replaced by another younger catcher, Frank Benitos.
At one point Dizzy Dean, the great pitcher of the St. Louis Cardinals bought the Clovis club and his brother Paul Dean became their manager. This was after I left the club being replaced by another younger catcher, Frank Benitos.
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My family left the farm in 1960 and moved to Victorville, California, taking a Civil Service job at George AFB, where we stayed until retirement in 1979. We returned to Clovis in 1979 and have resided here until the present time.
My family left the farm in 1960 and moved to Victorville, California, taking a Civil Service job at George AFB, where we stayed until retirement in 1979. We returned to Clovis in 1979 and have resided here until the present time.
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For your information I am 93 years old as of my birthday in April.
For your information I am 93 years old as of my birthday in April.
It is very nice to read your life stories Grandpa. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteLove,
Nikki
(Youngest Grand-daughter)
What a great story. I came across this while researching the Clovis Pioneers because the team is making a return in May of 2011 as a part of the Pecos League. Thanks for sharing this!
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