Newark leader. ([Newark, Ohio]) 1917-1946, 1941-06-05

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SPORTS
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Just about every year around
this time the athletic board of
Newark High school and | have
a little disagreement. Pm always
on the losing end, but | never
quit trying to show someone my
point of view.
Newark high, as famous with
its basket ball teams is just as
lax in proportion about its base
ball team. Newark high, the
school which packs football and
basketball addicts into it's stadi-
um and gymnasium is the same
school which does not have a
team for the baseball fan to en-
joy.
High school baseball has been
responsible for sending hundreds
of ball players into the majors
or high class minor leagues. A
baseball player makes very good
money. Just take Bobo Newson,
Bob Feller, Hank Greenberg, Joe
DiMaggio to name few. A base
ball player has a lot of advan-
tages and loves to play the game.
But does boy here in New
ark have a chance? Well, he
might in a remote way. A boy
might be born here in Newark
with exceptional ability to play
baseball and get hooked up with
a semi-pro team after showing
his ability in the American Le-
gion set-up. The Legion tries
hard to take up the slack of no
baseball team at high school, but
it is just a little too big job
for them alone. The organization
is the sole hope of a boy getting
a chance to start a baseball ca
reer here in our fair city. The
YMCA does it share too, but our
high school would be the real So
luton.
Bob Kline, now pitching for
Minneapolis in the American as
sociation got his start as a pit
cher in the Columbus Central
high school baseball team. High
school baseball started Kline out
into the baseball world.
High school baseball is the real
cradle of baseball. Here a boy
learns the fundamentals. He has
a coach to help him smooth out
his rough spots. He learns to en-
joy the heated competition to
earn a place as a regular. So
many of our baseball greats
have started that way. The last
major Lacquer Newark had was
Woody English.
Newark has had boys in school
with great baseball ability, but it
all went to waste. Look az Bob
Forgraves, Jesse Kinser, Eldon
Conley and Dee Smelling, who is
attending school at present. He
can really pole ball when ne
gets hold of it. Smelling with his
alertness and quick movements,
might easily become top-notch
shortstop or second baseman.
But by the time he gets out of
high school Pm afraid it will be
too late. They might save him
at college, however.
Freddy Myers is another fell
low with lot of talent. But he
never got a chance to go any
where.
Newark high is just about the
only Central Ohio League school
that does not have a baseball
team. The State High school
baseball tournament was held in
Columbus but the few good ball
players in Newark couldn't get
into it. If they had perhaps some
big league scout would have rec
ognized ability and same lad
would have been on his way.
Sophomores, juniors and SEN
iors at Newark high have an op-
portunity to organize teams
from members of their own clas-
ses-five inning affairs = and
they supply most of the equip
ment. Lack of high school base
ball kills the interest in the
game here. After all high school
students of today are the play
Ars and fans of tomorrow.