Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1942-10-23
~
from the
Democrats Pen

bows came into my office on Monday
last. and asked me if 1 would give
them a write-up of football game
that would be played on October 81,
at the defunct Eastern Shore League
ball park. That's right, you guessed
my reply.
But, you know, it's awful easy when
man gets along about 40 or 50-ike
/ have-it's easy to allow his mind to
reminisce; and when those boys men
toned foot ball in Pocomoke, | didn't
do a thing but leap mentally into the
past and recall the only football game
ever played in POcomoke, and was
the only individual crazy enough to
attempt such feat as to play two
regular halves with only about 10
men, green as gourds, and scared to
death to boot.
The game-or what was supposed
to be a game-was pulled off in lot
down around the neighbOrhood where
people are now living in nice homes;
or it may have been where Pocomoke
had it's first decent base ball field,
foot of 4th Street. 1t was just about
10 wards too short, and, during the
game, we stepped off the yards, the
ward sticks soon getting out of COM
mission.
That game was miracle. 1t was
played by men-some of 'em, who had
never seen a football and who never
wanted to see one again after the
riot was over. They did not know the
rules and there wasn't much time to
teach them. Some of 'em couldn't
quite get used to the football tactics,
and it took some explanation to salts
fy them that when the opposing player
chucked him under the chin with
something that felt like flat iron
WHY, it was all fun. 1t was a prob
lem to show them that the game was
not a personal matter-it was sport.
recall one of the players, black
smith, whom we persuaded to go into
the line, because of his strong and
mighty arm" We told him we want
ed him to make hole in the line so
the man with the ball could get thru.
Of course, we didn't mention the diff
ficulties he might encounter from the
opposing line in his efforts to shove
'em out of the way.
This blacksmith was the late Mil
lard Hayman, a man who loved sports
and was a little eager to get into that
scrap to test his manhood against
what we told him he'd meet. But,
after the game! Willard said no more
football for him. He'd rather take
a chance of the sledge hammer handle
breaking and the balance of it hitting
him on the jaw. He said he'd seen
many a spark fly from the incandes-
cent metal when he struck it to forge
it into shape, but he saw more sparks
when some fellows knee hit him in
the course of a tackle;-so no more
football for him. That football field
was a hotter place to him than was
his forge to iron.
| have neglected to say the oppos-
ing team was from the Wilmington
Conference Academy-so-called at the
time-and they had a right hefty
bunch, and, in addition, knew some
thing of the game. We had one good
man who played quarter, and / don't
know whether he is living now or not.
He was young Boehm, from Snow
Hill, and he had learned the game at
st. Johns College. Burk Wharton,
one of University of Pennsylvania
famous linesmen, refereed the game,
and he was loud in his praises of this
young ball carrier.
/ could tell you a whole lot more
about this game, but want you all
to remember Saturday the 31st. The
CAMP DoyS dL WOoCONCI arc " pay
another camp, and there are lots of
boys in these naval and army outfits
who know the game and you'll see
some interesting, and, to many, novel
sort of pastime in the way of college
and professional contests.
I understand the proceeds will go
towards the purchase of equipment.
According to the khaki boys, Uncle
Sam doesn't foot all the bills, and the
players are taking this means of
raising some money to help out There
is a regular schedule of games, and
it is likely most of them will be play
ed on the old ball field out Clarke
Avenue. Don't fail to patronize them,