The globe-independent. (Hagerstown, Md.) 1943-19??, 1944-05-04
BEHIND
HOME PLATE
BY DOUG STEWART


ting out sports column for week
ly paper, is the fact that, too often
important events take place be-
tween the time one weeks paper
goes to press and the next weeks
issue comes out.
This sheet is printed Wednesday
nights and this weeks issue was
coming off the press, just as the
umpire called play ball" for the
opening game of the 1914 Interstate
League season. So, as l can't dis
cuss the opening game, let's tell you
a little about what happened at the
informal get together of baseball
fans and the "Owls" management at
the City Hall last week.
Although a disappointingly small
crowd turned out, those who did
show up, heard a frank and full dis
cussion of baseball problems, as
they affect both the fans and the
management.
Roy Letter opened proceedings
with brief history Of the Hagers-
town Field Athletic Association, a
non-profit organization, whose Off
GERS serve without pay. Mr.. Letter
explained that the stadium site was
acquired through the liberality of a
group of Hagerstown citizens, who
raised fund of 100000 After the
property was bought it was decided
to the city, who in turn gave the
association long-term lease on the
property, thus assuring the opera
ton of the ball park, free of all po-
litical influence.
The association is charged with
keeping the property in good repair
and seeing to it that it is rented to
those who will give the people of
Hagerstown the best in sports and
entertainment.
Owner Sterling then took the
floor and told something of how he
came to bring the "Owls" to Ha-
gerstown.
He said that some time ago he
was operating a semi-pro team as a
hobby, while he was engaged in the
lumber business. Then he got into
professional ball and operated a.
team whose home town was Sun
bury. While the Sunbury fans were
loyal and enthusiastic, there were
not enough of them and, as re-
suit, he found himself very much in
the red.
One day, while talking to Mr..
Daniels, of the Edna Lumber Com
pany, the question of Hagerstown
as a baseball town came up and Mr..
Daniels opined that it was just the
spot. Sterling, after discussing the
matter further with Earl Mack of
the Athletics, decided to make the
move and so the Owls became Ha-
gerstown's home team.
One point Mr.. Sterling brought
out very clearly. He made it plain
that while he operated the club, he
left the management of the team
strictly up to his manager (some
fans might remember this when
they feel like jumping on the own
er when the club isn't going just
like they want it toy.
During the meeting, the question
of the Knothole Gang was brought
up and, after a brief discussion,
Councilman Hellane and your tru-
ly were appointed to get together
with Mr.. Sterling and discuss the
matter further. We met with Mr..
Sterling last Saturday afternoon
and after considering his PROPOSE
ton, we decided to drop the matter
for the time being at least.
We found Mr.. Sterling sympa-
thetic to the movement and anxious
to go along with us, but he felt that
he could not, at this time, offer a
knohole sponsoring organization, a.
season franchise for fiat sum low
enough to make it workable, al
though he was willing to admit
members of a knothole gang at a
flat, tax-free rate of fifteen cents
(children's admission price is 25c).
Since such proposal would en-
tail endless bookkeeping, to say
nothing of the possibility of it cost
ing the sponsor more than he bar
gained for GOO boys at 15c would
be $50 and so home games at $50
would be $4,000, it was decided to
drop the matter for the present, in
the hope that the league would get
round to the idea of sponsoring
knothole gangs all over the circuit
Cast year Wilmington was the only
team with gang).
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