Tingley Vindicator, May of 1904

Tingley has an athletic association that furnishes the lovers of baseball with good entertainment. The pitcher, Lloyd ANDERSON, is one of the best in the state. He has refused good offers from several leagues. The Tingley club has played several of the best clubs in southwest Iowa, such as Bedford, Mt. Ayr, Creston, Osceola, and Bethany, Missouri, winning from each some hard fought games.

The lineup of the Tingley club is as follows:

Tingley Vindicator, April 22, 1909

BROWN'S Tennessee Rats vs. Tingley at the Tingley Ball Park was arranged and will be the first game of the season. The members of the nine BROWN'S Tennessee Minstrel Co. will give an entertainment of musice and comedy at the opera house following the game. The "Rats" are a strong semi-professional teame composed of nine negro baseball players. Many people have not seen a negro team and they will finda them both capable and funny and the gate receipts will be divided between the nines.

Tingley Vindicator, April 22, 1909

Tingley won the first game played with the BROWN'S Tennessee Rats. The ball game was played in the rain and the score was 4 to 2. The BROWN'S Minstrels gave a very good performance at the Opera House. It was an evening of vocal and instrumental music and clog dancing.

During the summers of 1911 and 1912 Tingley had a salaried baseball team who played several games a week. This team had much success at winning tournaments.

The 1911 team opened its season with a 13 winning win over Bedford. Tingley ball players were ROBBINS, ASHMORE, DONNLEY, EWING, LEE, McDERMOTT, G. STEWART, JONES and C. STEWART. this team won a game 8-0 over the traveling American Bloomer Girls. The girls had beaten Van Wert and Grand River before arriving in Tingley. The team won 31 out of 39 games.

Many ball games were held in the summer, with the 15-16 year old boys playing as the Tingley Tigers, and the Tingley Cubs being boys about 10 years old. Admission was 5 and 10 cents with the ladied free!

The Tingley Cubs were Irvin BISCHOFF, catcher; Claude COFFMAN, pitcher; Harvey BISCHOFF, first base; GAVER, second base; THOMPSON, short stop; C. HAVER, third base; L. HAVER, right field; John HAUSZ, center field; Earl ROUSH, left field.

Tingley Vindicator, October 10, 1912

A basket ball team composed of the young men of Tingley was organized Tuesday evening with the following officers and members:

It was agreed to follow the instructions of the captain and manager in regard to who shall play. The name selected was "Tingley Wild Men." Games will be arranged soon with Bedford, Mt. Ayr, and other neighboring towns.

Tingley Vindicator, August 13, 1936

Last week the Tingley business men defeated the Ellston business men in kittenball in a score of 20 to 17. It was a very laughable affair, especially after Leon Hall began pitching for Tingley.

Tingley Vindicator, February 14, 1946

On Saturday night of this week there will be a basketball game at the Tingley H.S. gym between army and navy men of the local community. The proceeds from this game will go to the Legion Post for the promotion of athletics among local folks. These players are former service men of this community who helped with the big war. Come out and show your appreciation and help a good cause.

NOTE: Navy won with Billy BRECKENRIDGE, high point man with 10.

Tingley Vindicator, August 19, 1947

500 people were in attendance when Ernie JOHNSON'S Tingley Township softball team won the crown when they defeated Joe FETTY'S Rice team 9-5. Members were Warren GILES, catcher; Elbert SKARDA and Keith ROSS, pitchers; Ernie JOHNSON, 1st base; Harry SKARDA, 2nd base; Clare JOHNSON, 3rd base; Smiley JOHNSON, short stop; Donald, Lloyd and Neil WEEDA, outfielders.

The Tingley Topperetts won 2nd in the 8 different events of competition.

Marlene GILES won Horseshoe Pitching and Baseball Free Throws.

Sue RICHARDS won the foot race for girls 9 and under.

Linda RICHARDS was 2nd in the foot race for girls 10-11-12.

Kenny JOHNSON was 2nd in the foot race for boys 13-14.

Smiley JOHNSON was 1st in the Men's Free-for-All foot race.

Wayne HENSLEY'S "Heftys" from south of Highway 2 defeated Hershel MORRISON'S "Puffers" from north of High way 2 to win the tug of war.

Tingley Vindicator Abstract, 1948

Howard VERPLOEGH attended an intensified 10-day swimming instruction course in Illinois and taught free Red Cross lessons at the Mt. Ayr beach. Rides were pooled from Tingley andmany kids from the Tingley area learned to swim at the Mt. Ayr lake.

Remember HOW MANY kids HALM'S truck could haul? Vienna RICHARDS and Iola FERGUSON once hauled 13 kids in a car!

The women and girls organized a softball team the summer of 1948. They entered in a 7-team round robin tournament in Creston and handily beat the 3 Creston teams and gave Arispe their 1st defeat 14-9>

Team players were:

Margaret TROXELL, pitcher; Marlene GILES, cather; Cleone OVERHOLTZER, 1st base; Anne O'NEAL, 2nd base; Doris JOHNSON, 3rd base; Marian O'NEAL, short stop; Linda RICHARDS, left field; Marion REYNOLDS, center field; Joan HANNAH, right field; and Alberta DAILEY and Donna FERGUSON.

Town softball teams in the 1960's (men and women) were organized.

During the 1970's Tingley merchants sponsored a fast pitch mens softball team. Again in the 1980's yu can go to the Tingley softball field in the southeast part of town and watch the Lions men's team and women's softball team.

  SOURCE: Tingley, Iowa Centennial: 1883 - 1983. Pp. 169-70, 172, 175. PSI, Inc. Belmond IA. 1983.
Courtesy of Mount Ayr Public Library, September of 2011