- The First Seventy-five Years in the Sanborn Community (1878-1953) -
The Big Ball Game
From Sheldon Mail of Aug. 9, 1912
One of the most interesting games of the season is scheduled to take place at the Sheldon ball park Aug. 22, when the Sheldon and Sanborn teams meet for their third game of the year, a purse of $1000 having been posted. The unsatisfactory outcome of the game July 4 is responsible for scheduling of the game. It will be remembered that Sanborn withdrew during the sixth inning on account of a decision by the umpire.
Sheldon Mail - Aug. 23, 1912
Sheldon 5, Sanborn 9. That is the result of the $1000 baseball game played yesterday afternoon at the Sheldon ball park.
Sanborn Wins $1000 Purse in One Sided Game with Sheldon
Sanborn Boys Outclassed Sheldon
Team at Every Stage of Game
The third and last act of the sad little playlet entitled “Taking Candy From a Kid” was staged at Sheldon last Thursday with the Sanborn ball team in the leading role. Sheldon as “the kid” played their part perfectly in fact rather overdone it, as they are still crying and holding back all concession money and grandstand receipts, not seeming to realize that the play is over, the curtain gone down, the audience dispersed, and the overwhelming defeat of their ball team now simply an episode in local history.
Thursday afternoon the Sanborn ball team accompanied by the local ball fans, invaded the camp of the enemy, which was guarded by Co. E’s ball team and in the words of that great Roman general, Caesar, “Veni, Vidi, Vici” (I came, I saw, I conquered) or translated into the baseball language of a ball fan, “I was robbed, I challenged, We defeated them.”
Much excitement was caused by the local enthusiasm for their favorite players but there has never been any doubt as to our sure victory in the minds of those who had seen the Sanborn team before this season, in fact so sure were local supporters of this victory that they made all arrangements for a banquet that evening in honor of our ball team.
Sanborn as usual played the same fast snappy errorless ball which they have played all the season and which has enabled them to defeat every team that has played against them. This is much to their credit when you realize the youthfulness of the members - four still in High school and our pitcher only seventeen years old. Yet under the stress and excitement of the game they held themselves in reserve and always had “just a little bit more” when needed. For Sheldon Percy Kings pitched a fine game and fielded his position in good shape but a pitcher must have some assistance to win a game and this help must be the ability of the individual players on the field and not in dependence on the blindness of a friendly umpire or the reputation of a hired coach on the side lines. The only Sheldon player who really showed up at all as help to Kings was left fielder Christiany, who by a remarkable catch of Solon’s long hit saved two scores from being made.
Our share of purse was $1,372.63, low estimate of local winnings $2,500.00. Home Run (Vic) Powers added another trophy to his collection. A Home Run with two men on base is a hit when needed.
Primghar being only nine miles away, the noise of the celebration at Sanborn was easily heard.
Not very long ago we were reading about the “Divine Rights” of the trusts. See any similitude in Sheldon’s “Divine Right” to the grand stand receipts? One Sanborn back and heavy winner is sporting a new $150 Howard watch with the following engraving on the case: “Purchased with Co. E. E.Z. money.”
Manager Omer received a postcard from Primghar Monday, reading as follows: “Congratulations on winning Sheldon game. We are just as happy as you are.”
The Sanborn ball team finished the season in a very prosperous financial condition - about $2,000 in the treasury - thanks to the $1,400 of easy money from Sheldon.
All the world admires a square sport and good loser. Sheldon loses this admiration by such deals as claiming all the money obtained from refreshment stands and grand stand receipts. There was a man on the bleachers who was a stranger and he bet $5.00 on Sheldon just to have an interest in the game. But when we were refused a runner for our crippled shortstop, Butler, he said, “That may be baseball but it is not square sport. I hope I lose my money. I want to see Sanborn win.” And he did.
The few people who were left in Sanborn the day of the game were kept informed of each play as made, each ball pitched and each hit made, by the kindness of our progressive telephone manager, W.H. Barker. Mr. Barker had a wire run to the grand stand at Sheldon and personally sent the most complete returns. This was greatly appreciated by the aforesaid unfortunates who had to stay home. It is this spirit of thoughtfulness for the comfort of others that makes true friends and shows the broadness of some people.
Can anyone of the 2200 people who witnessed the game at Sheldon see any reason why Sheldon backers should have objected to our choice of Father McNally as umpire? And did you ever see a squarer deal or a better job of umpiring? Yet some of the Sheldon backers used every means in their power to have us substitute another umpire. But our Manager stood pat and said, “McNally umpires and your dear Tony Smith does not sit on the bench to coach.” So
