Published: July 12, 2008 12:28 am      

Logansport’s mid-summer ‘Classic’

On the Fourth of July we proudly celebrate our great nation’s independence.

This past Fourth happened to fall on a Friday and the weather was absolutely gorgeous. It was a perfect setting for one of the most memorable evenings ever at historic Crain Field in Fairview Park. It was 50 years ago that the vision, passion and determination of Don Crain became a reality and Logansport celebrated the opening of one of the best, if not the best, youth baseball fields in Indiana, and perhaps in the country.

It was in July of 1958 that opening day at Crain Field meant that for generations to come, Logansport’s grand Little League park would be home to growing youth baseball players and help bring families together to support the young aspirations of their sons (and daughters) that for many, would turn into an adult life filled with baseball knowledge to be passed on to others and memories that would last a life time. Yes, this event 50 years ago marked the beginning of Logansport as a true baseball town.

I wasn’t there for the opening of Crain Field in 1958, but did start my baseball career in 1963 as an 11 year-old striving to improve my baseball skills and enjoy the friendships of my teammates, coaches and even umpires. Little did I know that 45 years later I would still be enjoying all these things at this same ballpark.

My baseball career began here and is still in progress. I have played in over 230 games in Little League, Babe Ruth League, high school and American Legion baseball. I have coached in over 300 games, mostly at the Babe Ruth level, and have been an administrator in Babe Ruth and currently in our Cal Ripken Youth League. I began playing softball in 1972 and have played in approximately 2,100 games over the past 37 years. However, the ballgame I participated in this July 4 has to be the most memorable and enjoyable of all those games.

In celebrating 50 years of baseball at Crain Field, many players, coaches and umpires from 1958 and earlier were on hand to rekindle old memories. What a wonderful experience for all. I met ballplayers and coaches I had only heard of but never had the opportunity to meet. Mike Nicoll, who hit the first home run at Crain Field, was on hand and still hit the ball hard. So many others from the very “early” days that helped form the shape of baseball in Logansport like Jim Smith, Jake Timmons, Larry Firmani and Billy Shanks were also there. Even 86 year-old Max McCloskey, who ran the bulldozer to level the field during its construction, showed up to partake in the activities.

Everyone enjoyed a perfectly scripted, comedic theme of “old timer” events on the field created and produced by Mike Almon, currently a VP in the Cal Ripken Youth League. To help carry out these events like delivering oxygen to outfielders who may have extended their limitations in the pursuit of a fly ball, Milt Hess and Sam Tocco gave the fans a play-by-play account that even Harry Carry would be proud of. We even had an 83-year-old coach (Jake Timmons) get tossed by an 84-year-old umpire (Larry Firmani) from the game for smoking a cigar on the field. A Lou Pinella-type tantrum followed between the two that reminded me of a scene from “Grumpy Old Men”.

As I stood on the pitcher’s mound watching all this transpire, I knew this memory would be with me forever — one of those that could never be duplicated. That’s what this night was filled with: memories that could never be duplicated or replaced. The scratches and blood on “little” Billy Shanks’ face from falling down at first base after running “so fast” were a true testament of these great Logansport baseball pioneers love for the game and pride they took in playing on Crain Field.

We even had three generations of the Kinnaman family that played in the ballgame — Jim, Ron and our 12-year-old pinch runner, Cooper. It was also very evident that the youth watching and participating, not only were bridging the baseball generations, they found a new respect for these gentlemen that helped give them the baseball opportunities that they have today in their hometown.

Although those in attendance were only a very small percentage of the hundreds of others that were instrumental in the development of youth baseball in Logansport, they represented a truly solid foundation on which the youth of Logansport over the past 50 years have been able to follow. From the comments I heard that evening from so many that participated, this event may have served as the beginning of a new Fourth of July tradition at Crain Field because of the fun-filled night that rekindled memories of the “glory days” of our youth at the “ol’ ball park”. Play Ball!