CHAPTER
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CHAPTER
13
Garel Hauver's many news releases and numerous conversations with the writer provided details for the sports articles, except those with attributions.
Brunswick has always been known as a baseball town. As early as the 1890's Brunswick had teams, although they did not play in leagues.
Amos Kaplon, who died in 1987at the age of 98, was a leader in the town's baseball action in the early 1900's. A snapshot of the town team of 1909 to 1911 identifies Bob Orrison, Bill Wennerand George Wenner(of W. W. Wenner),JohnnyMcMurry, Myer Kaplon, Amos Kaplon, Bill Hightman, Harry Ayres, Carroll Marker, Beryl Beacht, Jim Bowers, Zeke Heaton Wenner, and a player named Long. Although Kaplon didn't play at Brunswick High School, he did play with top-notch town teams and made close encounters with baseball fame.
He recalled that they played on Wenner's Field, near the Acme. There were no salaries, but they played notable traveling clubs; so outstanding were they, that the Baltimore Sun sports editor used to call Mr. Kaplon for box scores. Kaplon managed the team; they were known as "Captain Kaplon and his Squad."
Brunswick played in the Blue Ridge League, which also included Hagerstown, Cumberland, and Frederick.
The team also played in the Western Maryland League and won the championship in their class. The Maryland League, Mr. Kaplon asserted, died when Brunswick's team dropped out.
In 1911, the Orioles played in the International League. Brunswick played the Orioles in Baltimore and WON—eight to four—in the Orioles' own park.
The Brunswick team played without salary. However, there was gambling on the games and when Brunswick won, the gamblers would pay the pitcher $10.
How good was this team? So good that when Lynchburg, champions of the Virginia League, were barnstorming, Brunswick shut them out—nine to nothing. Another time, the Nebraska Indians came to Brunswick, sending a man ahead to make arrangements. They traveled by private cars and collected big gates. Brunswick beat them also. And so good that the Baltimore Sun gave Brunswick columns in their coverage. Eight of Kaplon's players became semi-pro players.
Kaplon had his own brush with fame. Johnson City, Tennessee, of the Appalachian League came for Amos.
He also had an offer from Clark Griffith of the Washington, D.C., American League team. Amos was a pitcher. Once, a player wouldn't pitch because of cold feet, against the Washington Nationals of the American League. The fellow who recommended Amos had been pitching for Washington. Griffith asked to see Kaplon, who recalled being around fifteen or sixteen years old at the time. His parents would not permit him to go, of course.
Amos told of refusing another offer to play professional baseball because he was needed to help operate the family department store when his brother was in ill health.
With the change of managers, the Brunswick team's "golden age" seemed to slip away, awaiting another decade and another team.
There must have been other teams, but BHC files have no record until the Frederick County League was organized in 1921. Brunswick, Thurmont, Middletown, Emmitsburg, and Yellow Springs belonged. In the 1940's there was a Tri-County League, then Frederick County League and Maryland State League.
In 1959 in Sunday baseball games Brunswick went unbeaten with 18 wins. Billy Merriman pitched every game with his great fast ball and curve. Lee "Babo" Merriman was manager.
There was a Heart of Maryland League with Knoxville and Brunswick for six or seven years in the 1960.s'
Adult baseball returned in 1990 as a local team called the Brunswick Orioles not only competed in the Blue Ridge League, but won the play-offs to take the championship in its first year of participation. Other cities represented in the 6-team league are Lovettsville, Neersville, and Winchester, Virginia, Charles Town and Martinsburg, West Virginia. The Brunswick Orioles play their home games at the BHS field.
S - Amos Kaplon tape. W-MMM
The World Series of 1986 was the high point of Little League in Brunswick, after 33 years of involvement. This league began in Brunswick in 1954, one year ahead of Babe Ruth League. Some early coaches and managers were Marvin Younkins, Dutch Rau, Lee Merriman, George Merriman and "Doe" Forney. Clyde "Red" Hawes set a record, having managed and/or coached in Little League for 25 years before retiring.
George Raymond Albert was the League's first president. Emory Frye was the second, then Shelly Dawson, Richard Goodrich, Melvin Taylor, Wesley Rice, and Roy Moore. Emory V. Frye served as Little League District II Administrator for 20 years.
Brunswick Little League went to the World Series in Williamsport, Pa., in 1986 after winning the District II championship, Section I, Maryland State, and the Eastern Regional flags and the right to represent the east in the LL World Series.
One of four teams from the entire United States, members of that Brunswick World Series All-Star team were Jeff Cox, Matt Domer, Jason Frushour, Scotty Frye, Milt Gue, Joey Lucas, Kenny McLain, Mark Myers, Jeff Nuse, Jeff Oden, Chad Riland, Pat Smith, Chad Sowers, and Troy Taylor. Manager was Robert Dawson, Jr., and coach, Kenny McClain. No other District II or Frederick County team had made it to the World Series playoffs.
Paul Orrison had managed Brunswick Little League into its first two state championships in 1966, when Brunswick went to its first Eastern Regional playoff, and again in 1969.
The 1981 State Championship was managed by the late Ernie Bitler and the 1984 State Championship, by Poppy Lewis.
Richard Goodrich started Tee Ball for the sixand seven-year-olds.
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On March 29,1955, the Marva Babe Ruth League organizational meeting was held at the Moose Hall. Citizens of Lovettsville, Virginia, and Burkittsville, Point of Rocks, and Brunswick, Maryland, were involved at first, but eventually the 13 to 15-year olds were from Frederick and Washington Counties. (The name Marva had come from the two states participating. After Virginia was no longer involved, the league retained the name because of its nice sound for a Babe Ruth league.)
Brunswick had three of the teams, The Eagles, People's Home and Auto (later Furnishers), and The Moose.
Leading batter award in 1955 went to Ronnie Weddle of People's team with a .638 average for the season; best pitching record went to Dave Shewbridge. Most popular player plaque went to Ronnie Gilbert.
In 1961 Marva won its first State championship in all-star competition. Marva dominated the State title throughout the 60's winning state flags 1961, 1962,1964,1965, 1967, and 1968. In the 1965 and 1968 competition Marva went to Regional championship before being eliminated. In 1967 three 13year olds started on the state title team: Joey Himes, Mitch Deener, and P. L. Orrison. Another State championship came in the 13-15 year-old division in 1975.
A prep league was initiated in Babe Ruth in 1979 to give 13-year olds experience with their own age group on a major league-size field before playing with the 14 and 15 year-olds. In 1985 Marva's Prep league won district and state titles, then finished second to Port Chester, New York, in regional finals.
In 1987, the Marva prep 13-year old All Stars won the District, State, and Regional play-offs to become the only Marva team to advance to World Series play.
They won ten straight times in All-Star competition to earn the right to play in the World Series in Lebanon, Missouri. They won one game 9 to 3, but lost two games by only one run each game, thus were eliminated.
Players were Gil Ohler, Troy Taylor, Mark Myers, Jason Lucas, Brian Pottieger, Kevin Madara, Brad
Ranneberger, Mike Kelly, Brad Farrell, Steve Baker, Dave Bruchey, Mark Campbell, Scotty Frye, and Joey Lucas. Garel Hauver was manager. In 1989 Marva won State championship in the 14-15 year-old division. Brunwick players were Taylor, Myers, Campbell, Frye, and Joey Lucas (above list) and Kenny McClain, Jason Frushour, Matt Domer, with Coach Kenny McClain, Sr., and Manager Doug Campbell. In 1989 Marva Prep Team that won state honors was managed by Greg Barnes and included these Brunswick players: Kasey Farr, Richie Wilson, Richard Thompson, Clay Strickland, Dwain Stock- man, Ricky George, Jason Ricketts, and Gregg Barnes. This marked the first time both a Prep team and W - M M M a 14-15 year-old team of Brunswick won from the same league, MARVA.
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John Roland "Jack" Brady, once a student, later a teacher and coach at Brunswick High, recalls his senior year. "We had Edgar Burch; Harry George played second base, Jess Orndorff was pitching, Ernie Burch was catching. We won the county championship, first time in years; that was 1928- 29." After the school burned in February 1928, they practiced down along the tracks and played their games out on New Addition, on Brunswick's origi- nal baseball field, near the Acme Store site. When Jack Brady taught at BHS, they practiced some on the hill (Fourth Avenue school grounds), but played their games at Scheer Stadium. They "trotted" from high school to Scheer's carrying the balls and bats, then trotted back to take showers and then go home.
Ralph Manuel spoke of the championship his team won in 1953. He knew names and positions: Walter Lovelace, Gary Snoots, Billy Hoffman, Louie Dixon, Gary Cunningham. On the mound, Billy Babo Merriman: Every hitter in Frederick County knew that name, because that year Billy pitched a one-hitter and two no-hitters as the team won the county championship without a defeat. They beat Middletown 6-0.
That was the first of three straight championships at that time, because in the fall their soccer team won the championship.
In the winter they snapped Middletown's record of winning seven straight basketball championships and went to the State play-offs and won one game before they were annihilated by 40 points by Bruce High, but happy that nobody else got any closer to Bruce and Bruce won state.
Brunswick won the state championship in baseball in 1990, beating Smithsburg Class I-A state champs.
S - Tapes of Jack Brady and Ralph Manuel
Brunswick High School's first recognition in county soccer history, according to B.H.C. records, goes back to the 1930's, when Brunswick dominated the county in 1932 and 1933.
When Harry O. Smith coached soccer at Brunswick High those years, he produced county champions both times; the 1933 team also made state champsions when their season ended with an unbeaten 12 to 0. Players included Lawrence "Hammer" Orndorff, Harry Wood, Bud Walker, Nelson "Scotty" Strathern, Gordon gingham, Bill McLaughlin, Bill Jenkins, Ray Crabill, John Hammond, Edgar Looker, James gingham, Matthew Donaldson, Gerald Barnard, Carl McQuillen, Earl Nokes, Martin Garrett, Deray Lowry, Anthony Creamer, Ray Reynolds, and Donald Williams.
Coach Smith described Bud Walker as the best center half-back in the state of Maryland when they won the state title.
Two of the four years Smith coached here (1930-34) he played with the town soccer team in the McFadden League; Raymond Funk coached and managed the town team, which contained some of Smith's students. The soccer championships of 1939 and 1940 are discussed in the next article in this chapter. Members of the 1940 soccer team were Chester Riland, James Caniford, Edgar Virts, William Strathern, Sel Darr, John Schamel, Charles Webber, Arthur Snoots, Roger Himes, Lorraine Huffer, Hayes Huffer, Lee Axline, Adrian Reynolds, and Hillery Rockwell. Arvin P. Jones and Jack Brady coached. Garel Hauver called these records a sports legacy that should be remembered forever.
When football came to Brunswick High in 1968, interscholastic soccer was discontinued, but it made a comeback in the late 1970's. Potomac Valley Youth Association opened up a new beginning for soccer.
More recent All-MVAL and All-County players of note were Mike Gooch, Chris Jahnke, Chris Cusack, Will Pierce, Troy Remsburg, Rob Pellicott, Ronnie Humble, Brian Martin, and Chris Doyle.
Coach Alan Lescalleet deserves credit for bringing the squad up several notches to standard.
Girls' soccer is at the beginning stage, having been played only in 1987, 1988, and 1989.
S - BHS Records W -MMM
Nearly 60 years ago, Brunswick had a town football team.
In action during the 1930's and early 1940's, the team was the brainchild of Harvey "Sonny" Cannon, who planned and guided the project into fruition. After seeing several games at Frederick and Hagerstown, "Sonny's" thoughts clicked right along; soon the "only adult football team they ever had in Brunswick" according to Clyde "Red" Hawes, went into action. The team was called "The Brunswick Railroaders."
About 30 years were to pass before the local high school introduced football into the ahtletic curriculum.
At the outset, a coach from Shepherd College, John Newcombe, instructed the players on the rules and intricacies of football: positions, how to take a stance, how to maneuver in certain plays. Football in those days turned out to be more brute strength than finesse.
The first coach of the local team was Lee Horine, manager of Horine's Drug Store, which was owned by his father, Dr. Arlington Horine.
Outfitting a team is expensive. H. S. Bickle, General Secretary of the B&O YMCA, was helpful in financing equipment and uniforms for the team. Generosity notwithstanding, Bickle, who was also a minister, disapproved of playing football on Sundays at Scheer Stadium, which he helped build for the YMCA, and which he managed.
This glitch was overcome by scheduling games at Wenner's Field, where they played for three or four years. (The Acme market now stands on old Wenner's Field.)
Meanwhile, "Sonny" Cannon was eyeing the large swampy plot of ground beside the railroad track opposite City Park. The team drained it of water, then hauled 17 loads of cinders, a plentiful commodity at the time, then filled and leveled the area.
Mayor Mace helped by lending town equipment and building supplies. The players would work evenings until it was too dark to see, recalls H. Marion Burns, a member of the old Railroader football team. Burns also recalls that the bleachers and grandstand, along the street side of the field, were made from old railroad cars and from lumber donated by the B&O.
The Baltimore Firemen, Cumberland Colts, Highlandbown Wildcats, and Washington Navy Yard were among the competition for Brunswick, as well as teams from Winchester, Hagerstown, Frederick, Martinsburg, Charles Town, and Harpers Ferry. Brunswick's team did not belong to a league, but played as an independent.
Cannon served as general manager, taking care of all details, as well as playing. After several years of action, he began coaching. Another coach for a number of years wasJoseph Newcomer, a teacher at the local high school. He later turned to refereeing. "Sonny" referred to Newcomer as "the best coach we ever had."
Floyd Strickler sold tickets to games, and Bootsie Barger helped with promotion. Charlie and Billy McLane, William Strathern, and J. Beacht were ball boys.
Because of his exceptional play with the Railroaders, Glen McQuillen won a scholarship to Western Maryland College to play football. Also outstanding in baseball, he went to the major leagues with the St. Louis Browns.
The Brunswick football team broke up after playing twelve to fourteen years, as the players were getting beyond the preferred age and there were not enough new players to replace them. With the war in Europe in 1939 and a strong possibility of America's involvement, Uncle Sam was putting a dent into team membership. Like a shooting star across the sky, the game of football shone brightly and briefly, then disappeared into the abysmal darkness of World War II.
The memory of Brunswick's town team remains, and the following names, although the list is incomplete, will stir the memory of those old enough to remember the days of town football: Glenn, Carl and Jack McQuillen, Amy Cannon, Claudius Didiwick, "Piebaker" Smith, Goggy Smith, West Schnauffer, Ernest Houser, Frank Howe, Harmon Jones, Burton Langley, Boots McCormick, Dave McLane, Mack Cecil, Vincent Calhoun, Frank Hartman, Dickie Donovan, Marvin Younkins, Rube
Hawkins, Red Smith, Leroy Grams, Stopper Beacht, Charley Schamel, and Harvey Cannon.
S - The Brunswick Citizen W -MMM
The coming of football to B.H.S. was the fulfillment of a long-standing dream, realized through dedication, determination, and generosity of goodhearted small town folks.
In October 1966, PTA President Charles Smith appointed coach and teacher Herb Daugherty to chair a committee to determine the feasibility of adding football as a Brunswick High School sport.
County school administrators Superintendent John A. Carnochan and Frederick High School principal Warren Smith presented a bleak picture and set up conditions and guidelines by which to work. The determined Brunswick group incorporated as a non-profit organization, then secured approval of the organizational structure of the group, the group's purpose, and its method of operation.
Not only would money-raising activities need the approval of Dr. Carnochan and then-principal James Hess, but also all monies would be turned over to the school for disbursement. Financial assistance would be the limit of the local group's role; all other phases of the football program, including scheduling, coaching, and management of the games, would be out of their hands. For a school as small as Brunswick, football would be a very poor financial risk.
By January 1967, the initial committee reorganized into the Brunswick Football Boosters. The new group's first officers included Paul Orrison, president, Herb Daugherty, vice president, Bob Halley, secretary, and Bruce Porter, treasurer. Directors were Benny Harsh, Allen Phillips, Ronald Phillips, Marvin Metzgar, Charles C. Smith, Eugene Bowers, and Jim Bryan.
A majority of parents gave their approval, as did the school faculty.
The Boosters needed to raise $8500 to organize a team of 40 and maintain them for two years. (This would equal over $40,500 today—24 years later). Money earned from football those two beginning years allowed operations to continue. A feeler was thrown out to the public for a test try for $2000 to ascertain community interest. Soon 112 persons donated $2400, assuring the leaders of community interest. Candy sales, special basketball games, and professional wrestling matches earned another $2000.
Publicity from local newspaper and radio media helped immensely in raising the balance of funds needed. Jim Bryan, newspaper editor, and "Country Frank" Manthos, part owner and DJ at radio WTRI, were personally generous in free services and contributions.
By May 27, 1968, Football Booster president, Paul Orrison, presented a check for the required amount to the high school. For Coach Herb Daugherty, the achievement was a "dream come true." After serving in the U. S. military, Herb Daugherty graduated from Shepherd College, and ultimately returned to Brunswick, where he spearheaded the football drive. He was head coach when the first practices began in August 1968, with assistants Gene Foltz, Jim Frazer, and Butch Gaither. Throughout this long struggle, Judge William Wenner donated his expertise in handling corporate papers and other legal matters for the Boosters Club.
Before Brunswick's entry into county football, there were teams only in Frederick.
The Monocacy Valley Athletic League (MVAL) had its beginning with the start of football at Brunswick High. After their success, the local boosters helped other schools set up football programs. At Catoctin, Williamsport, Middletown, Linganore, and Walkersville, the Brunswick blueprint was used.
On game days at Brunswick, the Boosters directed the complete operation. Bruce Porter, Bob Halley, Benny Harsh, Jeff Cauley, Jesse Thompson, Charles Smith, Joe Gordon, and other Booster members, as well as their wives, sold tickets and programs, managed the crowds, and handled endless details that do not always seem important, but are.
Football is an expensive sport to maintain, so during home games admission tickets, game programs, and a concession stand helped support the program.
At first, Ronald "Philco" Phillips and others prepared a makeshift concession stand. The Boosters borrowed portable Coca Cola stands, hauling them over from Frederick for every home game. "Philco" and his wife, Dot, Red-and Teeny Phillips, Benny Harsh, Bruce Porter, Harvey Moore, Kenny Griffin, Floyd Smith, Robert Humerick and several others contributed to this successful money-raiser. Junior Moler, from whom supplies were obtained, always donated the ice necessary for the stand.
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Midget Football was begun in 1971 to provide a fall activity for youth and as a feeder team for the older group. Herb Daugherty, Bill Winn, Joe Gordon, Bob Ward, Garel Hauver, Wayne Mohler, and Donnie Wagner are among the life-giving forces of this organization.
The Mountain Valley Youth Football League was formed as a blanket group within which games are played. The season ends with a play-off among the four best teams of the league, and Brunswick has earned several championships. A Superbowl is played in the fall.
There is one team with three team levels: Pony, J.V. and Varsity. At present there 45, 20, and 20 members age eight to fourteen in the respective team levels.
Carroll Jones has been a longstanding president of the local football league.
S - Bob Ward and Carroll Jones W - M M M
Ancient man had to run to escape beasts. Later, running became a competitive sport. As early as 776 BC names of winners in track and field events were recorded; the event: Olympic games in Greece.
Cross-country running at BHS began in the early 1960's to condition athletes for other sports. Coach Delphey Gaither initiated running as an afterthought, thinking it would improve action in basketball and other sports. BHS competed only irregularly in cross-country running before moving to the present building in 1965.
Gaither's Maryland State championship crosscountry racing team of 1965 included James Cole, alarles "Turkey" King, Bobby Brooks, David Luman, Allen Edwards, Denny Dawson and Drew Orye; Eddie Hill was team manager. The 1966 winners included Bobby Brooks, Ray Gunter, Gordon Welch, Eddie Hill, John McMurry, Allen Edwards and David Luman. The latter team tied with Middletown in 1967.
Bobby Brooks was one of the best runners to compete in Maryland high school racing. For three years he was the State Class B cross-country champion and was runner-up once.
Jimmy Cole and Turkey King were two other top runners of the 1960's. Once they finished a race together ahead of the entire Middletown team. When cross-country meets began in Brunswick in 1965,
that year and the next two, Brunswick either won or shared the State Championship.
Around 1971 cross-country was discontinued as a interscholastic sport at BHS until 1978 when Lee Zumback became cross-country coach. By the following year he had organized a girls' cross-country team. In 1982 and 1983, the Brunswick girls' team captured State Championship titles. In the latter year they defeated Walkersville in state competition after having lost to that team in district competition.
The girls' 1982 team included Kelly Bennett, Holly Gladhill, Kelly Watson, Billie Jo Hoffman, Mary Strine, Josette Votipka, Jackie Stull, Andrea Drayer, Wendy Bernard, and Theresa Drayer, with Managers Dawn Stull and Angie Weddle.
The 1983 team included Bennett, Gladhill, Watson, Hoffman, Strine, Votipka, Stull, Drayer, and Laurie Renquist, with Dawn Stull as Manager.
In 1988 and 1989 the BHS boys' cross-country team was unbeaten and won two Class I-A State Championships.
Lori Price, in 1989 cross country, won the State Championship as an individual runner. In 1990 spring track, Price won the one-mile outdoor and the two-mile indoor runs for state championships.
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BHS Class of 1940 may have set a sports-winning record, according to Selden Darr, class president.
They were county soccer champs in 1939 and 1940. (They won a game in the state playoff, beating Carroll County, but lost to Hagerstown.)
In 1940 they not only won every game they played, but did not have a field goal scored against them the entire season until Maryland State School for the Deaf scored the first and only field goal against them.
They were county baseball champions in 1940, defeating Liberty High School three times, Lovettsville once (the first game was rained out), and Frederick, Thurmont, Middletown, Harpers Ferry, and Hagerstown twice each.
In both 1939 and 1940 they won softball championships—most of these players being also on the baseball team.
Likewise, their track team had a fantastic record. The 440 yard relay team, consisting of Charles Webber (leadoff man), Hayes Jim) Huffer, Chester Riland, and Doug Mills, broke the county record in 1939 with 47.0 seconds. They again won in 1940 with 46.0 seconds, another new county record. They set a state record with 46.2 seconds in 1939 and set a new state record of 45.8 in 1940. This record was eventually broken, but stood for years.
"Scotty" Strathern placed first in the 100-yard dash in 1939, while John Schamel placed second in county 100-yard dash competition.
Charles Webber and Hillery Rockwell placed first and second respectively in the running high jump at the 1939 and 1940 state meets.
S - Sel Darr W -MMM
Beautiful Scheer Stadium was lost forever with the construction of Brunswick High School and its athletic fields (open 1965). People who never saw that sports field were deprived of a visual feast.
The facility was named for E. W. Scheer, General Manager of the B&O RR, who sponsored sports activities for the workers' families.
Construction began in 1928 on the B&O farm and was completed for the 1929 season. Over $15,000 was spent for the ball park, which was declared—by locals for sure—as the best in the state. The stadium's dedication has been recalled by Jack Brady, who was a town athlete, a referee, and later a high school coach of championship teams.
There had been rain the night before the dedication and the grass was to be cut the morning of opening day. Bootsie Barger used his truck to cover the field with kerosene, for which he was the town's distributor. He burned off the oil to dry the field. This was Labor Day, 1928—we think—and Brady was refereeing the football game; that sport too was played on the baseball field.
It was Brunswick versus the Baltimore Firemen. Tired, with less than one minute to go, Brunswick had the ball on Baltimore's ten-yard line. On the fourth down they tried for a field goal. Marvin Younkins was on his knee for a placekick for the goal try. The center passed the ball (by mistake) to the kicker, Genie Walker. The lines were coming in after the defensive line charge. Genie dropkicked the ball; it was all he could do.
The ball went low; it hit Max Cecil on top of his helmet. It spun through the goal post for three points. Brunswick won the game!
Because September 2,1929, was advertised in a B&O publication for the "last baseball game of the
season," one might assume that a full season had been played. No mention is made of a dedication of the playfield. Yet Brady's account specifically mentions "dedication." It is possible that the stadium was begun early enough in 1928 to be ready for use by Labor Day that year.
Whether 1928 or 1929, that must have been a happy day for Brunswick.
S - John R. "Jack" Brady - Glenn Moler
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The Frederick County Sports Hall of Fame includes several Brunswick athletes: Glenn, Carl, and Jack McQuillen and "Babo" Merriman.
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A church basketball league began around 1962. It was popular quite a while, tapered off, then was revived around 1973. Today Rev. George Harpold keeps it going.
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Potomac Valley Youth Association includes basketball in its program.
In sports, civic organizations, churches, and the rest, there are always unsung heroes who helped get groups on their feet but for some reason are not in the public eye, do not make newspaper reports, and whose important role is not visible to the public.
For example, when Mrs. Draper Sutcliffe was chairman of the Band Boosters Fund-Raising Committee with Jeff Cauley as co-chair, the band uniforms were finally bought, but does anyone know how much time and energy the band boosters spent before the uniforms came?
Norman Dawson provided the portable dressing room (his truck) for a drum major to change into his football uniform. The right man was at the right place at the right time. A close call, but an unsung hero saved the day.
The need for lights on the football field was ultimately faced and solved. This was a community project and a number of people were responsible for finding the money for lights. Opening night found the field of students, relatives, and friends waiting for the switch to be thrown. How many can name those responsible for the fundraising for this project?
Jeff Cauley managed a Minor League team, worked with Little League and Babe Ruth. After the required money was raised and the big opening day arrived for the first games...there was no press box. Jeff and son Bill picked up a card table, grabbed somechairs, and the Wayne Hillsborrowed Sonny's towers and brought their own speaker system and —presto—a press box was ready in time for the kick-off. Lertie Powers announced, Bud Reynolds relayed the plays from the sidelines to the improvised "press box." The spectators never guessed the amount of hustling that went on behind the scenes, but they had a well-announced game.
Who lists the women who cooked the food and who knows who sold those sandwiches five years ago?
The volunteer drivers who picked up kids who had no other way to practice . . . from Virginia as well as Maryland . . . the parents who packed their station wagon with stem to stern kids . . . are surely on that unpublished list in the sky of "those who helped."
Who finally provided the press box? the concession stand? the score board? They keep working year after year without recognition—just the reward of seeing an event run smoothly.
So let's hear it for the behind-the-scene, unsung heroes that make things click: Hip, Hip, Hooray! What would sporting events be in Brunswick without them?
S - Interview with Ruby Cauley
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That after the [Brunswick Armistice Day Parade there was always a football game with the Army, Marine Corps, or some other military branch. They always sent their fourth string, and we still lost.
That Albert Orrison was mayor of Brunswick when Maple Avenue was concreted on two sides with dirt in the middle for horses, and also when Maryland Avenue was opened from Potomac Street to Hahn's Cafe (Petersville Road).
That Vern Thomas was the only person that could sit on theseat of a bicycle (one-geared) and pump up the dirt middle of Maple Avenue.
That when someone said "Blacksnake coming down the track," it meant that a coal train was moving on the railroad.
That the term "turn around " referred toany jobfrom a terminal, such as Brunswick, to a given destination and return, usually on the same day.
That the Alumni Association is preparing a time capsule to be buried at the B&O Station. Thecapsule will be opened in 2090.
That the area's first swimming "pool" was provided through the YMCA by Mr. Bickle, who arranged for Little Catoctin Creek to be dammed and who provided needed facilities.
5/21/07