FARMBOY BASEBALL

Action Shot

In an ordinary year, local baseball fans would be following the NAIA World Series played annually at Lewis Clark State College in Lewiston, but this is no ordinary year. It’s all off because of the covid-19 pandemic.

My Aunt Ethel, my dad’s sister (1898-1980), loved baseball. She mentioned to me that there were baseball teams in the farming communities. She said that her brother Earle (my uncle, of course) had played on the Gilbert Cubs. She also loved to play and pitched to him so that he could practice.

Charlie McCoy & Earle Dobson

I kick myself now for not asking more questions. How many teams were there? How were they organized? Where did they get the equipment and the uniforms? How did they gather for team practice? How far did they travel for games? Was there a game schedule? Was there a tournament to determine an overall winner? Did people gather to watch the games?

Does anyone know the answers today? I missed the golden opportunity to learn more, and I have to say, it’s not the only opportunity I missed. When I began to be interested, to really wonder about these things, my sources were gone, never to return. I do regret that.

Earle Dobson at 16

Years later, I came across these photos of Uncle Earle and a family friend, Charles E. McCoy, practicing for the camera in the front yard at the farm in 1912. Earle was 16 and Charlie a year or two older. All I can say is, the photos meant something to me because of what Aunt Ethel said. I'm impressed that someone, probably Grandma Ina, went out to take these pictures. Note the photographer's shadow, especially in the second photo. KW

Update: The photo on the left above appeared in the "Blast from the Past" section of the Lewiston Tribune today. It was identified incorrectly there. Earle is on the ground and Charlie standing. I figure at this point it simply doesn't matter.