From the Hardwick Gazette, July 2, 1925
Home Town Celebration With a Good Baseball Game and Sports At Prospect Park in Afternoon.
A great many towns have their plans practically perfected for the observance of the glorious Fourth of July, with interesting programs of various kinds and forms, but none without a ball game. The Hardwick Camp, No. 7519, M. W. of A. [Modern Woodmen of America] have decided to stage a home town celebration, with not an elaborate program, but with few sports, such as foot races, potato and three-legged races, throwing baseball, etc., and it is hoped a tug-o’-war will take place at two and three o’clock at Prospect Park on July 4th—next Saturday, to which everybody, but more especially those who have not made any definite plans as to where they would go, and to those who plan to remain at home, whether in this town of or any of the nearby towns, are most cordially invited to come to Hardwick on the. Fourth and help the Woodmen properly observe this day.
There will be two prizes each for the potato race, the three-legged race, the 100-yard dash, the circling of the bases in the quickest time, throwing a baseball at a mark back of second base. Prizes have been donated by the different merchants in town.
Just a word now in regard to the present M. W. of A. baseball team, which is really the town team. It has been decided to confine the personnel of this team to M. W. of A. members, especially when playing strictly Woodmen Camp teams, and when playing other teams its equal.
Baseball is conceded generally to be the great national game of this country, and to make an effort to revive it in Hardwick, is the object of the M. W. of A. in organizing the team it has, with George T. Angell as manager. The Camp will not under any circumstances pay any officer, member or player any salary for services, neither will it secure a position for outside player, who may desire to play on this team, but the Camp does solicit the applications for membership in the Camp and thus secure players, who have an equal chance with others to try for positions on the team. It is the intention in thus stating this position taken by the Camp that it means to try and give the fans some good baseball this summer, and that it means business it has assumed the debt on the uniforms of the old town team, and therefore it asks the support of local fans.
Several of our neighboring towns are having a baseball revival of the strictly local-player proposition and it is having its good results. The local manager is doing all possible to secure a good schedule of games and is securing several dates for the near future, and all the Camp and manager ask of those interested is their hearty support. Some of games will be played on Saturday afternoon, others during midweek, starting at about 4:30 o’clock, and playing at least seven innings, an on midweek it will give the merchants and clerks, whose places of business close at five o’clock during the summer, an opportunity of seeing a home team with all loal players in games against visiting teams. Will the fans do this much for baseball in Hardwick?
We realize that it is quite a ittle distance to the park, but how long does it take for an auto to take you there? Two to five minutes, and no need to have to walk. The West End entrance only, should be used in entering the grounds and the Wolcott Street exit in leaving the grounds.
Everyone is invited to attend the Fourth, take part in the sports and have a regular home town celebration of the same kind. Ice cream and soft drinks will be serve on the grounds.
Let’s go!
The M. W. of A. team expects now to play the Fletcher team in that town next Sunday afternoon.
Paul Fixx is editor of The Hardwick Gazette and lives in Hardwick.
