College Hill Chix
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HARRISBURG'S SARAH JONES • FOOTBALL'S OFF-SEASON • AT THE MOVIES SOUTH CENTRAL MAGAZINE APRIL 1988 AL.TJ1 •JILL J Photos by Jeffrey King. Archival photos supplied by Neil Grimes and Ray Deck. BY BRIAN L. CLARK DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER The baseball memoirs of the College Hill Chix Whoever wants to know the heart and mind of America had better learn baseball, the rules and realities of the game—and do it by watching first some high school or small-town teams. Coble Grimes Stadium now . and then. —Jacques Barzun, God's Country and Mine, 1954 APPRISE APRIL 1988 51 Jimmy Miller Carlos Luciotti Buck Fields Hello, baseball fans, and wel- played for Wilkes-Barre in the Class in this town. And as they're coming come to Fredericksburg, Pennsylva- A Eastern League. It's said that back from the service," I said, "it nia, for a banner night of baseball three of his home runs were the wouldn't take them very long to get back into shape." tales with the College Hill Chix. longest balls ever hit in three of that Your lineup for this evening's session league's stadiums. So the dream became a team. Charlie is as follows. This evening's newspaper com- managed and ran it, and Coble [Charlie's In right field, at age 65, Buck mentary is brought to you courtesy of brother] provided financial support. The Fields. A leadoff hitter with good the late Tiny Parry, former sports first season was spent playing exhibition speed, Buck played a big part in the editor for the Lebanon Daily News. games against established semi-pro teams Chix's 1948 state championship sea- from other towns. son, which culminated with a fourth- place finish at the national tourna- * * * * ment in Wichita, Kansas. he Chix history goes back to June 11, 1945 May of 1945. Germany had Behind the plate, at age 71, just surrendered, and it seemed Ray Deck. Ray played through the T only a matter of time before the war with CHIX 1947 season, after which he says he Japan would be over. Meanwhile, troops just decided to quit—cold turkey. So were coming back to the area, looking OPEN SEASON cold, in fact, that he just took his for jobs and something to do. What they spikes and his glove out to the fire- found were factories, farms, and a man WITH interested in starting a semi-pro baseball place and burned them. No ill /eel- team. 11-4 WIN ings, it was just time. On May 16th of that year, a small At/irstbase, yo-year-oId Carlos article appeared in the Lebanon Daily OVERCRESSONA "Lucy" Luciotti. A jovial character News which invited local and county Semi-pro baseball was introduced to local fans Saturday afternoon when with an infectious laugh that rivals ballplayers to an open practice at Fred- about 500 of them turned out to witness Santa's on his best day, he helped ericksburg High School. the College Hill Chix come from behind to trounce a strong Cressona Ordnance organise the Chix. Carlos quit play- nine, 11-4 on the Lebanon High stadium ing in 1947 to become the team's field .... scorekeeper. He loves to tell a good story. BALL PLAYERS Starting at second base, age 73, That summer, the Chix continued Jimmy Miller. An in/ielder who left TO DRILL on, winning more often than not. As the home to play minor league ball at age AT season drew to a close and the Chix 17, Jimmy's career included stops in began to gather confidence, they sched- uled baseball "events" against the Elmira, New York; Asheville, North FREDERICKSBURG barnstormers—professional teams that Carolina; Greensboro, North Caro- traveled the country, looking for exhibi- lina; and Columbus, Georgia. Miller ... If the turnout warrants continued interest by the willing sponsor of such a tion games. The Chix beat the two signed with the Chix in 1945 after he team, efforts will be made immediately traveling teams they played in their first returned from the war in Europe. to draw up a season schedule for twi- season; victories that were like icing on light and weekend games in this vicinity the cake for the semi-pro team from And pitching tonight, at the age this season and baseball fans may be of 61, Luther "Lut" Soliday, who offered some attractive and interesting Fredericksburg, as they ended a very suc- exhibitions of their favorite sport. cessful inaugural campaign. joined the Chix in 1947. Luther, a The opening of the '46 season found good pitcher, has one rather dubious the Chix competing in the Bi-County claim to fame: giving up what's League with teams from Lebanon and jokingly referred to as the "longest The willing sponsors were Charlie Schuylkill counties. But the Chix's fol- home run ever hit." It was hit by and Coble Crimes, and the team was the lowing had outgrown the facilities offered by the Lebanon High School Stadium, "Suitcase" Simpson of the Philadel- College Hill Chix. and people began to feel they needed a phia Stars, a team from the Negro CARLOS: Charlie asked me one time, home of their own. So through the National League. In Luther's de- he said, "Carlos," he said, "I would like efforts of Tiny Parry, with the financial fense, he's not alone. Simpson later to organize a team." I said, "Charlie, backing of Coble Grimes and the help of sounds good." He asked if I would help. the Lebanon School Board, a stadium Brian L. Clark is associate editor of I told him, I said, "Charlie," I said, "you was built, and on June 16, 1946, the APPRISE. know, there's a lot of good ballplayers Chix moved in. The story went like this: APPRISE APRIL 1988 53 Fredericksburg, more like a shell than an "Do anything you can get away actual stadium. It's inoffensive-looking— with." It's an old baseball axiom that a on the outside. Inside, it's a graveyard— lot of players still follow. Some will do CORNWALL for automobiles, and old baseball just about anything to gain that little memories. edge. TRIPS CHIX, 2-0 On the grounds, between deterior- Imagine everyone's surprise in ating cars, the stadium's current inhabi- 1974, when New York Yankee third AS 3,000 tants scamper through the tall grass. baseman Graig Nettles had the butt end THRONG STADIUM Packing the grandstand, rows of old of his bat break off to reveal a barrel automobile rims peer out through the loaded with Super Balls. Just last year, rusty backstop onto what was the play- Billy Hatcher of the Houston Astros was Brilliant Twelve Inning ing field. suspended when a bat he was using Game Features Opening Of The southwest corner of the stadium broke (it wasn't his, it was teammate New Coble Grimes Stadium was the home plate area; the place where Dave Smith's), and was found to be At Fredericksburg a moody sort, name of "Snowball" stuffed with cork. These little tricks, it is Klepper, pitched to hitters the same way believed, make the bat more lively. On Sunday- he negotiated with owners—hard and Cheating among hitters has encour- Miners Tie For Loop Lead fast. It's said that "Snowball" pitched aged cheating among pitchers—or vice By Virtue Of Victory whenever he wanted, for whoever paid versa. After all, pitchers have to make a Cornwall's Miners jumped into a tie the most that particular day. living too, and they can't do it if hitters with St. Clair for leadership of the hotly It's the place where the brother of have an unfair advantage. So they "scuff" contested Bi-County League by defeating Carl Furillo (of the Brooklyn/Los the ball. Hitters say "scuffing" makes the the strong College Hill Chix 2-0 in a Angeles Dodgers) was "hired" by the ball do funny things. brilliantly played twelve inning battle Sunday, as 3,000 rabid fens jam-packed Chix to pitch against Tremont, and had Every year, Mike Scott of the Astros the new Coble Grimes Stadium at Fred- to leave early in the game after he took a is accused of "scuffing" the ball. And ericksburg as the Chix dedicated their pitched ball in the ribs while batting. last season, pitchers Joe Neikro of the new home .... The partially completed Carl, also known as the "Reading Rifle," Minnesota Twins and Kevin Gross of the stadium was officially dedicated to the national pastime prior to the opening of spent 15 seasons with the Dodgers. That Philadelphia Phillies were caught red- the game as both teams marched to the day, his brother lasted about 15 pitches handed with abrasive substances that flagpole to the music of Cook's German with the Chix. "could have been used" to alter the Band who also entertained during the It's the place where the local favor- smooth surface of the ball. Some say the innings of the contest.... ites from the Bi-County League were effects are psychological. almost as popular as the big leaguers. They were "ballplayers." No plink of RAY: We often talk about the big fuss in aluminum bats, no big contracts, arti- Except for the final score, it was a big league ball today about scuffing the ficial turf or rubber spikes here—just proud day in Fredericksburg when Coble baseball. What the hell are they talking locals playing real, down-in-the-dirt and Charlie Grimes opened their brand about?... We didn't know anything but baseball.