Baseball History
Christian Brothers Baseball History 1930 - 1959 By James McNamara, Class of 1947 Joseph McNamara, Class of 1983 1 Introductory Note This is an attempt to chronicle the rich and colorful history of baseball played at Christian Brothers High School from the years 1930 to 1959. Much of the pertinent information for such an endeavor exists only in yearbooks or in scrapbooks from long ago. Baseball is a spring sport, and often yearbooks were published before the season’s completion. There are even years where yearbooks where not produced at all, as is the case for the years 1930 to 1947. Prep sports enjoyed widespread coverage in the local papers, especially during the hard years of the Great Depression and World War II. With the aid of old microfilm machines at the City Library, it was possible to resurrect some of those memorable games as told in the pages of the Sacramento Bee and Union newspapers. But perhaps the best mode of research, certainly the most enter- taining, is the actual testimony of the ballplayers themselves. Their recall of events from 50 plus years ago, even down to the most minor of details is simply astonishing. Special thanks to Kathleen Davis, Terri Barbeau, Joe Franzoia, Gil Urbano, Vince Pisani, Billy Rico, Joe Sheehan, and Frank McNamara for opening up their scrapbooks and sharing photographs. This document is by no means a complete or finished account. It is indeed a living document that requires additions, subtractions, and corrections to the ongoing narrative. Respectfully submitted, James McNamara, Class of 1947 Joseph McNamara, Class of 1983 2 1930 s the 1920’s came to a close, The Gaels of Christian Brothers High School A had built a fine tradition of baseball excellence unmatched in the Sacra- mento area.
[Show full text]