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Show 2B Sun Advocate. Price, Utah Tuesday, September 4, 1990 f Baseball veterans recall the game in good old days By WALT BORLA Correspondent HELPER Two veterans of the baseball diamonds of Carbon County got together last week to present the Helper Mining and Railroad Museum with the pitching rubber used on the Mohrland diamond in the late 1920s and early '30s. Occie Evans of Salt Lake City and Joe Myers of Helper gave the museum a pitching plate, nothing more than a weather beaten block of wood. Evans explained that in those days, a slice off an old truck inner tube was tacked to the top of the block of wood and this was essentially "the pitching rubber. Myers and Evans were diamond rivals on various baseball teams in this area, an era when every mining camp had a baseball team and the Sunday afternoon games were the big event of the summer seasoa Evans brought the plate to Helper during a visit he and his wife, Dorothy, made to watch the University of Utah football team at their Camp Carbon training sessions at the College of Eastern Utah. One of their grandsons is a trainer for the squad. He explained just how he came to acquire the historic pitching mound. I met Greg Passic several THANK YOU We would like to give a heart felt thanks to Dennis Christensen, Starsky and Hutch and all others involved in the safe return of our daughter. Walt & Sincerely, Nanette Smith that offered him the best lob, Myers later accepted employment as a fireman-enginefor the Rio Grande in Helper, years ago when he was workwith the Salt ing part-tim- e Lake County Sheriffs Department while attending the of Utah. I came down to this area with him at one time to visit his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Albert Passic of Price, and I asked that he take me to the old abandoned town-sit- e of Mohrland just over the mountains south of Hiawatha. My interest there was the fact that I lived in the boarding house one summer and played baseball for the Mohrland team, later commuting from Salt Lake City every weekend to continue playing for them. "This was back in 1927. I showed Greg the area where the baseball diamond once was in the mining camp and he would not believe me as it is now nothing but a patch of sagebrush and undergrowth. To prove to Greg that this was indeed a baseball field, I went out to where the mound once was and began kicking into the dirt and there it was, the block of wood that served as the pitching plate. Years later, I casually mentioned to Jim Lupo, former Helper resident and now a restaurant operator in Salt Lake City, and Myers that I had the block of wood. They suggested that we present it to the museum, where it could be displayed in the room that holds a collection of baseball memorabilia from the heydays of mining and railroading in the area." In accepting the pitching plate, museum manager Carolyn Birch said it would become a prominent part of the collection of sports articles, pictures er Uni-verio- ty where he continued to play basebaU. Following service in Europe with the Army in World War n, he returned to Helper and joined the local police force following a brief interest in private business. During their careers as law enforcement officers, both were prominent uniformed figures at sporting events, directing traffic, keeping peace and order and at the same time, getting a birds eye view of what was taking place on the field or basketball court Carolyn Birch accepts pitching plate" from Occie Evans, Shorty Maulsby, Red Hall, Boyd Lindsey, J. Bracken Lee, Frank Zaccaria, George Slu-gLuke Cormani, Earl Owen, Jackie Ridd, Ken Price, Fred Tedesco, Ralph Crowton, Pete Tabone, Johnny Allison and many more came to mind. a, I remember playing against Brack Lee, who was to go on to become governor of Utah, in the last game he ever played in the county," Evans recalled. In fact, I remember one game in Price where one of the rabid fans of the home team unleashed his dog and sent him after me after a controversy on the field. Baseball was taken seriously in those days as all the mining camps, Helper and Price, all strove to come up with the best team, often times bringing in what we called ringers to bolster the hometown team. In fact, I guess I could of been classified as a ringer on the Mohrland team. Kenilworth, Sunnyside, Mohrland, Hiawatha, Castle Gate, the mining camps all had the advantage of available jobs around the mines for h players willing to and trophies that have an integral part of the museum, attracting the attention of visitors each summer. Over breakfast after the become presentation, Evans and Myers began reminiscing about their baseball careers and the players they had come in contact with way back then. Names such as Joe Dudler, Lefty Klecker, Ed Marchetti, Joe come into the area. Helper used this means to good advantage with the offer of jobs on the railroad. Ironically, the careers of the e baseball rivals continued to parallel in law enforcement. Evans served as a Salt Lake County deputy sheriff for 33 years before retiring, and Myers retired as police chief of Helper after 26 years on the force. Both had a fling at professional baseball in their younger days, Evans with the Seattle and Oakland teams in the Pacific Coast League and Myers with the Chicago Cubs organization. Evans recalled playing with Bakersfield in a Class C league in California when the parent Oakland team called him up to play in the Coast two old-tim- League. At the same time, I received a phone call from Magna saying there was an offer from Utah Copper for a e job if I would play for full-tim- and Jim in the Utah Industrial League. I jumped at the opportunity to return to Magna-Garfiel- d e Utah and employment. At Magna, I met the daughter of one of the officials of the Utah Copper Corporation and we have been happily married for 53 years now," Evans said. Myers, a native of Park City, spent a portion of his full-tim- childhood in Bingham Canyon, the family later coming to Sunnyside and then making a move to Los Angeles where he attended high school. His scholastic baseball achievements attracted the attention of scouts for the Los Angeles Cubs of the Chicago chain at that time and he signed to play for them. After several seasons in Class C baseball and a shot at the big team, Mayers returned to Carbon County with his family. Working in the mines and playing for the various teams top-notc- HIGH 12 TO CERTIFICATE OF DEPOSIT 18-MON- TH U.S. Certificate US. Bank of Deposit provides a high earning investment with low risk. Hie interest rate at the lime of may vary for this purchase certificate, but once purchased the rate does not change through maturity. The available interest rate is established on the first day of each month. Interest Is compounded daily and can be added to your certificate monthly, quarterly or paid at maturity. You may receive the interest by check or have it added to another US. Bank of Utah Certificate account Our may be renewed automatically. Tlx minimum deposit is $100 Bank's CerU.S. Bank's tificate of Deposit provides the small saver a high earning investment. This certificate may be purchased for as little as $100. The interest rale may vary, and it is determined each month. The rate offered on the dale of purchase will remain in effect for the term of the certificate. Interest is compounded daily and paid quarterly. It can be added to your principal quarterly, paid by check, or credited to another U.S. Bank of Utah ac- Bank of Utah account. count. 8.06 7.75 Annual Yluld Annual Rata Annual Yield baseball player, Occie Evans, poses with Earl Bolyard, manager of the Salt Lake Bees. A young 8.50 Annual Rate N ituf Your deposits held at U.S. Bank are Insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation up to SlOO.OOO per depositor. I mMmMI ptmltf M It UmmO In nlfnt It rtMimL IlilM m t) IANK s HORSE OWNERS ATTENTION TACK SADDLE AUCTION U. N S N S Lots of SILVER SHOW tack, grooming Items and everyday using stuff. Gt N Bank of Utah A U.S. Bancorp Company Member FDIC. Equal Opportunity Lender. Price Branch ALL NEW WESTERN SADDLES HAVE WRITTEN FIVE YEAR GUARANTEE J f RX3 494 East Main Price, Utah M501 (SOI) N $37-735- 6 Branches also listed in the following cities: Nest Jordan Bfanch N Over $40,000.00 worth Of ALL BRAND NEW TACK and SADDLES from such famous names as Billy Cook, Circle Y, and Texas Saddlery Companies. U.S. lit laki City Bfanch Hanson said in the future, the goal for the property is to have a Study Area as part of the districts outdoor educational program. Buildings will be constructed in the area for this purpose Science-Environment- al 8.87 Your deposits held at U.S. Bank are Insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation up to SlOO.OOO per depositor. S wO'UMul nri M It KmS In ttri nnoiiwt. Mtl m VflM MlfKt li (kjayt. Your deposits heM at U.S. Bank are Insured by the Federal Deposit Insuranco Corporation up to sioo.ono per depositor. I nMM ,mi Mf St Hilt In Nrir Sun mi turn wtpd w (baft. - Superintendent Robert Tht minimum deposit is $100 The minimum deposit is $100 Both men were infielders, at third base primarily and Evans at second. The latter was noted for his speed on the bases and was an expert at laying down a drag bunt and beating it out for a hit. Myers recalled, I remember the time you squared off to bunt and I came charging in from third. You stood up and hit a line shot that hit me in the Adams apple. I still threw you out at first, although I was almost unconcious." Evans came back recalling his last fling at pro ball. I was 26 at the time in Omaha, Neb. The scout asked how old I was and I replied, 21, he remembered. "Tell them youre 19, the scout replied, invoking the old adage of a players baseball age as against his actual age. One of the most unforgettable characters I remember from my days at Mohrland was our centerfielder, the late. Lefty Klecker,' and Ids never ending stories of his youth in Kansas City where he played baseball with Casey Stengel and knew Harry Truman," Evans concluded. Myers playing A ribbon cutting ceremony is planned for the new access road to property owned by the Carbon County School District in Scofield at 1 p.m. on Sept. 15. The district recently finished negotiations with the Alpine School District for a right of way to the property. The Price National Guard Unit has been responsible for constructing the new road. Tne property has been previously used for elementary students to participate in' summer science Btudy camps. But the area has no permanent facilities, and access to the area was difficult. CERTIFICATE OF DEPOSIT to house." By JAN HALLIDAY Staff writer Certificate provides flexibility in choosing the length of tune you have your funds on deposit. At the ume tune you earn high interest rates. The interest rate offered may vary monthly. However, once you purchase the certificate the rate does not change through maturity. Interest is compounded daily and paid quarterly. Interest may be added to the principal or you may choose 10 receive a check or have the interest added to another U.S. 12- - bed-bug- School board to open road 30-MON- TH CERTIFICATE OF DEPOSIT Asked what he remembered best of the summer of 1927 when he lived in the boarding house at Mohrland, Evans replied, It wasnt something that happened on the diamond or at work, it was those s we fought darned every night in the boarding American Fork Branch Brigham City Branch Orem Branch - NO PERSONAL CHECKS - CREDIT CARDS OK ADD 5 TERMS: CASH S S VETERAN MEMORIAL BLDG s Logan Branch !N S Preview from 6 PM N !S Hcfladay Branch 7 PM TUESDAY SEPT. 11th ' 735 NORTH 400 EAST, SPANISH FORK TELEPHONE 714 6813990 AUCTIONEER, S. C. ROGERS . & |