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Centennial History Book
Good times and relaxation were provided by ENTERTAINMENT
Farnam had a baseball team as early as 1886. It consisted of John Dawson, Joe Harrop, Milton Stebbins, Frank Hawkenberry, Harry Hall, Joe Tillotson, Enoc Woolman, Willis Stebbins, and Jack Colligan. Baseball was played whenever enough players would be together to get up a game.
Baseball games have been played in the southwest part of town on a lot that is located east of Bernie Lindvall’s house. There was another field located east of Orvale Widick’s barn in the southeast part of town. In the forties a pasture was used northwest of Farnam. It is located west of Marcus Gaudreault’s farm home about a half of a mile. In the late forties land was acquired north of the present Farnam School football field.
A bit of poetry that was written by John Murphy on December 21st, 1895 called After the Ball Parody, gives us a picture of the players of that time and their abilities. This was published in The Farnam Echo on July 3Oth, 1936.
New songs are now in great demand
They are enjoyed by young and old.
So if I sing the latest song
Please do not think me bold
’Tis of a noted baseball club
In Farnam they do dwell
Now listen to my ditty and the truth to you I’ll tell
Will Parker is their catcher and often waves his hand
A signal for an in or out, while behind the bat he stands.
He also plays the part of coach and was never known to fail
And never touches home plate after the ball.
They have a boy for shortstop
Herb Stilley is his name.
For speed and head work Herbert has the promise of a name
He is a real good fellow, his hair hangs down in curls and was never known
to miss a hit, especially with the girls
Will Price plays on first base, his work is out of sight
Sam Parker plays on second, he plays from left to right
Jess Fitch plays on 3rd base, and there he beats them all, catching flies
or chasing after the ball.
Will Ainlay is their pitcher he plays with bone and nerve
When the game is drawing close
He sure can throw a curve
Taylor, Smith and Harrop comprise the outer field
At batting or base running they were never known to yield
They are three as hardy fellows
As ever you have seen
Although they are from the country
Their work is never green
Harrop has the muscle
Taylor has the gall
To send poor Smith chasing after the ball.
A gang of Hoodlums living south
They represented Earl
Answered our Captain’s challenge
Saying will give you a whirl
The Earl’s they looked quite dangerous
Their suits were made of red.
But ere the game was over
They wished they were dead.
Next they played Russell’s
Who to beat our boys did try
But found that they could not do it.
As our boys they were so fly
Cliff Nickerson their pitcher
Is noted for his gall
But he always got to second base
After the ball.
Next they played the Gothenburgers
Who are strictly up-to-date
They played their shastrum battery
The finest in the state.
They may play to win in Sweden
In Holland or Japan
But to play and beat our Farnam sports
I hardly think they can.
Long years may pass boys
But I’ll never forget
The day you played in Gothenburg
They played "em" hard you bet.
Farnam boys did noble work.
Made thirty runs in all
While Gothenburg made twice that many
After the ball.
Success to all the Farnam boys
They are hot stuff on flies
The same to M. M. Runyon
Who deals in merchandise
’Twas he that offered three to one
That Farnam boys would lose
When he lost thirty dollars
He went on a three day booze.
My song is nearly ended
I hope I’ve offended none
If I have, come tell me
And point me out my wrong
If I have made a slight mistake
Those words I still recall
And ere reprint the day I wrote
After the ball.
After the ball is over
Catcher, backstop and all
After our eyes are upward turned
And time the umpire calls
Many a limb is aching
If you could read them all.
Many a fielder is tired from chasing
After the ball.
An item taken from the August 4th, 1899 issue of the Famam paper:
The Farnam and Stockville ball teams met in "battle field array &rquo;, on the diamond of the latter, last Friday afternoon. It was a hard fought and interesting game from the moment S. Ream lined the first ball to home base, until the last man struck out. Score 17 to 3 in favor of Stockville. The line up of our boys is as follows: Mosley, pitcher: Parker, catcher; Pedan, 1st base; Ainlay, 2nd base; Brannick, 3rd base; Exline, shortstop; Jones, If; Taylor, cf; O’Brien, rf; Dr. Liggitt, manager; and David Hanna, mascot.
During the war years baseball teams were not active, however, in the late forties it was organized again and Claude Clement was one of the managers. The team played neighboring town teams regularly and on special days and holidays the towns were sure to have a ball game.
In the sixties because of lack of players and interest, the baseball team of Farnam disbanded but ball games were not entirely forgotten. Interested individuals organized a boys’ baseball team. Later there were enough of the younger group of ages eight to sixteen to have a team. The girls also had enough members to organize a girls baseball team, and the older girls were not to be left out, there was another team comprised of girls ages sixteen to who knows.
Baseball was not only played by organized teams but by families and friends when they got together for a family affair. One "diamond" that was recalled by the Hiltons was in the field in the bottom east of Don Laverne Gaudreault’s farmstead and west of the road.
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