From the “Canyon Carousel” column
by Virginia Loback
If you missed the Donkey Baseball
game last Sunday when the Legion’s "Tin-Soldiers” played the Rider’s Club
“Donkey Cowboys" you were absent at the most hilarious program of sports
held this year! Black and Blue and bruised all over, these gallant gentlemen
galloped the grounds for nine innings to give the Legionnaires a victorious
score of 1 to 0 and the sticks to start their clubhouse. The rapid repertoire
of such emcees as Frank Molloy, Monty Montgomery, Jim Nealey and Tom Cheney
kept the game and the players going at a gay gait.
There were cheers for Jack Dunphy
who made the only homerun and cheers for Dick Stacey who clung to his beast of
burden like an old master at the game. There were cheers for Ray Alley who
couldn’t be unseated even, though he was carried to the very edge of the
outfield. The cheers rang loudly for L. S. Crocker who pitched for the Legion
and gave them a triumph tally and also arose for Harold Boston, new member of
the Post, who bit the dust for the cause. The merriment was momentarily marred
when Russ Gillespie (Riders Club) was kicked in the ribs by his mount, however
he was game enough to play to the very last inning. (Russ left on Monday to
become a member of the Armed Forces). Cheers went up for Paul Duber, Jerry
Hould, Harry Depew and Chester Preston as they bopped from one base to another,
for the Legionnaires.
The most picturesque pitcher on a
baseball diamond was George Law, who was dressed in dashing duds of the vintage
worn by such gay caballeros as Autrey, Rogers and Williams. Also riding the
little rascals in an attempt to retrieve the score for the Riders were Jim
Rickman, Al Sehmeyer and Lee Conger. Telling a tale of torment are Jim Buerckel
and Ron Bouseman, who found out that the terra was never more firma.
We hear that Pat Marshburn missed
an important meeting of her sorority, Phi Epsilon Phi up San Francisco way so
she could attend the game.
We doff our derby to the gals of
the Auxiliary who handled the hot-dog concession, to Sally Nealey who made the
trek to Topanga from Santa Monica; to Mildred Buerckel who donated her pickup;
to Edna Laventhal who kept things moving at an even keel, and to Theckla Duber
whose smile is most contagious, even over a steam table. There’s a double
salute to Connie Ugpham and Tom Cheney, Connie’s colorful corral pick-up was
converted into refreshment stand.
The soft-ball game that
followed the “most assinine game in the world” rounded out the day for the
Legionnaires, the Riders and all their guests.
