A most unusual ballgame

JERRY PERSON

Each time I pass our city’s new sport’s complex, I am amazed at how

huge it is, especially when compared to some of our early ball

fields.

Today, soccer is supplanting our national sport of baseball as the

preferred game for youngsters. But this was not the case in the early

years of our newly created town. From the beginning, many of our

local businesses sponsored players on our city’s ball team, which

played against teams from neighboring towns.

Many of our parades and special events would end the day with a

baseball game.

In the 1920s, fields were illuminated with electric lights that

extended the playing time. Night games became a popular past time for

our residents.

In the early 1930s, Huntington Beach needed a larger municipal

playing field. A site was chosen on the east side of the tracks near

Memphis and Alabama, and was equipped for night games played by the

city’s Oilers.

The official opening date for this new ballpark would be May 15,

1934 and would include a game between our Oilers and the Anaheim

Valencias. But before the official opening, an unofficial opening was

held by the Huntington Beach Chamber of Commerce, a most unusual

game, inside the old Memorial Hall on May 2, 1934.

The chamber organized and sponsored a huge dinner-dance, complete

with a mock baseball game. The tables were decorated and arranged to

form a baseball diamond.

The ladies from the American Legion borrowed the uniforms from the

Oilers and wore them to this event as they escorted the people to

their tables.

Some 250 fans were on hand for this dinner-dance game. The evening

game began with a pitch from the president of the chamber of

commerce, Warren Bristol, and umpire Del Burry called strike one.

Bristol introduced the “City Dads” rooting section, composed of

Mayor Tom Talbert and Councilmen Lee Chamness and Willis Warner.

But before the next pitch could take place, Oilers’ manager Joe

Rodgers gave a talk about ‘his boys’ in the National League. Gavvy

Cravath, a former major leaguer with the Philadelphia Phillies, gave

a talk on baseball then and now. When he finished, Hubert Allen stood

up to receive a grand ovation from the audience.

Cravath told of how great our new ballpark was with its night

lights, public address system and all that real big league stuff.

At this point, the “game” was called so that Margaret Colvin and

Bill Gallienne could present some fast, furious and snappy

entertainment for the evening. Colvin offered a group of Maypole

dancers composed of eight local youngsters.

Gallienne brought a three-piece hillbilly band, called the Bear

Mountain Creek Hill Billy Trio, on stage. The group performed four

country numbers, followed by four selections from the Santa Ana Drum

Corps for the enjoyment of those present.

The umpires went into a huddle and ordered the “game” stopped. The

floor cleared for dancing with music supplied by the local Granger

orchestra, concluding this most unusual ballgame.

This was just a prelude leading up to the official opening of the

municipal ballpark on May 15 for the National Night Ball League

season.

As the big evening arrived, Mayor Talbert and the city council,

aided by members of a boys band, marched through downtown and over to

the new ballpark.

In the opening ceremony, Talbert pitched the first ball to

Councilman John Marion, while Councilman Tony Tovatt stood ready with

bat in hand. Tovatt sent the ball into deep left field and, passing

Harry Overmyer at first base, landed on second. A bad pitch allowed

Tovatt to reach third base, go pass Chamness and slide into home

plate to end the opening ceremony.

Now it was the time for the real game to begin between the Oilers

and the Anaheim Valencias. The seats were filled on that first

evening with local fans as they watched the Oilers defeat the

Valencias, 3-2.

A week later, the second game of the season was played, this time

between the Oilers and the Torrance Terrors. The Oilers repeated with

another 3-2 win.

Today, the old ballpark is gone and new homes occupy the site. But

if you stand real quiet, when the wind is blowing just right, you may

hear the roar of those early fans as they cheered the Oilers to

victory.

* JERRY PERSON is a local historian and longtime Huntington Beach

resident. If you have ideas for future columns, write him at P.O. Box

7182, Huntington Beach, CA 92615.