What's New

2011-11-15T06:53:40+00:00

Welcome to Good Old Sandlot Days.

Scroll down to see our news feed

2019 Peninsula Sports Hall of Fame Inductees Named

Jan. 16, 2019

REDWOOD CITY _ Six individuals will be inducted into the Peninsula Sports Hall of Fame on the evening of April 25 at the San Mateo County History Museum.

The 2019 event, which will include a reception and light refreshments, is being presented by the San Mateo County Historical Association, headquartered in Redwood City.

The master of ceremonies will be KNBR-Radio baseball talk-show host Marty Lurie

The Hall of Fame was created in 1989. With this year’s group of inductees, the total number of honorees approaches 290. Hall of Fame plaques are located at the History Museum.

For more information on the April 25 affair (including ticket prices), please contact the Association at 650-299-0104.

Here are the new inductees:

Nicole Carroll/College of San Mateo

A world-class javelin thrower who starred at CSM and Fresno State, she was a two-time American champion and a member of the 1996 U.S. Olympic team.

Pat Lewis/Mills, Oceana, Jefferson highs

A productive track and field coach for 50 years on the Peninsula, he specialized in tutoring male and female athletes in throwing events (shot put and discus).

Gino Della Libera/San Mateo High

A football and track and field standout, he took his considerable skills to Arizona State University where was an integral part of an undefeated 1957 Sun Devil football team.

Eric Reveno/Menlo School

A basketball state champion at Menlo School, he later played at Stanford and became the head coach at Portland University, earning WCC Coach of the Year honors.

Tod Spieker/Menlo-Atherton High

An outstanding swimmer at Menlo-Atherton and UCLA, and later in masters’ age-group competition, he has had a major impact on aquatics locally and nationally.

John Ward/Carlmont High

An ex-San Mateo County supervisor, he has created and maintained a comprehensive website that charts the long history of Northern California semi-pro/amateur baseball.

January | 2018

Wiley B. Allen Co.
Area: San Francisco
Year: circa 1902

August | 2017

Custom Brokers

Custom Brokers
Area: San Francisco
Year: 1911

Description: C.D. Bunker & Co. was the sponsor for the Custom Brokers baseball team. C.D Bunker was a customs broker and a ship's agent.

Back row (left to right): Chas. Schmitz, A. Benham, P. Craige, Clem Perkins, A. Buja, C.C. Westover, R. Shields, W.M. Miller, H. Ferviera

Middle row (left to right): George Shepston, Joe Bley, Willie Bolger

May | 2017

Gough & Market Merchants

Gough & Market Merchants
Area: San Francisco
Year: circa 1935

Back row (left to right): 2nd from left is Frank "Dink" O'Brien, 4th from left is Bob Kelley, 6th from left is Red Agaard, 7th from left is William "Bunk" O'Brien

Front row (left to right): far left is Ace Adams, far right is Harry Brown

April | 2017

Marysville Mechants

Marysville Merchants
Area: Yuba (Marysville)
Year: 1921 (Aug. 7)

Description: Marysville Merchants Baseball team takes flight as the first club to fly to an away game. The flight was 80 miles to Woodland Ca and took 43 minutes.

Marysville Merchants baseball team posing before the Friesley Falcon airliner, August 1921. The team posed with the crew in front of the large twin engine aircraft, they recorded the fact that they were the first ball team in history to travel by aircraft to play a baseball game and this is also recognized Baseball Hall of Fame. They are from left to right: Clifford Gottwalls, Warren Eich, Roy Francis (pilot), Capt. B. M. Spencer (designer, builder and pilot), Grafton Reed (mechanic), Clyde Manwell, Louis Wilcoxen, Tyrell Brook, Bryden Kelly, Lou Anthony, unidentified, Allen Eich, Charles Brown, and Harvey D. Eich (manager). The bat boy standing in front is Wonton Eich. The man who funded the Friesley Falcon project was Harold Friesley (aka Friesleben). The Friesleben family had a farm on Highway 70 between Marysville and Oroville. The Airliner was partly constructed on the farm. Although this twelve passenger airliner was not a financial success, the Friesley Falcon was aerodynamically and technologically a success. The Friesley Aircraft Corp. went bankrupt in 1922 and it is believed that the aircraft was sold to China.

March | 2017

Langendorf Bread

Langendorf Royals
Area: San Francisco
Year: 1938-39 (Winter League)

Description: Noting patch on left sleeve advertising 1939 World's Fair.

Back row (left to right): Dick Hazelton (sponsor, owner of Langendorf Bakery), Ray Viani (ss), Rugger Ardizoia (p), Charlie Nelson (of), Joe Futernick (inf), Don McConnell (of), George McSorley (inf), Roy Wetmore (inf), Hank Imperial (inf), Norman McQueen (mgr.)

Front row (left to right): Tony Patch (c), Logan Hooper (of), Mario Vigo (p), Able (utl), Guido Francesconi (utl.)

December | 2016

San Mateo Amvets

San Mateo AmVets
Area: San Mateo
Year: 1954

Description: Photo taken at base hospital (Veterans Administration) off Willow Road in Menlo Park.

Back row (left to right): two unidentified representatives of AmVets organization, Jim Kehoe (gen. mgr.) Frankie Hawkins (mgr.)

Middle row (left to right): Dick Simoni, Don Bourbin, Bill Kahler, Pete Pellizzer, Bucky Kahler, Tom Pellizzer, Hal Panattoni, unidentified.

Front row (left to right): Pat McGibbon (batboy), Ron Cecchi, Bob Jones, Gerald McGibbon, batboy.

November | 2016

Oakland Police

Oakland Police
Area: Alameda (Oakland)
Year: 1948-49 (winter league)

Description: Bushrod Winter League champions

Newspaper caption: Picture here is the crack Oakland Police Department baseball team. The cops will meet the San Leandro Merchants nine in a benefit game at the San Leandro ball park on April 3. Ball players of the many teams who use the ball park are behind the benefit fund drive with games that sufficient cash will be raised to cover the cost of improving and enlarging the ball park bleachers.

Back row (left to right): Bob Watry (of), Ira Mitchell (utl.), Carl Ivey (of), Johnny Thomas (cf), Lennie Darnell (p)

Middle row (left to right): Bob Atthowe (rf), Laurie Lenotti (1b), Andy Genovesino (mgr.), Jim McPartland (lf), Sam Cohen (2b), Lester Devine (capt.)

Front row (left to right): Eddie Botelho (c), Gene Machado (ss), Jay Thomas (cf), "Jug" Mandish (3b), Walter Brown (p)

October | 2016

California Wick Wire Company

California Wick Wire Company
Area: Alameda (Oakland)
Year: 1933

Back row (left to right): Ambrose Del Vecchio, Orville Yore, Corly Moore, Ned DiGrazia, Lloyd Barron, Steve Graham, "Pesty" Ryan, Joe Olsen, Joe Silva, Gunny Fagundas, Heinie Lay, Johnny Quinn, unidentified

Front row (left to right): Wiedo Lancione, Ike Cherney, George Amadee, Fred Brain, Fred Milroy, Joe Corbelli, George Scarich, Niggie Silva

August | 2016

Ben's Golden Glow

Ben's Golden Glow Tavern
Area: Alameda (Alameda)
Year: 1939

July | 2016

Alaska Packers

Winners of 1935-36 Alameda Winter League

Alaska Packers
Area: Alameda (Alameda)
Year: 1934 (Winter League)

Back row (left to right): Roberts, Al White (general manager), Elmer Corbett, Al Brown, Teddy Martin, Lou Vezelich, Ernie Alten, Sam Adragna, Augie Gomes (mgr.)

Middle row (left to right): Harry Profumo, Al Peacock, Virgil Vierria

Front row (left to right): Fred Filipelli, Billy Gonzales, Elmer Sandahl, Carl Monzo, John Erceg

June | 2016

San Quentin

San Quentin All-Stars
Area: Marin (San Quentin)
Year: circa 1950

Description: Picture was taken at San Quentin prison on day team played C & H Sugar. To view team picture of C & H sugar, please go to C & H Sugar under Crockett.

April | 2016

When baseball was bush league and hit home with everybody

Photo: Chronicle File, The Chronicle

Seals Stadium in the Mission District was the centerpiece of baseball in San Francisco in the diamond days of the 1940s. It hosted the Seals and the Giants.

It is spring, the skies are blue, and baseball is back. The Giants and the Dodgers open up the season this week, a good time to go over to the Double Play Bar and Grill for lunch the other day and soak up some of the flavor.

The Double Play is a San Francisco baseball shrine, right across the street from the old Seals Stadium, where the Giants and the Dodgers brought big-league baseball to the West Coast back in 1958.

We had lunch with John Ward, a walking encyclopedia of baseball. He didn’t want to talk about the big leagues and the season to come. He wanted to talk about small-time baseball and seasons long gone.

Baseball used to be part of everyone’s life in Northern California, he said. It still is, but he thinks there is a big difference. Now people watch baseball on television, or at the ballpark, sitting on their duffs, watching the game.

200 teams in S.F.

Back then, they played baseball on organized teams, in organized leagues. Hardball with wooden bats. The real game. Ward, who has developed a website all about these diamond days, says there were 1,600 teams in Northern California — 200 in San Francisco alone.

Ward’s website, a labor of electronic love, offers 7,000 photographs, rosters of teams, videos, box scores and thousands of names. The website is www.goodoldsandlotdays.com, and it is a celebration of what they used to call the bush leagues.

“Now calling something bush league is kind of an insult,” Ward said, but back then newspapers listed the schedule — “Where the Bushers Play Today” — every Sunday. On Monday morning, The Chronicle’s Sporting Green had almost a full page of bush-league box scores.

Everybody, it seems, had a team: bars, restaurants, breweries, labor unions, big companies with a lot of workers, sporting goods stores, auto dealers.

Bernstein’s Fish Grotto on Powell Street had a team. So did the Double Play. Horsetrader Ed, the famous used car showman on Van Ness Avenue, sponsored a team. Every small town had a team, and so did most city neighborhoods. There were ethnic teams: an African American league played in the East Bay and there were many Japanese teams. One of them, the San Jose Ashahi, was so good it barnstormed in Japan, playing college nines.

The Chronicle had a team that went 18-5 in the Class B National League, playing foes like the Marina Lions, the Columbia Park Boys Club, the San Quentin Prison All-Stars and Romey’s Market. Columnist Herb Caen played first base in 1940 and ’41. The only other big name was Ed Dougery, a former Cal player who covered Oakland cops for the paper.

Rising to big leagues

Ward, a one-time politician who served a dozen years on the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors, got hooked on baseball when he was a kid sportswriter, making 5 cents a column inch for stories in the old San Carlos Enquirer. Later, he managed a semipro club on the Peninsula.

Now he’s a property and political consultant, but he’s never lost his love for baseball.

He has a soft voice and a faraway look in his eyes when he talks about this nearly vanished world. It was a semipro game for the most part.

“Some of the players were paid, and some not,” he said. “The umpires got five bucks a game, and sometimes the sponsor would slip $5 to a pitcher. Or they’d pass the hat.”

The games were pretty good, and the big-league scouts would watch them closely. A few of the players became famous: the three DiMaggio boys out of San Francisco and dozens of others. San Francisco in particular was a hotbed of baseball.

Al Erle, who ran a San Francisco sporting goods store, was the de facto commissioner of semipro ball. He’d schedule hundreds of games a week and fill the newspapers with bush baseball lore.

His motto: “Now remember fellows, it’s all for one and one for all. Go out there and hustle.” Corny stuff, right out of the old ballpark.

Ward recalled famous road trips. “We loved to play the Tiburon Pelicans, a town team,” he said. “We changed in a saloon and went there for beer afterwards.

“A favorite trip was to Occidental, up in Sonoma County. The outfield ran uphill, so you didn’t have to chase the ball when it was hit up there. It would roll back down. After the game was a full dinner at Negri’s or the Union Hotel.”

His website covers 100 years of sandlot and semipro ball, ending in 1980. The peak? About 1947, Ward said, after the young men had come back from war.

Some teams remain

Changing times — and big-league ball — killed off small-time baseball, he thinks.

There are still a few teams. The San Francisco Demons of the Latin American League is one. Their home field is Crocker Amazon playground. There are others, including the Novato Knickerbockers of the Sacramento Rural league. But it’s not the same.

Will it ever come back? Ward shook his head, sadly. “No,” he said.

Carl Nolte is a San Francisco Chronicle columnist. His column appears every Sunday. Email: cnolte@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @carlnoltesf

April 3, 2016

MARCH | 2016

Vintage pictures

Vintage pictures of town teams throughout northern and central California from 1870 to 1910 can be found on website.

Please click the links below to view vintage team album.

A & K Leaders	Fort Jones	Marysville B.B.C.	Sebastopol
Albion	Fortuna	Mayfield	Senators
American Steel & Wire Co.	Gold Ridge	McAdam Creek	Sheep Ranch team
Anderson town team	Goldstein Brothers	Mendocino	Sisson
Angels Boosters	Grass Valley	Merced town team	Snelling
Aptos	Greenville	Middletown	Sonoma Cubs
Arbuckle	Grimes	Monarch of the Oaks	Soquel
Arthur McAfee	Guerneville	Montague	Suisun City
Baron & Feit	Hayward town team	Monterey town team	Sutter
Big Bend	Healdsburg	Montgomeries	Taylorsville
Boulder Creek Saw Filers	Hilmar	Mount Shasta	Tic Toc
Broderick	Hilt	Mt. Tamalpais Military Academy	Turlock
Brooke Realties	Hop Gold team	Nevada City town team	Ukiah
Caliente Mineral Water	Hopland	New Almaden	Vallejo town team
Capital City Wheelmen	Igo	Oroville	Visitacion Valley team
Clio	Independents	Petaluma Alerts	Wallace
Crescent Mills	Ivanhoe Hotel	Piccheti Brothers	Watsonville town team
Crolona	J.P Connors	Pinole	Weaverville
Daly City town team	Jamestown	Quincy	Weed town team
Dan P. Carter's	Johnsville	Redlicks	West Sacramento Cubs
Duncan Mills	Keswick	Rio Vista	Wieland's Brewery
Etna	L.L. Winters team	Sacramento "All-Stars"	Wiley B. Allen Co.
Felton	La Porte	San Andreas	Winters town team
Ferndale	Largo	San Francisco Fire Department	Woodland town team
Fireman's Fund Insurance Co.	Lodoga	San Francisco Police	Wright's Station
Folsom	Los Banos	San Francisco Waverlys	Yreka
Forestville	Loyal Order Of Moose	Santa Rosa College	Yuba Intrepids
Fort Bragg	M.J. Weber	Santa Rosa town teams

FEBRUARY | 2016

Southern Pacific Club
Area: Alameda (Oakland/Alameda)
Year: 1937

Description: From Oakland Tribune Tournament Program: 1937

See caption below picture for details.

JANUARY | 2016

Labor unions sponsored many semi-pro teams in the pre and post-World War II era. Please click below on teams.

Bartenders Union

Cannery Union

Cooks Union

Laundry Workers Union

Longshoremen (ILWU)

Operating Engineers Union

Production Machinist Union

Shipfitters Union

Teamsters Union

United Glass Workers Union

Warehousemen Union

DECEMBER | 2015

Breweries were major sponsors of semi-pro teams throughout the bay area and elsewhere in northern and central California during the pre and post-World War II era. Featured on the website are the following (click the links):

NOVEMBER | 2015

American Legion Junior Baseball

American Legion posts throughout the state sponsored junior legion teams as depicted on website. Click here to view American Legion teams.

OCTOBER | 2015

Talmage Sluggers (Mendocino State Hospital) - Mendocino

Mendocino State Hospital (Talmage Sluggers)
Area: Mendocino (Talmage)
Year: 1952

Description: Uniforms fashioned after Hollywood Stars - Pacific Coast League. No knee guards for sliding.

Back row (left to right): Don Cutler, Herbert Wright, John Boster, Bill Openshaw, Foggy Ottosen, John Harding

Front row (left to right): Johnny Myers, Austin Treadway, Skid Scudero, Leno Valentini, Bobby Valentini

Missing from picture: Fred Figone (Mgr.)

SEPTEMBER | 2015

Veteran's Home - Yountville

Veterans Home
Area: Napa (Yountville)
Year: 1961

Back row (left to right): George Stein (p), Ed Curcio (mgr, 1b), Earl Moore (rf), Cliff McClain (cf), Ed Van Leiden (p), Ray Hamrick (ss)

Front row (kneeling, left to right): Dave Strong (utl), Arnie Banta (2b), Babe Fuhrman (lf), John Noce (c), Lyle Palmer (3b)

AUGUST | 2015

San Mateo Blues

San Mateo Blues
Area: San Mateo
Year: 1932

Among the players pictured are: Milt Axt (utl), Carl Johnson (1b), Peeney Oliver (cf), Tom Harris (rf), Bob Richards (utl), Carl Holling (p), Ray Andres (3b), Howard Blethen (utl), Ray Viani (ss), Gene Camozzi (p), Bob Reed (c)

JULY | 2015

Vallejo Builders

Vallejo team was sponsored by the area’s building trades organization which represents union carpenters, plumbers, electricians and other crafts.

Vallejo Builders
Area: Solano (Vallejo)
Year: 1945

Back row (left to right): Jimmy Richardson, Jack Fulton, Pete Coor, Bill Watson, Frankie Boyle, Johnny Ferreria

Front row (left to right): "Pop" Rober, Al Gonsalves, batboy, Frank Cirimele, George Huntoon

JUNE | 2015

Palo Alto Oaks

Palo Alto Oaks
Area: Santa Clara (Palo Alto)
Year: 1961

Description: Palo Alto Oaks started in 1950 and is still playing til present day.

Back row (left to right): Bill Holland, Tony Janovich, Robert Milton, Frank Farmer, Gene Miramon, Tom Del Sarto, Darien Magnusson, Jim Wollrab

Front row (left to right): Ray Gale, Tony Makjavich, Ray Young, Sarge Casey, Mike Magee, Wayne Davis

MAY | 2015

Ben's Golden Glow

Ben’s Tavern was owned by Ben Carimanti and located at 1600 Webster St. in Alameda.

Ben's Golden Glow Tavern
Area: Alameda (Alameda)
Year: 1946

Back row (left to right): Nick Radnich (p), Lenny Gabrielson, Arnie Banta, Pat Ambrose, Al Steele, Pat O'Shea, Jim Vierra, John Arnerich

Front row (left to right): Ray Malgradi, Lyle Lake, Remo Sabatini, Johnny Lombardi, Frank Souza, Spec Espina (mgr)

Contributor: San Leandro Times; Francesco's Restaurant

APRIL | 2015

Gilt Edge Market

Gilt Edge Market
Area: San Francisco
Year: circa 1935

Left to right (Standing): Jackie Kane, Herman Anti, Babe Tognoli, Ernest "Lefty" Gammino, "Muddy" Johnson, Jack Anti, Max Schutte, John Molloy, Lefty "Ty" Wetmore, Bill Coulter, Gene Willig

Kneeling: Manager J.A. Armitage

MARCH 01, 2015

WEBSITE CONTINUES TO GROW

As of March we have 1,100 teams featured on goodoldsandlotdays.com among some 8,650 images. Latest batch of vintage team photos from San Jose were recently uploaded. Please enjoy the viewing.

MARCH | 2015

Nesbit Masonry

Nesbit Masonry
Area:Santa Clara (San Jose)
Year: 1959

Description: 1959 California State champions - National Baseball Congress (N.B.C.) tournament played in Atwater

Back row (left to right): Ralph Romero (p), Bob Wuestoff (3b), Bob Bowles, John Oldham (p), Mel Stein (1b), Don Lopes (mgr/ss)

Front row (left to right): Kent Smith (of), Joe Winstead (c), Don Stiles (p), Tuck Halsey (of)

FEBRUARY | 2015

Kimball-Upson Co.

Kimball-Upson Company
Area: Sacramento
Year: 1933-34 (winter league)

Back row (left to right): Sam Paul, Charles Doyle, Bobby Rehm (mascot), Murph Rehm (mgr.), Carl Roggi

Middle row (left to right): Dooley Bertolani, Ruby Rodness, Lou Heinzer, Bill Hickey

Front row (left to right): Bill Salkeld, Tommy Wardlaw, Victor Pitts, Eddie Reeder, Gus Kortstein

JANUARY | 2015

Sherry's Liquors

Sherry's Liquors
Area: San Francisco
Year: 1943

Back row (left to right): Joe Gaddini (mgr.), Bobby Brown, Frank Lopez, Atteo Lazzaretti, Jerry Coleman, Bob Cherry

Front row (left to right): Marino Pieretti, John "Little Luke" Lucchesi, Bill Brown, Hal Petrocchi, DIno Giavocchini

DECEMBER | 2014

Oakland Post 5 – Montgomery Ward

Oakland Post 5 – Montgomery Ward
Area: Alameda (Oakland)
Year:1928

Description:This 1928 Oakland Post 5-Montgomery Ward American Legion team was the first team from Oakland to win a national championship. Players are dressed for the occasion in picture taken in front of Montgomery Ward’s warehouse building at 4814 Loma Vista Ave. in Oakland.

Back row (left to right): Paul Moore, Phil Moore, Arleigh Williams, Dan Hafey, Ralph Harold, Eifert, Hans Hansen, Al Silva, George Wilson, Leroy Sharp (coach)

Front row (left to right): Joe Williamson, Albert Swick, Fred Brain, Pete Vierra, Weido Lancione, Charles Hardt, Einar Sorensen, Warren Rouse, Desmond Williamson

NOVEMBER | 2014

Caliente Mineral Water

Caliente Mineral Water
Area: Sonoma (Agua Caliente)
Year: circa 1910

OCTOBER | 2014

Oakland Casket Company

Oakland Casket Company
Area: Alameda (Oakland)
Year: 1938

Back row (left to right): Frank "Sparky" Corria (mgr, major league scout), Mitch Lisse (p, of), Andy Genovisino (1b), Al Lawrence, unidentified, Al Oliver, unidentified

Front row (left to right): unidentified, Ray Viani, Mel Goulart, unidentified, Pat Clifford (inf), Ike Vincent

Batboys (unidentified)

SEPTEMBER | 2014

Castro Natives

Castro Parlor No. 232, Native Sons of the Golden West (N.S.G.W.)
Area: San Francisco
Year: 1924 (Jan. 17)

Back row (left to right): Pasquet, Sillineri, Ernest Gammino, Bourne, George McSorley, J. Anti, Wigley

Front row (left to right): Hank Anti, Bonhage, Lou Tognoli, Dito (mgr.), DeFilipo, F. Dito, Jack Dito

AUGUST | 2014

1929 M.J.B. Coffee Company

M.J.B. Coffee Company
Area: San Francisco
Year: 1929

JULY | 2014

1930-31 Mario's Drugs

Mario's Drugs
Area: San Francisco
Year: 1930-31 (winter league)

Description: Spalding Class "A" Champions (won 11 | lost 3)

Picture was taken at James Rolph Playground in January 1931, located in outer Mission District on Potrero Avenue at corner of former Army Street (now Cesar Chavez Street).

Back row (left to right): Bauman (p), Long (cf), Dust (cf), Sulding (2b), Clekak (rf), Ward (rf), McSorley (ss)

Front row (left to right): Frickles (mascot), Riley (mgr.), Warnoke (p), Trowbridge (lf), Barry (c), Brundage (1b), Tejeda (3b)

May | 2014

Rockport town team (circa 1920)

Rockport town team
Area: Mendocino (Rockport)
Year: circa 1920

Back row (left to right): Eddie Worffi, Ray (last name unknown), Chicken Hawk, Guy Rockey, Herbert Ball, Parker Ball, Neils Wally, Charlie Richards, Praggart.

Front row (left to right): Bill Shanno, Ralph Koskella, Darrel Borges, Otis Wright, Otis Rockey.

Bat Boy: unidentified.

Shannon Rangers (circa 1938)

Shannon Rangers
Area: Stanislaus (Modesto)
Year: circa 1938

Description: Shannon Rangers were sponsored by the Shannon Mortuary in Modesto, which is no longer in business.

Back row (left to right): George Witt (mgr.), Wes Walsh (utl./inf), Ray Gillum (2b), True Raper (3b), George Wietle (c), Earl Thompson (p), Manuel Lopez (Asst. Mgr.)

Front row (left to right): Joe Wietle (of), Glenn Darr (1b), J Leonard Beam (ss), Marvin Lee (p)

Bat Boy: Eddie Witt

Bernstein's Fish Grotto (1930)

Bernstein's Fish Grotto was opened by Maurice Bernstein in 1912 at 123 Powell Street in San Francisco, near the end of the cable car line. It closed in 1981 and there is now a Walgreen's drugstore at the site. Bernstein's was a popular tourist attraction for many years.

...Featuring More Very Old Sandlot Teams

Reseda semi-pro team won the 1939-1940 winter league championship in Los Angeles city playgrounds.

Reseda is a neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles, California.

April | 2014

...Featuring More Very Old Sandlot Teams

PG&E (Pacific Gas and Electric)
Area: San Francisco
Year: circa 1920

===============================================================================================

Palermo Orphans
Area: Butte (Palermo)
Year: 1921

Descripton: Please note Veedol Motor Oil sign on wall.

See next image for Veedol Ad information from the 18th Annual Nealon Benefit Games.

All players unidentified except Bill Wilson in front row far right.

===============================================================================================

Title: San Francisco Lodge B. P. O. Elks No. 3 Baseball Champions of State
Area: San Francisco
Year: 1924

Description: San Francisco Lodge team won the state championship tournament against competing teams representing other Elks’ lodges from various districts in the state.

Back row (left to right): Arthur A. Goepp (chairman), William C. Bahr (p), W. D. Powers (p), A. R. Baldocchi (of), Chas. R. Sullivan (p)

Top middle row (left to right): Mervyn Murphy (2b), John Hanley (1b), Roy Corhan (ss), Larry Reeves (p)

Bottom middle row (left to right): Henry Wurkheim (committeeman), E. S. Hallinan (of), A. L. Pierotti (p), Jas. Riordan (c)

Front row (left to right): Sam J. Worth (of), Jas. J. Byrnes (c-mgr.)

Missing: Chas. A. Maggini (of), George Maloney (3b), Tom Tennant (1b), Syd Desmond (of)

===============================================================================================

Port Costa Flour Mill
Area: Contra Costa (Port Costa)
Year: circa 1925

===============================================================================================

Bisceglia Brothers
Area: Santa Clara (San Jose)
Year: 1927

Front row (left to right): unidentified, Joe Ereno, Tony Pampalone, Pete Fanizzi

===============================================================================================

Noe Valley Merchants
Area: San Francisco
Year: circa 1935

Back row (left to right): 5th from left is Mickey Shader (mgr.)

Front row (left to right): 3rd from left is Cecil 'Doc' Wright

===============================================================================================

Roma Wine
Area: Sacramento
Year: 1936-37 (winter league)

Back row (left to right): Ernie Williams, Mike Bakarich, Carl Reimer, Fred Kienle, Pete Sarganti, Percy Gassoway, Cal Lahman

Front row (left to right): Scotty McKay, Shorty Jorgenson, Tony Separovich, Henry Clark, Herb Forsch, Mark Separovich, Otto Ireland

Missing in picture: Isadore Smith, Red Mahlen, Dal Lahman

===============================================================================================

Divisadero Street Merchants
Area: San Francisco
Year: 1920

Front row (left to right): Emil Ruggiero (third from left)

===============================================================================================

Stewart-Warner
Area: San Francisco
Year: circa 1930

Marty Drury is in middle of picture between front and back rows

===============================================================================================

March | 2014

Featuring Very Old Sandlot Teams from San Francisco

Shreve & Co.
Area:San Francisco
Year: 1911

Back row (left to right): Holden, Wilkinson.

Middle row (left to right): McFarland, Coldenwood, Brookover (mgr.) Garcia, Nagle.

Front row (left to right): Glaser, Harrison, Camozzi.

===============================================================================================

Schlitz Beer
Area: San Francisco
Year: circa 1915

Description: Picture taken at Recreation Park, located at 15th and Valencia in San Francisco.

Front row (sitting): Babe Johnson, catcher

Second row (kneeling): Leonard Primrose (far left)

===============================================================================================

Maxwell Hardware Co.
Area: Alameda (Oakland)
Year: 1920-21 (Mid-Winter League)

Manager Bob Carter is in middle of front row.

===============================================================================================

M.J.B. Coffee Company
Area: San Francisco
Year: 1929

Description: See caption below picture for details.

===============================================================================================

Granat Brothers Jewelers
Area:San Francisco
Year: circa 1930

===============================================================================================

Etalo Market
Area: San Francisco
Year: 1930

Back row (left to right): far left is Etalo Giacomelli (owner)

Front row (left to right): far left is Norm Wilkin (rf), 3rd from left is Al Belletto (3b)

Other players who may be pictured: Batz (ss), D.Sarto (rf-lf), Ogulin (cf), S. Grimes (lf-1b), Meade (1b), Balzarini (2b), Muzio (c), Abney (p), R. Comes (rf-p)

===============================================================================================

Rippe Bros.
Area: San Francisco
Year: 1930

Back row (left to right): William "Dutch" Varni, Joe Orengo, unidentified, unidentified, "Butch" Moran, unidentified, "Pop" Saxamier (mgr.)

Front row (left to right): Frank Saxamier, next three are unidentified

January | 2014

- January 28, 2014

November & December | Teams of the Month | 2013

Pacific Greyhound
Area: San Francisco
Year: 1935

Description: Ref: 3rd Annual State Championship Tournament: Basehit Program 1935

See caption below picture for details*

Hatzell Radio
Area: Contra Costa (El Cerrito)
Year: 1960

Description: 25th Annual NBC Tournament Program 1961 (cover)
California State Champions NBC Semipro

Back row (left to right): Ed Hatzell (sponsor), Dick Lawless, Frank Mullany (ss), Emery Phillips (1b), Jim Johnson (c), Gene Faszholz (of), Ed Van Leiden (p), Ed Lampe (p)

Front row (left to right): Ray Malgradi (mgr), Chuck Zeiss (c), Ed Menosse (p, of), Nick Cannuli (3b), Bud McGee (p), Bill Hatzell (2b)

Missing: Don Musto (of), Tom Faszholz

September | Teams of the Month | 2013

Owl Drug Co.
Area: San Francisco
Year: circa 1945

Back row (left to right | staggered): Ed Calegari, Johnny Vasquez, unidentified, unidentified, unidentified, Walt Lister Sr., Walt Lister Jr., Con Dempsey

Middle row (left to right): Gino Monticelli, Roland "Lola" Petrocchi, Mike Switzer, Bill Miller, Jack Balestreri

Front row (left to right): Al Belletto, Bob Antraccoli, Tony Patch, unidentified

Oroville Olives
Area: Butte (Oroville)
Year: 1948

Back row (left to right): Harry Gilbert, Paul Christensen, Chet Gibson, Jack Andrews, Bob Strang, Bob McKillop, Bob Powers, Bob Dudley, Oliver Ledford

Front row (left to right): Val Quintana, Joe Felipe, unidentified, Fred Fehr, Kins Damon (batboy), "Red" Butterfield, unidentified

August | Teams of the Month | 2013

Julius' Style Shop has been a family-run business in Sacramento since 1922, founded by Julius Anapolsky, who sponsored teams for more than 40 years in the City Winter League. Julius' won the winter league 12 times, including following seasons: 1931-32, 1934-35, 1935-36, 1936-37, 1938-39, 1950-51, 1952-53, 1955-56, 1956-57, 1957-58, 1958-59, 1967-68. Team only played winter league ball. Clothing store started as a men's shop but over time expanded to include apparel for women. It is currently located in the Pavilions shopping center.

Julius' Style Shop
Area: Sacramento
Year: 1946-47 (city winter league)

Description: Picture was taken in January 1947.

Back row (left to right): Gene Roenspie, Gus Stathos, Frank Bowa, Tommy Tortchia, Babe Perry.

Middle row (left to right): Wally Westlake, Bruce Edwards, Bill Wright, Clyde Haskell, Tommy Glaviano, John Parino.

Front row (left to right): Bill Avila, coach; Prison Official, Frank Glaviano.

Team sponsor Dan Newell owned cocktail lounge in downtown San Bruno at corner of Sylvan Ave. and San Mateo Ave. It still operates with same name, but under different ownership at 497 San Mateo Ave.

San Bruno Newells
Area: San Mateo (San Bruno)
Year: 1948

Description: Peninsula "Champions": The Newells

San Bruno Herald (caption under picture): “That Sterling (referring to Manager Sterling Hammack) club, The Newells of San Bruno, won another championship. It's for the entire Peninsula. They beat San Carlos and then Redwood City to clinch it. Another huge trophy will be added to large group already on display at the Newell's Store.

Back row: George Brown, Dan Miller, Bob Dau, Bob Jensen, Walt Lister, Merv Silva, Sterling Hammack (mgr), Bob Tscheda

Front row: "Doc" Gildez, Paul Hjort, Gil Bordenave, Eddie Underwood, Burt Corral, Norm Wilkin, Harold Panattoni, Al Tomei.

*Missing: Punch Harmon

July | Teams of the Month | 2013

Starting in July we will be featuring teams of the month. The first teams on display are Moffat Manteca of San Francisco, which earned its reputation by winning league titles in the 1940s and 1950s. Many of the players signed professionally, some going to the major leagues with others playing in the Pacific Coast League and other minor leagues. The Humboldt Crabs, who are still going strong since starting in 1945, have won many state championships and represented California at National Baseball Congress tournaments in Wichita, Kansas. Over the years, many outstanding college players on the team from throughout northern California went on to play professional ball.

Moffat Manteca
Area: San Francisco
Year: 1940-41

Back row (left to right): Joe Orengo, Al "Specs" Musante, Rudy Biale, Mel Flowers, Pete Longa, Ed Hallet, Ken Hallet, Joe Simon

Front row (left to right): Andy Durmanich, Mike Simon, Pete Connolly, Joe Ardanaz, Bill McDonald, Odero Giusti

(Click here to see team album)

Humboldt Crabs
Area: Humboldt (Eureka/Arcata)
Year: 1961

Description: Team tied for 5th place at National Baseball Congress Tournament in Wichita, Kansas

For further details, please see 1962 National Baseball Annuals or click here

Back row (left to right): Larry Taylor (p), Lou Profumo (p), Chuck Nieson (p), Bert Dollar (c), Ron Reynolds (1b), Bobby Doig (p)

Middle row (left to right): Jerry Pritchett (rf), Don Lauters (inf), Bill Serena (inf), Jack Altman (coach), Gary Crets (c), Dennis Pontoni (of)

Front row (left to right): Don Carter (of), Lou Bonomini (manager), Walt Napier (of), Bob Bonomini (inf), Larry Wimer (inf)

(Click here to see team album)

Old Video Now on Website - 06.10.2013

Please check out old video – new to our website – showing play action at Marchbank Bowl as Daly City Merchants take on the Laundry Workers Union in 1947 and Machinists Union Local 68 in 1948. Both visiting teams were from San Francisco. You will also see a team photo of Merchants in the Daly City teams section as well as three team pictures of the Laundry Workers from the forties.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PECefZd3uDI

April 19, 2013

After more than three years on the internet, we have made a number of changes to the website’s format and you will find some 2,000 new team pictures and other images gathered from sources all over northern and central California. It is important for viewers to know that teams from larger cities, such as San Francisco, Oakland and Sacramento, are listed separately in the index, while teams from smaller cities and towns are grouped together. With that, you will be able to locate 1000 teams. All of the images in each album are shown in chronological order so the viewer can follow the history of baseball in each community. This website covers the history of semi-pro, non-pro and amateur baseball for more than 100 years starting with the late 1870s. We have also provided an extensive souvenir program section, a baseball medley section presenting a variety of interesting aspects of the great American pastime as well as special tributes. You can click on viewing tips on the menu bar at top of our home page for assistance in navigating. A not-for-profit undertaking, the website is still a work in progress after more than four years of travelling the back roads to forgotten fields from the Oregon border to as far south as Kern County. We truly appreciate all of the contributions of memorabilia made by hundreds of individuals and historical societies (see Contributors section). Please let us know if you have memorabilia to share. We hope you enjoy the show and would welcome your thoughts by sending an e-mail to goodoldsandlotdays.com. Starting in May we will feature “teams of the week” under What’s New. Thank you for your interest.

May 1, 2012

Recent antique team photos are now on website. Please see the following: Journals of Hayward (1887), Winters town team (1898), San Francisco All-Stars (1917) - See below, Palermo Orphans (1921), Bisceglia Bros. of San Jose (1927), Rippe Bros. of San Francisco (1930) among others. There are numerous turn of the century town team pictures on the website, many of which include names of players.

Please note that website is organized so that names of teams from larger cities, such as San Francisco, Oakland and Sacramento, are listed separately in gallery index (Semi-Pro Baseball by Teams), while teams from smaller cities and towns are grouped under each city name. In some cases where a particular team from smaller city, such as Vallejo Builders or Richmond Merchants, played for so many years the team has its own listing, while other teams from these two cities, as example, appear under Vallejo-Other Teams or Richmond-Other Teams.

November 13, 2011

We have been fortunate to receive wonderful memorabilia from folks throughout northern California since starting this website project in January 2009. Recently and thanks to Matt Macy, grandson of Art Macy, founder of Macy Movers and a fixture in east bay baseball circles during the 1930s and 40s, we were provided with scrapbooks and scorebooks as well as a collection of more than 100 team photographs, mostly from early 1930s. You will enjoy viewing these antique photos in the team gallery, including some interesting sponsors such as Al’s Cigars, Jack’s Barber Shop, Ole’s Waffle Shop, OK Batteries, Square Deal Malts, Durkee Famous Foods and Chapel of the Oaks, to mention only a few. Given the large number of teams playing in San Francisco, Oakland and Sacramento during the pre and post-World War II era, we chose to list each team separately, but you can always go to teams by Area, e.g. Alameda County to find the listing of all Oakland teams featured on website. Baseball was played year round in Sacramento, San Francisco and Oakland where fans experienced highly-competitive winter league play with professional players in the lineups. The website has steadily grown over the past three years and the latest count indicates there are some 2,000 team photos going back to the turn of the last century. The antique photos of small town teams are especially interesting. We have also created a Viewing Tips section (see Home page) to assist our viewers in navigating through goodoldsandlotdays. We will soon be providing updates on a regular basis.

Keep watch of the latest news, updates and tweets!

Follow us on twitter: http://twitter.com/Sandlotdays.

October 27, 2009

Welcome to goodoldsandlotdays.com. As we launch our site, we hope that you have a lot of fun browsing through all the rich history, memorable pictures, funny anecdotes, and informative videos contributed by so many.

As always, if you have any further information about the teams, areas, names, etc. posted on this website, feel free to contact us. We have tried to the best of our ability to post the most accurate information as possible with the resources given. We are more than willing to make any edits or take notice of any contributors we may have left out.

We will be continually posting new information as new sources and contributions come in. Keep posted in our News and Updates section for the latest information, links, news, added pictures, etc. in goodoldsandlotdays.com.

Thank you for this great journey down memory lane and for all of the support.

WHAT'S NEW

What's New

Welcome to Good Old Sandlot Days.

Scroll down to see our news feed

2019 Peninsula Sports Hall of Fame Inductees Named

Jan. 16, 2019

REDWOOD CITY _ Six individuals will be inducted into the Peninsula Sports Hall of Fame on the evening of April 25 at the San Mateo County History Museum.

Here are the new inductees:

Nicole Carroll/College of San Mateo

Pat Lewis/Mills, Oceana, Jefferson highs

Gino Della Libera/San Mateo High

Eric Reveno/Menlo School

Tod Spieker/Menlo-Atherton High

John Ward/Carlmont High

January | 2018

Wiley B. Allen Co.Area: San FranciscoYear: circa 1902

August | 2017

May | 2017

Gough & Market Merchants

April | 2017

Marysville Mechants

March | 2017

December | 2016

November | 2016

October | 2016

August | 2016

Ben's Golden Glow

July | 2016

Winners of 1935-36 Alameda Winter League

June | 2016

April | 2016

When baseball was bush league and hit home with everybody

Photo: Chronicle File, The Chronicle

Seals Stadium in the Mission District was the centerpiece of baseball in San Francisco in the diamond days of the 1940s. It hosted the Seals and the Giants.

MARCH | 2016

Vintage pictures

Wiley B. Allen Co.
Area: San Francisco
Year: circa 1902