Take Me Out To The Ballgame

It's baseball season again, and time to remember some of the "Boys of Summer" from days gone by.


[Click on each image to see a larger view.]

The Tars baseball team was formed in Norfolk in 1896 and played their last game in 1955. In 1934, Jacob Ruppert, owner of the New York Yankees, reorganized the Tars as a farm team for the Yankees. The Tars played at several fields during their time here - League Park, Bain Field and High Rock Park. High Rock Park was later renamed Myers Field in honor of Eddie Myers, and was also known as Tar Park. Shown here, a fire at High Rock Park in 1944.
[IMAGE: High Rock Park fire]

Ray White, Tars' pitcher, in 1938. Ray White will be remembered by baseball historians for accidentally hitting Lou Gehrig in the head with a ball during a 1934 exhibition game with the New York Yankees.
[IMAGE: Ray White]

The Norfolk Police baseball team in 1938, preparing to face the Baltimore Police team at Bain Field.
[IMAGE: Norfolk Police baseball team]

Mayo Smith, manager of the Tars, in 1951. Mayo Smith was the only Tar manager to win back-to-back pennants (1951 & 1952).
[IMAGE: Mayo Smith]

Connie Mack shows members of the Sacred Heart School midget baseball team how to hit a ball, 1928.
[IMAGE: Connie Mack and midget baseball team]

Naval Air Station pitcher Hugh Casey of the Dodgers in 1943. Many local players enlisted in the Navy during World War II and spent the war years in the states playing ball to entertain their fellow servicemen, as well as civilians.
[IMAGE: Hugh Casey]

Bud Metheny, 1938. Metheny later played with the Yankees, then returned to Norfolk to coach baseball and basketball at Old Dominion for many years. The outdoor sports complex at ODU is named Metheny Field in his honor.
[IMAGE: Bud Metheny]

Phil Rizzuto and Jerry Priddy in 1938. Rizzuto and Priddy were a good "double play" combination. Rizzuto later played for the Yankees and Priddy for the St. Louis Browns.
[IMAGE: Phil Rizzuto and Jerry Priddy]

The Norfolk vs. Wilmington game in 1934, taken at Bain Field. The Wilmington team was a Cincinnati Reds farm team.
[IMAGE: Bain Field]

A pleasant way to spend a springtime afternoon - watching a ball game at City Park. Here, the commander of the Spartans is at bat, with N. Karangelen of the Cardinals catching. The Spartans and the Cardinals were local amateur teams, playing under the auspices of the Norfolk Recreation Bureau.
[IMAGE: Commander of the Spartans at bat]

The Riddick Wildcats was a Norfolk Recreation Bureau team and winner of the 1970 Rusty Dusty League tournament championship.
[IMAGE: Riddick Wildcats]

The Saints were the Norfolk Recreation Bureau's 1970 Junior High champions.
[IMAGE: The Saints]

The 1970 All-Stars was made up of players from various Norfolk Recreation Bureau teams, including the Wildcats, the Trojans, the Trotters, the Mets and the NRHA team.
[IMAGE: All-Stars]

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