Village Squire, 1976-08, Page 16aid. This would have been ridiculous in the extreme. First there
would have been outright refusal to spending money in such a
foolish manner, then enquiries into activities which were really
not the business of adults. There would have been a shutdown on
these pleasant Sunday pursuits and their leisure would have been
directed to more worthwhile things like doing more chores or
milking two extra cows. This was to be avoided at all costs.
There was a general round up of material and of talents to
make use of it. Some chicken wire was requisitioned as a back
stop. A small straight sapling was cut and fashioned into a bat
with a draw knife. Charlie was useful here because there was a
workshop in a loft over the Adam's implement shed. There were
many tools here which could be used discreetly and no one the
wiser if one remembered to put them back in place. It was
necessary to remember which way the teeth of a saw or the claws
of a hammer faced in their places. There was always some
unknown reason why Mr. Adams put his tools away in a certain
manner and Charlie had to respect all these oddities.
It was most needful to have a catcher's mitt and mask. Charlie
made the mask by painfully fashioning pieces of wood, wire,
straps and padding into something looking like one. Getting hit
with'the mask on was only slightly preferrable to getting hit with
it off because the jolt was about equal either way, but it certainly
looked better to wear a mask.
Tim Flaherty found an old goat skin robe in a shed at his home.
This he clipped close and used to make a catcher's mitt. The
clipped hair made very good padding and there was enough
material left to make a first base glove.
These were the absolute essentials, the infield and outfield
went gloveless.
Stubby Hogan complained about the catcher's mitt. "When 1
squat down low it smells worse than my grandpaw's old socks. It
wouldn't be so bad if 1 could stand up and get more air."
"Shut up and get back down there where you belong" said
Stringy Bean who umpired, wisely from behind the pitcher rather
than the catcher. "Those pants of yours stink worse than any
goat!" There was some truth in this, Stubby was careless about
what he wore and how long he wore it. He was a good catcher
though, he could throw a passable strike right through the box to
second. He was so good that he caught for both sides. Only one
man stole a base on him and that was Bronco Riggin who started
his slide well out, picked up a cow plaster en route and shot with
startling speed right over second. He had the presence of mind to
grab the bag and take it with him and Stringy called him safe.
There was a row about this because there is a rule that you can't
move the base but Stringy like a good ump stuck to his decision.
The diamond was on a small pasture field near the pool and
when the games commenced it became apparent right away that
no home runs would be hit. The bat was of heavy green wood, the
ball was dead, and the turf was springy as a mattress. This was
great for the infield lacking gloves and the outfield was pulled in
because nothing was every hit much past second base.
The games produced nothing much in skill but a good deal of
noisy fun for several Sunday afternoons.
As the games were played after swimming the uniforms were
strange or almost non-existent. Tim Flaherty was the best player.
He was tall and speedy and somewhat reckless. He was being
groomed even then for the priesthood which seemed a sobber
occupation for one so active as Tim.
He liked to play garbed in shirt, wide strawhat, a pair of long
rubber boots and nothing else. This was eccentric but did not
stand out in particular. The general atmosphere was free and
easy in the extreme.
A flaw was bound to develop in all this felecity and one Sunday
it appeared ushered in by Tom Watson on whose field they
played.
In the world of Charlie and his friends, adults were divided into
three classes, friends, enemies and neutrals. When someone
called "Here comes Tom Watson," that showed that Tom
Watson was a friend. A neutral would have been Mr. Watson and
an enemy, Old Tom Watson.
Their friend approached slowly.
"Something's wrong" said Johnny
sober looking."
"Hello boys," said Tom quietly and he sat down on a
convenient stump.
14, VILLAGE SQUIRE/AUGUST 1976
Holmes, "Tom's awful
The
VILLAGE RESTAURANT
ON MAIN STREET
BLYTH, ONTARIO
will welcome you when you come to
OUR FINE TOWN in HURON COUNTY
Our neighbour "KITCHEN CUPBOARD"
Specializes in Hand -crafts, Antiques, and
Novelty items.
"BAINTON'S LEATHER MILL"
(just one block away at the railway tracks)
Specializes in LEATHER GOODS
AND WE AT THE
"Village Restaurant"
Specialize in
Good Food and Hospitality.
Spaghetti and Meat Sauce,
Ravioli and Veal Parmeasana
and the best Fish & Chips in Huron
County.
(freshly battered and cooked to order)
are just a few of the items.
So when in Blyth, please, drop in for fine
food and fast service!
P.S. High Chairs and Boosters now available
for the Young Tots...