Out of The Past
1947: Uniontown Coal Barons up and running “They Are Officially The Coal Barons.”
That was the headline proclaiming that the new Uniontown professional baseball team had been officially christened, stamped, and certified for the coming season.
Let’s go wayyy back, really waayyyyyy back, to this week in 1947, and see the results of a contest sponsored by the Morning Herald to name the team that would be competing in the Class “C” Middle Atlantic Baseball League.
Sports editor Jimmy Gismondi and his committee received 503 replies for their contest to name the team, and the winner – with the name Coal Barons – was Hugh W. Flenniken, of W. South St., Uniontown.
Two others, George Sillett and Lester Cohen, both of Uniontown, also submitted the same name, but Flenniken’s was the first one received and earliest postmarked, so he was declared the winner. The employee of the Pa. Dept. of Public Assistance and Uniontown American Legion Post Commander, will receive a season’s pass to all 63 home games by the Barons as first prize.
Flenniken said he picked the name because it represented one of the world’s richest coal mining regions.
Other winners of game tickets, and the names they submitted, included Robert Oliver, Bees; Herman Martino, New Salem, R.D. 1, Miners; Joe Palmer, Barton Mill Road, Generals; Lester Smith, Uniontown, Coalers; Joe Martino, Gibbons Glade, Colts; Edgar Frantz, Hopwood, Nationals; and Frank Lewellen, Uniontown, Warriors.
Among the names submitted were Generals, for the fact that Gen. George C. Marshall was born in Uniontown; Beehivers, for the area coke ovens; Cokers, Diggers, Black Diamonds, Colliers, Mountaineers, Pikers, Pioneers, and Frontiersmen. However, the latter two names had to be discarded, for they were already owned by two other league members, Vandergrift and Niagara Falls. Efforts were still under way to select a team manager.
A few days later the first player contracts were came back, including one from outfielder John B. Russell, of Fayette City.
Advance ticket prices were established as follows: Box Seats, $1.50, including 25 cents Federal tax), Grandstand Reserved, $1.10 (18 cents Federal tax), Grandstand General Admission, 85 cents (14 cent tax), and Junior Tickets, under age 17, 35-cents (4 cent tax). Compare those prices with today. You can’t even buy a game program, even a soft drink during the game, for those prices. One Ladies Night will be held each week with female patrons paying two bits (tax included) for a seat. The other nights they pay the going prices.
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In other sports news that week:
-Duquesne, reported as “charging with a blistering salvo in the first half,” defeated Aliquippa, 41-34, to win the WPIAL-B basketball championship. And that “blistering Salvo?” A 27-point spurt for a 27-14 halftime lead,
-Bill George (Waynesburg) won the state (PIAA) 185-pound wrestling championship, one of eight titles won by Western Pa. entries. George would go on to have an NFL Hall of Fame career at linebacker for the Chicago Bears.
-Hank Greenburg homered twice and singled as the Pirates beat the Boston Braves, 13-1, in a Florida game.
-Irwin beat Wampum, 61-44, to win the WPIAL-B basketball title, with a 27-1 record.
-Clyde Jenkins, 160, Uniontown, is in training for his second professional boxing bout, this one with Ralph Capuzzi, of Pittsburgh. Jenkins won his pro debut a month ago with a first round knockout, in :55, of Jim Pascal, of Pittsburgh.
-Lou Genovese has been named manager of the Hopwood team in the County Baseball League, to be assisted by Buck Atchison.
-Richey’s Candyland hiked its lead to three games by sweeping Zack’s Auto, in the Lebanese Club Bowling League. Joe John took honors with a 179 single and 469 triple.
-Plans are being discussed by the County Coaches Assn. for an All-County track meet, to be held at Connellsville. The committee included Coaches Dick Mason, Connellsville; Jack Hart, German Twp. and Matt Wasko, Brownsville.
-Campbell-Hathaway, with the first half title already won, moved closer to winning the second half as well, by sweeping Harmony, 3-0, in the Fayette Duckpin League. Charley Wagaman led the Shoemen with a 209-527 series. Michelle had the high single of 227. The “450 Club” members for that night included Wagaman, Michelle, Moorehouse, Hay, Druash, Mier, Painley, Shuman, Kuchno, Darrell, M. West, Fortune, and Truxell.
-(Unfortunately, away back then, sports articles were not required to have the full name of athletes, so many of the articles from that time list only the last name. On the other hand, someone with the same last name can point and say “that’s me!” and who is going to be able to argue with them).
-Connellsville Mooseheart defeated Legion, 63-57, to take a two-game lead in the best-of-5 city championship basketball series. Spak had 16, Roth 13, E. Miller 12, Wagner and Hitchcock 10 for the winners. Vroble led the losers with 16.
-Allentown beat Duquesne, 48-42, to win the state “A” basketball title at Philadelphia.
-A banquet was held at the Lebanese Club to honor the St. George Junior Prep Basketball League champions. Players included A. David, J. Antoon, S. Ferris, E. Risha, F. David, J. David, A. Agby, F. Antoon, G. Antoon, T. George, G. Michael, T. Joseph, D. Howard, K. Kennedy, and George Esper. Club President Joe John spoke, and Maud George showed movies.
-A Washington Twp. Boosters Club has been organized, with Louis Weaver as president, James Chalfant, vice-president; Charles O’Brien, secretary; and Joseph Hags, treasurer.
-Long-time district sports official James Hamer of Fayette City has been appointed to the board of trustees at California State Teachers College.
-And check these Acme Market prices for those days – eggs, 57 cents dozen; tomato soup, 3 cans for 29 cents; vegetable soup, 11 cents per can; lettuce, 19 cents a head; fresh hamburg, 3 pounds for a buck, cooked picnic hams, 49 cents a pound, smoked hams, 55 cents a pound and apples, 3 pounds, 31-cents.
Jim Kriek is a Herald-Standard Sports correspondent.