Page:Historical and Biographical Annals of Columbia and Montour Counties, Pennsylvania, Containing a Concise History of the Two Counties and a Genealogical and Biographical Record of Representative Families.pdf/221

 COLUMBIA AND MONTOUR COUNTIES dctiC: John H. Sm ethcrs, secretary; Mahlon C, Hetlcr. treasurer and business manager. T he present ch e e rs a r e : Jo h n C. Crisman, president; ijeo rgc Linville, secretary; George C on fair, treasurer; M. C. H eller, manager. In the spring o f 19 10 the association leased fo r five years a plot o f ground in W est Ber­ wick from Freas Fow ler, calling it Fowler Field. T his proj>crty is valued at ^ ,0 0 0, and the association has an option on it and has made $6*000 worth o f improvements, inctuding a grandstaml. H ere arc held bicvcle ,ind athletic meets, which attract crowds aver­ aging 2,500 persons, several times a year. When the Susquehanna Baseball League of six clubs was fonnced out, and the Sunbur)* club w*a$ addetl. M any of the fonner memljers of the league later played in the big national bciseball leagues. THE

nKRW U K

M .M t A t llO K

A S S O C IA T IO N

T lte Berwick Marathon .Association has held meets fo r seven consecutive years, at which only the highest grade athletes have l)ccn seen, in many contests fo r prizes, consisting mainly o f diamonds. The princi]ial event is the tenmile foot race, in which the fastest records in the Union have heen made. The first meet took place in 1908 on Thanksgiving Day, which has l>ccn the day set fo r all the meets which have taken place since. The officers of the association a r e : A . E . Domrcllc, Detroit, president: P rof. Jam es Y . Sigm an, 111. G., Berw ick, vice president: C . N. M acCrca, Ber­ wick, sccrctar>*-treasurer. T I I K C R |N t>l-:R .s' a . U H

T h is unique organization combines fraternal and social objects with literary and athletic aspirations o f varied character. Originally organized by a few* young men in W est B er­ wick in December, i<)i t, as a ating society, it has since expanded its arm s to include mcmIjcrs from Betw ick and Nescopeck. The charter contains a clause prohibiting the sale by the club o f intoxicants and the by-laws provide that gambling and the bringing o f In­ toxicants into the clubrooms will be the cause fo r expulsion o f memliers. Card and game playing on the Sabbath arc also prohibited. In the summer o f 19 12 members of the

183

Grinders’ Club won the pennant in the Penn­ sylvania League of baseball clubs. In the same year they pulled down the team prize in the Berwick Athletic Association, also winning the shield for the relay race, nm ning against a formidable field in both events. In K913 the club won the first prize in the New Y e a r's celebration by parading a com­ plete ” L'nclc Tom ’s Cabin” troupe, sixty strong, including the bloodhounds, as well as E va and Topsy. The Grinders, J r ., a branch* won the boys' prize in (he parade with a com­ plete Zouave company. In the foliow'ing year the club w as winner inMhc New Y ea r’s parade w'ith a company of Jackson’s soldiers o f (ho w ar o f 18 12, com­ pletely unifonned. even to the buttons. The •‘(ircnadicrs,” an offshoot of the Grinders, Jr ., of the previous year, won the boys' prize over all competitors. In die summer o f 19 14, a fte r a bad start, the Grinders’ team won both series of the City League, after a grueling finish. T heir man­ ager was Kd. Tustin. The club also won a number o f debates that year and were suc­ cessful in the checkers and pinochle tourna­ ments. In the se.ison o f 19 13 - 14 the members won the bowling championship o f (he C ity League, under the management o f V. K. Cousin.s, Each year a banquet to the members and their lady friends is given at the " S t. O iarlcs H otel.” T h e club has presented Rags to all the public schools o f lioth lioroughs; initiated the custom o f celebrating Surrender Da^ by a reception in the town hall to the sur*iving veterans of the C ivil w a r; and made a nation^ reputation by establishing a camp*at the his­ toric hattle^ound on the celebration of the fiftieth annivcrsar)* of the Ixittlc o f Gettys­ burg. The club has alw ays been ready to respond to appeals fo r help from the two bor­ oughs and has also furnished a room in the new Berwick hospital at an ex]iensc o f several hundred dollars. T] q first president of the club wa.s P. B. Low ry and the second O yd e Croft. William Sherman was the first secretary-treasurer. T he present officers a rc : John A . Bccbcr, |>ast president; Edw ard Foster, pre.sidcnt; W. B. Croft* vice president; Fran k M . Carey, financial secretary; Clyde K. Croft* recording secretary: J. J. Kallbach, treasurer. T he club is located in commodious quarters on Front and Orange streets, but a program o f larger scope is being prepared for the com­ ing year, which will necessitate the building o f a home o f its own.