Chatt Merchants vs. Willshire, Baseball 1933

It has been one long, cold, snowy winter. Although the calendar tells us that it is spring, it still feels more like winter.

However, there are other indications that warmer weather is on its way. Most of the snow is gone and it only snowed one day this past week. Temperatures have been in the double digits for over a week. The robins and buzzards have returned to Mercer County. My daffodils are shooting up  from the ground. The Reds opening day is this coming Monday, 31 March. Yes! Baseball season is about to begin.

We are Cincinnati Reds fans here and nothing beats sitting back and watching a baseball game after a long day at work.

Baseball has always been a popular pastime in Chattanooga, Ohio. Bruno Betzel was born in Chatt in 1894 and he played in the major leagues. Several others from the Chatt area played in the minor leagues.

Over eighty years ago, in 1933, Chatt had a baseball team called the Chattanooga Merchants. One of their opponents was a team from Willshire, a town about eight miles to the north.

Who was playing on the Chatt and Willshire teams back in 1933?

CHATTANOOGA AND WILLSHIRE TO PLAY BALL

A baseball game between Willshire and Chattanooga will be played in the Chattanooga Ball Park Saturday evening, July 8.

The game promises to be a hard fought exhibition as both teams are entering the contest with “blood in their eyes.” Chattanooga has a strong team of young players and haven’t lost a game this season. Willshire, however, is determined to turn the trick on them July 8.

The game will be called at 6 o’clock and a small entrance fee will be charged.

Willshire Lineup: Geisler, 3rd base; L. Detter, shortstop; Price, catcher; Bump, left field; R. Detter, center field; Passwater, 2nd base; August, 1st base; Shell, right field; Lawrence Beuchner, pitcher; Easthom, Slusser, Marbaugh and Leo Beuchner, utility.

Chattanooga Lineup: Huffman, 3rd base; Fisher, shortstop; Gibbons, catcher; Rothaar, left field; R. Bollenbacher, center field; White, 2nd base; C. Bollenbacher, 1st base; A.  Bollenbacher, right field; Raudenbush, pitcher; L. Heffner and Baker, utility. [1]

Who won the game?

WILLSHIRE BASEBALL TEAM LOSES TO CHATT

Raudenbush pitched another winner for Chatt Merchants Saturday evening against Willshire team, the score being 6-2. Chatt got the lead in the game during the first inning when they made 3 runs. The other three being made in the 2nd and 5th innings. Willshire made their runs in the 4th and 6th innings. Slusser struck out 5 men and Raudenbush struck out 9.

Willshire is planning on making a good come-back at Chatt ball park Sunday, July 16, when they will again play the Chatt Merchants.

A summary of the game:

Willshire: Spahr, 1 hit; L. Detter, 1 error; August, 2 hits; Geisler, 1 run, 1 hit; Marbaugh, 1 hit; Easthom, 1 run. Passwater was the substitute pitcher.

Chatt: Huffman, 1 hit; Fisher, 1 run, 1 error; Gibbons, 2 runs, 2 hits; Raudenbush, 1 run, 1 hit; Rothaar, 1 hit; White, 1 run, 1 hit, 1 error; R. Bollenbacher, 1 hit; C. Bollenbacher, 1 run. L. Heffner substituted for C. Bollenbacher at the 4th inning. [2]

Unfortunately the newspaper did not include the first names of the players. I wonder where the Chatt baseball park was located. Maybe someone knows.

We look forward to the the 2014 baseball season and some spring weather. Please!

And good luck to the Reds!

[1] The Willshire Herald, Willshire, Ohio, 6 July 1933.

[2] The Willshire Herald, Willshire, Ohio, 13 July 1933.

 

 

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