Peering at the Past Almost impossible to get the girls to play ball

“We boys pretty much ignored the girls, unless they were needed for a ball game,” wrote now octogenarian David Beckman about attending country grade schools in Houston County, Minn., in the 1940s and 1950s. “Even so, I did realize that girls were much more aware of subtle things that were going on around us than we boys ever were. We either didn’t notice or didn’t much care.

“In some ways, social aspects of country grade schools were generic and bland… Through constant contact within the community, you knew all the kids as if they were your brothers and sisters, at most distant cousins. As a result, they were not only your friends but also became part of your extended family and were usually treated as such.

“It was almost impossible to get the girls to play ball.  Most times, we boys had to agree to play one or more of their silly games before they would play even one ballgame with us. We must have been very honorable young men because I don’t recall many times, if any, when we reneged on our side of these bargains, nor did the girls for that matter. But I won’t attest to how much effort we put into their games. I am quite sure, however, that we put a lot more into their games than they ever put into our ball games.”

It was school year 1949-1950 at South Ridge School (sometimes known as Loretta School) when playing ball games suddenly became more significant. One day their teacher, Mrs. Cora Ames, announced that she had arranged a field trip to our neighboring Pine Creek School. “I’m pretty sure she didn’t use the term “field trip,” presumed Beckman, “because country schools neither knew about such things nor could they have afforded the transportation to get there. She probably used a term like a “play day” or simply “a visit.”

The South Ridge students from Mound Prairie Township would walk down through the woods on the historic Loretta Road for about three miles to the school in the valley below while crossing into La Crescent Township. They would carry their lunch buckets for a picnic with the Pine Creek kids and then the main event – playing a softball game, school versus school.

The boys were instantly excited. “We had never done anything like this before,” exclaimed Beckman. “I was absolutely thrilled about the chance to play an organized softball game against a bunch of kids I had never played with before. And the best part of all was when Mrs. Ames said we would have to spend all of our next recesses practicing for the game. It would be a big stretch to say these practices would be of any value, but at the least it did make the girls play ball and without us having to pay them back.”

Beckman, a fifth grader, was the best player at South Ridge School and naturally was the pitcher when practices began. “I don’t recall the teacher, or anyone else for that matter, telling anyone which position to play,” recalled Beckman. “The process was more like a pecking order where each kid naturally gravitated to the position they thought they could handle.”

First base was the only position that concerned Beckman. Most batted balls were grounders right back to Beckman, who routinely fielded them and threw to first base for an out, providing the first baseman could catch the ball. Beckman also found himself running all over the field pulling down fly balls or tagging out runners before they reached the next base.

“When the day of the big game finally arrived, we could just as well have taken the morning off because there was very little learning taking place in the school house. And I think Mrs. Ames must have been very pleased with her arrangement and was also quite excited, because she didn’t seem to care about the lessons either.

“It was around 11:00 o’clock when the magic moment arrived. We grabbed our lunch buckets and headed down over the hill to the Pine Creek School. We would be using their bats and balls, so didn’t have to take ours. Since I was the only kid at our school to have a baseball glove, I made sure it wasn’t left behind.

“All of the boys rushed to the front of the pack where the older boys aggressively vied for the coveted lead position, most likely being driven by their alpha male instinct. It involved much bumping and shoving as the guys tried to gain the lead and then hold on to it.  Occasionally, we’d hear the stern voice of Mrs. Ames admonishing us for our wild behavior and demanding that we slow down so everyone would stay together.

“The girls didn’t pay much attention to our antics. They were perfectly content to stick together, completely occupied with their incessant chatter and giggling. Even so, we guys still thought of ourselves as the guides and protectors for this dangerous journey through the woods. And of course, Mrs. Ames brought up the rear keeping a watchful eye over her brood like an old mother hen.”

“It was a beautiful summer morning with a clear blue sky that allowed the sun’s heat to pierce through the tree tops making our journey warm and sweaty.  It would be a perfect day for a ball game, provided it didn’t get much hotter.”

However, it would not be the weather nor even the highly-anticipated softball contest that would be most memorable for young David. It would be an unexpected but likely not by chance encounter at a water cooler. To be continued…