Married Men Versus Single Men

In 1911, a baseball game with larger-than-life legends was captured in cartoon form in the Mountain Echo newspaper by caricaturist Parker. A neighborhood baseball game was played on the diamond at Harmon Park, a quarter of a mile north of Boulder Creek. 

The day was perfect for the Easter game, which was well attended by “Society” as was demonstrated by the display of Easter millinery which rivaled that of San Francisco! It was here that the Married Men suffered a “heartbreaking defeat” against the Single Men.

As they played the Married Men’s wives shouted their encouragement and when a play was made by one of the “eligibles,” the “giddy young debutantes” in attendance answered in chorus.

However, if the first inning had been different, the score would have been a tie. One of the first balls pitched by “Cannonball” Cottle for the Married Men broke rival teammate Billie Ritchie’s finger and while the injury was being evaluated the Single Men had trotted over the home plate no less than 8 times.

Winfield Scott Rodgers, editor of the Mountain Echo who played at third base for the Married Men was characterized as always there, except when needed. Postmaster Dan Trout, in right field, apparently had nothing to do but catch flies, and Town Trustee Joseph Mello’s fingers were described as buttered.