Long ago on independence square (Anderson, Collins: chemistry, outage, apartment complex)

[MRG Dallas]

Originally Posted by CaseyMO

I remember the following sponsors of Kiwanis League baseball for the 1950s:

Latimer Motors
Independence S&L
Cash Bargain Lumber
Petey Childers
Bogart & Brown
Quality Produce
Polly's Pop
Bell Pest Control
George C. Carson
IBEW Local 124
Animal Hospital
First National Bank
Gateway Sporting Goods
Inter-City Kiwanis
Alderson Construction
Steelworkers Local 13
Gene Cable

Not all of these existed at one time and others probably existed, but I don't recall. For example, Latimer ended its sponsorship and Gateway took it over.

Wow, great memory. I recognize many of those teams after wracking my own brain recently trying to recall more.

[WCHS'59]

This has been edited a few times because of address confusion on my part.

This is a 1947 Fraser.

The Kaiser-Fraser dealer in Independence was Grimmer-De Backer.

An August 1950 Kansas City Star advertisement lists the K-F address as 311 S Main, which would have it on the east side of Main. A month later in a Star advertisement the address is listed as at 300 S Main, which would have it on the west side of Main. Something is goofy here or they moved.

Latimer Motors was at 301 S Main according to that post card that I posted recently. This would place it on the east side of Main, whereas I thought it was on the west side.

300 south main would be on the west side and I do remember going to the Kaiser-Fraser dealer on the west side around 1949 and maybe earlier but that was almost 65 years ago, chuckle.

The 301 side I always remember as being a Gas Service Company facility. Someone help me out here. Something does not make sense.

A 1952 KC Star advertisement lists the Grimmer-De Backer Kaiser-Fraser dealer address as at 11008 Truman Road.

Fraser went out in 1952. Kaiser went out in 1956.

MRG, can you find something on Grimmer-Debacker in your directories?

[WCHS'59]

The November 11, 1947, Kansas City Star shows Grimmer-De backer Kaiser-Fraser at 300 s Main.

Gerald (Jerry) De Backer was one of the partners.

Jerry Debacker (there are different spellings of the last name) formed Jerry Debacker Cheverolet in May 1960 and located at 117th Street and S 71 Highway.

[CaseyMO]

Originally Posted by MRG Dallas

Wow, great memory. I recognize many of those teams after wracking my own brain recently trying to recall more.

While I remembered most of the names, I had some help.

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by CaseyMO

Raytown? In the 1950s and early 1960s that was a name in football hated by WCHS students as Raytown and Chrisman were feared rivals in the Pony Express League. I believe the name of the coach from Raytown was Chitwood.

It looks like the Pony Express League ended after the 1961 season as Chrisman did not play Raytown in 1962. The record for the games were:

1959 - Raytown over Chrisman 18 - 7
1960 - Raytown tied Chrisman 7 - 7
1961 - Raytown over Chrisman 18 - 6

Looking at those scores, maybe it was Chrisman who feared Raytown. I think Chrisman did better earlier in the 1950s, but I don't have the records.

1957- Raytown 33, Chrisman 0.
Northtown 33, Chrisman 0.

Chrisman was 7-2-1 that year. The tie was a 6-6 score against Lafayette.

[CaseyMO]

Originally Posted by CaseyMO

I believe the store you are referring to was on the corner of Truman and Fransden Road, which was the only street between the two Kigers. There was a store and a garage. The store is long gone.

This is a photo of the garages that went with a filling station and neighborhood store on the NE corner of Truman Road and Fransden Road. The store was to the left of the garages and was torn down many years ago. If you were going east on Truman from Noland, you would pass North Kiger and then the road would do a curve to the left and then back to the right and go across a narrow bridge and then come to Fransden. The next thing you would come to is South Kiger which would be on the right with that narrow bridge that you talked about. I recall a car or two missing the bridge and going down into the creek below.

I have been told that George Larm owned the store and filling station. Kids in the early 1950s would go into the store to wait for the school bus and stand near a stove that burned wood.

I wish I had realized 60 years ago how much I would have enjoyed looking at pictures of things from those days.

[CaseyMO]

Originally Posted by WCHS'59

1957- Raytown 33, Chrisman 0.
Northtown 33, Chrisman 0.

Chrisman was 7-2-1 that year. The tie was a 6-6 score against Lafayette.

It looks like Raytown kind of owned us.

[CaseyMO]

Originally Posted by Mad Anthonie

My Beloved's uncle managed that store during WWII. It was indeed the building currently occupied by Payless Shoes.

My Beloved's mother worked there during WWII. After the war romance bloomed when a just out of the service meat-cutter started working there.

That is so cool. There has to be something about women loving men who work in grocery stores. I have two friends who met at Jerry's United Supers when the guy worked there and they have been married forever. I met my wife when I worked at Kroger at 35th and Noland. It must be the aromas of a grocery store that cause that.

[CaseyMO]

Originally Posted by WCHS'59

Another Studebaker dealer across from the Granada.

I confess I would not have believed there were this many Studebaker dealers in Independence.

[MRG Dallas]

Originally Posted by CaseyMO

While I remembered most of the names, I had some help.

Amazing . . . Can you tell me why Lee Currier's name is highlighted? He is the only name I recognized.