Long ago on independence square (Kansas City, Lee's Summit: leasing, credit card, swimming)

[WCHS'59]

MRG, I think you said a couple of times you played baseball with Gateway Sporting Goods on Main Street.


I was watching the Rockies play the Dodgers last night and saw a catcher grab and save an otherwise wild pitch with one hand. I have seen catchers do this a lot in recent years.


I only played sandlot and we were lucky to have enough gloves to go around.


Recall the old time catcher’s mitt? It was a rig round piece of padded leather with an indent in the middle the size of a baseball and just a little tab of leather for a web. I could catch very little with it and it seemed that one had to use both hands to catch a ball. I don’t think you could make a one hand save of an errant ball with it.

Outfielder’s gloves were somewhat the same way but way more flexible and one handed catches could easily be made.

Nowadays, all the gloves “double over” for good one handed catches.


Also, something else that gives me the shivers is when one of the player's fingers sticks outside the mitt.

[MRG Dallas]

Yeah, two years with Gateway in 3&2. Some of the best life memories were those days. You are right the gloves were much different. Today they appear to be larger and especially with more webbing. I do remember the old catchers mitts. Round and stiff with webbing just the size of the baseball. It was difficult to catch an errant pitch. I imagine today's gloves are also more flexible at purchase. For us we had to use and oil and the gloves to get the stiffness out and conform more to our hands. That was frustrating, to get a new glove then not be able to 100% utilize it while waiting for it to flex to our liking.

I see where Rawlings and Wilsons are still major players in the glove game. Wilson had one glove that was particularly popular, I think it was the A2000. Prices don't look too bad today even though they are substantially higher.

I never used the "index finger out" It was done mostly to protect the finger from the sting of the ball that wasn't caught completely in the pocket. We played games all over KC, Blue Valley Park, Raytown Park, SC Park . . . some of the neighborhoods back then, no way would those be safe today for 10-15 year olds and families.

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by MRG Dallas

Yeah, two years with Gateway in 3&2. Some of the best life memories were those days. You are right the gloves were much different. Today they appear to be larger and especially with more webbing. I do remember the old catchers mitts. Round and stiff with webbing just the size of the baseball. It was difficult to catch an errant pitch. I imagine today's gloves are also more flexible at purchase. For us we had to use and oil and the gloves to get the stiffness out and conform more to our hands. That was frustrating, to get a new glove then not be able to 100% utilize it while waiting for it to flex to our liking.

I see where Rawlings and Wilsons are still major players in the glove game. Wilson had one glove that was particularly popular, I think it was the A2000. Prices don't look too bad today even though they are substantially higher.

I never used the "index finger out" It was done mostly to protect the finger from the sting of the ball that wasn't caught completely in the pocket. We played games all over KC, Blue Valley Park, Raytown Park, SC Park . . . some of the neighborhoods back then, no way would those be safe today for 10-15 year olds and families.

I always had a cheap outfielder's glove that had no padding. I always wanted to have a new glove but just could not afford one. Then I got out of playing sandlot. Fast forward to when the Rockies started playing in Denver and the concessions had brand new gloves at high but reasonable prices. I wanted one so bad but just could not fork over the money, chuckle.

I can also recall when the Gold Seats behind the plate in Royals Stadium cost $8.50 a game and thought that was high.

[MRG Dallas]

Crysler Stadium was utilitzed most every night during baseball season. I hardly played there but saw many games of friends who played in the Independence Leagues. One might have been the Kiwanis League and had Petey Childers Rx, ISL, maybe Shoco was a sponsor. KC 3&2 had a few Independence-area teams and many kids played 3&2, but there were many more teams in the Independence leagues. It seemed like 3&2 was more in favor with western Indep kids, Van Horn District and SC. . . central and eastern parts of town, favored local leagues. Not sure what year Mill Creek diamonds opened although they were definitely there in 64.

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by MRG Dallas

Crysler Stadium was utilitzed most every night during baseball season. I hardly played there but saw many games of friends who played in the Independence Leagues. One might have been the Kiwanis League and had Petey Childers Rx, ISL, maybe Shoco was a sponsor. KC 3&2 had a few Independence-area teams and many kids played 3&2, but there were many more teams in the Independence leagues. It seemed like 3&2 was more in favor with western Indep kids, Van Horn District and SC. . . central and eastern parts of town, favored local leagues. Not sure what year Mill Creek diamonds opened although they were definitely there in 64.

I agree about Crysler being very busy. I saw a few games there. There was a remodeling that took place sometime in the 70s, I think. Did not seem like it did that much but the city put a lot of money into it. I think a lot of the money went into field and drainage improvements. Moody Motors had a baseball team, I saw them there once and they became my favorite team.

I saw my first professional game at the old Blues Stadium at 22nd and Brooklyn around 1951. I went with a family friend and we parked in the residential area to avoid the high cost of the big parking lots. A very small black kid with a big smile came running out as we parked in front of a house and said "Watch your car Mister, twenty-five cents." My friend said "yes" and gave him the money. He later explained that if he did not pay the twenty-five cents, it would be hard telling what might happen to his car. But by paying the twenty-five cents nothing would happen to it as this kid would guard it with his life. When, we came back after the game the same small kid was there still with the big smile. Of course he had few others he was watching, also.

I always remembered that and when I went to a game I would park on the street and look around for a kid to "watch my car." Never had a problem.

[Mad Anthonie]

Originally Posted by MRG Dallas

1956- Pyper's Place 301 W. Alton

It is still listed in 59 and 60

Google Streetview still has the Clem's sign with the Coca Cola logo, a red and white drive-in restaurant type building, right across from Metcalf State Bank.

Would you please clarify, which address were they at 301 or 1303? Each is near a rail line.

Originally Posted by pearjas

I have a curiousity question... 321 West Lexington used to be the Examiner Building until 1980. It is now the Jackson County Assessment Department building. Does anyone know how long it's been a Jackson County building, and if there was anything located in between?

My 1988 Polk's has the county there, but it seems to me someone else may have been there right after the Examiner.

[MRG Dallas]

[quote=Mad Anthonie;25850583]Would you please clarify, which address were they at 301 or 1303? Each is near a rail line.

Pyper's has been at three 23rd (Alton) addresses. The 60 Polks lists Pyper's Place at 301 W 23rd, which places them at Chrysler. The 1950 Polk's has Pyper's Lunch Wagon at the 1303 address. WCHS said they moved westward due to the construction of the overpass, and later became the predecessor location where Clem's is at 10800 block of E. 23rd (@ Northern).

1950 1303
1960 301 W. 23tf
Subsequently 10800 E. 23rd

[WCHS'59]

[quote=MRG Dallas;25853988]

Originally Posted by Mad Anthonie

Would you please clarify, which address were they at 301 or 1303? Each is near a rail line.

Pyper's has been at three 23rd (Alton) addresses. The 60 Polks lists Pyper's Place at 301 W 23rd, which places them at Chrysler. The 1950 Polk's has Pyper's Lunch Wagon at the 1303 address. WCHS said they moved westward due to the construction of the overpass, and later became the predecessor location where Clem's is at 10800 block of E. 23rd (@ Northern).

1950 1303
1960 301 W. 23tf
Subsequently 10800 E. 23rd

From my perspective, the Pyper’s Place drive in that I am thinking of was at the southwest corner of Osage and Alton, or 23rd Street, which would be 301 west 23rd.

At the time, Osage was at grade with 23rd and all one had to do was turn left at Osage (coming from Noland) and the drive in was right there. It was the only business in the immediate area. A unique thing I recall about the drive in was that it was in an essentially residential area and did not have a hardstand for car parking. It was gravel. They also had carhops.

When the bridge over the railroad tracks was constructed, a long elevated lead in on 23rd was needed and that raised the street above Osage and took all or part of the drive in forcing them to look for another location, which they found out at 23rd and Northern. The city chose not to extend Osage under 23rd. That plus the fact there was no longer any access from 23rd, would have killed their business even had they not lost space.

I am thinking the four lane bridge was completed sometime before 23rd was actually widened, probably while the city was going through right of way acquisition all along 23rd clear through town.

[Mad Anthonie]

FINALLY! I have grabbed a few minutes of spare time to digitize some of my old photos.

Here is your first mystery photo, taken in the winter of 1981-82. Who will be the first to correctly identify the location?

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by Mad Anthonie

FINALLY! I have grabbed a few minutes of spare time to digitize some of my old photos.

Here is your first mystery photo, taken in the winter of 1981-82. Who will be the first to correctly identify the location?

I am guessing Lee's Summit Road looking north towards 23rd Street in the distance.