TERRE HAUTE —
Currently in his 25th year as a college baseball coach, Rick Heller is in the midst of his third winning season at Indiana State and has embraced the university and the community. His office is adorned with memorabilia of Vigo County baseball icons Mordecai “Three Finger” Brown, Max Carey, Tommy John, Art Nehf and Dizzy Trout, as well as Terre Haute’s proud minor league baseball heritage that spanned seven decades.
Heller will fete members of Terre Haute’s 1955 Babe Ruth League world championship team at Sycamore Stadium on Saturday. On that day, ISU will host perennial collegiate baseball power Dallas Baptist. Game time is 2 p.m.
On Aug. 20, 1955 — nearly 57 years ago — when an all-star team representing Terre Haute vanquished Birmingham, Ala., in the final game of the Babe Ruth League World Series at Disch Field in Austin, Texas, it was a noteworthy achievement. WBOW’s Darl Wible provided play-by-play coverage for an anxious radio audience. Dodgers sportscaster Vin Scully narrated the documentary film. The All-Star team, managed by Glenn E. Staggs, ably assisted by Donas Dischinger, included some of the finest athletes ever produced in the Wabash Valley. The team consisted of Gary Auten, Jim Calvin, Willie Cheesman, Bob Clements, Gary Cunning, Terry Dischinger, Charlie Hall, Marvin Haney, Gene Jeffers, Bob Kehrt, Don Lanning, Larry Lucas, Luke Montgomery, Jerry Porter, John Roshel and Larry Rush.
At the time there were 16 Vigo County high schools. All except Calvin, Cunning and Lanning attended Terre Haute schools. Calvin attended Farmersburg High School, Cunning went to Fontanet High School and Lanning matriculated to Glenn High School.
As the 1954 Indiana champion, Terre Haute was chosen to host the 1955 state tournament at Memorial Stadium in July. Rush and Kehrt were the winning pitchers in tourney victories over Gary and Hammond. Champions from six states competed in the Ohio Valley Regional, also played at Memorial Stadium. Hall limited Stevens Point, Wis., to two hits in the opener while Rush was 4-for-4 at the plate.
Rush shut out Owensboro, Ky., 10-0, on two hits while Dischinger hit a home run and Hall had three RBIs. Kehrt, Terre Haute’s southpaw ace, and Hall shared the mound during the 9-5 regional championship triumph over Cincinnati.
Hall got the starting assignment against Stamford, Conn., the defending world champion, in the first game of the eight-team World Series in Austin. He struck out future major leaguer Cookie Rojas in the second inning. Kehrt relieved Hall in the 3-2 victory, which featured a squeeze play initiated by Dischinger and Rush’s game-winning single.
Rush knocked in two runs and limited Clarksburg, W.Va., to two hits for 61⁄3 innings on Friday. Leading 4-1 with one out and the bases loaded, Jeffers came in to retire the side with only one run scoring. The final score was 4-2.
Birmingham reached the championship game by defeating both Portland, Ore., with future major league pitcher Mickey Lolich, and Oakland, Calif., with future major leaguer Tommy Harper.
After 52⁄3 innings, Kehrt had a three-hitter but Birmingham led 2-1 and the bases were loaded. Hall relieved to secure the final out. Terre Haute scored four runs in the top of the seventh to take the lead. After Clements and Cunning walked and Cheesman sacrificed, Dischinger, Rush and Auten delivered consecutive singles.
Birmingham scored two quick runs in the bottom of the seventh. With the tying run on first and no one out, Calvin made his first World Series appearance. Two of his first three pitches were thrown behind the batter. After Staggs visited the mound, Calvin promptly fired three straight strikes past the batter.
Ground balls to infielders Cheesman and Clements ended the game. Fire trucks, city officials and about 2,000 fans participated in a triumphant tour through city streets on Aug. 22 to a reception at Seventh and Wabash conducted by Mayor Ralph Tucker. Staggs hosted several team reunions. The last one was the 45th reunion in 2000 when Glenn was 90 years old. He died in November 2005.
Team members are located in 10 states. Four remain in Indiana. Jeffers is pastor of Park Forest Bible Church in North Terre Haute; Kehrt, who played baseball and basketball at Purdue, recently retired after a long career in sales with Paitson Bros. Heating. Roshel, who attended Indiana State, IU and the University of Michigan, is a local orthodontist. Larry Lucas retired after 29 years with the Cummins Co. of Columbus, where he continues to reside. Recently deceased, Clements played baseball and football at Wiley and at Indiana State and then coached high school football. South Vigo’s football stadium is named in his honor. Porter, a Terre Haute Schulte alumnus, resides in Brandon, Fla. Rush, currently transportation director for a school corporation, moved to Florida while a senior in highschool and now resides there in Ellington. Hall and Calvin live in Las Vegas. A 1958 Indiana All-Star inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame and a two-time Indiana high school high jump champion, Hall was a three-year starter for Branch McCracken at Indiana University. He has been associated with John Hancock Life Insurance Co. for many years
Calvin coached basketball at high school, college, pro and international levels, tutoring national teams in China, Kuwait, Australia, Venezuela, Bahrain, Egypt, Germany and United Arab Emirates. The New York Times called Calvin, recently inducted into the East Noble High School Hall of Fame, “The Coach Who Beat Saddam Hussein.”
Now a semi-retired orthodontist in Lake Oswego, Ore., Dischinger has been called the greatest athlete in Vigo County history. A three-time college basketball All-American at Purdue, 1960 Olympic gold medal winner and 1963 NBA Rookie of the Year, he was a three-sport all-State athlete at Garfield and was inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame in 1989.
A teammate of Dischinger and Kehrt at Garfield, Auten was a Little All America basketball player at Kentucky Wesleyan. He now resides in Benton, Ky. Cunning and Cheesman played pro baseball after college. Cunning signed with the Philadelphia Phillies and played five years or more in the minors. He taught school for many years and now resides in Rothbury, Mich. A multi-sport athlete at Franklin College, Cheesman signed with the Washington Senators. After a short pro career in the Appalachian League, he coached football and track at high schools and colleges in Indiana, Texas and Montana. He now lives in Austin, Texas.
After playing basketball and baseball at Glenn, Lanning was captain of Rose Poly’s baseball team for three years. He forged a successful career with Campbell Soups and now is retired in Bluffton, S.C. Montgomery held administrative banking positions in Watseka, Ill., before retiring a few years ago. Haney founded Legacy Homes of Pueblo, Colo., which is managed by his son.
History
HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE: 1955 Babe Ruth League championship team to be feted
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Historical Treasure: The 1947 Terre Haute Phillies and the history of baseball in America’s Crossroads
As another spring blossoms, it is time for another season of baseball to descend upon the city of Terre Haute.
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HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE: George Lance dominates intercity golf rivalry in 1927
What was expected to be a close match between two Terre Haute golfers for the 1927 Indiana Amateur Golf championship turned out to be a cakewalk.
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GENEALOGY: Follow ‘Tips on Caring for Documents and Photographs’
I recently read an article called “Tips on Caring for Documents and Photographs,” by Tamara Hemmerlein, Hoosier Heritage Alliance Coordinator for the Indiana Historical Society
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LOOKING BACK: 1988: Teachers issued rubber gloves to use in management of blood, other body fluids
Dorothy Jerse looks back at local history from 10, 25 and 50 years ago as reported in the Tribune and Tribune-Star.
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Historical Perspective: Wabash Valley is home to prominent comedy opera stars
Comic opera, a genre consisting of light hearted musicals, was introduced in Europe during the 17th century.
In the 19th century, several female vocalists from the Wabash Valley, earned national celebrity by using that art form to excel. -
Looking back: In 2003, Storm rips off half of Honey Creek Fire Department’s roof
A Saturday morning storm ripped off half of the Honey Creek Fire Department’s roof and caused heavy damage in Allendale. Wind gusts topping 60 miles an hour brought down power lines and trees throughout the county. Hail almost an inch thick and 1.5 inches of rain fell in less than an hour.
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Abundance of shoe stores existed downtown
Spring to me means putting away heavy winter sweaters and bringing out fun lighter sundresses. It also means the possibility of shopping for a new dress or even new shoes.
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Genalogy: Handwriting in 1700s-1800s Copperplate or English Round Hand
The primary style of old handwriting in the mid 1700s through the 1800s is sometimes called Copperplate or English Round Hand. This style of writing is much more recognizable and readable than the older Secretary Hand style discussed last week, and it is much less ornate as well.
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The death of Irish Kate Preston
The lifeless body of Catherine Preston, commonly referred to as “Irish Kate,” was found Saturday morning, Oct. 5, 1895, on a sandbar at the western edge of the Wabash River wagon bridge.
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Looking back: 2003: Sherertz sets nine-hole school record
Terre Haute North Vigo High School’s nine-hole record at Hulman Links was broken by golf team member Matt Sherertz who shot a 4-under-par 32 in a team-record win over Northview.
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Historical perspectives: Railroads were models of innovation and growth in Haute
Railroads have played an important part in the building of our nation and in the history of Terre Haute. It is no small wonder that these amazing machines were turned into children’s toys, as well as models for the more mature train enthusiast.
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‘Foreign’ letters to confuse a genealogist
Any serious family researcher will at some time or another encounter old documents in an older handwriting style that need to be read and deciphered.
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1988: 700 teachers unite in protest
At least 700 teachers were absent from their Vigo County School Corp. schools as part of a job action to protest lack of progress in contract negotiations.
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Genealogy: Vigo County Gold Star Honor Roll
FamilySearch International recently announced “the release of significant new enhancements to its web services that allow visitors to collaboratively build their family tree online, preserve and share precious family photos and stories, and receive personal research assistance–all for free.”
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‘Far-sound’ rings in a new era
This week’s Historic Treasure is an invention that changed life, as we know it in a great way, the telephone.
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Historical perspective: Venard: soldier in the War of 1812
His name was Stephen Venard. For more than 50 years he resided in Terre Haute, without fanfare, with his wife and a daughter. Much of that time was spent in the 400 block on N. First St.
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Looking Back: 2003: Mark Cook brings blues home
Mark Cook returned to Terre Haute to play with fellow musicians in the Cook-N-Blues group at Brazil and Terre Haute.
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Historical perspective: Attempted carriage-jacking thwarted
Nineteenth century newspapers covered several topics that might astonish current readers. For example, the front page of the Terre Haute Weekly Gazette on Nov. 16, 1878 – 135 years ago – reported on the bold attempt by four “villains” to rob two women riding in a carriage immediately west of the fairgrounds at Brown and Wabash avenues:
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Genealogy: Dutchman seeks family of missing soldier
Query: I live in the Netherlands and recently I have adopted the name of American PFC Joseph P. Nelson at the Netherlands American Cemetery in Margraten. He was killed in action on Dec. 5, 1944, and his name is on the Walls of the Missing.
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Sewing Society keeps hospital in linen, supplies
When Tracy Pruitt came across a small box of old ledgers and receipt books recently, his first impulse was to throw it away. But he decided to sit down and examine its contents. In doing so, he discovered a story.
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Looking Back: 1963: Officials prepare for disaster
City officials were studying survival plans in case of a natural disaster or attack by an enemy source. Gilbert Leonard was the director of Vigo County Defense.
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Genealogy: Gold Star Honor Roll: Vigo County
This week continues with the Gold Star Honor Roll (those who died in WW I) from the Wabash Valley. The Vigo County list is long and will be run in three parts.
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River boat models capture glory of former culture
In the River portion of the latest exhibit at the Vigo County Historical Society museum are two models of river paddle boats created by Alfred F. Nehf.
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Historical perspective: Babe Holland: advocate for equality
Wherever Terre Haute native William Sylvester Holland roamed, he made an impact.
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Historical Perspective: Terre Haute’s architectural heritage
Much more than is commonly recognized, Terre Haute has a rich and diverse legacy of landscapes designed by some of the nation’s most talented architects.
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Genealogy: A search for names from broken stones
This week there is a query about an old cemetery in Parke County, that is believed to have been destroyed:
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Hidden treasures: Laborers phased out by machines
Today’s historical treasure will intone to many people an early experience of practical labor. For others, this artifact might lack a contextual notion.
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Looking back: 2003: Two men rob Terre Haute First National Bank
Two men robbed Terre Haute First National Bank’s banking center at Southland Plaza, South Seventh Street and Margaret Avenue. It was the first bank robbery in Terre Haute since November 2000.
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Interurban makes city Crossroads of America
Electric transportation is not a new technology. With the arrival of the electric car we are reminded that electric technology has a long history in Terre Haute.
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The tale of the Wabash River
On March 14, 1913, the Indiana General Assembly adopted “On the Banks of the Wabash, Far Away,” by Terre Haute native Paul Dresser, as Indiana’s state song.
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