View Full Version : B.ruth Vs. W.johnson...here
hbwriter
10-11-2006, 01:48 PM
When I was writing the book Roadside Baseball, I was given some amazing photos taken in 1924 in the tiny oil town of Olinda, CA. Today it is called Brea and it's where Walter Johnson grew up. Halloween day, 1924, a team led by Johnson played a squad led by Babe Ruth and the images I saw were taken at the game by a local 18 year old named George Outland. The pictures were incredible--Sam Crawford, Rube Ellis and of course Ruth and Johnson.
Outland also captured an image of a homerun Ruth hit that some say traveled 600 feet and was lost in the oil fields. I located the site of the game, but the field is long gone. However, one artifact does remain, as you'll see in this short video...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VO-mGPHyB3c
Anyone know of any other obscure barnstorming sites? I'm always looking :)
hbwriter
10-12-2006, 06:26 AM
!And FYI for those who asked, Breas is located about 15 miles east of Anaheim)
Captain Cold Nose
10-12-2006, 06:36 AM
Mr. Epting, if this is indeed Chris Epting, let me say what a pleasure it is to have you here. I have the James Dean and Marilyn Monroe books.
hbwriter
10-12-2006, 06:54 AM
It's me all right. Someone told me about this site and to have this much running commentary about ballparks and forgotten fields makes my day, let me tell you.
Glad you enjoyed those other books--I'm readying a new one...
http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=FA5F436AF546723F
KCGHOST
10-12-2006, 07:55 AM
Absolutely fabulous photos!! Ihad forgotten that Johnson's family had moved to California whenhe was a youngster. I have always thought of him as a Kansan.
hbwriter
10-12-2006, 08:12 AM
KC--there's a field less than a mile from this site named for Johnson and the local high school has an interesting display dedicated to him. The town of Olinda though is essentially gone, parceled out as other places moved in.
you might like these, too
http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=118F692BCEEBE622
hbwriter
10-14-2006, 03:26 PM
Heard today that there is a minor movement in Brea to have a plaque placed at the parking here to mark where the field used to be--hope so!
hbwriter
10-20-2006, 02:37 PM
thanks for the email feedback on this one, too!
hbwriter
11-17-2006, 01:36 PM
have you seen this video yet? coming down soon, just want to make sure!
brewcrew82
11-17-2006, 03:30 PM
Very good video. Thanks for posting it.
SHOELESSJOE3
11-17-2006, 08:09 PM
When I was writing the book Roadside Baseball, I was given some amazing photos taken in 1924 in the tiny oil town of Olinda, CA. Today it is called Brea and it's where Walter Johnson grew up. Halloween day, 1924, a team led by Johnson played a squad led by Babe Ruth and the images I saw were taken at the game by a local 18 year old named George Outland. The pictures were incredible--Sam Crawford, Rube Ellis and of course Ruth and Johnson.
Outland also captured an image of a homerun Ruth hit that some say traveled 600 feet and was lost in the oil fields. I located the site of the game, but the field is long gone. However, one artifact does remain, as you'll see in this short video...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VO-mGPHyB3c
Anyone know of any other obscure barnstorming sites? I'm always looking :)
Very interesting. I just went to a news archive, LA. Times dated November 1, 1924. It contained the box score and a game recap. In it, Ruth hit two long home runs that some souvenir hunters were still looking for as darkness crept in.