Mark Maynard: 0718: Digging his way into area baseball history

Jul 18, 2009 (The Daily Independent - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- AS | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating -- The more Bill Williams digs, the more information seems to be coming his way about the old Armco Field.

Williams is the 72-year-old Russell resident and Armco retiree who had a photograph of the old ballpark that sat where the AK Steel's Amanda Blast Furnace is today.

Williams was wondering what the name was on the fence of the park. After a story about the park came out in the newspaper, several responded with the answer. The official name of Armco Field, the name most used to refer to the field, is Association Athletic Park.

But that was only the start for Williams, who has continued to ask questions like a veteran reporter.

There aren't too many days that have gone by since the first story appeared in the newspaper that Williams doesn't hear: "I've got something for you."

Jim Frazier, who last year at age 82 shot his age on the golf course, revealed some old photographs of former Armco baseball teams that intrigued Williams. And Mike Phelps, who lives in Worthington, had photographs his grandfather, Rudy Phelps, had given his father Ray of Joe DiMaggio and Leo Durocher that were taken at the Armco Field when the Yankees and Dodgers played an exhibition game there in 1940. There were some other player photos too, including pitchers Red Ruffing and Goofy Gomez.

"This thing keeps reaching out," Williams said. "I'm amazed. I'm digging into this, making notes. I hope to maybe compile a book of some of the athletic events that have been around here.

"It's an adventure. My phone's rung off the wall."

Williams has been provided with a much clearer photograph of the Armco Field where the Association Athletic Park name is clearly in focus.

On Wednesday, a classmate of Williams gave him a ticket for an exhibition game between the Reds and Tigers from April 10, 1942, that was to be played at Armco Field. The game was scheduled but it was rained out after the area was saturated with 2.51 inches of rain in 48 hours.

A game between the Yankees and Dodgers in 1940 is the only major league game ever played in Ashland.

The Detroit players had a 90-minute workout at the park but didn't take batting practice. The Reds didn't work out but did sign autographs in the lobby of the Henry Clay Hotel. Fans lined up for autographs of their favorite players and were a little disappointed that Paul Derringer wasn't traveling with the team.

The Reds-Tigers game was expected to far outdraw the Yankee-Dodger game that attracted more than 4,000 fans to the park in 1940.

The Reds were only two years removed from the 1940 World Championship team. Elmer Riddle, who was 19-4 with a 2.24 ERA in 1941, was supposed to pitch that day for the Reds.

On the day before the exhibition game, a story in the Ashland Daily Independent said Reds' left-handed pull hitters Ival Goodman and Lonnie Frey were at the park the previous day and were salivating over the short right-field fence at Armco Field.

Area fans were disappointed that the game didn't work out. But on the ticket was a refund guarantee of four free tickets to a Mountain State League game at Armco Field if the exhibition was cancelled for any reason. The cost of a ticket was $1.50.

While Ashland was anticipating the Reds-Tigers exhibition game, a big-time player from the 1920s and '30s was visiting Ashland earlier that week. Hall of Famer Earle Combs had stopped by to see old friend John Steele, the owner of Steele and Lawrence Drugs.

Combs, a Richmond, Ky., native known as "The Kentucky Colonel," played in the same outfield with Babe Ruth for 10 years with the Yankees. In 1942, he was a Yankee coach. He had entertained Steele in 1941 in New York when the Yankees played in the World Series.

Williams has enjoyed his part in unveiling some history in the area that had been long forgotten.

He played in the shadows of the old park as a child and understands there aren't many still around who remember much about that era in Ashland history.

"But I'm going to keep digging," he said.

MARK MAYNARD can be reached at mmaynard@dailyindependent.com or (606) 326-2648.

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