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The Boys of Summer, From Years Gone By

By Dan Harshman

First I have to say that the Boys of Summer is one of my favorite Don Henley songs, and I’ve been known to turn it up really loud while cruising with the top down. But this month’s article is about some other boys of summer, the baseball kind; specifically around the Edinburg and the Shenandoah Valley.

The popularity of baseball grew quickly after the Civil War when players from New York shared the game with players throughout the country. Edinburg and the Valley were quick to join the baseball craze and in 1897, Edinburg was one of five charter members of the Valley League. 

The Edinburg Athletic Club was organized in 1907 and played 31 games, losing only 7.

By 1909, the Edinburg team had earned the nickname of “Sluggers”. This was a result of high scoring wins that included 22-8 against New Market and 22-2 when they defeated the team from Maurertown. Not only were they playing teams from different towns; they would play anyone that would take them on. Soldiers from Ft. Myers, Virginia were passing through the area in June of that year and decided to play Edinburg. The soldiers lost 27- 1.

By this time the team had organized with uniforms and a playing schedule. The January 1908 edition of the Edinburg Sentinel reported that the team consisted of Russ Burke, Frank Stoneburner, George Holtzman, Leonard Bixler, Al Evans, and James Mantz. Pitchers were “Smiling Pleasie” Dalton, “Grim” Linden Sheetz, “Father” Hisey, and “Rube” Waddell. Landon Wightman was the catcher.

The History of Edinburg has a photo of the 1914 Edinburg High School baseball team. This would have been the Cedar Hill Academy that was located at the top of the old concrete stairs you can still see at the north end of town. The players shown are identified as Wightman, Whissen, Massie, Coffman, Marston, Moyers, Holtzman, Coe, Hite, Rhoades, and Tom Massie. 

By 1928 the Shenandoah Valley League fielded teams from Edinburg, Mt. Jackson, Shenandoah, Luray, and Harrisonburg.

In 1934, independent teams from Toms Brook, Saumsville, Quicksburg, Columbia Furnace, Middletown, and Massanutten Military Academy were playing each other.

After WWII, in 1947, the Shenandoah Valley League became the Massanutten League. Edinburg players at that time included: William (Doc) Downey, William Rhinehart, Mike Zirkle, Jack Pence, Pod Orndorff, Jake Sheetz, “Cocky” Rinker, Joe Swartz, “Red” Hawkins, Doug Hawkins, & “Corky” Wightman.

Edinburg played their home games in the “Pine Bowl” 

which was located in spring hollow out behind the Edinburg school. The area was a natural amphitheater that was described as having a wide flat meadow surrounded on three sides by a high sloping hill and fronted by pine trees. The baseball club made this land into their baseball field and named it The Edinburg Pine Bowl.

Ken and Frank Stoneburner built bleachers on the hillside and behind home plate; a drainage ditch was made behind the baselines. Most of the materials were donated, and the work was completed by the club members. The group had planned to have two tiers of grandstands seating 400. I couldn’t find anything that said this was accomplished. The History of Edinburg mentions an old undated newspaper article that stated both first and third bases were 300 feet from home plate, and the scoreboard was 365 feet in deep center field. 

In the 1950s, local boys Dewey Funkhouser, Ronnie Sheetz, Joe Wightman and Doug Wisman joined the Edinburg team that was managed by “Corky” Wightman.

One of the young players from Edinburg, Vance Dinges, better known by his nickname, “Aunt Georgie”, played for the Philadelphia Phillies in the late 1930s and early 1940s. Edinburg was extremely proud of their hometown boy.

The Pine Bowl served its purpose for many years. Eventually, local club baseball gave way to organized school sports teams and events; the Pine Bowl was allowed to return to a meadow.

Edinburg’s love affair with baseball is revived each year when the old-timers take the field during the Edinburg Ole Time Festival in September. The game became a regular Festival activity around 1999 for those 50 years or older and has attracted some familiar names over the years. A look through old Festival Journals revealed names like William (Doc) Downey, Joe Wightman, and Ronnie Sheetz.

 The photos mentioned in this month’s article are recent additions to the Museum at the Edinburg Mill. Make sure to stop by and take a look; you just might find your grandfathers smiling face looking back at you. Have a great summer!

The Edinburg Heritage Foundation recently signed a contract with Mantle Roofing to replace the standing seam metal roof on St. Paul’s Heritage Center. The new roof will have a Forest Green color baked on finish, and the work will include a new powder coat finish in the same color for the weathervane on the bell tower. 

The work is expected to take place sometime in late June. 

The plan is to have the building repainted after the roof work has been completed.

The roof replacement is going to cost $53,800. A recent fundraising effort brought in $9,210 in donations that will help offset some of the cost. A special thank you goes out to everyone who was able to donate to this project; your help is greatly appreciated.