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The first Little League baseball team in Cliffisde
Through a labor of love, volunteers worked countless hours clearing the area of overgrown weeds, brush, small pines and oaks, rocks and poison oak. This is the same playing field used today by the Chase Little League. To field the first team, merchants and friends came through with financial support through donations and resources to purchase the team's uniforms and to build the fences, backstop and benches. Those providing the initial donation were: Dr. H.L. Radford and daughter Wanda, Dr. William Sanders, Hawkins Hardware Co., Cliffisde Garage, Cliffside Theater, Cliffside Cafe, Jackson's Dept. Store, Cliffside Barber Shop, Windy's Grill, Graveyard Grocery, McKinney Funeral Home, Cliffside Super Market, Hawkins Milling Co., Woodmen of the World #367 and the Cliffside United Methodist Church.
On August 23 of the same year, the first annual father-son banquet for the team was held at the Methodist Church Fellowship Center. The youth of the church prepared and served the meal. Individuals and merchants sponsored this event. This was graciously supported by John Compton and his dad Grover Compton, Cone Mills Lunch Room; John C. Mills, Cliffside Drug Co.; Joe Biggerstaff, Cliffside Dry Cleaners; Fred 'BoBo' Green, Cliffside Super Market; Solon Smart, Hawkins Hardware Co.; Lacy Price, Ralph 'Spud' Crawford and Bill Jolley, Cliffside Post Office Employees; and Carl Nix, a special friend and father of one of the team members. During the recognition service M. A. Bearden, Cone Mills Plant Manager; Solon Smart; a local merchant and L. Baine Laye; Minister, paid a special tribute to each one involved in accomplishing such a worthwhile feat.
The Cliffside Braves became a founding member of the Tri-Community Little League. Edwin Hames, Manager, coached the Braves team until such time that his job made it necessary for him to resign. He later returned to coach a second team, the Cliffside Cubs.
First row (pictured left to right): Marshall Greene; leftfield, Steve Cobb; rightfield, Skipper Laye; utility and mascot,
Wayne Hames; pitcher and second base, Ronnie Hawkins; pitcher and outfield. Second row: Joe Fasolino; rightfield, Terry Houser; centerfield, Danny Bostic; catcher, Bobby Price; first base, Joe McHugh; utility, Max Moser; pitcher and outfield.
Back row: Edwin Hames; Manager and Head Coach, Ted Johnson; pitcher and outfield, Donald Smart; centerfield,
Irwin Hamrick; pitcher and outfield, Mike Greene; third base, Troy Nix; shortstop, Keith Condrey; leftfield,
Francis Fasolino; Assistant Coach, Marshall Cobb; Assistant Coach.
Team photo taken on original playing field, called Tri-Community Little League. It is presently known as the
Chase Little League Field. This field is the original baseball field of Cliffside's town team of the 1920's, 1930's and 1940's.
