The game of summer - baseball

Portland v. Houlton in Houlton c1895 - click to enlarge
Photo: Aroostook County Historical and Art Museum via www.mainememory.net

  Baseball has been around in Maine for a long long time, even longer than the age of the above photo.  The fields have changed over time, but there are still nine men on the field for each side.
  Even I can remember when almost each town had a team, the Lebanon team used to play three of four games a week at Goodall Field in Sanford.  We used to have a great time at those games.  Now most of those teams are history as are many of the fields.  Kids don't go outdoors as much and form "teams" of four or five on a side - we used to play with four of us, each had our own score and we just rotated positions - it worked.

Bowdoin College Team c1896 - click to enlarge
Photo: Maine Historical Society via www.mainememory.net

  In the photo above there is one interesting thing.  The young man in suit and tie (left, top) was the team manager Percival Baxter.  Mr. Baxter became many things including Governor of Maine and the man who gave us Baxter State Park.

Cabot Mill Team in 1930 playing in Brunswick - click to enlarge
Photo: Pejepscot Historical Society via www.mainememory.net

  Many companies or mills in Maine sponsored a team; they may have played against town teams or games with other companies.  Now with no mills those are history too.
  Now there is Little League and Senior Little League (World Series in Bangor, Maine), American Legion teams and college teams in Maine for those who care to play or watch; but it seems the neighbor kids playing everyday outdoors are rarely seen.