August 29, 2013
Photo Caption: Idajean Bates was a Member of the Mercer County All Stars. To her left
is Marion Spieler and Helen Wagner, with the Celina Insurance Company Shirt, 1940’s.
OUR OLD BOOK CASE
By Joyce L. Alig, President, Mercer County Historical Society
Sunday, September 8, 1:00 -4:00, in honor of Grandparents’ Day, the Mercer County Historical Society
will host an exhibit of Mercer County’s Local Men and Women’s adult Baseball and Softball Teams, with
scrapbooks, photograph albums, uniforms, ball team equipment, newspaper articles, by local citizens, at
the Mercer County Historical Museum, 130 East Market, a block east of the Courthouse at Celina.
Idajean Bates was a Member of the Mercer County All Stars as well as a Life Member of the Mercer
County Historical Society. Between 2007 and 2009, we hosted Members of the Mercer County adult
baseball and softball teams of this past Century. Idajean attended those programs, and shared her
memories of those games. She always wore a smile and was friendly with everyone. February 5, 2011,
Ida Jean passed away; that was a sad loss of a friend, as well as a loss to preserving the history of the
Ladies Baseball and Softball History of Celina. How many other team members have we lost?
At the meetings of the adult baseball and softball teams, I asked for help to put together a book about
these adult teams because if we do not preserve this history, it will be lost to future Mercer Countians. In
response to that request, these past few years, former team players have shared their photograph albums
and scrapbooks of their teams, with the Historical Society. This request resulted in thick albums of
photographs and newspaper clippings and other memorabilia for these Mercer County teams.
However, before we edit a book about these teams, I am asking the public, and former players, to come to
the Mercer County Historical Museum on Sunday September 8, 1:00 – 4:00, and look at the albums and
other ball team exhibits, which we have. I ask that team players come and show whatever photographs,
papers, etc. and/or share memories they have. I want to include this information in a book, “Mercer
County Ohio’s Adult Baseball Teams’ History.”
Sunday, September 8, at the Mercer County Historical Museum, tables will be available for the local
teams, e.g. Celina, Coldwater, Philothea, Montezuma, Saint Henry, Burkettsville, Cranberry, Wendelin,
Rockford, Fort Recovery, Sharpsburg, St. Peter, Saint Joe, Cassella, Chickasaw, Maria Stein, Blackcreek
Township, Neptune, Tama, Chattanooga, Padua, Wabash, and Mendon. If I have missed any local teams,
let me know about it, and come to the September 8 exhibit. Since Mercer County teams played teams
from Auglaize County, a table will also be available for Auglaize County’s teams. For people bringing
items to exhibit, please come between 12:00 and 1:00, the hour before the Open House begins at 1:00.
This exhibit is not about local high school teams, nor is it about professional athletes of Mercer County.
This exhibit is about the former players of the adult men and women’s baseball and softball teams of
Mercer County, this past Century. Some of those teams are still active today. The Mission of the Mercer
County Historical Society is to Preserve Mercer County’s History and to Educate the Public about that
History. Now is the time to help the Historical Society to preserve Mercer County’s Baseball and
Softball History!
[The Mercer County Historical Society President Joyce Alig, may be contacted at 3054 Burk-St. Henry
Road, Saint Henry, OH 45883, or histalig@bright.net or 419-678-2614.]