Little League An Example (Space doesn't permit us to give the history of all sports in Prince George. So, as a representative we have chosen the Little League — mainly because it concerns kids, who will be responsible for our future history. The Prince George Little League, is a comparative youngster as far as sports in the city go — being formed, as it was, in 1954. The Prince George Athletic Club formed a committee early in the winter of 1954 to look into the possibility of forming a little league. Despite the lack of support of the various service and fraternal clubs, an executive under Johnny Dinsmore was set up, and committee's were formed to find sponsors. Lumberman's row was the first to 1)Q approached, as usual. A^ain the response was mixed, but one firm suggested that the NILA be approached to sponsor the entire set-up. The rest is past history. The Northern Interior Ij h in b o r-tliree year contract to sponsor four teams at ii rost of $2,000. The money would be donated and the NILA would have no control over how it was spent. This was dono to comply with Little League regulations. This was the beginning. CALL FOR BOYS The next step was getting players for the teams. The only problem here was that there were too many boys for the four teams. So, a farm system was set up to take care of the younger players. Four teams were formed; the Indians, Dodgers, Cardinals and Yanks. The first season was one of trial ami error. Tt didn't start until June 21st ami then just managed to stagger through a schedule. But, things ran smoother during the next year. VAKK PROBLEM The League's biggest problem was getting a park. Permission was finally obtained to use the ground next to the Civic Centre. It was just a swamp at that time, game being flooded out regularly. But, between rainfalls, the season was fairly successful. Midway through the 1956 season a fill was made, and the league moved to Duchess Park for the week it was to take them. But, the fill wasn't completed until the end of the season. This year the Gyro Club took on the job of building a park at the Civic Centre site. The job was completed in time for the playoffs. The Park Commission will level and re-grass the Stadium this fall. The construction cost the Gyro's around $6,000 for materials and untold hours in man power. The bleachers seat 400 and should last for at least the next 20 years. Minor finishing touches will be completed before the next season rolls around. BARRY HAMBUN SPORTS EDITOR A PARTIAL PICTURE In Time To At City Sports Let's take a trip into the past, and see some of Prince George's sport history. The year is 1921, and Prince George is still a rough town, similiar in many respects to the old frontier towns of the American west. • * * On March 15, the Prince George Tennis Club was organized. H. L. Hornsby was elected president of the 30 member club. • • • On March 24th, the Prince George Soccer League came into being with three teams. Veterans won the league title that year. • • • On September 20th, Prince George won the Northern B.C. Championship at Prince Rupert by defeating the host team and Anyox. • • • On October 21st, the Prince George Athletic Association formed a committee to build a covered rink in the city. * * * Going strong at that time were LITTLE LEAGUE START a Lacrosse league, football league and, of course the baseball league. • * * DURING 1926 1926 was a busy world scene. Ger- The year one on the many admitted to the League of Nations, and the German Government slowly became aware of the Faclsts. In Italy, Mussolini began to make threatening noises. Through-out the Pacific Northwest, bootlegging and rum-running were popular. In Prince George, murder, as-sualt and robbery were common. Rut on the sports scene, Prince George took their first big step in hockey, they made the B.C. Intermediate semifinals. The Locals lost a thriller to Vancouver Seaforth's in the semi-final at Vancouver, 7-5. But they earned the praise of Vancouver sports writers. The big city experts said that Prince George's Jack of famil-larty with artificial ice cost them the game. • • * GIRLS HOCKEY In that same year, two groups of Prince George girls, the Seven Up's and Dumbell's formed hockey teams. . The resulting game was pi-o- nanly the funniest in Prince George's history. Some of the girls could barely skate. They didn't know what the hockey sticks were for, and were hanging on to each other at every opportunity. • • • Speed skating was all the rage that winter, as in years past. • • • __. Curling was still popular and was destined • to become even more popular as the years passed. • * * BIG YEARS These were the two big years in Prince George's sports history. Of course other sports came in during later years, but the groundwork had already been laid. • • • Horse racing was popular in the city in various forms ever since Prince George's incorporation. There is little difference from racing down the main street to racing on our track at the Fall Fair Grounds. After all, a horse is a horse, and the object both then and now is to get him to run his fastest and beat the others. • • • Prince George's softball league came in to being in the middle fourties, when the present Soft ball League took over from the Lumbermen's Association. Softliall is now the cities mos Jopular summer sport, just as lockey is the most popular win er sport. • • • LITTLE LEAGUE Early in 1954, Prince George's ast major sport, the Little Lea gue, came into being. Four teams were started and a farm league ormed. The Little League was follow ed by the Pony and Pony Grad eag'ues. Golf, and bowling came back into being in the fourties a*, organized sport. THE FISHING WAS GREAT THE PITCH THAT STARTED the Little League on its way in Prince George was thrown by Alderman, (now mayor) Carrie Jane Gray. The batter was Mayor Morrison. The other city aldermen were scattered around the infield in this 1054 ceremony. The Little League has come a long way since .then. Now they liaye one of the nicest Little League Stadiums in B.C. — or will have when the grass is in — thanks to the Gyro Club of Prince George. And the All-Star team took part in the B.C. Finals in Vancouver this year as Interior Champs. FISHING WAS GREAT in. the good old days as these six members of a 1913 fishing expedition to Bednesti Lake prove. The six caught about 50 fish during their trip. Notice the fishing clothes; white shirt, ties, vests and suits they are wearing. This, perhaps more than anything else, dates the picture. After all would you wear a suit in the pursuit of the elusive Mr. Fish. HERE THEY COME RACING THROUGH THE STREETS was popular in Prince George for years after its inception. In the early lDOO's, and before, match races between two or more men were common. The race was for a purse, ranging in size from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars. The spectators also got in on the betting. The distance varied according to the wishes of the riders. It's a far cry from today, when all our horse racing is done at the Fall Fair Track. Only the object is still the same — to beat the others. SINCE 1914-1958 Spaner's Men's Wear The oldest family owned Men's Wear store in Prince George has kept pace with the town. AND NOW Proudly joins in Congratulations To B.C. Prince George Citizen Tuesday, August 26, 1958 T NO CHANGE JUST AS POPULAR then as now, was the best known game in the worlcf, soccer. Even in the rough "colonial" town of Prince George, the British game had many followers. This picture was taken shortly after the First World War of a game between Prince George and a neighboring town. The first soccer league was started in. Prince George in 1921, and was a rousing success — to the players anyway. YEARS of PROGRESS Their business has been built on Integrity, Quality and a low price to the consumer. This policy will be carried on through our next Century to Celebrate. SPANER'S MEN'S WEAR 304 George St. LO 4-5851 MACK SALES & SERVICE FOR PRINCE GEORGE AREA Charlie Philp Ltd. 745 FOURTH AVE. DIAL LO 4-7625 ALSO SPECIALISTS IN QUALIFIED Bendix - Westinghouse Air Brake Installations (to comply with Govt Air Brake regulations) * AUTHORIZED CUMMINS DIESEL Engine Maintenance Dealer, (with Cummins trained mechanics) * Large Industrial Bearing Stock TIMKEN ROLLER FAFNIR BALL HYATT ROLLER AND NATIONAL OIL SEALS all are available from our Prince George slock