Bert Avenue By Wetzel Field, Villa Park
Wow was it a beautiful late summer day in 2010 when I took
this picture. Franklin Park and Wetzel Field were where I
played most of my baseball and whiffleball.
There was a certain "circle of life" quality of baseball
and the seasons in the Burg. The snow and ice of winter
faded as the trees and grass and flowers bloomed and there
was always that first spring day warm enough to play
baseball. Then school's summer vacation came and the days
got longer and longer under the sunny summer skies.
Then you went with Mom on the school shopping trip (for
us often Atlantic Mills) and the feast of lights was
celebrated and suddenly it was september and you were
back in school. Then the leaves changed colors and the
days got shorter and you watched the Columbus Day parade
on Hamilton Avenue and baseball was gone until the snow
and ice of winter faded again. Remember?
3 comments:
HI MAC....GOOD OLD WETZEL FIELD. IN MY YOUNGER DAYS I SPENT MUCH TIME IN THE PLAYGROUNG OUT IN CENTER FIELD. AS I GOT OLDER AND STARTED TO PLAY SPORTS MY TIME THERE WAS SPENT IN WATCHING THE MANY TEAMS PLAY IN SO MANY DIFFERENT LEAGUES RAN BY THE CITY AND INDUSTRIES. I'D BE THERE EARLY SO I COULD SHAG BALLS AND LISTEN TO THE OLDER GUYS ON HOW TO PLAY THIS GAME. LIVING ON BERT AVE. AND FRANKLIN ST. IN THE 20'S AND 30'S I WAS HARDLY HOME. I REALLY BELIEVE PRACTICE MAKES PERFICT AND THAT'S WHAT I DID. BEST REGARDS MAC AND KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.
Hi Ralph:)
I hope some kids that play at Wetzel today will have such nice memories of the place as you do:))
Spent many a day walking down Bert Ave. to play ball with my boys or trying to get them home.
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