Philly Phanatics

The word on everyone's tongue this weekend was baseball. The Philadelphia Phillies, easily the most popular team among residents due to the city's proximity, aren't playing so hot, but our enthusiasm for the sport definitely hasn't grown cold.

Perhaps the biggest Philadelphia fan, June Smith's apartment is full of memorabilia and Phillies fashion. Her newest edition, the green Philly Phanatic hat, was an instant hit. When asked about her devotion to the team (she never misses a game), June says her father was responsible for her entire family falling for the Phil's.

Izora Bowermaster fondly remembers her stepfather taking them not to see the Phillies, but the Athletics, who were located in Philadelphia from 1901 to 1954. Izora fondly remembers seeing Lefty Grove, one of the major league's greatest left-handed pitchers to this day, who struck out the side in nine pitches twice in 1928.

Bill Holmes, our resident from California, offers a different taste of baseball history. His brother Claude was transferred to serve in a military post office in Japan, and there he told Bill he spent most of his time playing baseball, or "rakuten." Before that, Bill grew up playing baseball with his brother as a third baseman and relief pitcher while Claude played catcher. Bill continued playing baseball or softball in industrial or city leagues throughout his life, only moving on to play slow-pitch in his sixties. Bill fondly remembers his wife, Jimmie, standing and shouting "Come on, honey!" and the crowd joining in to shout "Come on, honey!" whenever he came up to the plate. When it comes to the major leagues, Bill is a Cardinals fan through and through, with his hero being Stan "The Man" Musial.

At the end of the day, baseball is a topic we can all pitch-in on here at Juniper Village at Mount Joy.