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2/6/2011 9:40:46 AM
 
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Section 25: Chit Chat Subject: How I Remember Baltimore Msg# 769322
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Johnny's had a baseball team that was always a winner. Don't know if it was the same Johnny's, but there was a fast pitch softball league at Patterson Park and the best team each year was called Johnny's. They won title after title and played at the national level. I've never seen a softball pitched so fast. In order for the catcher to catch the softball, the pitcher had to tell the catcher exactly where he was going to throw the ball before the pitch. Was it going to rise, drop, bottom fall out, right, left, etc. If not, somebody could seriously get hurt. The ball came in so fast that batters began their swing before the ball was released. It was not unusual in most games for the losing team to have never even made contact with the ball, let alone hit the ball and almost never got a recorded hit. Years later I remember reading someplace where a fast pitich softball could come in as fast as 98mph. Saw the King and his Court at both Patterson Park and Laurel. Talk about placing a fast pitch softball exactly where one wanted it. I never could understand how they ended up putting on a game in Laurel. |
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For reference, the above message is a reply to a message where: You could only buy a Volvo from Michaelson Motors on Reisterstown Rd.; the best place to become a Chevrolet owner was at York and Bellona; Johnny's on Harford Rd. was the Walking Man's Friend; Granny Packer was on Blair Road; and "Hey, Hey, Fox Chevrolet" was just as annoying then as the car ads these days. Of the 5 car dealership's above only 3 remain. Michaelson Motors and Johnny's on Harford Rd. are gone. Both were very involved in sponsoring men's and boy's athletic programs. Johnny's had a baseball team that was always a winner. Johnny's Leone's was one of the best boy's baseball team on the East Coast. Matter of fact, Al Kaline, was a member of that team, they use to play at the old Swan Park, across from the Hanover Street Bridge. ( old home of Fox Chevrolet, before they moved to Security Blvd.) Michaelson Motors sponsored a men's fast pitch softball team. I played for them for several years, while I was in High School. I would be playing baseball at Calvert Hall and then leave there to go and play fast pitch softball with men 10-15 years older than I was at that time. What an experience! Granny Packer is no longer on Belair RD. They have move out to Baltimore County in the White Marsh area and have dropped the Granny Packer Ad. Just Al Packer Ford now. Fox Chevrolet is still around with there 3 locations, however the Hurowitz Family sold the franchise to Auto Nations. Jerry's Chevrolet has moved from Bellona Ave many years ago. Now located on Joppa Rd right off of exit 30 of the Baltimore Beltway 695. Mr. Stautberg was the dealer principal and was a pure gentlemen and professional. When he came here from Ohio he and the Hurowitz's were neck and neck every month with the most car sales in Baltimore. They were icon's in Maryland and when GM was big and powerful many years ago the executive's in Detroit knew them well. Jerry Stautberg passed away several years ago and the Chevrolet and Toyota Dealership's are now being run by his son James Stautberg. They were the good old days..........Look how much things have changed, for the better or worse, everything moves on!! |
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