Lincoln Park And Skating Rink

[David Sechrest]

Mr. Hinkle, I believe you requested a Thread on this. Here you are. Sorry it took some time to get it done...

[jdhinkle]

I FEEL HONORED THAT DAVID HAS PUT THIS THREAD ON THE SITE
MY HOPE IS TO ADD INFO TO THIS AREA THAT WILL RESTORE MEMORIES TO ALL

FIRST I THINK THAT I SHOULD START BY SAYING THE HONOR SHOULD ALSO GO
MR EARL DICKEY WHO SHOULD BE REMEMBERED FOR HIS EFFORTS AT THE PARK DURING MY
YOUNGER YEARS. IN THE 50'S I PLAYED BASEBALL THERE AND CAN STILL PICTURE THE DIAMONDS AND EARL'S WIFE SITTING IN THE BLEACHERS KEEPING SCORE.
I PLAYED WITH AND AGAINST EARL'S SON GENE.
ANOTHER VALUABLE NAME TO MY UPBRINGING AT LINCOLN PARK WAS BOB WISSMAN.
BOB WAS THE ULTIMATE STATISTICIAN I'M SURE A LOT OF PEOPLE REMEMBER HIM.

SINCE I DON'T LIVE IN COLUMBUS NOW I LOOKED
AT THE INTERNET LIVE VIEW OF THE PARK AND WAS SUPRISED AT THE EXCELLENT REMODELLING THAT HAS TAKEN PLACE OVER THE YEARS.
THEY HAVE TURNED THE DIAMONDS AROUND WITH ALL OF THE HOME PLATES MEETING THE CENTER.
I REMEMBER A FEW TIMES WHEN PLAYING, SOMEBODY ON ONE DIAMOND WOULD HIT A BALL THAT TRACKED IN TO THE OTHER ADJACENT DIAMOND.

I WOULD HOPE AND APPRECIATE ANYONE ADDING PICTURES AND MEMORIES TO THIS THREAD
IF YOU HAVE OLD PICTURES AND MEMORIES AND ARE NOT SURE WHAT TO DO WITH THEM
FEEL FREE TO SEND THEM TO MY ATTENTION AT [e-mail]

I CAN THINK OF A LOT OF OLD FRIENDS WHO HAD AS MANY GOOD TIMES AS I DID WHEN WE WERE YOUNG. SOME ARE STILL IN COLUMBUS TODAY.

JUST A FEW TO JOG YOUR MEMORIES
BOB TRISLER AND HIS DAD SHORTY, WAYNE MALAN, PAUL SCHWARTZKOPF, DAN FITZGIBBON, JOHN MOORE,
MAX ZIEGLER, GORDON BLANCETT, JAY SHUMAKER, LARRY BRAY, KEITH HACKER, JEFF OWENS,
GENE DICKEY, JERRY HINKLE, RON HINKLE
I BETTER STOP

AGAIN I WOULD PLEA TO ALL FORMER MIDGET,JUNIOR AND SENIOR LEAGUERS TO HELP

maps.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&FORM=LMLTSN&cp=39.221249~-85.897717&style=h&lvl=17&tilt=-90&dir=0&alt=-1000&phx=0&phy=0&phscl=1&encType=1

FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DONT LIVE IN COLUMBUS THIS IS AN ARIEL VIEW OF THE DIAMONDS OF TODAY
YOU CAN SEE HOW THEY HAVE TURNED THE FIELDS SO THEY DON'T INFRINGE ON EACH OTHER
I DONT KNOW IF THERE ARE FENCES IN THE OUT FIELD. WHEN I PLAYED THERE YOU HAD TO 'RUN EM OUT' THUS EXPLAINING WHY I GOT MORE TRIPLES THAN HOME RUNS,

NOTE; YOU CAN GO TO THIS LINK, IF YOU CLICK AND DRAG ON THE PICTURE YOU CAN ALSO SEE THE DIAMONDS AT THE SOUTH END HAVE ALSO BEEN TURNED AROUND.
ALSO SEE THE WATERPLANT IN THE LOWER RIGHT PORTION OF THE STARTING VIEW.


THANKS FOR LOOKING
MORE LATER

[jdhinkle]

I FINALLY GOT BACK TO THIS ITEM

I THOUGHT I WOULD RAMBLE A LITTLE ABOUT ME AND LINCOLN PARK

BY MY CALCULATION IT WAS 1950 IN THE SUMMER WHEN WE FIRST MET
I WAS TAGGING ALONG WITH BY BROTHER JERRY TO HIS FIRST PRACTICE FOR THE ARVIN'S SPONSORED MIDGET LEAGUE TEAM. 9 AND 10 YEAR OLDS
THE COACH WAS MR GATMAN
HE ASKED FOR VOLUNTEERS TO BE CATCHER AND NOBODY VOLUNTEERED
SO I PUT MY HAND UP AND HE TOLD ME TO PUT THE GEAR ON WHICH I DID.
THAT WAS THE BEGINNING OF MY BASEBALL CAREER

THE COACH TOOK SOME TIME TO HELP ME BY HAVING A BATTER STAND IN THE BOX AND SWING AT PITCHES BUT NOT HITTING THEM.

HE ALSO TOLD ME NOT TO CURL MY NON MITT HAND AROUND THE MITT
THOSE FOUL BALLS SEEK OUT THAT FREE HAND.

NEEDLESS TO SAY I GOT A HEAD START BECAUSE OF TAGGING ALONG SO I PLAYED AN EXTRA YEAR BECAUSE I WAS ONLY 8



HERE IS A PICTURE OF WHAT A PLAYER LOOKED LIKE IN 1950
WHEN YOUR LEFT HANDED YOUR EITHER A PITCHER, FIRST BASEMAN OR AN OUTFIELDER. THAT'S MY BROTHER JERRY

BY THE WAY THAT TREE IN THE BACKGROUND WAS MY RUNAWAY TREE. SEVERAL TIMES I RAN AWAY FROM HOME WHEN I GOT MAD AND THAT TREE WAS EASY TO CLIMB.

I MIGHT ADD THAT THE CAR IN THE BACKGROUND WAS EITHER MR SCHNEIDER WHO RAN THE JOHN DEERE IMPLIMENTS STORE DOWNTOWN OR NORVAL FISCHVOGT OF JEWELRY STORE FAME
BOTH HAD THEHONOR OR PROBLEM LIVING ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE HINKLE BOYS.

[jdhinkle]

THE NEXT ITEM I WANTED TO DISCUSS WAS THEN AND NOW

WHEN I PLAYED THE UNIFORM WAS A T SHIRT WITH YOU SPONSORS NAME ON IT
SOME I REMEMBER WERE CUMMINS, ARVINS, HAMILTONS, PECO, GOLDEN FOUNDRY, VERNCO,RELIANCE
IM SURE THERE WERE OTHERS.

ALSO WE GOT A HAT
A TEAM HAD MAYBE 5 OR 6 WOOD BATS I'M NOT SURE IF ALUMINUM WAS INVENTED BY THEN

THE TEAM ALSO HAD TO SUPPLY A GAME BALL FOR EACH GAME.
THAT WAS ONE OF THE EARLY DAYS JOB WAS TO CHASE DOWN THE FOUL BALLS TO GET IT BACK IN PLAY,

THE HEAD GEAR WAS JUST LIKE PLASTIC EARMUFFS THAT FIT OVER YOUR HAT,
WHEN I FIRST STARTED I DONT THINK IT WAS MANDETORY, BUT AFTER GETTING BEANED BY GORDEN BLANCETT I USED ONE REGULARLY.
I KNOW I EVENTUALLY WORE CLEATS BUT NOT RIGHT AWAY,

AS FAR AS BATS WERE I FINALLY DECIDED I LIKE THE WILLIE MAYS MODEL THE BEST.
THE BATS WERE AROUND 30 INCHES TO START AND WHEN I GOT TO HIGH SCHOOL I USED A 34 INCH I FORGET THE WEIGHT

NOW AS FAR AS PITCHING I NEVER HAD ANYONE TEACH ME HOW TO PITCH
MOST EVERYONE LEARNED FROM EVERYONE ELSE.
MY BEST PITCH WAS A CURVE BUT A I HAD A DROP AND FASTBALL AND A CHANGEUP.
I THREW A KNUCKLEBALL BUT NEVER MORE THAN ONE OR TWO IN COMPETITION.
MY PITCHING IDOLS WERE JUAN MARICHAL, ROBIN ROBERTS AND I STOLE DON LARSEN'S NO WINDUP AFTER HIS PERFECT GAME IN THE WORLD SERIES,
I CONSIDERED MYSELF A CONTROL PITCHER WHO DIDN'T WALK MANY AND ALSO DIDN'T STRIKE OUT TOO MANY EITHER

I PITCHED A FEW 1 HITTERS BUT NEVER GOT THE NO HITTER
I DO REMEMBER PITCHING A 2 HITTER AGAINST SOUTHPORT IN THE SPRING OF 1960 AT CHS. DIDN'T WALK ANY AND STRUCK OUT NINE. WE WON 1 TO 0.

NOW THAT I RAMBLED

LINCOLN PARK WAS KEPT IN GREAT SHAPE BY EARL DICKEY AND PROBABLY OTHERS BUT I PUT ALL THE BLAME ON HIM.

BECAUSE OF HIS EFFORTS A LOT OF KIDS LIKE ME GOT TO PARTICIPATE AND ENJOY PLAYING IN OUR EARLY DAYS.

MY EXPERIENCE LASTED THE WHOLE 50'S DECADE PLAYING IN THE MIDGETS, JUNIORS, SENIORS AND AMERICAN LEGION

THEN AFTER HIGH SCHOOL I CONTINUED BOTH UMPIRING AND PARTICIPATING IN SLOW PITCH SOFTBALL.

IT WAS A BUSTLING TIME FOR SIX DIAMONDS TO HAVE ALL OF THAT HAPPENING DURING THE SPRING SUMMER AND FALL.

[jdhinkle]

SINCE THE LINCOLN PARK HAS BEEN CHANGED TO HAMILTON
I THOUGHT I WOULD DESCRIBE THE 1950 VERSION OF LINCOLN PARK
THE PARK CONTAINED 6 DIAMONDS THAT WERE SPREAD FROM 25 TH DOWN TO 18TH STREET
AT THE 18TH STREET THE WAS A ROAD THAT WAS IRWIN DRIVE THE ANGLE TO THE NORTHEAST AND CONTINUES AROUND THE DIAMOND AND PLAYGROUND ON BACK TO 25TH ABOUT WHERE EASTBROOK IS NOW. AS YOU START FROM 25TH THE PARK WAS LEVEL THEN ABOUT TWO THIRDS OF THE WAY ABOUT 21ST STREET IT SLOPED DOWN TO A LOWER LEVEL

THE LOWER LEVEL HAD TWO DIAMONDS OF THE SOFTBALL SIZE.

THE TWO DIAMONDS ON THE UPPER PORTION ALONG HAWCREEK WERE REGULAR SIZED DIAMONDS.

THE TWO OPPOSITE DIAMONDS ON THE EAST WERE SOFTBALL MIDGET SIZE.

ALSO ON THE UPPER LEVEL JUST SOUTH OF THE SMALLER DIAMOND WAS A PLAYGROUND AREA AND A RESTROOM BUILDING

A LITTLE FURTHER EAST WAS THE WATER WORKS BUILDING.

[Larry Bray]

Fun to read Jack Hinkle's memory of Lincoln Park baseball.
I thought I might have some later success in baseball when at age 9 I started midget baseball. I remember winning the league that year because our pitcher was Joe Finke, our first baseman was Tom Hinds, our second baseman was John Lind, the coach's son, our shortstop was Joe Bova, and our 3rd baseman was Dave Horn. My brother Richard played outfield, and I can't remember the others.
But alas, came Junior baseball, and Jack Hinkle and other pitchers made me look foolish as I could't hit the curve ball. As we entered high school, a slow, undersized catcher who could not hit wasn't going to beat our Max Ziegler, thus, my baseball career ended at age 15.
But wasn't it great that we had the opportunity to have a great town to live in, a great park in which to play, and all the dreams that little ball players dream. Certainly do remember Earl Dicky, his wife, and Bob Wisman, the scorekeeper.
Great memories.

[jdhinkle]

I KNOW THERE IS A THREAD FOR OBITUARIES BUT IN THIS CASE THIS SEEMED MORE APPROPRIATE

I RECEIVED AN E MAIL FROM RICHARD AND DAN FITZGIBBON YESTERDAY

1/30/2009 3:49:00 PM
Robert F."Bobby"Wissman, 88, Columbus

Robert F. Wissman

Columbus

Robert F. "Bobby" Wissman, 88, of Columbus, died at 8:25 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 29, 2009 at Four Seasons Health Care Center.

The funeral will be at 1 p.m. Monday at St. Peter's Lutheran Church with Pastor Mark R. Teike officiating. Calling will be from 11 a.m. until service time at the church. Burial will be at Garland Brook Cemetery.

Hathaway-Myers Chapel was in charge of arrangements.

Born Dec. 28, 1920 in Columbus, Mr. Wissman was the son of Fred H. and Mamie E. Boese Wissman. He was a 1943 graduate of Indiana Business College. He was a member of St. Peter's Lutheran Church.

Memorials may be made to St. Peter's Lutheran Church or Columbus Parks and Recreation Department.

After graduation he was a teller for Irwin Union Bank for a few years, but he discovered that his real passion was in balancing scorebooks. He kept sports statistics for over 60 years for Columbus teams. Diamond 4 at County Stadium is Named Bobby Wissman Field. He was an avid Pacer and Cincinnati Reds.

Survivors include cousins, Dorothy Shelton, Roseann Rediker, Rick Shelton and Susan Woods of Columbus, Betty Schwartzkopf Murphy of Scottsburg and Cindy McGuire of Chesterton.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

I ONLY KEW BOB AS THE STATS MAN
YOU WOULD SEE HIM HEADING FOR THE DIAMOND WITH HIS SCOREBOOK

HE ONCE TOLD ME SOME OF MY STATS THAT I WASNT AWARE OF WHEN I WAS IN THE SENIOR LEAGUE

I DONT KNOW IF ANYONE IS AWARE OF ANY OF HIS ARCHIVES OF INFORMATION
BUT YOU TALK ABOUT COLUMBUS HISTORY IM SURE BOB WAS A VALUEABLE SOURCE.

[jdhinkle]

HERE'S A PHOTO THAT WAS TAKEDROUND 1956 OR 57
MIGHT BRING BACK SOME MEMORIES TO THE LINCOLN PARK BASEBALL PLAYERS

THE ALL STAR TEAM WAS COACHED BY MINOR MOORE WHO IS BACK ROW LEFT
HIS SONS MIKE KNEELING ROW LEFT AND FRONT ROW IS STEVE.





FRONT ROW; STEVE MOORE

SECOND ROW KNEELING; MIKE MOORE, MAX ZEIGLER, BILL MCANELLY,GENE DICKEY, LEROY 'BUTCH' NOLTING, JAN FOGLE, JACK HINKLE

BACK ROW; COACH MINOR MOORE, JEFF OWENS, KIETH HACKER, TOM HINDS, JERRY HINKLE, ROGER CALLAHAN, GORDON BLANCETT

LOTS OF MEMORIES AND GOOD TIMES

THANKS TO STEVE MOORE FOR THE PICTURE

[Ricky_Berkey]

Does anyone know the origin of Lincoln Park and whom it was named after? Incidentally, the park itself is still named Lincoln Park, they only renamed the ice skating rink as the Hamilton Center in honor of the donors of the building.

[jdhinkle]

I SAW THE QUESTION ABOUT LINCOLN PARK AND HOW IT GOT NAMED

WHEN I WAS SEARCHING SSOME OF THE OTHER ARTICLES ABOUT COLUMBUS THE WAS COMMENT ABOUT ORINONO FURNITURE CO AND LINCOLN CHAIR CO
MADE ME WONDER IF THAT MIGHT BE THE REASON FOR LINCOLN PARK

THE ONLY OTHER ONE THAT COMES TO MIND IS ABE.

Jul 12, 2009 11:28:39 GMT -5 Ricky_Berkey said:

Does anyone know the origin of Lincoln Park and whom it was named after? Incidentally, the park itself is still named Lincoln Park, they only renamed the ice skating rink as the Hamilton Center in honor of the donors of the building.

[Rhonda]

I like your thinking, and have often wondered myself if my family had anything to do with the naming of the park. I need to do some research as to when the park was originally drawn up. That time frame might answer the question. My great-grandfather was very influential around town. He was involved in many different groups. He was involved in getting the Riverside Addition incorporated out of John Perry land. He also was affiliated with a group that tried to get the Dixie Highway to pass through Columbus. This was a highway that ran from Miami, Florida, to South Bend, Indiana. William Lincoln was also one of the organizers who began the Columbus and Edinburg Country Club...later to become Harrison Lake Country Club, as I understand it. He was also one of the founding members of the Elks Club here in Columbus. His name is the first one on the plaque inside the front doors.

And that is just SOME of the info I've been able to dig up.

[jdhinkle]

i was looking thru some old photos and found this of the donner swim team.
at the right of the photo is an article about the little league at the time notice the first name in the box scores

Nov 15, 2008 22:19:00 GMT -5 @Larry Bray said:

Fun to read Jack Hinkle's memory of Lincoln Park baseball.
I thought I might have some later success in baseball when at age 9 I started midget baseball. I remember winning the league that year because our pitcher was Joe Finke, our first baseman was Tom Hinds, our second baseman was John Lind, the coach's son, our shortstop was Joe Bova, and our 3rd baseman was Dave Horn. My brother Richard played outfield, and I can't remember the others.
But alas, came Junior baseball, and Jack Hinkle and other pitchers made me look foolish as I could't hit the curve ball. As we entered high school, a slow, undersized catcher who could not hit wasn't going to beat our Max Ziegler, thus, my baseball career ended at age 15.
But wasn't it great that we had the opportunity to have a great town to live in, a great park in which to play, and all the dreams that little ball players dream. Certainly do remember Earl Dicky, his wife, and Bob Wisman, the scorekeeper.
Great memories.

[jdhinkle]

HERE IS A PICTURE OF MY BROTHER JERRY'S LITTLE LEAGUE TEAM
I'M GUESSING THIS IS A 1952 PICTURE GIVE OR TAKE

THE SIGNIFICANCE FOR ME IS THE COACH MR GATMAN WAS THE COACH WHO GIVE ME GUIDANCE ON BECOMING A CATCHER THOUGH IT TURNED OUT I REALLY WANTED TO PITCH



THE NAMES ARE ABOVE BUT I THOUGHT I WOULD ADD THEM ALSO

FRONT ROW
JOHN LIND, CHUCK SHAW, PAUL STEINWEDEL, TOMMY HINDS, JERRY HINKLE, STEVE BRIDGES

BACK ROW
LARRY MISNER, JERRY HOOKER,BILL BAXTER, COACH GATMAN, GENE GATMAN

[RER]

Some May Ask: When Did The Lincoln Center Outdoor Ice Skating Rink First Opened?
25th Street
Columbus, Indiana

Renamed: Hamilton Center Ice Arena

Brief: A year-round indoor facility with 17,000 square feet of ice. Originally an outdoor facility.

Answer: The first outdoor ice rink at Lincoln Center opened during the winter of 1958-1959. Prior to this facility local lakes and ponds were used. For example the ponds at Washington Street North West. These locations were not always safe to skate, because if the winter wasn't cold enough, then the ice wasn't thick enough for skating. I spent many hours on the ponds, and Lincoln Center facility during those days. I always skated on figure skates.

1958 Winter Skating Only

2010 Year-Round Facility

Facility Donated By: Hamilton COSCO of Columbus Indiana during 1958.

[David Sechrest]

From The Billboard, September 9, 1957:

Columbus, Indiana Gets 300G Ice Skating Rink

Construction of a $300,000 outdoor ice skating rink will be undertaken here next spring and completed by Thanksgiving of 1958, the Hamilton Foundation, sponsors of the project, announced last week.
Dedicated to the late B. F. Hamilton, founder of the Hamilton Manufacturing Company, Columbus, the rink surface will be 220 feet long and 85 feet wide. It is estimated that the area will provide skating space for 1,000 persons.
In the summer, the concrete surface will be adaptable for tennis volleyball and badminton.
Freezing and maintenance apparatus will be kept in an adjoining building, also to be constructed next year. A site has yet to be selected.

[David Sechrest]

Here's a picture of people skating taken not long after the rink was first opened in 1958. (photo courtesy of Greg & Lisa Wilson)

[David Sechrest]

Laying the pipes for the ice-skating rink, September 1958 (photo courtesy of Greg and Lisa Wilson). Caldwell Street is off in the distance. We're looking west in this picture.

[David Sechrest]

Ok, here is a stupid question:

According to the Billboard article posted above, the ice skating rink was dedicated to B. F. Hamilton. So, when first opened, was it called the Hamilton Ice Rink, or Hamilton Park? When did the name Lincoln come into being?

The History of Bartholomew County, Volume II does not discuss this, so I assume that it was called Lincoln from the get-go. I'm not sure I fully understand why, if it was dedicated to B. F. Hamilton, it would be named Lincoln. Just doesn't gel with my thoughts.

Here's another picture of construction on the ice skating rink:



Would the direction we are looking here be west? Or are we looking south? Picture courtesy of Greg and Lisa Wilson

[jdhinkle]

I AM NOT THE FINAL WORD BUT LINCOLN PARK WAS THERE FIRST I SUGGESTED ONE TIME THAT IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN NAMED LINCOLN BECAUSE OF LINCOLN CHAIR COMPANY

I BELIEVE THE BUILDING THAT IS NOW REFERRED TO WAS ORIGINALLY CALLED LINCOLN CENTER
THEN THE ICE RINK WAS BUILT ADJACENT TO IT AS WELL AS THE TENNIS COURTS

Apr 28, 2010 21:59:59 GMT -5 David Sechrest said:

Ok, here is a stupid question:

According to the Billboard article posted above, the ice skating rink was dedicated to B. F. Hamilton. So, when first opened, was it called the Hamilton Ice Rink, or Hamilton Park? When did the name Lincoln come into being?

The History of Bartholomew County, Volume II does not discuss this, so I assume that it was called Lincoln from the get-go. I'm not sure I fully understand why, if it was dedicated to B. F. Hamilton, it would be named Lincoln. Just doesn't gel with my thoughts.

Here's another picture of construction on the ice skating rink:



Would the direction we are looking here be west? Or are we looking south? Picture courtesy of Greg and Lisa Wilson

[David Sechrest]

So, Jack, if I read your prior posts correctly, there was a park there called Lincoln before the ice rink was built? And they had baseball diamonds.

The Columbus Merchants played at the old 8th Street Ballpark, didn't they? Did they ever play games at Lincoln Park? And, if so, before the ice rink was built?

One more question: other than the 8th Street Ball Park and Lincoln (if it did exist prior to the building of the ice rink), were there any other parks in town that had baseball diamonds? (and here I mean throughout early to mid 1950's)

I think all of this is starting to fit together, for me at least, and hopefully a trip to the library soon will uncover something or other!