THE FIGHTING 63RD

The following artcle was originally featured in the 1998 Baseball Yearbook. 1948-1949 In 1948, a few years after winning the deadliest war in world history, America was at peace. Harry Truman was president. Baseball legend Babe Ruth died. In San Bernadino, California, Richard and Maurice McDonald opened a new restaurant which featured “fast food”. The Cleveland Indians won the World Series by defeating the Boston Braves 4 games to 2. The nation was in the midst of a post-war building and baby boom. Child rearing and youth development became a major focus in American society. This atmosphere fostered the birth of thousands of scout troops for boys and girls. Little leagues formed in communities all across the nation. Locally, in Ottawa, a new television picture tube plant opened that would soon become Putnam County’s largest employer. American Legion Post 63’s membership grew to an all-time high of 499. In the spring of 1948 Post 63 members were enjoying their new Post home in the Rampe Building on Walnut Street. (1998 occupant is Orchid Beauty Salon). The Commander of Post 63 in 1948 was Edward A. Rieman and the Club Manager was Alvin (Jiggs) Compton. These men, along with several other members, felt it was time to again sponsor a Junior Legion Baseball team. The Post had sponsored a team in the 1930’s but had not done so during WWII. The important task of finding the right man to coach this team was undertaken by Alvin Compton. Compton was not one to be intimidated by challenges. During WWII, Sgt. Compton, and other members of the heroic 148th Infantry/U.S. Army 37th Division, helped “persuade” the Japanese to vacate islands in the Pacific such as: Guadalcanal, Fiji, New Georgia, Bouganville, and the Philippines. Compton earned a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star for his service. It did not take Compton long to find the man who would “resurrect” Ottawa Legion Baseball. The man Compton turned to was Larry Dunn. Ironically, Dunn as a young boy, had played on the very first Ottawa Jr. Legion team in 1930. “I know Larry well, he’s a good man, and he knows baseball,” Compton would later say. A YOUNG BOY WHO LOVES BASEBALL Lawrence “Larry” Dunn was born in Ottawa, the youngest of 4 sons, to Anna (Trame) and Peter Dunn on September 27, 1913. As a young boy Dunn grew up playing sandlot baseball and watching “town” teams such as the Liberty Sluggers, Kiwanis Huskies, and the Ottawa Cubs play games at Beutler Field. He was amazed by mammoth homeruns hit by local legends Bud Leis and Alphonse Lanwehr. By the time Larry was in high school he was a pitcher for the Sts Peter and Paul team. In 1930, American Legion Post 63 held tryouts for its first Jr. Legion Baseball team. The team was coached by Sheriff Red Felkey and John Klein. Dunn, who was now 16 years old, made the team as a pitcher. In fact Dunn would be the only pitcher, filling the roles of starter, middle reliever, set-up man and closer. “I was a control pitcher, not overpowering, I threw a lot of junk. Our catcher, Paul Weaver, could detect a batters weakness by watching his stance. Weaver would give me a target and I’d just pitch to his glove,” Dunn remembers. “If a runner reached 1B we did not hold the runner, the first baseman played off the bag. If Weaver thought the runner had too big a lead, he would pick up some dirt and throw it down. I would immediately throw to first base, the ball and the first baseman would arrive at the same time. We picked off a lot of runners with that play.” Larry remembers with a grin. The excellent play of Dunn, Weaver, and their teammates led Post 63 to the County Championship in the team’s inaugural season. WWII ... Assignment Alaska As a young man in the 1930s Dunn played third base for the Ottawa town team. In 1942 he was drafted and eventually assigned to the Alaskan Division of the Army Air Force. Stationed in Nome, Alaska, Larry took part in the secretive OP-ALSIB (Operation Alaska-Siberia) lend-lease program. More than 5000 American planes, including A-20s and B-25’s, were turned over to Russia beginning on September 29, 1942. Fighters, transports, and bombers were funneled through Great Falls, Montana to Canada and then to Ladd Field in Alaska. Here the Russian pilots were trained and the Russians then flew the planes, now bearing the USSR Red Star insignia to Galena. The final stop on this route to Siberia was Nome, Alaska. Coach Dunn Larry Dunn was discharged in 1945 and returned home to Ottawa. In 1948 he began a 25 year career as the new Sylvania picture tube plant. This was the time when Larry’s path would again cross with Ottawa Jr. Legion Baseball. Dunn accepted the offer from Alvin Compton to “start up” a team again. Helping Dunn would be Team Manager Joe Ruhe, who was also a veteran of WWII, having served in England with the 8th Army Air Force. Dunn went right to work, procuring bats, balls, and uniforms with the financial assistance of Ford Motor Co. dealers. Tryouts were held on Sunday June 6, 1948 at the “Ottawa Public School Ballpark” (Behind current 4th Street Gym). Boys between the ages of 12-17 were eligible to play. Other communities sponsoring Jr. Legion teams included: Leipsic, Pandora, Columbus Grove, Kalida and Continental. Dunn, this time as coach, again led Post 63 to County Championships in 1948 and 1949. He ended his coaching career in 1951, the same year he married Naomi Stewart of Gilboa. Naomi and Larry would be proud parents of two daughters, Patricia and Sherry . Naomi passed away in 1965. Larry currently resides in Pandora and has two grandchildren. Debt of Gratitude Since Larry Dunns’ coaching career ended in 1951, hundreds of young men have played American Legion Baseball for Post 63. Many of these former players are now business and community leaders. All have memories of Legion Baseball: victories, defeats, friendships, and just plain fun. They all owe a debt of gratitude to “Jiggs” Compton, Joe Ruhe, and Larry Dunn. These men and others resurrected the Ottawa Legion Baseball program and made all the great moments of future years, including nine District Championships possible. The preceding article was written for the 1998 Ottawa Legion Baseball Yearbook. Dave Kersh - Post 63 Historian Sources “The 20th Century Vol IV” - Macmillan Publishing Putnam County Sentinel Thanks to: Larry Dunn Edward A. Rieman Philips Display Components Alvin “Jiggs” Compton