B uilding of the Baseball Field on South Lancaster St. in Jonestown, PA 17038

Dedicated to Frederick L. Gahres

This non-fiction writing is written from memory although some details have been forgotten at my age of 75 years. I want the folks in the Jonestown area to know the true history of that beautiful baseball field at South Lancaster Street (now part of the Jonestown Community Park) where many teams enjoyed and continue to enjoy its existence because of many, but especially because of Frederick L. Gahres, the Jonestown Athletic Association (JAA), the Jonestown Memorial Home Association, the Jonestown American Legion Post 883, other folks at that time, and later by the Jonestown Borough as part of the Jonestown Community Park [dedicated to George H. Kauffman and earlier founded by Richard H. Houser in 1970].

It all began around 1964 after a Twilight League baseball game played at the Northern Lebanon High School baseball field since there was no field in Jonestown, and after the game many of us went to the Jonestown American Legion Post 883 (which is now Pizza Town) for a little refreshment. I don’t remember who won that game or who was the opponent! As we were being refreshed, Frederick L. Gahres, our coach and leader of the JAA, brought up the idea of building a baseball field in Jonestown. Fred noted we could build it at South Lancaster Street since the Jonestown American Legion Post 883 owned land there, and we could possibly lease the rest of the land needed from the Northern Lebanon School District since they owned the land adjacent North of the Legion land. Hopefully, Northern Lebanon School District would give the JAA a lease for the land needed. We all decided to look at the site discussed the next evening at 7:00pm.

We all met there at the site at 7:00 pm. The overall site was a very good hunting area for rabbits since I hunted there in the past. The site dropped down quite a lot to the East and was full of some small trees but mostly ugly brush that was not very pleasant to walk in without the proper clothing. Fred noted we need to get rid

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of the small trees and brush before ground would be moved. His idea was to move the ground at the West area of the property (now the parking lot) to fill in the void to the East end so all would be filled in to create a flat area for a field. We all know where the parking area is now but at that time it was at least 8 feet higher. We all kinda laughed to ourselves since we thought this land was not very conducive to make it a baseball field under the obvious conditions, but we all decided to do this venture. Fred had to contact Howard Neuin (heavy equipment contractor) for his help to plan how this will get done. We all planned to be there that weekend to start clearing the land.

All of us in the JAA and others wearing the proper clothing worked very hard for many weekends with many fires to burn the brush. The fires were great to cook hotdogs, but we knew that was a no-no! It was very hard work in a bad environment. Many of the guys had problems with all the smoke and happily wore the proper clothing with all the briar bushes. I must mention Howard (Buck) Ludwig was always there to help with anything. It was a thankless job, but we knew it would be good for Jonestown to have its own baseball field even though many of us at the time thought it was a wild idea to build it on this site. The field would be used by the Jonestown Twilight Baseball Team (adults), the Junior Legion Baseball Team and later by the Jonestown Midget Soccer Teams along with the Penn Central Soccer League Team (adults). The Jonestown Elementary School would use it for many of their inter-mural and physical education activities.

After all the brush and small trees were removed and burned Howard Neuin used in his caterpillar to remove all the stumps. Now we had to move the dirt (which is now the parking lot) to fill in to make the field flat since it dropped so much to the East. First, Howard had to cut down the grade which is why there is such a bank at the West end of the field. That dirt was used to help fill in to the East. Actually, that is why it is a great place to watch a baseball game. Then with the help of Howard Neuin and Cal Hetrick (Cal was a friend, contractor, and had many trucks) we moved the dirt from the parking lot area to the East for fill. We

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drove trucks for the first time for most of us for many weekends to move all that dirt. Howard Neuin and Cal Hetrick supplied the trucks with no cost except the gas and of course we drove the trucks. I broke an axle and Mr. Hetrick fixed it with no bill. Howard Neuin supplied the front end loader at no cost except the fuel for the loader and the pay for the operator. The JAA members drove the trucks up the bank Howard made, they loaded the trucks with dirt then we drove the loaded trucks down the bank to the East end of the field and dumped the dirt. We did this many times until the dirt to be moved was all gone. Gradually, the East end of the field was filled, and Jonestown had a flat area for a baseball field with more additions to complete the field. Please note that the Jonestown American Legion Post 883 and the Jonestown Memorial Home Association helped us a lot to build the field. Without their help the field would never have been built.

Left field had a rise upward since the school’s drain field was there. That rise doesn’t exist now since sewage was installed in Jonestown, then the Borough took away that bank when the Jonestown Elementary School began using the sewage in Jonestown.

We got some snow fence for the outfield fence and then bleachers for all the many fans and for the folks for other activities we had planned for money makers. We put in the pitcher’s mound and home plate properly which was hard work using concrete below the ground level for support. We also built a high backstop which I think many parts are there to this date. Fred Gahres welded the pieces of the backstop together. The JAA and others added to the height of the backstop with dump trucks and ladders. It was no easy task.

Gradually other things were added like a well with a spigot close to the field. Fred Gahres built the existing building standing at his cost and was used for a refreshment stand and storage. The JAA and others used cinder blocks and strong planks, so the teams could sit since the cost of dugouts was out of the question at that time. The adult soccer field was established from left field to center-right field with the midget soccer field from center-left field

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to right field and beyond. I recall very vividly that the field needed to be raked to get as many stones off as possible. Fred suggested that the Twilight Baseball Team could do that together which didn’t go over too well with some players. The group set a date for the following week to do this. At that point Fred said bring a rake to work or bring your uniform clean and folded to be turned in. All the players showed up on that date with a rake and the whole group had accomplished what had to be done! (Nothing was said by anyone). We had buckets of stones that were on the field. We had trouble developing a grass surface since the field was used hard, and it was very dry for many years, but we tried again and again and finally the grass was growing.

I must refer to the building built by Frederick L. Gahres mentioned in an earlier paragraph. He built it at his expense and on his land, which was a strip of land a few yards to the East, South, and West of the building. To the North he owned the strip of land until it met the neighbor’s land. The building was primarily used for storage of equipment and a refreshment stand although it was used by Fred and others as needed. He later donated the building and the land to The Jonestown American Legion Post 883. After looking back, I believe he saw what might happen, and he wanted it to stay in the possession of the American Legion Post 883. To this date I’m sure the American Legion Post 883 owns the land and building. I know the Junior Legion Baseball Team uses it for storage and a refreshment stand now which is fine.

All the teams I mentioned earlier used the field for many years. I must thank all the baseball coaches for doing their part to take care of the field for future games. I must mention Ed Ludwig who faithfully mowed the grass with me for many, many years. Many other folks helped us keep the weeds down so the field looked fine. I must mention that Fred spent much time keeping the field looking fine as well. Fred then got married and moved to Elizabethtown, and later I retired as a baseball and soccer player, so I didn’t spend much time at the field. On July 2, 1982, I got married and didn’t spend my time at the field. You will notice most dates aren’t included since I don’t remember them.

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After many of the players got older and didn’t play anymore the field wasn’t their priority. The American Legion Post 883 couldn’t maintain the field properly. At that point “I believe,” the American Legion Post 883 and Northern Lebanon School District got together with the Jonestown Borough and eventually there was an agreement that the field became part of the Jonestown Community Park, and the Jonestown Community Park (Jonestown Borough) has done a fabulous job improving the field! The baseball field looks awesome and many of us older folks remember how it became a baseball field! The building and the property earlier donated by Frederick Gahres to the American Legion Post 883 wasn’t part of the agreement.

After years of the baseball field being transferred to the Jonestown Community Park, it was named after one of the coaches that helped bring the state championship to the Jonestown Junior Legion Baseball Team (and I man I respect), Edward Spittle.

Looking back, if it wouldn’t have been for Frederick L. Gahres, the JAA, and many other people and organizations, the field wouldn’t be there. I spoke with the existing mayor at that time (George Kauffman-Great Guy!) about the name change at the “Someday Cafe” over coffee. He said he didn’t know the history of the field, so I filled him in very quickly. I’ve always felt that Fred Gahres should have been recognized in some way since “IT WAS HIS DREAM”. I’m sure he wouldn’t agree since Fred didn’t want personal credit! I was able to convince Mayor Kauffman to make a sign with the words on the sign by me installed on the refreshment building notifying the people of responsible parties that built and supported the building of the field. I didn’t mention on the sign Frederick L. Gahres since I was sure Fred didn’t want personal credit. I had to get permission from the Jonestown American Legion Post 883 to install the sign on the building since the Jonestown American Legion Post 883 owns the building and the land, it is not owned by the Jonestown Community Park.

I must thank the Jonestown Community Park for their work to make this baseball field beautiful!

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By Dennis Wood

The sign on the building

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