Longfellow Park
Park Opening: May 15, 1941
Named after: Longfellow School (Which was named after American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow)
Location: Bordered by Linden Street, Lincoln Avenue, and Haight Avenue
Baseball Diamond: (0) Multi-use grass field
Team Name: Tigers, Bengals (1950’s)
Championships
Bantam League: 1969
Pee Wee League: 1969, 1972
Midget League: 1972
Little Coast League: 1972
PARK DAYS
“Longfellow players were all line drive hitters because our practice field was so small. If you muscled up and hit the ball over the high fence in left and center field, the lady who lived on the other side would yell at us and keep the baseball.”
John Canalin
“It was always fun to see Ed Canalin and Dale Roth add their creative energy to Longfellow – We had a haunted house one year they designed for the whole city- loved that mummy!”
Cindi LaCroix
I’m surprised one of my fellow Tiger alums haven’t jumped in on this yet. Longellow swept the 1972 baseball titles — Pee Wees, Midgets, and Little Coast (as noted above). It was a magical summer for the young Tigers who were led by head PD John King and assistant PD Doug Bertsen. That year also featured my favorite park t-shirt color combo which was classic oxford grey with black printing.
Great site Kin!
I think it was a Longfellow Tiger who came up with the term “take two and go to right” because when we played every night after the park closed (we weren’t allowed when the park was open!), hitting the ball over the fence was not only 3 outs, but you had to go get the ball. So, to avoid climbing the fence or riding your bike to retrieve a “parked” ball, we instead developed the skill of hitting the ball (as right-handed hitters) to right field. Why? Because in right was the “green monster”, our own version of the Fenway Park high wall, only ours was made of fence and ivy. (see the fence photo; the ivy during our day was thick and went all the way up to the top of the fence). No one could catch a high drive off the monster. Only problem was when the ball got stuck in the ivy and the lucky hitter had to climb up and try and find it. Lost many an indoor hard that way….
Hey Ed….I still have my HubToe card!
Oh my! Hubtoe!!!!!!!