This little essay about an early 1900s Huron baseball team was found in the Huron historical files. The writer is unknown.
A baseball team, complete with uniforms and called appropriately the Hard Cider Team was in full force during 1903 and 1904.
One 4th of July, the team took the Sunbeam (a boat that took people across the bay) from Bonnicastle to Sodus Point, and from there took the trolley to Williamson where they were to meet a Webster team for a game. The Webster team never showed up. The Huron boys stayed to enjoy the Williamson carnival, and got into a hassle with one of the carnival men.
The team played in Butler, Westbury, Sodus Point, and other surrounding points. The games often broke up in a fight, probably due to the refreshments taken along.
Later, in 1918, another team was formed and called the North Huron Baseball Team (pictured below). They had blue and white striped uniforms with blue felt letters on the front. These were made by T0nk Reyn and his wife Pearl. Jerry and Leon Burnett, George Prindle, Gus Van Gosig, and Chet Slaght were some of the players. James Betts was their mascot and he carried a double bitted axe in case of arguments. Hard cider was still the fuel used to propel the team.
Considerable money was bet on the games, and one game, played against Wolcott, ended in a fiasco when E. G. Christian got the pitchers pifficated* and Wolcott won both the game and the money. Most games were played on Saturday afternoon or Sunday, and good crowds turned out to see the games.
Front row: Bill Blazier, Gus Gosic, Jim Betts, Albert Tate, Burton Stewart Back Row: Chet Slaght, Chris Reyn, Jerry Burnett, Theodore Reyn, George Prindle, Cliff Roberts, Claude Reyn, and Leon Burnett.
* note: pifficated = intoxicated