Ball Diamond Photograph
It always amazes me how an image can trigger a flood of memories. My childhood friend, Lauren Hall, recently posted a black and white photograph on Facebook that brought back a string of memories to some of us who grew up in the small town of Lawton, Iowa.
The picture was almost nondescript except for the four telephone poles that formed the backstop of the Lawton baseball diamond. In the 1950’s and 1960’s this was the central gathering place in Lawton. The photo was taken from Lauren’s front yard which was across the intersection of the two streets that framed the north and west sides of the ball diamond.
As I was trying to figure out when the picture was taken, a small detail gave me a big clue. In the distance beyond what was then center field I noticed a tiny house. This house was the home of an elderly bachelor named Burr Foster. Burr died in August of 19621 and his house was torn down shortly after his death when the school system bought his property and began construction on the present day sports complex that sits on that site.
When we commented on the photo and mentioned Burr’s house, Lauren said he hadn’t really noticed the house in the background but he did remember when he and I tried starting a fire by striking flint. We weren’t able to start the fire, but I do remember giving it our best effort. My wife, Cathy (Hay) suddenly remembered that when she first came to school at Lawton she won all of Steve Flewelling’s marbles in marble matches on the playground. She doesn’t think Steve has ever forgiven her for that! These other memories were made at about the time the picture was taken and I can’t help but wonder what memories this simple picture would spark in other people who were living in Lawton at that time.
Lawton is a very different place today. Not better or worse; just different. When that picture was taken Lawton still had a butcher shop, coffee shop, variety store, grocery store, gas station, hardware store, and a sale barn in the block and a half downtown area. The whole town was only about five blocks long by five blocks wide. Today the town is physically much larger but all of the businesses just mentioned are no longer open. They have been replaced by the Pronto convenience store.
Thanks, Lauren for that string of memories of some good times and good people.
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1. Burr Foster, Find A Grave Memorial# 8415811, http://findagrave.com
