Baseball Somers Greys



Somers Greys Baseball Team
Date Unknown
(Source:  Original courtesy of Jim and Sharon Bose Smith.)



Standing Left to Right:
Pete Tennessen (1st base), Lou Morin, George Werve, Chris Birch (pitcher), Everett Rogers

Front row Left ot Right:
Billy Birch (catcher), Ab Werve, Geo. Thomas (3rd base), Joe Thomas, Leo Feest

Note:
Chris and Billy Birch were brothers.
Pete Tennessen was a brother-in-law.
Most of the home games were played at Central Park.

Chris and wife Ottilie (Tillie) Birch built the "Center of the World" which was located across Birch Road from where the old homestead stood.

(Source:  Photo courtesy of Jim and Sharon Bose Smith.  Copyright 2012.  All Rights Reserved.)

Bill Birch - at bat
Chris Birch - pitcher
(Source:  Photo courtesy of Jim and Sharon Bose Smith.  Copyright 2012.  All Rights Reserved.)

Partial 1908 Map of Somers Township
See "Central Park" where most of the home baseball games were played.
Notice all the players were neighbors.

Somers Greys in the News
"The Somers Greys, Jrs. defeated the East Somers in a closely fought contest by a score of 5 to 6.  The features of the game were the pitching of N. Thomas who struck out sixteen men and the batting of Broesch who only struck out four times.The lineup:
Greys Juniors:  F. Feest, 1f; W. Thomas, ss; L. Feest, c; H. Klapproth 3b; J. Thomas, 2b; Bach, rf; G. Feest, 1b; D. Klapproth, cf; N. Thomas, p.
East Somers - M. Northway, 2b; P. Tennessen, c; C Birch, p; Broesch, 1f; A. Olsen 1b; Tennessen, cf; Gascoigne 3b; R. Terry rf, Gardinier, ss.

The Somers Greys won their thirteenth straight game in the Central Park league, by defeating the South Ends of kneosha by a scaore of 5 to 2.
(Source:  Racine Journal, September 17, 1907