McCallsburg Centennial 1869-1969

Baseball was the favorite sport in the early days of the small towns. Each town had a baseball team. There were a lot of celebrations in the early days and there would be a baseball game. They held games and races such as the women and men short dashes, sack races, potato races and races for children.

Some of the baseball players before 1910 were Lee Scott, Grim Gunder, Allan Baumgardner, Guy Mills, George Vallem, Casey Billings, Vern Shoemaker, Amos Hanson, Milt Hanson, Frank Hanson. A few years later some of the players were Emory Thompson, Harry Billings, Ed Mills, Howard Billings, Harold Buchwald, Joseph Johnson, Bruce Snider, Clyde Birch, Charley Birch, Dave Hanson. Frank Nail was the manager. About 1920 the players were Oscar Thompson, Rasmus Thompson, Lloyd Hanson, Art Lura, Martin Musland, Harold Schauper, Harry Billings, Bruce Snider, Berg Wiley, Frank Wair and Andrew Schauper was manager.

Most of the baseball games were played in the pasture at the northeast edge of town where the government grain bins are now located. McCallsburg had a good baseball team in the early 1930's. Some of the players were Oscar Chelsvig, Sanford Thompson, Bill Moody, Obed Olson, Lester Menzel, Homer Lewis, Maynard Olson, Roy Severson, Weston Olson, Lester Thompson, Julius Thompson, Earl Thompson, Maurice Thompson, Willis Mills, Martin Bergland, George Caltvedt, and Clarence Wicks manager. Elmer Newgaard and Obed Olson also managed the teams. Sanford Thompson was an outstanding pitcher and won many games in a row. He was also hired by other teams in important games.

After World War II baseball in the small towns seemed to fade out. There were very few town teams left and Sunday afternoon games were a thing of the past.

Softball took over for baseball for the town teams. Softball started in the middle thirties but McCallsburg did not have softball lights until 1954. The first couple of years after softball lights were put in, McCallsburg held community night and the first game would be for the ladies and the second game for the men. Both the young and the old played and every one had a good time. Butch Corder was usually the umpire and some of the women made it rough for him.

The McCallsburg school building we have at the present time was built in 1920. Basketball started at this time but the first team played on an outside court as the building was not finished. Some of the boys that played on the first basketball team were Clyde Baumgardner, Lloyd Hanson, Myron Jorstad, Leonard Helland and Virgil Hougen. Later Harold Hougen, Albert Hanson, Everett Thompson, Wade Finnie, Lester Menzel, Leonard Malmanger, Maynard Christian, Otis Helland.

The girls also played basketball after the new building was built. Some of the girls that played on the first McCallsburg team were Thelma Shearer, Olive Jorstad, Blanche Helland, Lillian Jorstad, Mildred Schauper, Emma Olson, Lucille Nelson, Mae Hanson, Gladys Helland, Sadie Pearson, Avis Johnson and Ore Roe. Later some girls that played were Judith Thompson, Charlotte Christian, Vera Olson, Hazel Cole, Mildred Hougen, Vida Jorstad, Viola Jorstad, and Velda Olson. Judith Thompson was one of the best forwards in the state. The last girls team for McCallsburg was about 1928 or 1929 with Margaret Lyng as coach. Some of the players were Mary Meimann, Maxine Vallem, Myrtle Thompson, Irene Hougen, Sina Baumgardner, Bernice Thompson and Lillian Thompson. The girls game at this time played the three court system consisting of two forwards, two guards and a center and running center, and after every basket the ball was brought back at the center of the court for jump ball. One hand shots only counted one point. McCallsburg girls had a very good record for games won in the twenties. McCallsburg did not have girls basketball again until after World War II.

McCallsburg started football in 1926 and had football until the team of 1931. Some of the players on the first teams were Lyle Baumgardner, Jesse Jorstad, Emory Krink, Howard Bailey, Marvin Bennett, Herbert Christian, James Ritland, Jack Sandvig, Arnie Sorenson, Clifford Imsland, Darrell Post, Bernice Post, Floyd Christian. Some of the players on the last football team were Joe Duea, Willis Mills, Lawrence Osheim, Harlan Tett, Harold Sampson, Theron Thomas, Harlan Thompson, Gerald Vallem, Virgil Brekke, Ward Shearer, Robert Olson, Milo Hovick, Orris Strum, Malmin Olson, Ronald Arnold and Loren Lura.

McCallsburg had a track team in 1925. The track was west of the schoolhouse. At the County meet Carroll Lura won the 1 mile and half mile. McCallsburg did not have track but a few years.

A few of the outstanding boys basketball teams were the team of 1926 with some of the players, Carroll Lura, Jesse Jorstad, Lyle Baumgardner, Obed Olson, Earl Thompson, Orris Osheim, Gordon Lura and Herbert Christian.

The team of 1935 was coached by Lester Shafland and I think it was the only team from McCallsburg to go the state tournament. The players were Walter Hill, Herman Thompson, Robert Lounsberry, Orville Vallem, Royce Conley, Raymond Skartvedt, Wendell Christiansen, Bud Thompson, Raymond Menzel, Allis Wicks, Leslie Johnson and Wendell Strum. The team lost in the first round to Grinnell and Grinnell was beaten in the finals by Mason City,

The team of 1936 again coached by Lester Shafland missed going to the state tournament by losing to Van Meter in the finals of the district at the Marshalltown Coliseum when a Van Meter player shot a basket that went in at the gun from 50 feet out. Bob Feller, the great Cleveland pitcher played center on the Van Meter team that year.

The team of 1941 missed going to the state tournament when it was defeated in overtime in the district final by Holy Family of Mason City. Players were Jerrol Lenning, LaVerne Osmundson, Francis Thompson, Wright Thompson, Dwight Baumgardner, Robert Strum, Merle Meimann, Odale Ose, Archie Menzel, Richard Strum, Curtis Severson and Junior Springer.

The boys basketball teams of 1939-1940-1941 won the county tournament and had outstanding records. They were coached by W.J. Collins and Fred Nus. The boys basketball of 1951 had an outstanding record. They won every game but lost to Roland three times and Roland