Coach Warmoth
This short article appeared in the Missoulian Centennial issue.
Little Leaguers – 1960
I debated not putting the box score below on this website, especially in conjunction with the Missoula centennial, at the risk of appearing self-serving. My best game, I’m sure. I almost didn’t, but then thought what the heck. I didn’t even know this little blurb was there until finishing the last article in the Centennial Series and perusing the general daily paper -Sports Section, page 10 – from the Centennial Edition, Wednesday, July 27, 1960. Kind of a weird coincidence if you ask me. Serendipity again. Rocene’s Sports Jabs is still there, over on the left column. The top headline is Jacks, Giants Open Series Tonight. The game was scheduled for Campbell Park at 7:40 p.m. Wednesday. I may even have seen that Timberjack game as we had a generous neighbor who often loaded kids in his car and took us to their games, Col. John Plenger. Some of the Timberjack names had a way of rolling off the tongue. Sandy Valdespino, Chuck Weatherspoon – man could he hit. You look back on those times & hope you had enough sense to let people know you appreciated them.
This does give me a chance to mention another important person whom I had the chance to meet, and play for, when I was a young Missoula Little League kid – Coach, Gareld (Gay) Warmoth. I don’t remember the specific game below, but I do remember Coach Warmoth very well. Like a lot of energetic people, he had a way of keeping the people around him busy too. I do remember being busy whenever coach Warmoth was in charge, which was usually a good thing for a kid. Believe it or not, a few years ago, I was attending a game at the West Side Fields where our grandson was playing, and was pleasantly shocked when I ran into Coach Warmoth there. He didn’t look much different than he did over 50 years ago. Maybe a bit thinner, but he was always thin. He was still there ramrodding something around the area where people were buying and eating hot dogs. I think he was collecting money from parents and donors that day. Still busy. I spoke to him briefly and learned he was still involved in West Side Little League. I see that his wife, Elsie, has passed away now and that he is 86 years old and still living in Missoula. They had been married 59 years. If you meet Coach Warmoth know that he is one of a kind. I do appreciate him.
Tosses One-Hitter
Gilder tossed a one-hitter as the Electricians defeated City Electric 7-0 in a West Side Little League contest Tuesday evening.
- City Electric — 000 00 – 0
- Electricians — 021 4x -7
- Gilder and Busch; Greenway, Skarten and Valentine.