Baseball, Ohio (Part 6)
Writer's note: Remembering that the "Twin Cities" of Baltimore and Basil were officially "dedicated" one day apart (Baltimore, then called New Market, on March 1, and Basil, a misspelling of Basel by twelve-year-old Henry Leonard, on March 2) in 1825, it is not surprising that the residents of both communities were more than ready to settle the most recent of the dozens of feuds that had developed between the two communities and cultures. A delay in the merger name decision was neither expected nor desired. But strange things had happened before in this century-and-a-quarter rivalry.
DECISION ON COMMUNITY NAME DELAYED BY LONG HEARING
Twin City News, Thursday, September 11, 1947
Thomas Conover, owner and publisher
"The outcome of the highly controversial subject of a new name for this village was still in doubt today as hearings on a petition to change the name of the village from Baltimore to Baseball entered the third day. A threat by attorney James Peterson, representing the faction endeavoring to retain the name 'Baltimore' (promised) to counter witness with witness and 'to fight to the end' presented the possibility that the hearings would extend through Friday. The all-important petition, requesting the name of 'Baseball' and signed by 615 residents of this community, was submitted to the court Tuesday morning by Col. E.A. Silbaugh, counsel for the petitioners. Tuesday witnesses for the change to 'Baseball' included B.B. Gierhart, A.L. Weakley, Dr. S.C. Sneeringer, C.L. Palmer, S.S. Stubbs, Albert D. Murphy and J.W. Fenstermaker. Also testifying were: Grant Miller (Baltimore mayor), A.A. Weakley, P.H. Snider, Glenn Roley, Anna Cook and Ed Sands (leader of Basil business community). Palmer, clerk at the Baltimore depot of the N.Y.C. Railroad, testified that 71 shipments and one carload of goods intended for Baltimore, Md., had been received here thus far this year. Palmer also stated that much confusion was caused by the similarity between Baltimore O., and the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. Wednesday, Richard Williamson, Harold Hoskinson, Louise Gierhart, Dorothy Mauler, Fred Mauger and others testified for the petitioners. Judge Earl. D. Parker of Waverly, hearing the case, was called to Pickaway County Wednesday afternoon but the hearings were resumed at 10:00 a.m. this morning (Thursday). In the meantime the hearings have turned the national spotlight on our community as the wire services and radio prepare to circulate the decision offered by Judge Parker."
Writer's note: Stay tuned for another installment next week!