ust for the 



Fun of It 



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^. TtJMSL JM i mx i- 



That's Why Henderson's Soft Ball 

 Association Was Organized 



IN its day, Illinois has probably seen 

 as many different kinds of associa- 

 tions and organizations as any state. 

 But orgranizing "just for the fun of it" 

 is something new. Yet that describes the 

 Soft Ball Association organized last year 

 in Henderson county. 



Geo. B. Whitman, farm adviser and 16 

 to 16 other public-spirited citizens and 

 farmers in and about Stronghurst de- 

 cided that it's just as important to or- 

 ganize for fun as for business, reform, 

 or what have you. 



So two years ago they each put in $20 

 in a non-profit venture to build a play- 

 ing field for night soft ball. Most of 

 the backers of project were directors and 

 boosters of the new Henderson County 

 Fair which operates without buildings or 

 investment. But that is another story. 



The soft ball association directors went 

 to the timber and cut their own poles 

 for mounting the flood lights. Twelve 

 lights were erected on six poles, the play- 

 ing field was put in order and every- 

 thing set for a county tournament. 



Eight teams were organized in dif- 

 ferent communities, including two teams 

 at Stronghurst, the others representing 

 various sections of the county. The 

 schedule was drawn up to provide for 

 games two nights a week and two games 

 each night. Ten cents admission was 

 charged, or 5c a game. The association 

 furnished the bats and balls, paid the 

 light bill which amounted to about $3 a 

 night, hired a gatekeeper to collect the 

 cash, and paid the fair association 10 per 

 cent of the receipts for the use of its 

 grounds. 



They put up a $25 cash prize for the 

 team winning the tournament and a 

 trophy for the man with the highest 

 batting average. 



The financial end of the venture suc- 

 ceeded. Gate receipts for the year to- 

 taled approximately $375.00. After pay- 

 ing expenses, there was about $120 left 

 at the end of the year. Prom 150 up to 

 1000 people attended each game. They 



came from all over the county. Four 

 teams played each night and every team 

 drew from 50 to 100 interested followers 

 coming from townships and communitiea 

 15 miles or more away. 



The soft ball association put up two 

 bleachers, the fair association erected 

 two, and the high school which also used 

 the playing field built two bleachers. The 

 stands were stoutly built to avoid the 

 possibility of collapse and damages 

 against the association. 



So between the county soft ball league, 



UNDER THE BRIGHT LIGHTS 

 "Th« first year's profits went into new 

 bleachers." 



Farm Bureau baseball, the Henderson 

 County Fair, and numerous community 

 clubs, Henderson County farm folks are 

 having a good tim^ There's always 

 something going on to break the monot- 

 ony of hard work on the farm which is 

 what it takes to interest the young peo- 

 ple, and put more happiness into farm 

 life for all. 



Let's Take Time to Play 



Some Thoughts by a Henderson Member 



VISUALIZE what a sight it would 

 be to see 10,000 people enjoying 

 themselves in a great round-up of 

 farm folks when the work is all done 

 this fall. 



Until I was twelve years old my father 

 operated a brick yard. At that time brick 

 was manufactured mostly by hand. Up 

 at three a. m., off carrying brick at four 

 a. m., through for the day at four p. m., 

 and to bed at eight p. m. for a good 

 night's rest and the next day's work. But 

 on days when working conditions were 

 ideal. Dad would sometimes say, "Boys, 

 we will put in some good licks today, and 

 then take a half-day off and go fishing 

 the last of the week." 



I have seen my father often bear four 

 thousand brick in four hours, chop and 

 haul home two cords of wood in a day — 

 day in and day out — husk an average 

 of one-hundred bushels of corn a day 

 during the season at age sixty, catch 

 more fish than he could carry home and 

 have more fun than the president on a 

 million dollar yacht. Which reminds of 

 one of my father's slogans, "When either 

 working or playing give it the best there 

 is in you to get the most out of it." 



The Henderson County Farm Bureau 



has for the past ten years encouraged 

 good clean recreation for our members 

 as one of its major projects. We feel 

 that time out from hard work for base- 

 ball, soft-ball, horse shoe pitching, and 

 many other contests for our young folks, 

 is a good thing. 



I have enjoyed taking part in these 

 events, especially baseball. The day's 

 work always seemed shorter when think- 

 ing how I might have played a better 

 game of baseball a previous Saturday, 

 or how I could squeeze in a run for a 

 team the coming Saturday. 



I might leave a larger estate in dollars 

 to my family when I die if I had not 

 taken time out to play. But if I leave 

 with them the few principles that my 

 father taught me I think it will mean 

 more than a few extra dollars that I 

 might have left. 



Our great Farm Bureau organization 

 has been largely built on money-saving 

 services, and money-making practices, 

 which the farmer has benefited by two- 

 fold. But our program will not be com- 

 plete until we can offer the farmer and 

 his family a well-planned play program 

 to take the drudgery out of their work. 

 (Continued on next page) 



I. A. A. RECORD 



