Shamrocks Early Times Softball in Ramona

If you can you identify the members of this 1957 Ramona baseball team, please contact the Ramona Home Journal at (760) 788-8148.

By Darrell Beck

In 1946 a group of local men headed by Ralph Stephen organized a fast-pitch softball team called the Shamrocks, also known simply as The Town Team. They played home games on the new lighted field at Ninth and G streets, adjoining the old high school. As there were no outfield fences, some of the spectators formed a semi-circle with their autos at the imaginary edge of the outfield. A hit over the cars was usually a homerun; however, some of the big hitters would occasionally hit a ball to left field that would roll to the drainage ditch, leaving no doubt that it was a four-bagger. Spectators who were sitting in their cars would honk their horns and flash their lights for good plays. Big crowds always showed up for those night games as it was a time in the past when a ballgame was the only show in town. At the conclusion of each game, the hat was passed around the crowd to help

pay for the lights and the equipment.

The Shamrock 1946-47 team. Photos Courtesy of Darrell Beck

Those games were very popular for many years.

During those early years, the rules for pitching were generally ignored in favor of a wide-open and deceptive style of delivering the ball at 100 mph or more. For instance, our best pitcher, Dan Talamonte, could throw a strike from behind his back or between his legs. He used different wind-ups ranging from sidearm or overhead to a forward figure-eight motion, using multiple rotations, but never the same number of rotations in succession. This technique was especially deceptive as a way to set up his slip-pitch (change-up).

The Shamrocks played league games in Escondido at Grape Day Park, Old Town (San Diego) and various fields in and around the county or any other place there was a game. The Shamrocks occasionally played a Triple A team and were competing very favorably in the San Diego AA League, winning the championship in 1955.

Some of the players who wore the green and white uniforms with The Shamrocks were; Ralph Stephen, manager; Al Gooch (catcher), Dan Talamonte (pitcher), Jim Meador (pitcher), Mel Hill Sr. (first base), Jim Laws (second base), "Shorty" Cass (third base), Dudley White (first base), Mel Zentz (outfield), John Beverly (outfield), "Junie" Hill (outfield), Jerry Reed (outfield), Jim Lanham (short stop/outfield), Jerry Lanham (catcher), Bob Bivins (shortstop/pitcher), Bobby Ransom (outfield), "Bard" Logan (pitcher), Bill Ransom (outfield), Darrell Beck (shortstop/outfield) and a "ringer" by the name of "Peacock" who helped win the Double A title.

The Shamrocks disbanded about 1957, becoming Ralph's

Town Team around 1959. They played in a different league in San Diego until about 1961.

In 1962, after Ralph's team had disbanded, the Ramona Softball Association rounded up enough men to compose several teams. Non-league games were played with teams from Escondido, the Barona Chiefs, Baron Long at Alpine and the men's honor camp at Puerta La Cruz.

Ramona Softball Association broke up after the season ended.

Today, dozens of softball teams play on the four lighted diamonds at the Wellfield Park. Men's teams slow-pitch, mixed teams and women's fast-pitch play in various league competitions, including the Ramona High School girls' fast-pitch teams competing in the Valley League.

Darrell Beck is the author of "On Memory's Back Trail: A Story History of Ramona and the Backcountry of San Diego County." For information about the book, contact the author at (760) 789-2534.