Reflections on a baseball diamond

I enjoyed reading Tyler Takeda’s column and his interview with John Fernandez. I saw only one little mistake, where Fernandez said the varsity diamond was moved from behind the tennis courts to its present site in the 1960s.

I played Junior Varsity baseball on the JV diamond in 1956, my freshman year. I then moved up to varsity my next three years at its present location. I played Babe Ruth on the varsity diamond 1954-1956. I don’t know that varsity ever played on the JV diamond at L and Olive.

Someone older than I might know.

Our varsity diamond has always been one of the best in the Valley and that is because Mel Parker (the groundskeeper) kept it that way. I agree with Fernandez that now this ball field will be a high school jewel in the valley, it really looks nice.

I can remember when adult softball was played under the lights in the late 1940s.

Remember Frank Molina, Joe Juarique and Max Cowger?

— Frank Bradford, Madera