Gym Cracks By Jim September 5, 2002 BIT BY BASEBALL BUG Labor Day weekend trip to Greeley brings back baseball memories By Jim (Babe) Berryman MissingNebraska.com Western Nebraska I spent a couple days this past weekend in my home town of Greeley. In an earlier column I mentioned Darrell Johnson, an ex-major league player and manager, was born in Horace. Horace is located just a few miles west of Greeley. I had the opportunity to visit with Mick McQuillan, an 83-year old youngster, regarding Johnson during my stay in Greeley. Mick informed me Johnson was living in a San Francisco surburb. He also told me Johnson has a brother Bill who resides in Ord. Seeing Mick again brought back some great memories. When I was about ten years old, my family moved from a farm into the village of Greeley. The baseball bug bit me. Most every nice day the kids of the community went to the park to play baseball. Sunday afternoons were devoted to watching their town-team heroes, Mick, Whistle, Jack, Joe, and others play baseball. I paid particular attention to Mick. He played first base, a position I desired to play. Mick was a left-handed hitter. In those days the Greeley ball park did not have a right field fence. Trees lined the outfield and cars could park behind the trees. It was not unusual for Mick to clear the trees in right field with a "shot" from his bat. I can recall seeing at least one car behind the trees in right field receive a cracked windshield from one of Mick's many homeruns. Watching and playing baseball in Greeley was another advantage in growing to adulthood in this community. Mick and his colleagues provided many thrills for the youngsters. By the way, this group won many more games than they lost. In later years I did play first base in American Legion baseball. I never hit one over the trees like Mick did, but I had many positive experiences playing the position Mick had played for many years. Feedback Previous Gym Cracks: 08-29-02: Caring Coaches Gym Cracks 08-22-02: Nebraska "Storm" Hits Colorado Gym Cracks 08-15-02: Cubs Win, Wallet Drained Gym Cracks 08-08-02: To Coors For Cubs Gym Cracks 07-25-02: Major League Madness Gym Cracks 07-18-02: Nebraskans In The Majors Gym Cracks 07-11-02: Kile Death Sheds Light Gym Cracks 07-04-02: Couch Potato Parking Gym Cracks 06-23-02: Top 10 Nebraska High School Nicknames Gym Cracks 06-06-02: Better In The 50s Gym Cracks 05-30-02: Dangerfield of Nebraska Gym Cracks 05-16-02: Baseball Sneak Aways Gym Cracks