Old Camden Police Team Had Loads of Fun in 1907

WHEN FATHER WAS A BOY! C P THE CAMDEN POLICE TEAM OF 1907 Front row, left to right—William Kiker, Walter "Weep" Stanton, "Dick" Haines, Lou "Dutch" Urban. Back row—Charles Whalen, Fred Lechleidner, George Hill, Otto Erdbrink, George "Babe" Clayton and Captain Lincoln James. Old Camden Police Team Had Loads of Fun in 1907 Veteran Bluecoats Recall Days When Games Were Picnics TWO NOW PENSIONED One score and two years ago, before racketeers and prohibition invaded the quiet and serenity of this then peaceful town, a jolly band of bluecoats hammered horsehides around sundry South Jersey lots. They comprised the Camden Police baseball team. Today that same group of hardy men who climbed out of their brass buttons into the regalia of ball players still can gather to "chew the rag" about "those good old days." Three of them wore moustaches and the upper lip adornment didn't create the comment that would result if tossers of the current era were to stroll out on the battlefield all bewhiskered. There is little to write about of their record of 1907. They played whenever they could book a game. These tilts were more or less in the nature of little picnics for the guardians of the law and each game stirred them to a point of enthusiasm that made them feel like kids once again. The team pictured above was photographed at Blackwood during the hot, sweltering summer of 1907 when they played the Public Service nine there. William "Bill" Kiker, whom youngsters will say is "one strict cop',' because he somehow seemed always around when they were hopping on wagons, or snitching a chunk of ice while the peddler of that cooling product was engaged elsewhere, played center field. He still lives on Spruce street, near Haddon avenue and patrols a downtown beat. A husky fellow, was Kiker, and he still steps with a lively gait although the thatches under his blue lid have greyed. 'Weep' Daddy of Veterans The "daddy of all veterans," that call him. He is Walter "Weep" Stanton and may be met any evening in the central part of the city as he jogs gaily over his rounds, seemingly unmindful of the years that have changed his hair to a snowy hue. "Weep" chased fly balls in right field and was a demon on the bases, and for many years was regarded as one of the foremost baseball characters in Camden. "Dick" Haines, whose powerful right arm bent benders across the dish in a tantalyzing manner, held the Public Service batters to one run that day while the "Coppers" tallied seven. Throughout the entire heaving career of this genial, smooth-faced lad his slants escaped the murderous aims of his opposing sluggers. "Dick" had a good whip, knew when to stick his fast one over and only required a fair amount of breaks in the field along with a good backstop to come out on top. Haines is now a prosperous furrier in Brooklyn, N. Y., and recently paid a visit to Camden, to renew acquaintances here. 'Babe' Played All Over George "Babe" Clayton, whose black curly hair and ever-present smile drew attention from what few fair fans attended the games in those days, was battery mate to Haines. A peppery player who kept up a rapid-fire line of chatter "Babe" held Haines keyed up from start to finish and his snappy wing cut many daring runners off the bags or when they tried to pilfer the sacks. Clayton undoubtedly played with more teams than any other member of this squad. A consistent hitter, to a degree, he knocked around with nearly all of the leading teams in this city. Then he toiled under the banners of Merchantville, Medford, Vincentown and even down in Salem during the old South Jersey circuit. "Babe" later played with Baltimore of the Union League and had a fling up in Connecticut with an Eastern League outfit. He's a bit enlarged around the waist now and it seems that his once jet-black locks are beginning to turn, but the "Babe" is just as jolly and can spin a police motor-bike around in his same lively fashion. 'Cap' James Still on the Job Captain Lincoln James, then a veteran tosser for one of the old Camden clubs, played third base for the coppers, being teamed up in the infield with Charley Whalen, at first, George Hill at second and Lou "Dutch" Urban at the shortfield. Captain James is still in active charge out at the City Hall while Whalen and Hill both have retired via the pension route. Urban played with a number of teams hereabouts and is a keen follower of the national pastime today. This quartet proved a huge problem for any opposing players and freely handed out headaches to umpires. Fred Lechleidner, one of the outfielders who sported a moustache, patroled the left side of the pasture. Ht is that dignified gendarme who occupies the post of sergeant-at-arms in the Camden Police Court where Judge Garfield Pancoast is the umpire-in-chief. Otto Erdbrink, shown in the above photo, was one of those fellows who liked to travel around with "the boys." He was a loyal fan, rarely missing a game in which the "cops" were booked to battle.