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LEFTY O’DOUL HONORS KIDS TODAY

Free Bats, Peanuts for Youngsters at Stadium
It’s the Biggest Day of the Year in Baseball

By Ed. R. Hughes

Newspaper photograph of Lefty O'Doul Window decal for Seals' Boosters This should be the big day of the season at Seals’ Stadium, for it is Lefty O’Doul day for kids, and he always insists that it be for the kids. Thousands of miniature bats with the signature of O’Doul on them will be given to the boys and girls as they enter the park. Later Lefty and other Seals’ players will throw out baseballs to the scrambling kids on the field.

Peanuts are free today. Youngsters accompanied by their parents or some older person are privileged to sit in the grandstand. The others will mass in the right field bleachers.

O’Doul gets just as excited about this day now as he did several years ago when it started, and the kids will storm over him when he gets within reaching distance. O’Doul is a great deal of a kid himself and will always be that way, I hope.

Two games will be played today and O’Doul and the kids will perform between games. If the weather is nice there will be a big turn out, for the older folks like to see the kids scramble for the baseballs and envy them their youthful energy.

Quite a few grownups who will look on today took part in some of the earlier scrambles on O’Doul day and they will enjoy this one, for the kids of today have just as much pepper as their older brothers.

The first game of the double header will start at 1:30 o’clock.

For this afternoon Lou Koupal and Bill Shores, a couple of big right handers, will pitch for the Seals and Bittner and Olds for the Oaks. This will be the last appearance of the Oaks here this year.


O'Doul with plaque from the kids at June 2, 1940 Kids' Day at Seals' Stadium
It’s O’Doul Day; You’re Invited to Take a Hand and Bring the Kids Along

by Harry B. Smith

It’s O’Doul day and you’re invited. If you’re a youngster under 14, then you get into the ball park free of charge, plus a small bat and a bag of peanuts. As an adult, you’ll have to buy your way into the grounds, but the sight is always worth the price. To give you value received, there will be a double header. In between the two games, which means about 3 p.m., there will be held that spectacular distribution of autographed baseballs. A scramble from the stands, scattered around the fringe of the park.

Pete Maloney is on vacation. Senator Tom Maloney is in Boston, so Ray Schiller of the South of Markets [South of Market Boys] has promised a crowd of 25 from his organization to hand out bats and peanuts and assist in patrolling youngsters on the field.

There will be cheers for Frank O’Doul and perhaps some presents, thought I don’t know as to what. It’s going to be good enough for O’Doul if the youngsters have a time of it. Kids with parents or other adults may enter through the turnstiles. Kids on their own much go through the left field bleacher gate.

Chronicle Sporting Green
September 11, 1938

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