I Remember When 2024 by Lewistown Sentinel

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TOM LAUB

Lifestyles editor tlaub@lewistownsentinel.com

There are places I’ll remember

All my life, though some have changed. Some forever, not for better; Some have gone and some remain.

—“In My Life” (John Lennon-Paul McCartney)

LEWISTOWN — Reminiscing about days gone by inevitably involves people. The good times with those we know and love. Although our memories focus mostly on people — family, friends, neighbors,

classmates or co-workers — places are nearly as much a part of the past, adding the backdrop for special times. Where we were set the stage for moments to remember.

The mere mention of an almost-forgotten house or a school or a favorite restaurant will conjure spirits that remain and can bring back a flood of emotion. Those venues provide links that bind people. They become landmarks.

Two of those landmarks, Mitchell Field in Lewistown and Dietrick Field in Mifflintown have served several generations as gathering places for athletic events, marching band competitions, high school graduations and many other memories.

I REMEMBER WHEN

Mitchell Field is named in honor of former Lewistown High School band director Palmer Mitchell. Dietrick Field is named in honor of former teacher, football coach and principal of Juniata High School, Charles Richard “Fancy” Dietrick Jr. Both men are legends at their respective schools. The fields/stadiums that bear their names have served two communities for decades. Landmarks.

As the years went by, I became mobile. No longer content in the stands, I would be running around with friends, circling the track, talking to coeds and sometimes, actually watching the game.

In June 1977, Lewistown Area High School commencement was held at Mitchell Field. I said goodbye to high school but the stadium would remain in my life.

For years, I would walk to the track and run a few miles. Countless miles over the course of time. After the run, I would sit in the bleachers, alone, and take it in. On some days, I would close my eyes and still hear

I’ve been to both, though much more of my life has been spent at Mitchell Field. While in grade school, I attended my first football games with my parents. I sat in the stands and watched the games and listened to the marching bands. Friday night lights. The stands were packed. It was exciting.

the crowd after a score or the band playing the fight song.

Within the confines of Mitchell Field, there were memorable games, great moments and the making of local history. I witnessed Lewistown High School’s final football game in 1969, prior to the Penn Highlands jointure and the last time the Panthers would wear maroon and steel at Mitchell Field. Three years later, the Cougars played their final game. I remember the tears as the band played “You’ll Never Walk Alone.”

The Penn Highlands marching band was enormous in size. I can still hear the military-like cadence before the band entered the field. The entire atmosphere made your blood pump.

That feeling continued during my years at LAHS There were casual moments at Mitchell Field as well, such as slipping through the locked gates and onto the field in junior high to play football on a Saturday afternoon.

There were assignments at both fields while working for the media. In the 1980s, I covered high school sports for the Sentinel. More recently, I spent six years broadcasting high school football games on radio. The majority of games involved Mifflin County, on the road and at Mitchell Field, but our broadcast team also spent several evenings in the press box at Dietrick Field See Fields/ Page 4

Special events at Mitchell Field are remembered

CAROLE SWISHER CAMPBELL Lewistown

There are many special events that I remember attending at Mitchell Field. One was my graduation on a beautiful day in early June of 1954. It was a bittersweet time for me since I always liked school and was somewhat sorry for it to be ending. To this day, I still maintain a friendship with several of my old classmates. We meet for lunch once a month. There is one very close classmate that I consider to be a best friend from the days we walked over a mile to school together. This October, we will be holding our 70th class reunion. Another way in which Mitchell Field is a special memory is that some 40 to 60 years later, I watched four of my grandchildren graduate from the same place.

Another event that I will never forget was a very snowy football game. It was calling for snow when we got out of school that day and the friends that I usually went to the games with decided not to go that night. During my years at Lewistown High School, I rarely missed a football game and I was determined that no matter what, I was not going to miss that one. I found out that a friend from the south end of town, opposite of where I lived on North Grand St., was going, so I made plans to meet up with her at the gate. It was snowing from the get-go but having bundled up good for the snow, off I went to meet my friend. We endured the first half and were fortunately close enough to her house that we could go there to have some hot chocolate and warm up during half-

time. Then it was back to the game, which I think we won, and if my memory is right, which I am not sure of, we were playing Lock Haven. That game was worth every shiver and left me with a great memory.

To make this football story more exciting, in later years I got to watch two of my grandsons play football on the same field with the youngest one on the team that won the league championship in 2019. Again, lots of shivers with some very nervous moments but well worth every minute of every game.

—P.S. The friend I went to the game with was Connie Noerr Baker and the friend I walked to school with was Helen Treaster Staronka. My grandsons that played were Nicholas and Nathan Poche.

Photo courtesy of Carole Swisher Campbell

Photos courtesy of Carole Swisher Campbell

1954 Lewistown High School graduation at Mitchell Field.

Football, rain, mud and memories at Mitchell Field

BRIAN CARSON Sentinel reporter bcarson@lewistownsentinel.com

LEWISTOWN—When the subject of Mitchell Field is brought up, a flood of pleasant memories cascades through my mind.

The history, atmosphere, and Friday Night Lights will forever remain a source of happiness for me.

There’s nothing like high school football on a Friday night, and Mitchell Field had plenty of memorable games inside its gates.

Two stand out to me. One was the first game I ever covered as a sportswriter, and the second was a game played in a torrential downpour that turned the field into a quagmire.

The first game was on a warm September evening in 1992 between Lewistown and Philipsburg-Osceola in an old Big 8 clash. The Panthers pulled out a 13-10 win. I remember the excitement of being on the sidelines. My emotions ran from elation to fear. I worried I would mess up my stats and story.

All the sights, sounds, and atmosphere of that night will stay with me until I take my final breath.

I remember feeling a sense of awe as I walked off the field that night. I was hooked. I knew I wanted to be a sportswriter for the rest of my life.

The second game, I’m sad to say, I forgot what year it was. I think it was 2000 or 2001. The memory gets a little looser the older I get. The game was a Mountain League battle between Indian Valley and Clearfield in hurricane-like weather.

Rain and wind turned the field into a swamp, and during my younger years, I

wouldn’t go to the press box. I loved to be down on the field. Stupid me. The weather was so bad I couldn’t keep my stats with paper and pen. I had to talk the plays into my voice recorder. Trust me. It’s no fun transcribing your notes when you’re on deadline.

The game was actually a great one. Both teams battled hard for 48 minutes, with the Bison getting the game-winning field goal in the driving rain for the 2421 victory as time expired.

Our version of the Mud Bowl was a game I’ll never forget. It was a reminder that even in the worst conditions, high school football can be a beautiful thing.

Now, a new state-of-theart sports complex is in construction, and Mitchell Field is on its last legs. But the history and special memories will always remain.

Mitchell Field was more than a football field. It was a place where memories were made. It was a place where communities came together to cheer on their teams. It was a place where young athletes learned valuable life lessons.

The atmosphere at Mitchell Field on a Friday night was unlike any other. As the sun set, casting long shadows across the field, an energy filled the air.

The stands buzzed with anticipation. The smell of popcorn, Lions Club French

fries and hot dogs wafted through the air, mingling with the crisp fall breeze.

The marching band’s drums resonated through the stadium, their rhythmic beat setting the tempo for the night. Cheerleaders’ chants echoed, rallying the crowd and building excitement for the impending kickoff.

As the lights illuminated the field, a hush fell over the crowd, broken only by the referee’s whistle. The roar of the crowd erupted as the players took the field, their cleats pounding the turf in a synchronized rhythm. Each play brought a wave of cheers and groans, the collective emotions of the crowd mirroring the ebb and flow of the game.

I have been fortunate enough to witness many great moments at Mitchell Field. I’ve seen countless touchdowns, interceptions and tackles. I’ve seen teams celebrate and players cry tears of joy and sorrow.

Mitchell Field is an extraordinary place, and I’m grateful for all the memories it has given me. The venue holds a special place in the hearts of many people in Lewistown.

Mitchell Field is a treasure, an important part of the history of Lewistown. The impact of Mitchell Field goes far beyond the scoreboard. It weaves into the area’s identity. It leaves us an enduring legacy.

Shoes

Baseball memories at Dietrick Field, 1960

BOB SIEBER

Mechanicsburg

Teener League Baseball Game

Dietrick Field, Mifflintown, Summer of 1960

For those living in Fayette Township in the northern part of Juniata County and attending East Juniata High School in the later years of the 1950’s into the 1960’s, anything having to do with Mifflintown and Juniata Joint automatically meant highly-spirited competition. No matter what it was, whether Little League baseball, junior high to varsity basketball, or even first aid meets between troops from McAlisterville and Mifflintown, there was always an extra spark of competitiveness there.

Although we lived in the same county and were more alike than we wanted to admit, winning against anyone from Mifflintown was especially sweet.

In the summer of 1960, McAlisterville was fielding an “average” Teener baseball team. As I recall, we were playing along at maybe a .500 clip. As sports lingo goes, we were “in the process of rebuilding.”

Near the end of the season in late July, early August, the schedule pitted us against Mifflintown at Di-

etrick Field. Despite being fierce competitors, most of us were somehow aware that the athletic field behind Juniata Joint High School was named for Charles R. “Fancy” Dietrick, a mid20th Century sports legend and educator at Juniata Joint High School. Both my father, North, and Uncle John, would recount stories about “Fancy” Dietrick. I knew him as a stocky umpire at Perry-Juniata men’s sandlot baseball games.

In the 1950’s, before the first pitch was thrown, if Fancy Dietrick was umpiring behind-the-plate he would turn around and announce the battery mates (pitchers and catchers of each team) to fans in the grandstand and bleacher seats. He obviously loved the game of baseball. Why else would he dress up in hot umpire gear on a Saturday afternoon in the summer for very little pay?

Back to Dietrick Field.

It’s near the end of the 1960 season and we’re getting ready to play Mifflintown at Dietrick Field. The field is always well-prepared and neatly trimmed. There is a wooden-board backstop with a tall screen to keep foul balls from going down onto the school’s driveway. As I recall, the goal posts for the coming football season were also there. The athletic field sits

up on the Brick Hill section of town and the view from home plate is downward towards the courthouse steeple. Mifflintown is managed by Gene Rhine, a first-rate baseball mind.

I am scheduled to pitch, and in warmups, I am trying to get a soreness removed from my right elbow. Mifflintown has the better team and we fall behind early.

However, the surprise of the game is what happens to me in the batter’s box. Pat Cunningham is on the mound for Mifflintown and in four plate appearances, I hit three triples. Maybe he was letting up due to their lead and was throwing me “fat” pitches.

Three triples are certainly a highpoint for me, a non-power hitter. I can’t recall this happening very often locally, although I’m sure it’s in the record books of the professional leagues. To me, it seems as rare as four homeruns in a game.

Juniata County Historical Society

Dietrick Field in 1971.

Stacy Torok Realtor (717) 250-4163

Cieara Rankin Realtor (717) 348-3092

The Game: 1956 Lewistown vs. Chief Logan

PETE SEARER Lewistown

I had many memorable moments at Mitchell Field beginning in 1953 when I was moved up from junior varsity to the varsity squad. In October of 1953, the Chief Logan Mingoes played the Lewistown Panthers on a Saturday afternoon and Chief Logan won the game 39-13. It was a rough, tough game with a number of players injured on both teams, unable to play the next week or able to finish the season. Hence I received my first of four letters. If the 1953 game had not been so hard-fought and players injured, I would not

have played the rest of the 1953 season.

In 1954 and 1955, no Lewistown - Chief Logan games were played because of rowdy fans and injuries.

In 1956 the School Board agreed to again have The Game. Brother Jack Searer, as a freshman, was moved to the varsity squad and became a starting defensive end, along with Junior Powell, Gary Sprout and Gil Varner as backs.

In 1956, Lewistown went 8-2, while Chief Logan had a so-so season. On paper, Lewistown should have killed Chief Logan, but you do not play on paper.

It was a typical revenge game. Very hard fought on

both sides. The week before the game, Coach Ufema reminded us that if there were any incidents, the game would not be on the schedule in the future. Lewistown went up by two touchdowns early in the game with Chief Logan coming back with a score of their own. The game settled into a rough, tough, smash-mouth game.

I caught a pass near the Chief Logan bench and the defensive back who tackled me reached under my face mask (one bar in those days) and scratched my face. I immediately jumped up and told him “you are too good a player to do that.” The referee jumped in and I tried to tell him what happened.

The fans grumbled and began to “boo” me. I turned and joined my team and things settled down. Chief Logan had a back named Tuss Wilson and he began to gain three, four, five yards and they were moving down the field. I thought we were going to lose. One of Chief Logan’s linemen jumped offsides and got a five-yard penalty. I knew then we had them. They could gain 10 yards on three downs, but not the 15 needed. They turned the ball over. On a subsequent play, I looked at a pileup and saw a Chief Logan player pull down a Lewistown player on the pileup. The Lewistown player was penalized 15 yards for punching the Mingo. The player penalized

was brother Jack. I knew he would never commit such an act since he was only 14-years-old and playing with 17- and 18-year-olds.

After the game, Coach was furious with Jack and upset that we did not beat Chief Logan by more points. I was upset with Coach and threw a laundry cart in the locker room. Coach Ufema has passed and when I reached the age of 80, I asked Jack what happened in the pileup. He said “ We were just laying there and I reached back and gave him one!”

Well, I guess no one cared much about the Searer boy’s actions and the series continued.

Submitted photo

Pete Searer, left, confers with Lewistown High School Head Football Coach Alex Ufema during the 1956 season. Ufema roamed the sidelines at Mitchell Field as head coach of the Panthers from 1946 to 1963.

Memories of Mitchell Field began at an early age

DEB BARGO Mayor, Borough of Lewistown

Wow! Where do I begin?

My memories of Mitchell Field began in my childhood living only two blocks away. Seventh Ward Elementary School, of which I was a student, was located on the same property as the football field. Summers were spent at the playground under the watch of two playground supervisors. Activities ran from doing crafts in the basement of the school, which was also the locker room for the football team,

to playing softball against other playgrounds. My guess is there were probably, on a sunny day, 40 to 50 kids attending. I never had trouble finding someone to play with. Sometimes, we had permission to actually play on the field or run on the track. (I played sports but I sure wasn’t a runner) I always liked it when we had “pet shows.” My sisters and I had a chicken named “Happy Harry.” We dressed him up and entered him in the show. He made a lot of clucking but won a blue ribbon. (the stuff you remember).

Fast forward to my high school years, I was chosen in my junior year to be a hostess handing out the programs for graduation ceremony at Mitchell Field.

My mom heard on the Swap Shop radio program that a dress was being sold and I became the proud owner of this beautiful green dress. We were about half way through the ceremony and it started to rain really hard and everyone scattered. It’s a good thing because till I reached home my Swap Shop dress was half the size it started out to be.

After two years of living in an apartment, my husband and I decided to buy a house. The house we purchased (and still live in today) was right across the alley from Mitchell Field and Seventh Ward School (an ideal location to raise our children).

Micha el W Kra mer

Representative 429 South Main Street Lewistown, PA 17044

(717) 248-7848 Ext 332

Cell (717) 805-1227

Cell (717) 363-6591

Fax (888) 371-5193

mike@lakeauto.com

I remember when our kids got older, they, along with some of the neighborhood friends, would sometimes shimmy through the gates on the Saturdays after Friday night football games and look for treasures under the bleachers. Surprisingly enough, they would always come home with something. Home football games are exciting where we live. Our large driveway becomes a parking lot for our family and friends. People still often say to me, “How can you stand all that loud noise and confusion when there’s a home game?” My reply is always. “Love it.” Both of our kids played in the Lewistown High School marching band and to this day I can hear the drum cadence as they entered the field, making my heart swell with

pride. It was so hard to believe that high school graduations came so quickly. Our son was disappointed when the announcement was made that graduation had to be

moved inside due to the weather forecast but our daughter lucked out and received her diploma at Mitchell Field. It would not have mattered where it was held. I cried anyway. I totally support the new Donald Chapman III stadium. What a wonderful facility for students, their families and all those who will travel a distance to attend sports events and band competitions. How proud we will all be when comments are made to us of the awesome school and athletic facilities we have available in our area.

The many memories I have of the Mitchell Field and the surrounding area will remain in my heart forever.

Photo courtesy of Deb Bargo LHS graduation at Mitchell Field (late 1960s).

Photo courtesy of Deb Bargo Children at the Seventh Ward Elementary School playground next to Mitchell Field (late 1950s).

Seniors rush Mitchell Field after 2017 Homecoming win

ZEB HARSHBARGER

I remember when the student section rushed the field after winning our 2017 Homecoming game.

It was my senior year at Mifflin County High School. We were in the midst of an eightgame losing streak inherited from the 2016 season. The head coach had resigned and Scot Sechler was named the interim head coach with three games left in the season.

I wouldn’t be able to tell you the score, or who won Homecoming Court that year because I frankly don’t remember. But I do remember that with seconds winding down in the fourth quarter, everyone in the student section, especially the seniors, were crowding around the gate to get into the field, waiting for that final whistle to blow. And finally, the Huskies notch their win and a beautiful mayhem ensues while we rush the field for, not only the first win of the year, but the first win of the Sechler era.