Native Durangoan, Ward Lee, ran the summer youth baseball program, “Old Timers,” in La Plata County for 42 years. Here, a young Durango High School player demonstrates to the youth players how to “blouse” baseball pants over baseball socks. Lee hired older players to coach and umpire the youth leagues, excluding parent involvement and the accompanying trouble and controversy that could result. The method worked well. Local businesses sponsored the program and there was no fee to play. An estimated 10,000 players played baseball in the league between 1951 and 1993. This photo is one of 220 to appear in the upcoming “Images of America – La Plata County,” to be published in July. – Ed Horvat for Animas Museum, edhorvat@animasmuseum.org (Catalog Number: 92.06.1.26 from the La Plata County Historical Society Photo Collections)
