Bulletin Article - March 2007

HADDONFIELD SPORTS
By Betty Lyons

Cricket was very popular in the late 1800’s. It was on Memorial Day in 1893 that the new home of the Haddonfield Cricket Club was opened. Blue and white, the club color, decorated the club house for an opening reception for the members. Permanent decorations on the walls or hanging from the ceilings included items from other area sports: baseball bats, golf clubs, tennis rackets, and the various balls needed for these games. Tables were filled with food and committee members circulated throughout the building pointing out the facilities of the club and the grounds outside which that night were flying the club’s flags under a full moon. The Athletic Association provided the entertainment as 300 people danced to the current tunes of the day played by the string orchestra.

The club house was offered to other organizations for their use as well. The first big event to be held on the club’s grounds was the People’s Columbian Celebration of the 1893 Fourth of July Party to honor the patriotic holiday. It was an all day affair. The entrance to the Club House was either by way of the railroad tracks or Euclid Avenue, but on this particular night the tracks were closed off to the public because of extra trains put on service for the holiday.

This spectacular Fourth of July evening got off to a rousing start with the Liberty Band of Philadelphia. Colonel Jesse E. Peyton, for whom Peyton Avenue is named, gave the major address followed by The Young Men’s Liberty Society featuring marches from the band and the national anthem. The hundreds on hand watched a drill done by the Sixth Regiment Gun Detachment. The band played on until it finally got dark enough to end the party with a dazzling display of fireworks, a practice which has continued throughout the years.

There were numerous regular games played with a number of South Jersey teams as well as clubs in Philadelphia. Social events took place in the club house and on the well kept grounds which were decorated for every holiday.

Team sports were always an integral part of life at Haddonfield High School. Each year, at the try-outs, selections were made among those who volunteered to play and also to manage the teams. 

In 1910, Haddonfield High School enjoyed its most successful baseball season ever, winning thirteen of sixteen games. Not yet called the Memorial High School, the team got most of its starting players back the following year. They were very proud of their victories against Bridgeton and Vineland, but the one which gave them the most joy was beating Camden for the first time in the school’s history. The worst game they played was at Jenkintown when Abington Friends School scored in the first inning and then became the winner of some of the umpire’s rare calls.

In 1914, the high school football team played its annual game against the alumni, an event no longer enjoyed. The younger team won 9 to 3, and there were many discussions throughout the session. An excuse for the alumni: the high school team had already played against its regular opponents of Woodbury, Camden, Bridgeton, Moorestown and the like, so they had had some practice together, unlike the alumni.

Hockey was one of the favorite sports of the high school girls in the early 1920’s. Most of the games were played on Monday, Tuesday and Friday afternoons. Opponents at that time included Germantown, Temple University, Moorestown, Merion, Riverton, Philadelphia and Lansdowne.

The Haddonfield Athletic Association was formed in April, l906. A review of its organization three months later on June 27 showed that it had progressed faster than any other club in town. There had been a lot of opposition and skepticism by local residents, but the promoters went ahead and showed that good management and good judgment were all that was needed to put the idea across.

The group’s headquarters were located at the foot of Euclid Avenue. Borders of beautiful trees shaded the front entrance area from which one could watch the trolleys which ran every few minutes on Haddon Avenue. The ball field and the club house were on land owned by Samuel Wood, part of the former Elizabeth Haddon plantation. The club progressed very quickly first by paying for all new uniforms and equipment for the youngsters, getting the grounds ready for baseball and getting ready to host a second team.

HADDONFIELD SPORTS
By Betty Lyons

Tennis was extremely popular for those out of high school. The West Jersey Tennis Club had its headquarters in West Haddonfield on what is now the Elizabeth Haddon School Grounds. Some of the best players in the area played on these courts. This wooden structure was built with a number of steps, probably about 20, in the back where the tennis courts were located. The steps could be used as a grandstand and other people could stand on the grey painted porch watching the games. In the front there were fewer steps for the young school children to use to go to class

There was also the Haddon Field Club which at one time was along Sylvan Lake Avenue. Later this club moved to the end of Elm Avenue and still is the area for many happy tennis players to practice and to play. A few people had tennis courts in their back yards such as the small two-court one on Greenman Road, just at the border of Haddon Township, where many children played on Saturdays.

About 30 high school students took part in the Track Team which had successful meets with other local high schools in the area. Almost all the area high schools had tracks for the runners, and at the conclusion of the year they would go to Franklin Field at the University of Pennsylvania to compete in the finals.

At one time there were many bicyclists who were planning an actual track around Haddonfield. The earliest try at this was in the early l900’s. Later, during the period of World War II, the idea was born again. There was a specific street layout but because of so much automobile traffic, the idea did not catch on. Individuals chose any roads they wished even though there were some markers for bicycle routes all over town. Unlike many cities in Europe where the paths are clearly marked and automobiles are forbidden to park or travel, it soon became evident that the streets were not wide enough for that kind of permanent trail.

Evans Pond was a great place for canoeing and great races were held to show off paddling skills with canoes owned by locals or rented from the shore-side boating cabins along the Pond. Moonlight nights were favorites as were the beautiful weekends with the sun shining for romantic couples.

Whether it was walking in Crows Woods, running on the streets, participating in official games or just watching others play, Haddonfielders have always been athletically inclined and interested in supporting all forms of sporting activities. The sports exhibit in Greenfield Hall will hopefully evoke happy memories from times past.