Indy updates: ’32 RBW baseball team, and ‘Picnic at Merle Beach’

Whew.

The Indy mailbag was overflowing this past week. Must be the cooler weather – people have more time to sit down and peruse past issues of this on-line newspaper, I guess.

Two of the most interesting email messages came from Merritt Sharnweber, both following up on articles that were published in previous Indy issues and each related to some wonderful "old" photographs.

Several months ago, Merritt had submitted a photograph of the 1932 Rodney B. Wilson High School baseball team, provided courtesy of a neighbor, Dick Smith. They had identified several players in the photo as being Gordon Ripla (fifth from left, back row), and Bob Sirrine (second from right, second row).

In updating that information, Merritt noted in his email message this past week that the identification of Bob Sirrine was not correct. He also said that a conversation with Bob Williams, who had seen the photo, yielded the following identification:

Back row from left: Al Dean, Bliss, Glen Magsig, Pete Sira, Klaver, Chuck Casper, Albro, Ken Penix.

Second row from left: Unknown, Chuck Brainard, Unknown, Benny Bensinger, Leo Benson, Arnold Tucker, Louie Burl, Reo Anderson.

Third row from left: Unknown, Gerald Ruth.

This most recent identification of players seems to corroborate information that the Indy received after the photo first appeared on these pages. That initial publication produced replies from several Indy readers, Chuck Brainerd of Tucson, Ariz.; Rich and Jan Bensinger of St. Johns; and Rosemary Magsig.

Chuck wrote to say that his father, Don Brainerd, was the catcher on the team. "It was his senior year in high school. It’s difficult to be absolutely certain which picture is his. My guess would be the person on the far right in the second row."

Rich and Jan emailed to say that Rich’s father, Charles – or ‘Benny’ – Bensinger was fourth from left, second row. "He played first base on the team," Jan wrote. 

Rosemary noted that, "The player third from left back row was my father in-law, Glenn Magsig. We are not sure what position he played, but he always spoke of how proud he was to be on the team. We also believe his brother, Archie Magsig, was on the team, but not sure which player."

In her message, Jan had also suggested checking for the photo in the 1932 Wilsonian – an excellent way to find the names of all the players. So far, we have been unsuccessful in our efforts to find a copy of the ’32 Wilsonian.

Briggs Library has a fine collection of yearbooks from St. Johns High School and RBW in its history room – but 1932 is not part of that set. A trip to the administrative offices at St. Johns High School proved to be equally futile, although there is a chance that the sought-after volume is boxed away in the "attic."

Sometime, when I have time, searching through the SJHS attic would be a fun excursion – not this week, however.

Here at the Indy we’re thinking that there’s a pretty good chance some of our readers may have the 1932 Wilsonian stashed away in their own attics – we’d love to hear from you. Email the Indy, rhonda@sjindy.com or give Merritt at call at (989) 224-2570.

Help us find the names of the missing players.

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Although it’s difficult to visualize today in its present incarnation as Muskrat Lake, this lovely little spot in Olive Township was once "the place" to go for entertainment.

Merritt’s email was in response to the former glory days of Merle Beach. He wrote:

"After Dorothy and I read your history on Merle Beach, we would like to share a photo that was in Dorothy’s Aunt Olieva’s photo album. Under the photo was written ‘Picnic at Merle Beach.’

"We think this photo was taken before August 1918 as that is when Dorothy’s father, Ernest Henning, enlisted in the Army. Pictured, from left: Olieva (Henning) Carroll, Leo Redoty, Gertrude (Henning) Zuker, Ernest Henning, Carrie (Henning) Morse, Alton Carroll, Rose (Henning) Ballinger and Harry Ballinger.

"Olieva, Gertrude and Carrie were sisters of Ernest. Rose was a cousin being the daughter of Michael Henning who was a brother to Andrew F. Henning, Ernest’s dad. Alton Caroll was a close friend of Ernie and he and Olieva didn’t marry until March 1919. Gertrude and William Zuker married in October 1918.

"Ernie missed these two weddings as he was in the Army until March 1919. When Ernie enlisted he was sent to Ann Arbor where he took basic training on the U-M. campus. He had weekend passes and rode the interurban between St. Johns and Ann Arbor.

"Dorothy and I suspected that the group rode the interurban to travel to Merle Beach but on closer inspection of the photo there is a vehicle in the background. We also noted how the fellows wore suit and tie then. Olieva had another photo taken at Waverly Park in Lansing in 1909 and the fellows all had suits on then, too."