by Donald P.
My story is about the Martin Bomber sports
teams in Baltimore in the late 1940s and early 1950s. Glenn L Martin was a very
sports-minded person. He sponsored nationally competitive baseball, basketball
and softball teams in Baltimore. Mr. Martin hired athletes to play, and they established
careers with the company. Several players eventually assumed significant
managerial positions, including baseball pitcher Dick Weber, who became a vice
president of industrial relations, and basketball player and coach, Don
Parsons, who became a director of human resources. Many others were respected
contributors in a variety of departments.
Dr. George McLaren and close
confidant of Mr. Martin, headed all Bomber activities, as well as intra-company
leagues, company picnics and an annual family day at one of the local theme parks.
The baseball Bombers consisted of a number
of ex-minor league players, such as Charlie Johnson, from the Detroit Tiger
organization, and Irv Hall, from the Philadelphia Athletics farm system. They
competed throughout Maryland against other amateur teams and annually participated
in the AAABA (All American Amateur Baseball Association) Tournament in
Zanesville, Ohio, winning it several times.
The basketball Bombers recruited several
college players, beat most industrial teams on the East Coast when industrial
basketball was second only to the fledgling NBA. Only military camps, loaded
with ex-pro and college stars, (Ft. Meade, Quantico Marine Base, Bainbridge
Naval Station).
It was a culture that no longer exists,
one which provided pleasure and opportunity to many!
