1941 was a pretty good year for Duluth (pre-Pearl Harbor, at least)...
Wade Stadium built in 1941
NorShor Theatre opened in 1941
Bob Dylan born here in 1941
Any other big local events from that year?
A note: Wade Stadium wasn't called Wade Stadium when it opened. It was called All-sports Stadium. When Duluth Dukes baseball manager Frank Wade died in 1953, the stadium was named after him.
Baseball legend Joe DiMaggio visited the ballpark in 1941. He was engaged at the time to a Duluthian -- film star Dorothy Arnold. That 1941 trip was the only time DiMaggio came to Duluth. He arrived with Dorothy on Jan. 10 for a four- or five-day stay.
DiMaggio and Morrie Arnovich of the Cincinnati Reds visited All-sports Stadium and were guests of a Duluth Athletic Club luncheon.
According to a Duluth News Tribune story, DiMaggio stood in the box and did an air-swig, then said "Baby, batting out a homer in this park will be a good job for the best of 'em. It's a real layout. What impresses me most is that there will be no advantage for either right- or left-handed batters. It must be about 345 feet to the fences, isn't it?"
Actual dimensions: 340 to right and left; 385 to center.
"With this park, a faster league and lights for night games, it looks like Duluth fans are in for some good entertainment this summer."
Morrie was a Superior Central High graduate. Here's an excerpt from "Central A-Z: the History of a Superior School," which i just put together for the Douglas County Historical Society:
Though a star forward on Central's basketball team, 1930 graduate Morrie Arnovich went on to achieve fame in professional baseball. His career as an outfielder started in 1933 when he played with the Superior Blues of the Northern League. Batting .374 in 1934, he was signed away from the Blues by the Philadelphia Phillies. During his ten years as a major leaguer, he also played with the New York Giants and later with the Cincinnati Reds when they won the World Series in 1940. His serving in the armed forces during World War II ended his baseball career. Eventually he came back to Superior where he continued to be involved in local sports.
Tony-
In researching the Superior Central book, did you come across anything regarding their sports teams being called the "Orphans"? I saw them called that in a 1934 News Tribune article and was never able to figure out the origin of that name:
http://www.areavoices.com/attic/?blog=46314
AK, I didn't research the book, just did the layout and design and production. I've never heard the Orphans story. But I do know the official Superior Central teams were the Vikings. When Central alum Ole Haugsrud became one of the first owners of the Minnesota Vikings, he also named the team after his alma mater, which wore purple and white uniforms. Later he convinced another Central alum, Bud Grant, to coach for the Vikes.
14 Comments
Paul Lundgren
about 15 years agobrian
about 15 years agoBarrett Chase
about 15 years agoMasterBlaster
about 15 years agoMax Caven
about 15 years agoBarrett Chase
about 15 years agoBarrett Chase
about 15 years agoakjuneau
about 15 years agoPaul Lundgren
about 15 years agoPaul Lundgren
about 15 years agoTony D.
about 15 years agoakjuneau
about 15 years agoTony D.
about 15 years agomevdev
about 15 years ago