Lou Bobo Sr.
LOU BOBO SR. was a well-known left-handed pitcher whose baseball career spanned more than three decades. A 2010 inductee to the South Jersey Baseball Hall of Fame, he pitched for many local semi-pro baseball teams and had tryouts with both the Philadelphia A’s and the Phillies.
His local uniforms included Defiance and VFW 518 of the Camden City League, Westmont and Cramer Hill of the Camden County League and PACC of the Suburban League.
His outstanding pitching made Bobo the mainstay of the 12th Ward squad – an independent power in the early 30s. He also pitched for independents Saint Joseph’s and Campbell Soup in the Twilight League, and for the Lincoln Association club in the Camden Minor League.
Newspaper archives reveal game after game in which Bobo, whose son Bob was a 1998 Hall of Fame inductee, dominated his opponents. Those news clips show his teams as perennial winners. When Bobo, described as “short and skinning,” wasn’t pitching, you could find him playing a nearly flawless first base.
One article highlights a Campbell Soup relief role against the 12th Warders with Bobo throwing six relief innings striking out nine, walking none and picking up a 9-8 win.
Another clip reports Bobo starring for the Saint Joe’s team picking up three hits, driving in two runs and scoring two while leading his squad to a 6-2 over the Woodrow Wilson Democratic Club.
Bobo and his family were raised in the Cramer Hill section of Camden. With the early passing of his Mother, Lou was raised by his grandmother and a great aunt. He attended Harry C. Sharp School until the eight grade, but had to leave to work and help support the family.
He spent 10 years with Max Riehmann Roofing. Lou and his wife Mary stayed in East Camden and Cramer Hill, raised their three sons, Robert, Louis and Dana, as he worked for 33 years out of the Sheet Metal Workers Local Union 19. He also was quite involved with the Cramer Hill Boys Club. He passed away on December 25, 1972.
Thanks to Joe Acquaro for his help in creating this page.
Polish Club Drops Champs from Lead
Camden Courier-Post —
Twelfth Ward Beaten 8-2 as Fifth Ward and Baker-Flick Gain Triumphs
For the first time this season the Twelfth Ward tossers, defending champions, found themselves out of the sunberth in the American circuit of the Reesman Twilight League when the Polish-American Citizens’ Club hung up an 8 to 2 victory over the East Siders in one of the three skirmishes staged last night. The final score was 8 to 2.
The setback dropped the Twelfth Ward outfit into second place and enabled the Second Ward tossers to take the lead. The triumph sent the Polish tossers to within a game of the pace-setters and a half-game behind their victims of last night.
The other pair of battles was played in the National division with the Fifth Ward Democratic Club continuing its undefeated pace by trouncing Seventh Ward at Broadway and Everett streets by the score of 8 to 3, while Baker-Flick climbed into second place by virtue of a 5 to 1 victory over the Fairview Independents at Dudley Grange.
The tussle between the Polish club and Twelfth Ward was expected to be a close affair, but the Whitman Park aggregation, playing at its home field, Ninth and Van Hook streets, bunched their blows in three innings to snare an easy triumph.
Bill Cunningham went the entire route for P. A. C. C., and, while rapped for ten blows, kept these well scattered with the exception of the second and fourth when the “Warders” garnered a run in each session. The Polish tossers rapped the offerings of Bobo for an even dozen wallops, to score twice in the second and adding two more in the fifth and four in the sixth.
Shomont Whips Shamrocks to Take Lead in Camden Minor League
Camden Courier-Post —
‘Irish’ Bow 9-1 as St. Joe Ties for Second Place by Beating ‘Hillers,’ 6-3 — Steinberger Pitches Leaders to Easy Win — Two Tussles Tonight
Pounding out a 9 to 1 victory over the Shamrocks in one of the two games played last night, Shomont climbed into sole possession of first place in the Camden Minor League.
In the other match St. Joe’s also made headway toward the sunberth position by sinking the Cramer Hill tossers under a 6 to 3 score at Dudley Grange to climb into a tie for second place with Walt Whitman, defending champions.
Jack Delfing proved to be right last night and held the “Hillers” to a half dozen hits, while his mates rapped Waldner for 13 wallops. Clark led the offense for St. Joe’s with a double and two singles, while J. Lane and Bobo each garnered a pair of hits for the “Hillers.”
Lincoln vs. Delco
Camden Courier-Post —
LINCOLN (ab r h o a)
Panc'st, ss 4 0 2 4 2; Doran, 2b 5 1 1 2 1; Jepson, 1b. 4 0 0 3 0; Waldner, rf 3 2 2 2 0; Saul, lf. 4 1 2 1 1; Langh'm, cf 3 1 0 3 1; Delphine, 3b 4 0 0 5 1; Scard'o, c. 3 1 1 4 1; Bobo, p. 2 0 0 0 4
Totals 32 6 8 24 11
DELCO (ab r h o a)
Seidel'n, cf 4 0 2 1 0; Hutch'n, rf 4 1 1 1 0; Waidley, ss 4 1 1 1 0; Dwyer, 3b. 2 1 1 0 2; Mount, lf. 2 0 0 5 0; Faul, 1b. 4 0 3 3 0; Gresch, c. 4 0 0 5 0; A. B'stle, 2b 3 0 0 5 1; Young, p. 3 0 0 0 1; P. Brestle 1 0 0 0 0
Totals 31 3 8 21 4
Delco 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 1—3
Lincoln 1 1 0 1 2 1 0 x—6
Errors—Delphine, Pancoast, W. Waidley, Dwyer, 2; A. Brestle. Two-base hits—Waldner, 2; Dwyer, Scarduzio, Pancoast. Struck out—By Bobo, 4; Young, 5. Base on balls—Off Bobo, 4; Young, 5. Sacrifice hit—Pancoast. Umpire—Wililams [sic].
Lou Bobo Gives One Hit as Lincoln Club Wins
Camden Courier-Post —
Fans Seven Batters as Mates Continue Winning Streak
SEVEN BROTHERS TRIPS CICERO, 5-1
CAMDEN MINOR LEAGUE
W. | L. | P.C.
Lincoln | 6 | 1 | .857
Westmont | 5 | 2 | .714
Seven Brothers | 4 | 2 | .667
Camden A’s | 4 | 3 | .571
Roosevelt | 3 | 2 | .600
Delco | 3 | 4 | .429
Fairhill | 1 | 5 | .167
Cicero | 0 | 7 | .000
Last Night’s Scores
Lincoln, 11; Camden A’s, 1.
Seven Brothers, 5; Cicero, 1.
This Week’s Schedule
Tonight—Fairhill vs. Delco, at Dudley Grange.
With Lou Bobo twirling in brilliant fashion, Tom Goldy’s Lincoln tossers continued their winning streak last night when they handed the Camden A’s an 11 to 1 shellacking at the former’s grounds.
The victory gave Lincoln, which is the first-half and defending champion, a tighter hold on the Camden Minor League sunberth. In another fracas last night, Seven Brothers routed Cicero, 5 to 1, at Broadway and Everett street.
Bobo was in rare form and held the usually hard-hitting A’s to a lone blow, Brean getting the hit. He fanned seven batters in checking in with the impressive victory, while the Lincoln sluggers went after Cobb for a dozen hits.
The titleholders lost no time in grabbing a big lead, shoving over four runs in the first and second chukkers. In fact, Lincoln scored all of its runs during the first four sessions, while the A’s nicked the plate once in the fourth.
Four runs in the third canto enabled Seven Brothers to polish off Cicero. It was the latter’s seventh straight defeat.
Denof started the rally with a single and took second when Ianetta duplicated his feat. Nowak doubled to centre, Denof scoring and Ianetta holding third, and on the next play Carl Klopp lifted the sphere for a clean triple to score two mates.
Klopp then came home on a fielder’s choice.
Porter hurled for the “Breadmakers” and gave up five scattered hits, while the winners hammered Ruth for 14 bingles. Klopp gathered three safeties to lead the attack for the Seven Brothers clan.
LINCOLN | ab | r | h | o | a | CAMDEN A’S | ab | r | h | o | a
Ramick, ss | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | Schef’in, rf | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0
Pan’oast, 3b | 3 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | Cohen, ss | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1
Jepsen, 1b | 4 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 0 | Brean, 3b | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0
Waldner, rf | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Bradel, cf | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0
Saul, lf | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | Doering, c | 3 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0
Doran, 2b | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | Stewart, 2b | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2
Langheim, lf | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | McCa’hy, lf | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0
Bauer, c | 3 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 2 | Joes’ry, 1b | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0
Bobo, p | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | Cobb, p | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1
Totals 28 | 11 | 12 | 18 | 8 | Totals 18 | 1 | 1 | 15 | 4
Camden A’s ...... 0 0 0 1 0 0-1
Lincoln ......... 4 4 1 2 0 x-11
Errors—Cohen, 2; Cobb, 1. Two-base hits—Ramick. Three-base hits—Pancoast, Jepsen.
Struck out—By Bobo, 7; Cobb, 4. Bases on balls—Off Bobo, 4; Cobb, 3. Hit by pitched ball—Brean. Umpire—Heppard.
CICERO A.C. | ab | r | h | o | a | SEVEN BROS. | ab | r | h | o | a
Lipske, 3b | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | Denof, 2b | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1
Casam, cf | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Ian’etti, c | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1
DiPas’ale, rf | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | Nowak, ss | 4 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 2
R.Reno, ss | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | Klopp, 1b | 3 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 0
Borgero, c | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 3 | VonR’le, cf | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0
DiMar’no, lf | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | McDer’t, lf | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0
Mahoney, 2b | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2 | Wexlin, rf | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0
P. Reno, 1b | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 0 | Ellis, 3b | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3
Ruth, p | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | Porter, p | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2
x-Meachic | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | Matera, rf-p | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0
| | | | | | Parks, rf | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0
Totals 19 | 1 | 5 | 18 | 12 | Totals 30 | 5 | 14 | 18 | 0
Seven Bros. ..... 1 0 4 0 0 0-5
Cicero .......... 1 0 0 0 0 0-1 x—Batted for Casam in ninth.
Two-base hits—Nowak. Three-base hits—Klopp, Nowak.
Struck out—By Ruth, 4; Porter, 1. Bases on balls—Off Porter, 3. Umpire—Simon.
Camden Minor League
Camden Courier-Post —
Strong Mound Staff
Tom Goldy’s Lincoln team has probably the strongest hurling staff among local sandlot nines. John Delphing, Walt Heartling and Louis Bobo are all expert flingers and are winning games continuously.
So. Camden Outfit Socks St. Joseph's
Camden Courier-Post —
So. Camden Outfit Socks St. Joseph’s
Jim M’Ginnis Stars on Mound as Gimello Clan Gains 14-3 Nod
CAMPBELL’S BOWS TO POLISH TOSSERS
Brunner League Meets Tonight
A meeting of the Brunner Twilight League will be held tonight at the City Hall and all managers are requested to attend. The confab will start at 9 o’clock sharp.
BRUNNER TWILIGHT LEAGUE
American Division
| W | L | Pct. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Victor A. A. | 11 | 3 | .786 |
| Northeast | 9 | 4 | .692 |
| Popeye | 9 | 4 | .692 |
| Public Service | 7 | 5 | .583 |
| Robins | 5 | 8 | .385 |
| Sixth Ward | 5 | 9 | .357 |
| East End | 4 | 9 | .308 |
| La Marr | 4 | 9 | .308 |
Last Night’s Scores
Popeye, 6; Victor, 4.
This Week’s Schedule
Friday—Northeast vs. Popeye, at Civic Center; East End vs. Public Service, at Farnham Park.
National Division
| W | L | Pct. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Collegians | 13 | 1 | .929 |
| Campbell’s Soup | 10 | 3 | .769 |
| Polish A. C. C. | 8 | 5 | .615 |
| Bumbrey Giants | 7 | 6 | .538 |
| Twelfth Ward | 6 | 7 | .462 |
| Lincoln | 4 | 7 | .364 |
| St. Joseph | 4 | 8 | .333 |
| Marcus C. C. | 3 | 8 | .273 |
Last Night’s Scores
Polish Americans, 6; Campbell’s Soup, 5. Camden Collegians, 14; St. Joseph’s, 3.
This Week’s Schedule
Tonight—Bumbrey Giants vs. Twelfth Ward, at Dudley Grange Park; Lincoln Association vs. St. Joseph’s, at Ninth and Van Hook streets.
Friday—Campbell’s Soup vt. [sic] Lincoln Association, at Dudley Grange Park.
Rox Gimello’s Camden Collegians are the final-half season champions of the fast Brunner Twilight League in the National division.
The Collegians carried off the coveted title last night when they handed St. Joseph’s a 14 to 3 spanking, at Ninth and Van Hook streets. The victory was not even necessary, however, as Campbell’s Soup, the only other contender, was knocked from the running when it dropped a 6-5 decision to the Polish Americans, at Farnham Park.
Victor is the American goup [sic] titleholder for the second half and the playoff series for the final-semester league title will be arranged at a meeting to be held tonight. The winner of that play then will meet Twelfth Ward, first-half league king for the season’s laurels.
In another fuss last night Popeye nosed out Victor by 6 to 4, at River Avenue and State street.
The Collegians capture the title with a fine card of 13 triumphs and one defeat, while Campbell’s is second with 10 and 3 and one more game to play.
Jim McGinis [sic] was sent to the mound last night by Gimello and he checked the St. Joseph’s clubbers to seven blows, keeping them well scattered except in the fifth frame, in which the homsters tallied all of their runs.
The Collegians pecked at the offerings of Pierson and Baker for nine hits and produced runs in four innings. The new champions had two big sessions, shoving over six runs in the second and five in the fifth. Porky Hoffman and Joe Tully each gathered two bingles to stand out in this department for the Collegians.
A four-run spurt in the third session gave Polish the nod over Campbell’s. The “Soupmen” whacked Frank Kulesa for 11 blows, but Polish did more damage with two less hits. McCarthy and Bobo divided the hurling chores for Campbell’s.
Popeye piled up an early lead to take the measure of Victor in a keenly fought contest.
ST. JOSEPH’S
| ab | r | h | o | a | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jawor’i, 3b | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Fingers, c. | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Dru’ak, p,rf | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Kean, ss.. | 3 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 5 |
| Kuras, cf. | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Walinski, lf | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Gorecki, 2b | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Kmiec, 1b. | 2 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 1 |
| Pierson, p. | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| Baker, p.. | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Totals | 25 | 3 | 7 | 18 | 11 |
CAMDEN COL.
| ab | r | h | o | a | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Krown, 1b. | 2 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| McGinnis, p | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Curcio, cf. | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Hoff’n, rf | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| DeLuca, rf | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Tully, 1b. | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Snyder, ss | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Matera, lf | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Meschini, c | 2 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 0 |
| Denof, 2b. | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Broad’k, 1b | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Totals | 26 | 14 | 9 | 18 | 0 |
St. Joseph … 0 0 0 0 3 0 — 3
Camden Collegians … 1 6 0 2 5 0 — 14
Errors—Koras, Goreck, Kmiec. Two-base hits—Tully, McGinnis. Home run—Matera. Umpires—Heppard, Carrier.
VICTOR A. A.
| ab | r | h | o | a | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Young, lf. | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 |
| Elvert, ss.. | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| Doran, 2b. | 4 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 3 |
| Sheehan, 3b | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Cuneo, 1b. | 3 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 2 |
| White, cf. | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Harle, rf.. | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Malin’i, p. | 3 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
| Hunt, c... | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| T. M’L’n, cf. | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| B. M’L’n, lf. | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| *Strom ... | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Totals | 33 | 4 | 8 | 27 | 15 |
POPEYE
| ab | r | h | o | a | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laxton, cf | 5 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 |
| Vandy, ss. | 4 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 9 |
| Burr, rf... | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Doering, 3b | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| Wells, p... | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| M’Gr’h, 1b | 3 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 |
| Stopher, c | 4 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 0 |
| Schef’n, 2b | 4 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Molo’ky, lf | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Totals | 34 | 6 | 12 | 27 | 15 |
*Batted for Malinowski in ninth.
Victor A. A. … 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 1 — 4
Popeye … 0 1 1 0 2 1 1 0 0 — 6
Two-base hits—Doran, 2; B. McLaughlin, Doering. Three-base hits—Laxton, Elvert. Home run—T. McLaughlin. Stolen bases—Stopher, Harle. Double plays—Vandy to Scheffin to McGrath, 2. Struck out—By Wells, 5. Base on balls—Off Wells, 2; Malinowski, 1; Harle, 1. Sac-
rifice hits—Burr, 3; Wells, 1. Umpires—Malloie, Clark and Abbott.
CAMPBELL'S ab r h o a POLISH AMER. ab r h o a
Bossett, rf 4 0 2 1 0 Pep'ski, ss 4 1 1 2 1
Nowak, 2b. 0 0 0 1 0 James, cf. 3 1 1 0 0
Bass, ss.. 3 2 1 0 1 Dyjak, 1b 3 1 1 5 0
Crean, cf. 3 0 2 2 2 Kulesa, p 3 1 2 0 2
Klopp, 1b. 3 1 1 7 1 Pawella, 2b 3 1 0 3 0
Loeble, 3b. 3 1 1 1 3 Jakucki, 3b 4 1 1 1 3
Curry, lf.. 3 0 1 0 0 Mros, 2b. 2 0 0 4 2
Pawella, c 2 0 0 5 0 Molik, rf. 3 0 3 1 0
McCar'y, p 0 0 0 0 0 Sabolis, lf 2 0 0 0 0
Wevlin, cf. 2 1 2 1 0
Bobo, p... 2 0 0 0 0
Scharnagl.. 1 0 1 0 0
Totals. 26 5 11 18 7 Totals.. 27 6 9 16 8
Polish-Americans ......... 1 1 4 0 0 0 — 6 Campbell's Soup .......... 0 1 1 2 1 0 — 5
Errors—Nowak, 2; Bass, Pawella. Umpires—Williams, O’Neill and Swartz.