Ott Laxton

SAMUEL ARTHUR “OTT” LAXTON was born on May 23, 1904 in Camden, New Jersey to William Henry and Ida Jane Laxton. He was the eighth of eleven children, six of whom are listed on the 1910 census. His father was a cabinetmaker by trade. William Henry and Ida Laxton were natives of England, and had first come to the United States in 1890 with at least two of their children, William H. Jr., and Gwendolyn. They settled in Lynchburg, Virginia, where sons Harry Frank and John Frederick “Fred” Laxton were born in 1893 and 1895, respectively.

The Laxtons returned to England for a time. Another son, Eric, was born in 1900. The Census of 1901 shows the family living in the city of Birmingham, Warwickshire, England. The family soon returned to America, and had settled in Camden at 417 Clinton Street by 1904.

The Laxton family was still living on Clinton Street when the 1914 Camden City Directory was compiled. Growing up in Camden, Ott Laxton, like most boys of his era, played a good deal of sports. His older brother William H. Jr. played soccer and was active with various teams in the Delaware Valley into the mid-1910s. Ott, however, gravitated to the American games, specifically basketball and baseball.

The City Directory for 1917 and draft records show the family at 45 North 21st Street in East Camden. The Census taken in January of 1920 shows Ott Laxton living with his mother and older siblings Gwendolyn and Eric at 31 North 24th Street in East Camden. Ott Laxton had already gone to work as an errand boy in an office by the time of the Census. One of Camden’s many talented athletes, he had already started playing semi-pro basketball by the fall of 1918 and soon was well-known in local athletic circles. Ott Laxton supplemented his income playing semi-pro basketball and baseball.

Ott was well known in Camden basketball circles as a fast, clean, talented forward. He started his basketball career at age 14, playing with the Bethany AA team of the North Camden League. He followed that with time on the Union AA team, then he joined the Railroad League, playing first with Supervising Agent, and later taking the 1921–22 Championship with the Pavonia team. A stint with the Broadway Cycle club followed. In 1924, Ott joined the Glassboro club of the South Jersey League, playing with Broadway Cycle at the same time. By this time, Ott had made a name for himself as a fast, flashy “40 minute player,” staying in the game from bell to bell. The 1925–27 seasons were his most successful. As captain of the Oaklyn team of the Camden County League, Ott led other Camden greats like Grover “Worm” Wearshing, Eddie Brandt and Frank Hambleton to back-to-back Championships. By 1930, Ott had been a member of the Marlton club and had played for the Eastern Camden League as well.

It’s difficult to list all of the teams he played with in Camden over the years, as often Ott would play for whichever team was paying the $5.00 per game. Playing for two or three teams across several leagues within a year was not unusual for him.

Ott Laxton was living in Cramer Hill at 926 North 30th Street with his brother Eric when the 1926 City Directory was compiled. Later in the year he was staying at 802 Linden Street. He was there when his engagement to Helen Kocher was announced, and before the year was out, they were married. The young couple lived initially with Helen’s mother at 266 Liberty Street in South Camden. By the end of the year they had moved to 1014 South 6th Street, and by April of 1930 to 578 Mount Vernon Street. By this time he had secured employment in the City of Camden’s parks department, which also tended to New Camden Cemetery. A son, Samuel Arthur Laxton Jr., was born in 1932.

Ott also spent a fair amount of time playing baseball for the various city leagues in Camden. From 1927 to 1935 he played outfield or second base for the Haddon AA of the Reesman League, the Hurley Club of the Industrial League, Lucas AA of the Lower Camden County Circuit, and the Popeye Club of the Rhone Twilight League, to name a few.

The Laxtons were still living at 578 Mount Vernon Street when the 1959 New Jersey Bell Telephone Directory was compiled. The family moved to 346 Garden Avenue in East Camden shortly thereafter. A resident of Camden till his last day, Samuel Arthur “Ott” Laxton passed away in April of 1983. Although he never went any further than the city basketball and baseball leagues, Ott Laxton brought many hours of joy to the citizens of Camden with his talent on the basketball court and the baseball field.

Ott Laxton — Grover Wearshing — Abe Corotis — Eddie Brandt — George Boone — Bart Sheehan — Jarry Cuneff — Joe Murray — Bill Johns — Joe Burns — Charley Sheets — Russ Ogden — Bill Copeland

Ott Laxton — Grover Wearshing — Frank Hambleton — Jimmy Brown — Frank R. Ryan — Eddie Brandt — Jake Welsh — Graham Chesney — Norman Vaughn — John Gleason — Tom Ryan — Bill Copeland

Ott Laxton — Grover Wearshing — Frank Hambleton — Charley Humes — Clarence Layer — Eddie Brandt — Joe Murray — Don Cragin — Johnny Chambers — Tom Tracy — Abe Corotis

Ott Laxton — Grover Wearshing — Frank Hambleton — Johnny Chambers — Eddie Brandt — Jimmy “Soup” Campbell — Joe Devlin — Billy Strobel

Hurley Store — Radio Condenser — Ott Laxton — Ollie Guthrie — Everett Cramer — Vince Conley

Rox Gimello — Jim McGinness — Porky Hoffman — Lou Bobo — Joe Tully — Billy Denof — Ott Laxton

Charley Humes — Hop Stoddard — Frank H. Ryan — Barney Maguire — YMHA Hall — Walnut Street — First Ward Republican Club — Kenney’s — Red Haines — “Toots” Benedict — Charley Sheets — Ott Laxton — Eddie Brandt — Frank Hambleton — “Udge” Quicksill — Immaculate Conception — Bart Sheehan — Joseph Sheehan — Shamus Maguire — Eddie Lobley — Doc Housner — Market Street