March 17, 1949 Shirley Shuey, 8th grade, daughter of Glen Shuey will represent Collins in the Annual Story County Spelling Contest on March 19.
Wednesday evening a dance sponsored by the paper staff was held in the high school gym for the juniors and seniors and their teachers. The dance was enjoyed by all as it was modern dancing and square dancing. The boys dressed in plaid shirts and overalls and the girls wore peasant blouses and skirts. The juniors and seniors wish to express their thanks to Alva Elliott, who called the square dance.
March 24, 1949 County Spelling Contest - Shirley Shuey, Collins representative, won the oral contest, then competed with the Story City contestant who won the written contest. After spelling several words, Shirley misspelled a word to win second place in the county contest.
On March 12 the music department was represented in the pre-state contest with the following solos and groups. Solos - Shirley Wilson, Joyce Tomlinson, Lola Oswalt, Jackie Keagle; Girls Trio - Lola Oswalt, Phyllis Baker, Arlene Baker; Girls Sextet - Shirley Wilson, Shirley Smith, Norma Keagle, Jo Ann Fertig, Jackie Keagle, Colleen Moore.
Baseball background - The American National Game. It was in the summer of 1839 when Doubleday was 20 years old and had just received his appointment to West Point that he proposed changes in the old games of "town ball" and "round ball," which resulted in the creation of a virtually new game. He is credited with introducing the diamond-shaped field, 90 feet on each side; with assigning players to definite positions (though he had 11 men on a team); and with establishing the name "baseball." The Knickerbocker Baseball club of New York (America's first baseball club) drafted Doubleday's game but changed the number of men on a team from eleven to nine. Professionalism came to baseball in 1869 when the "Cincinnati Red Stockings" team openly announced its determination to pay its players. After their season of 56 victories and one tie game, people everywhere were endorsing professional clubs. In 1871 eight professional clubs formed and eventually became the American League in 1900. This league and the National League are the two major baseball leagues. Each team in these two leagues play a 154 game schedule beginning in April and ending in September. At the end of the season the team in each of the two leagues with the highest percentage of games won, play in the World Series. The Series consists of seven games and the first team to win four games is declared champion of the world. Since 1933 the two leagues have also sponsored an all-star game in July. This is not part of the regular league competition. It is a game between the best players of the American League and the best players of the National League. In addition to the two major leagues there are numerous minor league teams. And, of course, we are all familiar with the game as played by high school amateurs in this vicinity.(Insert 2005: This history written before increased teams and playoffs prior to World Series)
Baseball season The boys started their spring season with practice in the gym the past three weeks. The possible pitching candidates are Phil Holland (52), Chris Buck (49), Bob McBride (50), and John Duesbury (52). Other position candidates are: 1b - Dick Cory (50), 2b - Bob Johnson (50), 3b - Charles Fish (49), ss - Lonnie Boozell (50); Outfielders - Connie Smith (49), Chris Buck (49), Bob McBride (50), Bill Sager (50); Catchers - Charles Maxwell and Darrel Moses (52). Other outfield and infield - Rhineardt Kilker (52), Kenneth Carroll (51), Larry Smith (51).