Nelsonville Old Timers Baseball

01/29/2026

Apply below!

01/25/2026

Honored to be part of honoring Wyatt’s legacy!

What a better way to weather a winter storm than to check out a new way to tell powerful stories?! ⚾️📝✍️

In partnership with the Nelsonville Old Timers Baseball Association and Nelsonville Media Company, we are happy to announce an exciting opportunity for local sport enthusiasts and writers.

Beginning February 10, we will be looking for applicants for a new fellowship honoring the legacy of David Wyatt, a professional baseball player, prominent sportswriter, and historian born in Nelsonville, Ohio.

Share with anyone you know that is interested in researching and building on this legacy! Details are in the photo below.

The application will be made available a week before the application window opens.

08/11/2025

Thank you to the Nelsonville Media Company for their work setting up the livestream today!

08/10/2025

The Blue Old Timers take the win this year, 15-13! This year we had the first ever woman play in the game, a senior band student stepped in for a swing for each team, and Miss Parade of the Hills even made an appearance! Thanks to Stacey Bentley from the POTH Committee for taking photos of the sighting!

Thank you to the Elks for donating the cost of the entire meal to the Old Timers Baseball Association!

Keep an eye out for some stories from the game throughout the week, and we will see you at Parade of the Hills!!

08/10/2025

The band has officially opened the game and we are off!

08/10/2025

Today is the day! The 76th Annual Old Timers Game will be underway this afternoon just after 1pm.

2025 SCHEDULE:

12:30 - Old Timers wanting to play in this year’s game are to meet in the 3rd base dugout at Crabtree Field.

1:00 - Opening Ceremony and Flag Raising by The VFW Color Guard and the Nelsonville-York High School Band

1:15 - Old Timers Baseball game begins!

3:00 - Introduction of all the Old Timers and presentation of the Honor Plaques

3:15 - Nelsonville-York Youth League Baseball and Softball awards

3:30 - Dinner for all Old Timers and their guests at The Elks Lodge. Payment of your $1.00 annual dues entitles you to a free dinner.

Do try to arrive before the opening ceremonies to be registered in the tent on the levee. If you cannot be there by 1:00, make sure you are registered by the time introductions begin at 3:00. After the Honor Plaques are awarded, Old Timers will leave the field and stay for the Rec League Awards or head to The Elks for dinner.

***In the event of rain: we will conduct our ceremonies at the Elk’s Lodge beginning at 2:30pm with dinner to follow at 3:30pm.

08/09/2025

The fans have inquired, so here we go! Going into tomorrow's game, we have a tight race for the top of the offensive stat columns across the past seven Old Timers games.

**Minimum three total games included

08/08/2025

Look at this beauty. Thank you to the City of Nelsonville, Ohio for mowing the grass and to Cort Forgrave and Casey Cox for getting it lined!

T-42 hours to game time! Time to start stretching, old timers!

08/08/2025

Estel Crabtree, former MLB player for the St. Louis Cardinals and the Cincinnati Reds, retired from baseball in 1944 with a .281 batting average, 142 RBIs, 13 home runs, and a .721 on base percentage across his career, including some time as both a coach and a manager. Crabtree moved back to Nelsonville, Ohio, where he had spent most of his life, and mentioned to Rev. William Mechem that Nelsonville ought to have local baseball players come together for a game at the end of summer. Shortly thereafter, Mechem and Crabtree started the Nelsonville Old Timer’s Baseball Association and invited ball players to come up for a Sunday afternoon game.

In 1949, that first game commenced in the northern end of the town at what has been known as Crabtree Field since the field was dedicated in 1967. It began with the local HS band playing as they marched onto the field from near the railroad tracks along the third baseline. The VFW Color Guard raised the flag and area skydivers flew in to drop down the game ball. Players were split into two teams and the game began with a few remarks, that first year likely by Rev. Mechem. Then came the first pitch and the game was on its way.

Ever since that very first game in 1949, the OTBA has chosen members to honor for their love and dedication to the game and presented them with a ceremonial brick in their name to be placed at the entrance to the field. The first was of course Estel Crabtree, followed by at least 140 others to date. When the game was over, the old timers were introduced and then the local little league baseball and softball awards were given out. Everyone would then gather for a meal together, though the location has varied over the years. It is now held at the Elks.

Eventually, Ron Dupler joined the Old Timer’s Association, followed by Eddie VanBibber and Steve Cox. Then Ron’s sons, Bob, Steve, and Don Dupler joined the ranks, then Gary Carter, and most recently, Wayne Dicken as well. This week will be the 76th year of the Old Timers Day baseball game (2020 was the only year the game was not held due to the Covid-19 pandemic).

The game has become synonymous with the beginning of the Parade of the Hills, formerly known as the Hocking Valley Festival; it is one final summer celebration just before the start of school. We are two days out from another beautiful day for baseball!

08/07/2025

Though the field did get more use this year, it takes a lot of work to get the field ready for the game! Hootie Wend, Gary Carter, Don Dupler, Donnie Dupler, and Kain Mitchell snuck out to put some field work in today. Cort Forgrave and Wayne Dicken have also been hard at work preparing the field for the game. Thank you to everyone that has stepped up!

If you were out there helping, let us know! We don’t have all the names of everyone that helped but will update as needed.

08/06/2025

Five days from game time and we are headed to Neil Park in 1929 & 1930 to see how Crabtree’s seasons with the Columbus Senators panned out:

📰 February 1929 — PUNCH NEEDED TO KEEP REDS IN FLAG RACE
Hendricks Looks for Hitters Among Seventeen New Players

The 1929 season saw coverage of Crabtree begin to extend across the state. This article here was published in Piqua, Lancaster, Elyria, and Athens within a day or so of one another. Speculation of his role began to increase.

📰 February 24, 1929 — NELSONVILLE MAN REPORTS TO REDS

Crabtree was sent to the Cincinnati Reds system, where he was in the hunt to join the major league team. He was sent to spring training in Orlando, Florida. The group of seventeen was dwindled to eleven.

📰February 26, 1929 — RED PARTY DETRAINS AT CHATTANOOGA LONG ENOUGH TO STRETCH WEARY LEGS AND THEN STARTS SECOND LAP OF TRIP
Eleven Assorted Athletes on Orlando-Bound Rattler—Due at Training Camp at 1:30 This Afternoon

Halfway through the train ride, the team got out to stretch and then spent the second half of the ride to Orlando preparing for two conditioning practices a day with a game of golf on Sundays to get ready for the season.

📰 February 28, 1929 — REDLEGS START BATTLE AGAINST FAT IN DRILLS
Many in Crew Have Plenty of Extra Poundage to Work on as Good Day is Put in—Picinich is Missing, But Critz is Well—Lutz and Smith Show Well

Cincinnati’s Commercial Tribune sent a reporter to cover the seven weeks of training camp, and boy did he ever! Though it appears Crabtree had a severe chest cold and was unable to participate in the first day of training camp, we get quite a bit of Reds’ Manager Hendrick’s personality here.

📰 March 10, 1929 — CRABTREE BANGS OUT TWO HOMERS AS REDLEGS WHIP ATHLETICS 7 TO 5

Kelly happens to be on base each time rookie outfielder connects—Simmons Slugs Well for A’s, But Young Hurlers, With Good Support, Fare Well

Crabtree got over his cold quickly enough that he had a stellar game against the A’s, hitting two home runs and running “like a deer” to catch a would-be triple in the fifth inning.

📰 March 27, 1929 — RUTH AND HUGGINS ARE IMPRESSED WITH PLAYER

According to Jack Ryder of the Cincinnati Enquirer, Babe Ruth watched Crabtree for a while and said “That boy has a great stance and swings like a long driver. I never saw him before, but I will go on record as to his future. He looks to me like a real left-hand hitter and there is no question about his speed.”

📰 March 30, 1929 – ROOKIE GETS HOMER

Coshocton, Defiance, and Lima all ran a story about another Crabtree homer that came March 30.

📰 April 2, 1929 — LUTZKE MAY GET WALKING PAPERS DUE TO FIRE ESCAPE ESCAPADE

As the Reds head home to Cincinnati, there’s some speculation that a prank gone wrong will lead to a teammate’s release. The article also indicates that Crabtree was a “strong contender” for the Reds.

📰 April 21, 1929 —

Crabtree is sent to Columbus to play for the Senators under manager Nemo Leibold.

📰 June 12, 1929 — ‘REDS ROOKIE IS A REAL FIND’
Swanson Causing Great Hub-bub by Sensational Play

A sportswriter seems surprised to see that Crabtree was sent to the minors after such impressive spring training play.

📰 July 6, 1929 — CRABTREE IS SUSPENDED

Crabtree was suspended indefinitely for attacking an umpire, but the article does not state whether it was verbal or physical.

📰 September 6, 1929 — CINCINNATI REDLEGS TO RECALL SEVERAL COLUMBUS PLAYERS

Crabtree was recalled back to the Reds after a season with the Senators. The Senators finished 75-91 and finished 6th in the American Association. Crabtree’s season averages were .301 at the plate and .974 in the field.

📰 September 13, 1929 — NELSONVILLE YOUTH WITH SENATORS TO BE GIVEN GIFT FROM LOCAL ADMIRERS

The Senators held an Estel Crabtree day for Hocking Valley fans to attend, and they came from all over! Two hundred tickets were saved for local fans to attend the game.

📰 December 4, 1929 — SOCIAL NOTES

Estel and his sister visited someone in Columbus.

📰 January 10, 1930 – SIX LESS ON ROSTER OF REDS’ TEAM NOW AFTER BIG SHEARING

Reds’ President Sidney Weil sent six young players back down to the Senators, including Crabtree.

📰 January 20, 1930 – SOCIAL NOTES

Crabtree again visited someone in Columbus over winter.

📰 March 16, 1930 – PURDY EXPECTED TO SUPPLY PUNCH IN SENATORS ATTACK

When two players are sent up to the Reds, the Senators look to Crabtree’s skills.

📰 June 2, 1930 – FIELD OF SPORT

A sportswriter comments that Crabtree and Purdue are both excellent prospects.

📰 June 17, 1930 – FANS REJOICE
Local People Happy When Columbus Team Wins Games

After the Senators beat St. Paul in a double header, Crabtree appears to have broken a hitting slump.

📰 June 23, 1930 – CRABTREE IS HURT IN MINNEAPOLIS CONTEST
Nelsonville Diamond Star With Columbus Senators Seriously Injured

Crabtree ran into the centerfield fence and was taken to a hospital after being knocked unconscious. His sister received a telegram telling her of the incident.

📰 July 2, 1930 – CRABTREE IMPROVED

After about a week recovering in the hospital in Minneapolis, Crabtree was on the mend and ready to be discharged and sent home.

📰 September 29, 1930 – SCORE IS TIED
Old Timers and Longstreth Play 1 to 1 Game on Friday

At the end of the Senators’ season, Crabtree returned to Nelsonville to help Dr. Walker’s Old Timers finish out their season strong.

08/05/2025

ALERT — The OTBA and Nelsonville-York Youth League will be giving away 35 FREE RIDE BRACELETS at the Old Timers Baseball Game for Parade of the Hills! Come early and participate in the kid’s games to have your name entered in the drawing. This year, names will be drawn between each inning!!

——

Debbie Cox sat with her husband, Steve Cox, at a Chillicothe Paints game one summer in the early 2000s while her two young children, not quite 10, ran around and played nearby. The Paints had some games set up for kids to play on the side, and as she watched the kids participate, she turned to Steve and said, “We should do this at Old Timers Day.” Steve agreed — and that August, the kids games at Old Timers Day was born.

As the teams switch from batting to the field and vice versa, a few dozen young kids now storm the field for their 30 seconds of fame and a chance to compete at one of many games Debbie has prepared for them. As kids begin to arrive to receive their summer league awards, they flock to the third baseline for a chance to participate in their part of the celebration. They wait in their own special grassy spot near the third base dugout outlined in spray paint to keep them contained during the game, and as soon as the third out is called, they race to the field. Sometimes a hula hoop contest, sometimes a sack race, it could even be a dizzy bat race — the options are endless. Debbie explains the game before they get out there to make it a seamless transition.

Over the years Debbie has gained helpers, and now it is her grandchildren she gets to corral for the games while her daughter, Kelly, and nieces, Becky and Jacci, take the reins to facilitate the field games. It may have originated as a way to occupy her own children while their dad played baseball, but it has grown to be something hundreds of kids have been able to enjoy and look forward to over the past 20 years.

This year is no exception - bring your kids down to the game for their chance to play! Debbie will be there, likely holding a couple grandkids!