52 Ancestors: Sports - Ardee News Sports Reporter

My dad, Gordon Levy, was the sports reporter for the Ardee News in 1946.  He talked about his time writing for them but until recently, I thought he was referring to the RD News.  Oh how I wished I'd spent some time talking about it with him.

The Ardee News star reporter is on the job

On February 6, 1946, Dad wrote home to his parents from his post at Furstenfeldbruck, Germany - or as he sometimes called it, "Firstandthirdbase".

Our little paper (one of which was mailed to you the other day) has finally undergone an organization which made one of the veterans an editor.  In turn, the new ed made me sports chief – which should pan out pretty nicely.  Later on in the spring and summer, they are planning on a large sports program here which will include everything from track to baseball to swimming and ping pong.  So we should have quite a bit of fun trying to build up interest – that’s right up our alley.  Maybe one of these days I’ll take Harry Truman’s place as man of the year on Time’s cover.

He left me a few of the "papers", although it's confusing to me that these are from mid-January, 1946 and his letters home stated he arrived in Furstenfeldbruck on January 24.  Maybe these papers were published en route?  Or maybe the Wooster Booster was a separate publication from the Ardee News?

The Wooster Booster, January 9, 1946

It's hard to read but at the bottom left it shows a list of the staff and shows Dad as Editor.  Hmmmm.

And, of course, my photographer-wannabe father had to take pictures (with captions!)  Boy, I'm glad he did!  Here's a few.

These were the Eagles

Babich Field on opening day

We always play hard

Jungle press box, constructed for Ardee News 'good afternoon baseball fans'

Giant Babich Field scoreboard

It wasn't just baseball - here's the Soldier's Field pool.

And track stadium in Nurnberg.  This field was the scene of Hitler's pageants and in 1946 was owned and operated by the 26th Infantry Blue Spades.

Looks like he even took in some volleyball in Furstenfeldbruck.

The Ardee News on the spot at an Archway Court volleyball game in Furstenfeldbruck

I'm so glad my dad left me some tidbits about his time in Germany.  I hope that one day I run across some of the newspaper articles he wrote.