(4-11-22) For many years baseball has been the national past-time and one of the sports played by high schools around the country is baseball.
The 1925 Celina High Bulldogs, led by Coach JA Malick, had a season to remember. The only loss they suffered according to the Hi-Li-Ki yearbook of 1926 (spring sports from 1925 appeared this year) was to Van Wert 3-1. They finished the season 12-1. There was no state tournament at that time, the first year the OHSAA sponsored one was in 1928.
In 1925 they played just three Mercer County schools…Ft. Recovery, Rockford and Mendon. One mysterious game that was in the results was against a team identified as ‘Tokyo’ who they beat very easily 22-1.
Those who remembered Celina baseball from the early days always will mention in a list of former great players…Cleadis Gray is one of them. Gray was known for his fielding in center field and his hitting.
In the 1925 yearbook (1924 season) –
1925 Celina High Baseball players –
The sad part about high school sports is the lost history, the above story features an early team that the set the groundwork for high schools sports in Celina. It is something we all need to appreciate.
Stateline Sports Network 