SEGMENT: ACTIVITIES
Fred Baumberger>LPL Interviews A-M>LPL Interviews A-J, Segment 1
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- ACTIVITIES
- Fred learned to play the harmonica. Automobiles didn't have radios in those days so he would entertain his family when they went on trips. There were two brothers who played guitar and mandolin. They asked Fred to play washboard with them, and Fred's brother Keith to play washtub bass. They called themselves the Rambling Rubes. They never got paid much but had a lot of fun. They played a show in Greenville, where someone told them they should change their name to the Polecat Orchestra. They even cut a record, that Fred still has. After his brother died, Keith's wife found the record that they thought they had lost. Fred also played basketball. He was a standing guard, who would stay back on defense. In 1934 the school built the gymnasium with WPA labor. It cost $17,000 and was the first small school gymnasium in the county. Other nearby schools followed suit. The first year they had the gym they played Panama, who was really good. Fred put up a half court shot and made it, which lead to his team winning by one. He also played for Blackburn College. At his college reunion, he played with the alumni team. He scored 15 points and was the point leader for the game. He also played softball. A pitcher moved in from East St. Louis, and led them to defeat Greenville two out of three times that season.
