A Real Field of Dreams

A Real Field of Dreams. . James “Jim” Wims, who acquired this land in 1919 operated a farm with an orchard on this land. In an effort to provide a local place for his children to play ball, Jim took acrage out of crop production and converted it into the recreational area that became known as Wims Meadow. , For a farmer to take land out of cultivation was a real sacrifice. The loss was worthwhile to Jim Wims. His children had opportunities here to explore their future potential. Like other youth in the mid 1900s Montgomery. County, the Wims children did not follow in their father's footsteps as a farmer. Instead his four sons and two daughters all sought and succeeded in professional and trade pursuits. , Jim's son, Wilson, played for the Hyattstown Bluebirds. He later managed and co-owned the Maryland Wildcats, a local traveling semi-professional baseball team that played at Wims Meadow until the late 1950s. Like his father, Wilson worked to provide better recreational opportunities for his surrounding community, including the creation of the Clarksburg Recreation Center. , From the Sandlot… Typically only one baseball game was played on Sunday afternoon at this location, as many guests walked the meadow after Sunday church service. Attendance for local games was impressive. Thousands of folks , mainly from Washington, D.C. , traveled on the “Great Road” (Old 240/Route 355) to watch the players take the field. Spectators paid 25 cents for admission to see their local favorites, the Hyattstown Bluebirds, play the other Montgomery County barnstorming teams. , …to the Big Leagues! Patrons attended baseball games fielded by local stars who struggled to become professional Negro League baseball players. From the 1880s until 1946, baseball was segregated, prohibiting black athletes from participating in the Major Leagues. Local sandlot games were regularly attended by county residents. Many residents also traveled to professional Negro League games nearby to watch the Homestead Grays play at Griffith Stadium in Washington D.C. and the Baltimore Black Sox and Elite Giants in Baltimore, Maryland.