Interview with
 George McMullen
53 Rock Run Rd., Port Deposit, MD 21904
Conducted by Fred Kelso
Oxford, PA
11/24/96

George played for the Port Deposit Black Sox for 17 years, starting in 1931.  There had been a team prior to that time.

The first field was at the wharf where Wiley’s used to be.  Left-handed batters would hit the ball into the river.

Down near the old canal, at the Log Pond, the men, women, and children of the community worked together to clear trees and build a new ball field.  The Black Sox was the main team to play on the field.

The Sox played all of the high school teams from the area - Elkton, Havre de Grace, Perryville - “everything in Cecil County and some outside.”

After they moved to Canal Field the Sox played Lancaster, Philadelphia, the Baltimore Giants, and 2 or 3 other Baltimore teams.

They played for enjoyment.  Local stores helped to pay expenses; people put on shows for fund-raisers.

Mr. (Thomas) Fields always loved baseball.  He never played on the Sox, however, he was just the manager.

George worked at the quarry as a water-boy when he was a kid.  The spring was up above the quarry.

George was born on Main Street.  His parents were Jim McMullen and Sadie Stewart.  His family has been here in Port for quite some time.

During WWII (1942-46) George was in the Air Force - he was stationed for 39 months at Camp Dow Field in Bangor, Maine.  He supervised 30 men shoveling coal for furnaces for the entire base.

There was a warehouse down the alley across from (present-day) Cunningham’s Deli, where coal and hay were stored.

George played baseball while in the service.