Photo of my grandfather... whats the car in the background?

[Peter Gariepy]

1929 was written on the photo.

 

Also, anyone familiar with Barton Plumbing? Was a minor league baseball team in Canada. I believe "Barton" is the name of a city that is now Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.

 

[Grandpa]

Could be a 1927 Chrysler.

 

[keiser31]

Most definitely.

[dictator27]

Hamilton has always been Hamilton. Barton Streeet is the longest street in Hamilton.

 

[Peter Gariepy]

17 hours ago, dictator27 said:

Hamilton has always been Hamilton. Barton Streeet is the longest street in Hamilton.

 

 

I simply read the https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamilton,_Ontario.   It says "Barton township (where present day downtown Hamilton is)".

Of course my grandfather's baseball team could be the literal name of a business "Barton Plumbers".  I do know he played baseball in a Canadian minor league in the 20s and it was within driving distance of Detroit (where he lived). Hamilton seems to fill that requirement.  (3 hr drive)

[Ozstatman]

The "full" Wikipedia entry for Hamilton includes this -

 

Between 1788 and 1793, the townships at the Head-of-the-Lake were surveyed and named. The area was first known as The Head-of-the-Lake for its location at the western end of Lake Ontario.^[20] John Ryckman, born in Barton township (where present day downtown Hamilton is), described the area in 1803 as he remembered it: "The city in 1803 was all forest. The shores of the bay were difficult to reach or see because they were hidden by a thick, almost impenetrable mass of trees and undergrowth ... Bears ate pigs, so settlers warred on bears. Wolves gobbled sheep and geese, so they hunted and trapped wolves. They also held organized raids on rattlesnakes on the mountainside. There was plenty of game. Many a time have I seen a deer jump the fence into my back yard, and there were millions of pigeons which we clubbed as they flew low."^[32]

George Hamilton, a settler and local politician, established a town site in the northern portion of Barton Township in 1815. 

[dictator27]

5 hours ago, Peter Gariepy said:

 

I simply read the https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamilton,_Ontario.  It says "Barton township (where present day downtown Hamilton is)".

Of course my grandfather's baseball team could be the literal name of a business "Barton Plumbers." I do know he played baseball in a Canadian minor league in the 20s and it was within driving distance of Detroit (where he lived). Hamilton seems to fill that requirement. (Three-hour drive.)

 

Your grandfather must really have enjoyed playing baseball, Peter.  It is a three-hour drive - today (190 miles, about 65 mph). In 1929 probably closer to 4 to 4.5 hours.

[Peter Gariepy]

1 hour ago, dictator27 said:

Your grandfather must really have enjoyed playing baseball, Peter.  It is a 3 hour drive - today (190 miles, about 65 mph). In 1929 probably closer to 4 to 4.5 hours.

 

I suspect you're correct about the drive time.

 

Yes, he loved to play baseball. Was a left handed pitcher. Story has it he pitched into his 40s and was quite good.

He worked for the City of the Detroit during the week, and travelled summertime weekends to play.

 

It was a different time. Makes me smile thinking about my grandfather driving to play. I can only assume he did it for the love of the game. I picture him enjoying a beer and a cigar afterward (a few of vices as he got older) with a fantastic smile and cheerful personality. 

 

Here is a video of him at a Christmas party at my home sometime in the 1960s. I was probably three-four at the time. I'll start the video when he's in the shot, but the rest of the video is a blast from the past in my family.  

 

 

[dictator27]

Looks like he had a real zest for life.