"Tales of Old Pompano" ...by Bud Garner

Back when there was no television, when there was no play-by-play descriptions on the radio, when there were town teams playing semi-profesessional baseball in organized leagues with permanent rosters, quality players and managers were dedicated to the game of baseball in towns and to the sponsors and fans that came out on Sunday afternoons to support them.

Edgar Shiver was one of them, Born in Hamilton county near Jasper in north Florida. He moved to Pompano when he was eight years old and began playing baseball in high school. Edgar played ball on the young players team. His playing days ended when playing Deerfield. J. Mosely, the pitcher on the Deerfield team, hit him in the cheek with a fast curve ball, breaking his jaw and knocking out some teeth. Edgar graduated from Pompano High School with the first graduating class in 1928.

Edgar was approached by a group of boys from town that were playing with a team in Lake Worth. They wanted him to organize and manage a team in Pompano. After a year in this league Pompano was accepted in the Coast-Glades league. Edgar managed this team except for four years during the war. For the first few years until Kester Park was developed, the games were played in an open field at the corner of N.E. 4th St and N.E. 1st ave , behind the old ice plant.There were no seats, people sat in their cars or on the ground.The Pompano town team was supported by large numbers of people and the only monies collected were donations given when the "hat" was passed. Uniforms were bought by different clubs and organizations in town, and the merchants donated balls and bats.

The last game Edgar remembered was sometime in the 50's when Pompano won the championship. The town of Pompano, now Pompano Beach, started to grow and people had televisions and better cars and roads, so the town was scattered out and this ended one of the best of times in Pompano where people knew people, and everyone pulled for the TOWN TEAM.

Edgar Shiver still remembers having to level the playing field, to water it, to drag it before every game or practice...he still remembers the times good and bad. Most of all he knows for twenty five or so Years he did something he loved to do and the people of OLD POMPANO that remember owe him and his players a huge THANKS.

Edgar Shiver Passed way in 1997.

This article written by Bud Garner and reprinted with his kind permission. It was sent to us by Edgar Shiver's niece,
Linda Ciparro, a member of the Genealogical Society of Broward County.

Please visit Bud Garner's site at "http://members.tripod.com/~budgarner/"


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