"Askin and Friendship School Baseball Results"

  The following is from the Semi-Weekly Sun Journal of February 21, 1916:

Askin and Friendship School Baseball Results

  Feb. 20, [1916]--The school boys of Askin challenged Friendship to play a game of ball. We concluded we would play them, so we answered to their call. And when those boys arrived here, such a sight we have never seen; red hair, freckles, and some were even green. And when the hour rolled around, the umpire called the game. And the way we boys beat them, was really a sinful shame. You could see those "pretty" Askin girls turn their heads in shame; they knew we country boys were easily winning the game.
  Those red-headed boys of Askin were mad enough to fight, and the way those freckles were shining was greater than an electric light. They called we boys rascals, all kinds of low-down names. But they were all very silent when they saw we had the reign. At the end of the 8th inning the umpire called the game; he saw to play them longer would win us too much fame. And so on the following Thursday, guess what we boys done? We played them in their city of Askin. Now wasn't that coming some.
  I hope you will understand how cheaply we were feeling get on a city diamond. Made us feel like an opossum stealing. The game was started nicely. Every player did his best, but we knew to again face those red-heads, freckles and specks, that we would never stand the test. And when a red-head would hit the ball, was the greatest thing of all--those "pretty girls" of Askin would hollow till they'd fall.
And when the game was ended, the tallyman broke the news, that Askin was victorious by a majority of two. The reason that they won this, we are willing to bet a quarter, that it was because they'd been drinking "Chautauqua Spring Water."          TONY

  Friendship School was located in Zorah (now Caton), on the north side of Little Swift Creek and served those in the community who lived in No. 1 Township. The school was located down the Whitford Road, and was later moved out to Hill's Neck Road (where it was at one time used as a storage barn by Uncle Leon Norman. It has since fallen down.) 

  The reference to "Chautauqua Spring Water" refers to an early attempt to create a spa in Askin. The waters from Chautauqua Springs and Blue Springs were bottled for sale. A large hotel was planned, but investors to the project did not raise the funds needed to support the effort, and soon the project was abandoned.