100 years ago: 1919

Ty Cobb’s drive for the 1919 batting championship is underway. According to unofficial averages, including Wednesday’s game’s, he is leading the race with 350. He batted his way from third place within a week. George Sisler of St. Louis was sixth in batting a week ago. Today finds him tied for second place with Joe Jackson of Chicago at 346. Sisler tied Peckinpaugh of New York for honors in scoring on Milan of Washington for honor in base stealing. He has counted 67 times and stolen 21 bases. Babe Ruth swelled his home runs collection to 15 times.

50 years ago: 1969

No, there was no fire this morning at Upper Pettingill Park, Auburn, despite all that fire-fighting apparatus. Five dozen firemen. Water yes, there was water, lots of it, spraying in all directions. The occasion was the “Firemen’s Muster” hosted by the Auburn Fire Department in conjunction with the city’s Centennial celebration. A large crowd of spectators was on hand to watch the competition among area fire-fighting departments. Cities and towns represented in the fun competition included Lewiston, Norway, Mechanic Falls, West Minot, Lisbon, Lisbon Falls, Danville and Vassalboro. The host team Auburn couldn’t compete, according to the rules of Maine state Firemen’s Field Day Association. Auburn’s Fire Chief Vincent Giberti welcomed the crowd to the park.

25 years ago: 1994

Anyone who thinks an attendance record will not come back to haunt you … think again. But last week, school maintenance workers peeled back a layer of history when they discovered a chalkboard with a 1921 fall semester attendance honor roll written on it. “It is something that is really unique,” said Bill Hunter, one of the workers who made the historical find while renovating Merrill Hill.

The material used in Looking Back is reproduced exactly as it originally appeared, although misspellings and errors may be corrected.