The Adventures of Oil Can Harry's

By Jerry Pritikin

Glenn Burke? I knew Glenn when he first appeared on Castro and played some basketball, I was a free lance photographer and was asked by him not to be in any photos because he was still in the majors. I recall seeing his World Series ring in a pawn shop and several years later got to strike out Glenn when he played in the San Francisco Gay Softball League. I also attended his funeral in Oakland.I was also a sportswriter for several gay papers and a publicist that specialized in gay clients and services and created T-shirts that got national attention including ANITA BRYANT'S HUSBAND IS A HOMO-SAPIEN! (Got Jane Fonda to wear one).

But for me this year marks the 25 anniversary of a team I played and pitched for called Oil Can Harry's of the Community Softball League and their Championship season. I was the sports editor for San Francisco's latest Gay newspaper, called the GAYZETTE. Before that season started there was a new incentive for the winning team. An invitation to play in the 1978 Gay World Series at New York over the Labor Day holiday. Most of the players from '77 were coming back, except the manager, Jay Golda Platt, he was replaced by the bar manager who didn't know where right field was. Another team asked us to merge with them, but keep their name, but I reminded our players of the great support our sponsor had given us and we decided to keep our team intact.

The opener almost didn't take place. A new league was being formed for gays only because the Champions of the '77 season were mostly straight. When the original league started in 73, it consisted of 6 teams with gay bar sponsors and goodwill equipment, but within a few years the Pennant became a coveted prize and was displayed in the winning team's home bar. A few of the managers began to recruit some straight players and in doing so made it one of the best competitive softball leagues in all of San Francisco.

Softballers from way back - Click to enlarge

At my invitation, Mayor Moscone threw out the ceremonial first pitch before 2,000 fans (That picture was on the front page of the premier copy of the Gayzette). Prior to the game, he pitched batting practice and used my mitt. I took pictures before taking the field. The lead off batter for Dave's Baths, a cab driver, hit a home run and my ERA was higher than the Goodyear blimp! However that was the only run they got and we won by a lopsided score.

It was decided that what ever team was the champs, they would represent the CSL and San Francisco in the New York event, no matter their make-up. But in midseason, several of the commissioners of the other cities invited to play in the Gay World Series took a vote and said only teams with an 80/20 could play. Oil Can was the Wild Card in the local San Francisco post season playoffs. Some favorites were eliminated in the first round.

Like all pitchers, I enjoy telling of the time Tuffy Adams of the Ambush walked Vietnam Vet Tony Sohoun (Tony looked like the Babe and John Kruk of the Phillies) to load the bases to get to me. On the first pitch I cleared the bases with a stand-up triple down the right field line, and provided the winning run.

It wound up that we faced the Sutter's Mill Gold-Diggers in the best of 3 games. The Mill was the leagues perennial Brides-maids and fan favorites. On Saturday Aug.14, the Mill went on a rampage and at one time had a 12 run lead, but held on to win 22-17. At the end of the game our players coagulated on the Grassy Knoll behind third base at Lang Field. Doing my best WIN ONE FOR THE GIPPER speech, as it was time for me to hang up my spikes (baseball only). The next day, we needed both ends to go to the Big Apple. In the first game, I pitched an 11-0 shut-out and won the 2nd game 7-5. (My post season stats 6-0).

Before going to NY, we played in the annual Peach/Fuzz gay/cops game in front of 8,000 fans. We shut them out, too! Armed with good wishes and a citation from Mayor Moscone praising the great diversity of life-styles found on our team and representing the City in New York. However by the time the plane landed, the Oilers were kicked out for having too many straights on our roster. I never got another chance to pitch or play in the Gay World Series, but I have had as many comebacks tries as Michael Jordan.

Halberstam has just written a story called TEAM MATES, about Ted Williams and some of his mates, I always wanted to do a book (I have the pictures) and I was going to call it A LEAGUE NOT OF THEIR OWN, THE UN-NATURALS AND THE PRIDE OF THE OILERS.

Jerry and Harry