Witt prepares for upcoming sesqicentennial celebration
WITT (Heartland Newsfeed) — The Envision Witt organization, including Witt residents and youth, have been busy in preparing for the upcoming sesquicentennial celebration taking place over Labor Day weekend as the city marks its 150th anniversary mark.
Denise Kistner photo
Envision Witt subcommittees have organized many events in the community, including trash cleanup, painting flowerpots and the local library and making touch-and-go improvements along the main street in town.
Some youth have made their contributions by painting iconic businesses and current/former Witt residents, allowing for visitors of this special occasion to discuss the history of the community.
Tyler Wesley, Joey Keiser, Charlene Kessler and Erin Kistner have been out and about in the community painting pictures of Weller’s Cafe, Mel’s Bakery, the historic Main Street and a smokestack from their coal mine.
Notable figures painted included former professional baseball player Glen Hobbie.
Glen Hobbie
Hobbie was born in Witt on April 24, 1936. A graduate of Witt High School, Hobbie made his Major League Baseball debut with the Chicago Cubs on September 20, 1957 and remained with the organization until June 2, 1964, when he was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals for veteran pitcher Lew Burdette.
Hobbie’s final appearance in MLB was on July 25, 1964 before finishing the rest of the season in the minor leagues before retiring at age 29 in 1965.
Overall, Hobbie finished his career with a 100-117 record in 426 games, pitching 63 complete games with 881 strikeouts. He started his career at age 19 with the American Association’s Charleston Senators (Triple-A, unaffiliated) in 1955 and ended his career with the International League‘s Syracuse Chiefs (AAA, Detroit Tigers).
Hobbie is an honoree at the Bottomley-Ruffing-Schalk Museum in Nokomis and was active in the community, including managing the Litchfield Roller Derby Association until his passing at age 73 in August 2013.
Jake Leonard, a broadcast media and journalism veteran, is the editor-in-chief of Heartland Newsfeed. Leonard is also GM and program director of Heartland Newsfeed Radio Network, wrestling editor and contributing writer for Ambush Sports, a contributing writer for My Sports Vote and Midwest Sports Network, and a former contributor to Bleacher Report and Overtime Heroics. He resides at home in Nokomis, Ill. with his dog Buster.
