William 'Bill' Midkiff: A Baseball Legend

Editor's Note: The following story was written by Robert J. Pesek and Gayle Midkiff Anderson about Anderson's father, William Midkiff.

At the South Central Old Timer's Baseball Association's annual semi-pro baseball meeting held in Hallettsville on June 9, a special ceremony commending the exploits of the late William "Bill" Midkiff of Gonzales was held.

This illustrious man left his cleat marks on many diamonds during his storied life. He started playing baseball in 1924, as an aspiring youngster, with a group of men from the Gonzales cotton mill. This carried Midkiff through high school where he lettered in baseball, football, track and basketball teams.

He took special pride in playing at the University of Texas under uncle Billy Disch, as a freshman - a memory he carried throughout his entire life.

As his prowess progressed, he tried out with the San Antonio Missions in 1931. The manager suggested to this bright-eyed youngster that he try out with a Rio Grande team. Midkiff borrowed $30 from a Gonzales bank to tide him over and signed with the San Benito Saints, a Class-D professional team. He was paid $100 a month and tickled to get it. The highlight of his stay in San Benito was a scheduled trip to Corpus Christi to play. His future wife, Martha, who had brothers living there, was to meet him for the game. Midkiff had hit a home run in San Benito and had won the works at a local barbershop - shave, haircut and shampoo. He had saved his prize for that special trip to Corpus. While in the barber chair, the news came that the Corpus game had been cancelled. The team had succumbed due to poor attendance. He expressed his disappointment and Martha must have felt the same way. It almost broke their hearts. The Rio Grande Valley League followed by folding after only a year due to the depression raging over the nation.

Midkiff's love for the sport of baseball had him playing semi-pro ball the next two decades. He started playing for the Gonzales Indians from 1932-1949. As a manager, his duties were to maintain the field, run the club and play ball. He recalled, "I thought I was having a good time, until I misfigured the cost of the team's uniforms and wound up the season in debt." When the opportunity presented itself, Midkiff played for two teams at the same time - The Gonzales Indians and the Weimar Herder Truckers. The Weimar Truckers, sponsored by the Herder Truck Lines paid him $10 a game and $3 for travel.

A harrowing experience occurred to him and his family on a late night return trip from Weimar. They came upon a drunk driver, weaving erratically, ahead of them. It terrified his children, to the extent that they rode home on the floor of the car. The family seldom missed a game when he played out of town. There were not many towns in South Central Texas that Midkiff did not play baseball and he loved every minute of it.

"Baseball has always been my game," he said in an interview with Henry Wolff, Jr. for the Victoria Advocate in 1997. It written to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the day Midkiff hit the first home run in Victoria Riverside Stadium on May 11, 1947, it went over the Grapette sign 320 feet from home plate.

Midkiff wound up his baseball career in 1950 with the Seguin White Sox, and was named to the All-Star team that year. He also received this honor while playing for Gonzales in 1946 and 1947. In semi-pro baseball many of the players were not a paid a salary, a hat was passed around and the money collected was divided among the players. If one hit a home run, an extra collection usually was taken and given to him. It wasn't the money they played for, but the participating honor and love of the game. Carole Midkiff Anderson remembers, "That when they would pass the hat the hat, we would always want to put money in. So our mother would always give us some change, but as soon as we got home, Daddy would give it back to us!"

Many young men used semi-pro baseball as a stepping stone to a professional career. Others, after having successful careers in college, continued playing semi-pro ball throughout Texas. Midkiff's zeal for baseball instilled this love in his three daughters, Kay, Carole and Gayle. Their memories of his participation will always be etched in their lives.

Midkiff worked for 40 years with the State Department of Public Welfare. He always believed his job was attributed to his association with baseball. In 1933, a semi-pro league was being organized with teams from Gonzales, Luling, Seguin, Brownsboro and two from Austin. The Gonzales team was backed by the Gonzales Chamber of Commerce. A personal friend of Midkiff's was Claude Holley, Secretary of the Chamber. Holley was later named President of the new South Central Texas League and appointed Midkiff as manager of the Gonzales team. With experience in pro ball and deep knowledge of the game, Midkiff led his team to the League Championship over Luling. Another friend, J.C. Witting, also active in the Chamber, was appointed as county administrator for the Texas Relief Commission. He asked Midkiff for a helping hand, and being out of work at that time, Midkiff accepted the offer. The job became permanent six to eight weeks after starting it. Midkiff and Martha Wilson were married on December 23, 1933. He was making $20 a week, when a two-week job soon turned into a long career with the welfare department. He retired in 1972 as regional director.

William Midkiff's history is made of life's events being compared to baseball. When Gayle Midkiff Anderson of Cleburne was born, Bill wrote this letter to a good friend and baseball player, Mittie Vackar whose wife was also expecting a child at the same time. Bill wrote, "I hardly know how to describe your feelings. Guess it's like one of the extra-inning ball games. You know the score is nothing to nothing through the ninth. In the tenth you get a man on, but no soap. The same things happen in the 11-17th innings. Then in the 18th, you big chance comes, the wife is wheeled into the delivery room; the innings drag on; finally the nurse comes out - we've scored! Then there is that awful last half of the 18th, you wonder if things are all right; will the game ever end? Finally, they wheel the wife out; she gives you a little smile and you hear a sigh of relief, much as you do when the left fielder snags that long drive near the fence for the last out and the game is over; one to nothing. Boy, there is nothing like it for a real thrill." It seems that several of Bill's buddies were having babies about the same time - and nearly all were girls. He concluded his letter with "Guess we will end up with a great softball club in about 16 years."

When William and Martha Midkiff celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary in 1993, their daughter Kay Midkiff Howe gave this dedication to them. "Daddy you have always been a fierce competitor in all your athletic ventures, but a very gentle person with your family and friends. There are all kinds of halls of fame. If anyone deserves to be in a sports hall of fame, it is you. But the Good Lord has a special Hall of Fame for you; when you get to heaven, you will inducted into God's Daddy Hall of Fame."

Bill was inducted into the South Central Texas Semi-Pro Baseball Hall of Fame.

His name is enshrined in the baseball rook at the Lavaca County Museum in Hallettsville. He was a charter member of the organization serving as its secretary/treasurer and a faithful follower of baseball lore until his death.

William "Bill" Midkiff was buried on March 6, 2007 in Gonzales with a golf ball in one pocket and a baseball in another. Clutched tightly in his hands was his South Texas Old Timers Baseball Association cap.

Many believe as he entered through the pearly gates, he had his lineup for the game in one hand and melodious voice echoing throughout heaven "LET'S PLAY BALL."