Hall of Famer Stearnes played here

6/24/2000

Here's a Toledo sports story you might have missed.

Yesterday, Turkey Stearnes was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame at Cooperstown, N.Y.

In the Negro Leagues where he played, Stearnes had a lifetime .360 batting average, winning four batting titles, including hitting .430 in 1935 He won six home run titles.

He joined the Detroit Stars in 1923 and his biography insists he was the ''greatest black player in Detroit history'' and would join Ty

Cobb and Al Kaline in an all-time Detroit outfield.

Stearnes ended his career at age 44 in 1945, with the Toledo Cubs of the United States League.

The collector

Year after year, Milford Romanoff of Toledo collects the most donations in the Kidney Foundation of Northwest Ohio's lollipop sale.

''Our average collector brings in $80. This year, Milford brought in $705.60, says Holly Hoagland-Fojtik of the foundation.

Now, his secret can be told. ''Milford asks people their favorite color as they go in a store,'' Holly says. ''When they come out, he remembers and gives them that color lollipop. How can they refuse to donate?''

Sing it, folks!

Note to the city's next team that shoots for All-America status:

Yes, we know about the ''We're Strong For Toledo'' song, but now comes Edna Manns of National City Bank's Cherry Delaware branch to say there is another Toledo song.

Its title is ''Toledo Song.''

''A man found a copy cleaning his attic,'' Edna says. Here's the chorus, to the tune of ''Tramp, Tramp, the Boys are Marching.''

''For Toledo we are marching.

''For Toledo on we go

''For Toledo we will stand,

''For Toledo, great and grand -

''Finest City in the State

of O-hi-o.''

Let's see, it was ...

To test your memory, says Chuck Campbell of Perrysburg, try to remember the things that worried you yesterday.

Helping hands

When a tire blew out on Frank Zawlocki's car, he steered off I-75. Two men followed him.

They approached the 66-year-old Toledoan, changed his tire, even lent him their spare tire when his was flat.

Frank says ''Thanks a lot'' to Bob Adair and Mike Troeskin.

Oscar's trip

Oscar Longbrake of Toledo was proud to help two daughters celebrate anniversaries.

One was for Bob and Jane Balduf of Toledo, married 50 years. The other was for Jerry and Jeri Heinemann, married 40 years.

Oscar had to go to California for the Heinemann anniversary. John Balduf went with Oscar, his 95-year-old grandfather.

Newspaper design

Reader Charles Pohlman of Toledo likes the new look of The Blade but has one suggestion:

''Perhaps new births ought to be listed in the 'C Section,''' he said.

The Last Word

''Thirty days hath September,

And the traffic offender.''

A fractured ditty recalled by Frank Pollzzie.

Got a funny or unusual story? Call Mike Tressler, 724-6107, or send to The Blade, Box 921, Toledo, O. 43660, or e-mail: mtressler@theblade.com.