Bob Elson and Romy Hammes became aquainted when Romy was featured in LIFE magazine in 1938 and 1946. They became friends after the end of WWII. Automobiles were very scarce and there was a waiting list. Bob was placed at the top of the list and he took delivery of a 1946 Ford 4 door sedan. Romy was not a baseball fan because he couldn't take the time trying to make a living. However, once a year Romy would join Bob in the broadcast booth. Bob would then make a point that Romy Hammes from Kankakee was there as his guest. This reverberated around the Kankakee area as kind of a fun thing. Romy and Baseball? On one occasion Bob mentioned that Romy was at the game when one of his salesman came in Romy's office and mentioned that he was at the game. On another occasion Romy did attend a game that was a double header with umteen innings and got home at 3 in the morning. Bob invited my father to a dinner before a prize fight in the Amphtheatre and I was in attendance. We then attended the fight and to my best recollection Bob was involved in broadcasting it over the radio.
South Bend Tribune - July 7, 1955 |
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