Haines, Tigers' GM, No Stranger To Baseball Here As An Official

Martin John Haines is 46 years old, but there are those who will swear on a stack of bowling pins that he has been around the Jamestown sports scene since the Indian Wars.

Haines, long-time secretary of the Jamestown Area Bowling Association, has just fronted for the most successful city pin tournament in history. Now he turns his attention to baseball as general manager of the Jamestown Tigers.

The quick-quipping Haines knows and is known by everyone even remotely connected with the Jamestown sports fraternity.

In bowling, he dates back to his pin-setting beginning at the old Falconer lanes, later to become Bowl-O-Drome. He was a member of one of the first "young" teams organized in Jamestown. It was composed of himself, Bob Meabon, Merlin Peterson, Glenn Davis, and Glen Quaint, all between 16 and 17 years of age then.

"Quaint was the most popular fellow on the team," Marty chuckled. "He had a car."

Haines was first elected secretary of the bowling association in 1950, a position he held until he went to Europe on a very unusual and historical mission - the introduction of bowling. He accepted an organizational position with Trans-World Bowling, which opened houses in Switzerland and Holland.

"It sounded good, but it just didn't work out," he explains to account for his return to Jamestown a year or so later.

Marty is a Falconer Central graduate. He played on the school baseball team, but says the oddest game he ever became involved in was an American Legion tilt between Falconer and Jamestown. Falconer was leading 14-0 in the ninth when Jamestown scored 13 runs and had the tying run on third before the side was retired.

"Palmer Bedient pitched for Falconer in that one," he added. Bedient, son of the Major League great from Falconer, Hugh Bedient, was killed in a plane accident in service.

College Stadium is not a new stomping ground to Haines as a baseball official. He served as a business and concession manager under John Jachym in 1948 and was concession supervisor from 1949 through 1951.

"We'll have some specials this year," he explained. "I believe baseball is something fans come out to the park to enjoy, to have fun watching. We'll try to help entertain them with some unique events and some special promotions as well as a good team."

Haines met Rita Miwkowic, a Salamanca girl, in 1945 and married her. Rita, employed at Nelson's Gift Shop, is also a bowler. They live at 201 Frederick Blvd. in West Ellicott.