In 1909, Covina made big sports headlines. That year, the town boasted a semi-pro baseball team that went undefeated its entire first season. A remarkable feat in itself, but what followed was arguably the most momentous sporting event to ever take place in Covina, when the major league Chicago White Sox came here to play the amateur champs. Yet surprisingly, this remarkable story was mostly lost to history... until now.
Our story begins with George E. Covert, a bona fide real estate wunderkind. He closed his first sale when he was only 17, and in 1908, at the age of 23, he sold almost $100,000 worth of orange and walnut groves in a single month.1 So what does a young hot shot do with that kind of money? Well, George just happened to be a sports fan, so he organized a ball club to represent and promote his adopted town of Covina.2
His first team–which he called the White Squadron–was formed in December, 1908,3,4 and was manned mostly with homegrown raw talent.5 Home games were played at the ball grounds located on leased land4,5 at the foot of Citrus Avenue,6 which at that time was where the I-10 freeway is today.7 Admission was 25¢,8 and the popular Sunday afternoon games attracted hundreds of fans.9
Covert's financial support also paid for much-needed improvements to the field and bleachers,6 and snazzy new uniforms that were clearly tailored to impress.3 According to the Los Angeles Herald:
The body of [Covina's] suits will be white, with green trimmings, and the same color scheme will be carried throughout, the coat being green with white cuffs, white pearl buttons, white old English "C" on left breast. Small green "C" showing through white diamond on sleeves of coat. Breeches will have a small green bead running down outside seam, the caps having the same kind of bead on the seams. Stockings will be green, with a broad white band.4
And here are the Covina boys, all gussied up in their fancy new finery.
The Covina White Squadron, March, 1909.
Standing: Stewart, 2b; Pitts, p,1b; Covert (Manager); "Bab" Fairly, rf; Shirley, 3b.
Seated: King, c; ?Hooker, cf; Hughes, ss; "Ping" Fairly, p,of; Libby, 1b (Captain);4 team mascot; Montague, lf.
Photo courtesy Mark Thiel, Powell Camera Shop, Covina.
