[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 2 (Wednesday, January 28, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E30]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


             REMEMBERING LOUIS J. ADAMIE ``MR. SCOREBOARD''

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. WILLIAM (BILL) CLAY

                              of missouri

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, January 28, 1998

  Mr. CLAY. Mr. Speaker, I wish to share with our colleagues a St. 
Louis Post-Dispatch article about a great American and remarkable 
individual, Mr. Louis J. Adamie. Lou was a valiant warrior and leader 
in the struggle for justice and equality. His tireless efforts helped 
to change the Democratic Party and to shape the American political 
system. Lou also was a grand sportsman and will long be remembered for 
his contributions to major league baseball. It is my hope that our 
colleagues will find inspiration in his story titled, ``Lou J. Adamie, 
83; Was `Mr. Scoreboard' In Big League Baseball Lore.''

 Louis J. Adamie, 83; Was `Mr. Scoreboard' In Big League Baseball Lore

       Louis J. ``Mr. Scoreboard'' Adamie, a major league baseball 
     scorekeeper in St. Louis for more than four decades, died 
     Saturday (Sept. 13, 1997) at DePaul Health Center in 
     Bridgeton after a long illness. He was 83.
       Mr. Adamie, of St. John, worked for both the St. Louis 
     Cardinals and the old Browns baseball teams here for 41 
     seasons as the scoreboard operator, first at the old 
     Sportsmen's Park and later at Busch Stadium.
       In 1940, Mr. Adamie strolled into the old Sportsmen's Park 
     as a teenager, seeking the field announcer's job; instead, he 
     was hired as scoreboard operator, keeping track of every run, 
     pitch and error, not only in St. Louis, but also scores at 
     other major league parks.
       Between the 1941 and 1982 seasons, Mr. Adamie kept score 
     and tracked every pitch in 4,350 games, including seven World 
     Series and five All-Star games. The last game he worked was 
     Game 7 of the 1982 World Series.
       Sometime in the 1940s, Mr. Adamie took on additional duties 
     as the first press box public-address announcer at a major 
     league park. In the mid-1950s when Anheuser-Busch Cos. Inc. 
     bought the Cardinals, Mr. Adamie became one of the first 
     scoreboard operators in the country to run an animated 
     display board that, in later years, would be common at most 
     major league ballparks.
       In 1968, he was inducted into the communications wing of 
     the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y., where be 
     remained the only scoreboard operator recognized in 
     Cooperstown. He also was honored by the St. Louis Sports Hall 
     of Fame. In 1994, the Baseball Writer's of America awarded 
     him the Harry Mitauer Good Times award for his work in 
     baseball. Mr. Adamie also worked as a broadcaster at WEW 
     radio here, and for many years, he was host of sports talk 
     shows on the radio. He was known for his ``Diamond Diary'' 
     radio show.
       In addition to his baseball work, Mr. Adamie was active in 
     area Democratic politics. From the 1930s to the 1960s, he was 
     secretary of the St. Louis City Democratic Committee, where 
     he helped organize many political campaigns and fund-raising 
     events. Mr. Adamie also was involved in numerous charitable 
     organizations, including being one of the first Globe-
     Democrat Old Newsboys carriers. He also organized charitable 
     bowling tournaments for the St. Louis area March of Dimes. 
     Mr. Adamie was also active in the Legion of 1000 Men.
       Visitation will be from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday at 
     Alexander Funeral Home, 11101 St. Charles Rock Road, St. Ann. 
     A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday at the 
     funeral home. Burial will be at Mount Lebanon Cemetery.
       Among the survivors are his wife of 52 years, Helena Lampe 
     Adamie; and a son, Rick L. Adamie of St. John.

     

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