Howard Charles Daringer, Sr.

Born: June 29, 1882     Died: February 9, 1981

Howard Daringer, 97, North Vernon -- a former Mayor of North Vernon, former Jennings county auditor and an outstanding professional baseball player back in the days when baseball was the undisputed king of American sports, died Monday at the hospital in Seymour.   He had been a patient there for two weeks prior to his death.   Daringer, despite his advanced age, had been active and alert, and enjoyed good health until this winter.

He came from a baseball-playing family in Hayden, which found not only Howard, but his two brothers, Clifford, an older brother, and Rolla, a younger brother, all playing professional baseball.   Rolla played with the St. Louis National League team, and Cliff was with Detroit.   Howard himself started his own baseball career in 1903.   He pitched for a time and then after he hurt his arm, played outfield.   He played for Piqua (Ohio).   Then in the Blue-Grey league in Kentucky in 1907, he was with Indianapolis, signing a contract for the astronomical salary (back then) of $125 per month.   From 1908 to 1916, he was with the Three I League, and also served as manager for the teams in Dubuque and Davenport, Iowa.   He retired from professional baseball at Terre Haute in 1920.

However, he never lost his great love for the sport.   And when he returned to Jennings, he was the manager and promoter of a North Vernon semi-pro team.   Baseball was most prominent in the American scene then.   And all during the 1920's and into the '30's, this team played with great success.   Many still living in Jennings remember these Sunday contests.   Daringer also sumulated other baseball activities at the city park and in the community.   He delighted always in talking about the heyday of baseball.

A lifelong Republican, he was most active in the party.   In 1930, he was elected county auditor, and reelected to that post in 1934, serving through 1938.   Continuing his political career, he was elected Mayor of North Vernon in 1943, and served in that office from 1944 through 1947.

During his baseball career, he clerked in retail stores in the winter.   And later on became head of the shoe department for the Wolf Gumble and Son store in North Vernon.   And, then became the store manager.   He retired from this post in 1961.   But he kept active in a number of ways, heading up the Gumble family favorite charity -- which was buying school shoes for needy children.   He was a director of the North Vernon Building Company.   He also served a number of years on the Jennings County Alcoholic Beverage Board, not retiring from this civic duty until 1979.

He was born June 29, 1883 at Hayden, the son of Lorenzo and Margaret Carr Daringer.   He married Margaret Haley, who preceded him in death in September of 1976.   A son, Howard "Bud" also preceded him in death, dying in 1980.

Surviving are three daughters, Dorothy Banta, Seymour; Anna Margaret Lewis, Warsaw; and Frances Schultz, Newhall, California; 11 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at 10:00 Friday morning at the Dove-Sharp Funeral Home.   Visiting will be after two Thursday.   A Bible Wake service will be conducted by Monsignor Cornelius Sweeny of the St. Ambrose Catholic Church, Seymour, at 7:30 p.m. Thursday.   Burial will be in the Hayden Cemetery.

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