Linfield has fame

Linfield has fame. 

Famous authors? Amy Tan.

Famous actor? Den Surles.

Famous sweater? Saxony.

Assuming you know about Amy and Den, here's a story about the Linfield connection to the Saxony Knitting Co. of Seattle.

Currently on display in Linfield's Nicholson Library is the Linfield College baseball letter sweater made by Saxony. It’s the sweater of the late B. Mark Rich, Linfield Class of 1922. See photo. He played baseball for all four of his college years: The 1919 season (1918-1919 academic year), 1920 season (1919-1920 academic year), and 1921 (1920-1921 academic year) for McMinnville College and the 1922 season for Linfield College (1921-1922).

Born in Salem, Ore., he grew up in Orenco (Washington Co.), Ore. On the front of the dark blue is sewn a crimson-colored felt Linfield athletic “L” letter.

Saxony made bathing suits, sweaters, scarves, stockings and other knitted products, according to the Museum of History & Industry in Seattle. See advertisement from Sept. 2, 1922, issue of the Oregonian.

When you look at the display in the library, be sure to see photos on pages of a scrapbook kept by Linfield student Ada Gillett, a native of Spokane, Wash. One photo shows the Linfield baseball team and another is of a Linfield baseball game being played on campus with Pioneer Hall looming in the background. See photos. Ada and Mark married Aug. 28, 1923. She died in 1958 and he died in 1967.

Mark started as a McMinnville College student in the fall of 1918 and he graduated in June 5, 1922. (McMinnville College became Linfield College in Jan. 1922.)

Mark was among McMinnville College student deletes who attended the Student Volunteer Movement for Foreign Missions International Convention in Des Moines, Iowa, Dec. 30 1919-Jan. 4, 1920.

He appears as a McMinnville College baseball player in the 1921 McMinnville College Oak Leaves student yearbook. (The 1921 Oak Leaves was the first edition of the book.) Baseball coverage in that edition has no team photo and no action photos. Oak Leaves 1921 does have individual photos of players and write-ups about the players. 

Based on the baseball the light colored uniforms – which have a baseball diamond with a letter “M” design on the front left chest – worn by the players, it could be the photos in the scrapbook are from the 1921 season. However, it may be the season covered was 1920, not 1921 since some yearbooks covered athletic season a year after they took place. From Oak Leaves 1921, Mark's baseball write-up:

Mark "Marcus" Rich

A third year man, holding down right field with a steadily increasing ability. Markus has been 'poling the pillet all over the lot' this season.

In the 1922 Linfield College Oak Leaves, his photo in a dark colored baseball uniform (see photo) appears as does his baseball player write-up:

Mark Rich

For four years Mark has been chasing for the college and knocking the old ball around the lot. "Mike" always hits the ball and makes his share of the tallies for his school. "Mike" will be missed next year. When there is a hard one to get he will do it.

(Note that the baseball player photo of him in the 1922 and 1923 Oak Leaves are the same.)

Also in the 1922 Linfield College Oak Leaves, Mark appears (see photo) as 1921-1922 president of the Associated Students of Linfield College. That write-up says he was conscientious, hardworking, broadvisioned and unselfish. Since McMinnville College became Linfield during the 1921-1922 academic year, Mark holds the distinction of being the last McMinnville College student body president and the first Linfield College student body president.

In the 1923 Linfield Oak Leaves, Mark's baseball write-up about him playing his final season, 1922, as a senior:

Mark won his sweater last year after four years chasing flies and knocking the old ball around in splendid style. "Mike" was one of our heavy hitters and the one that fills his place will have a fine record set for him in trying to reach.