Frank Locke, Former Baseball Coach at Mt. Union, Succumbs

AUGUSTA – Frank Locke, 83, former professional baseball player who at one time had been baseball coach at Mount Union College, died Sunday at 2:30 a.m. in his home here.  He had been ill one year.

Eleven hours after his death, two of his daughters, Mrs. Lena Hawk and Mrs. Helen Hawk, were on their way to Alliance City Hospital to relate news of the death to their brother, Dale Locke, who is a patient there, when they were injured in a traffic accident.  The sisters are reported in fair condition at Aultman Hospital in Canton.

A native of Sheridan, Mr. Locke resided in the Augusta area 30 years.  He was a member of Church of God and in his early childhood resided at Tracy, Ky.  He also was a retired coal miner.

Mr. Locke began his baseball career with the old Canton Watchmakers baseball team, which was managed by the late Ferd Drumm.  He also played in the Ohio and Pennsylvania League, Southern and American Associations, Blue Grass League, and the Eastern League.

Surviving are his widow, Mrs. Catherine Erb Locke; two sons, Howard of Minerva and Dale of East Rochester; three daughters, Mrs. Lena Hawk of the home and Mrs. Helen Hawk and Mrs. Verna Dawley of RD 1, Nelsonville; one brother, Elmer of Akron; one sister, Mrs. Mattie DeVault of Augusta; 14 grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren, and one great great-grandchild.

Services will be Tuesday at 2 p.m. in the Christian Church at Augusta.  The Rev. Richard Hostetter will officiate.  Burial will be at Augusta.  Friends may call at the residence this afternoon and tonight.  The Allmon funeral home in Carrollton is in charge.

The accident, which hospitalized Mr. Locke’s two daughters occurred shortly after 1 p.m. Sunday.

According to George Litt, state highway patrolman, the Hawk sisters were passengers in a car driven by Mrs. Mary B. Nolan, 52, of Augusta.  He said the Nolan auto stopped at the intersection of County Roads 43 and 30, and then pulled out directly into the path of a car driven by William W. Shields, 40, of RD 1, East Rochester.

Patrolman Litt said the visibility is poor at the intersection where the accident occurred.

Both cars were demolished.  Mrs. Nolan was treated at Aultman Hospital and released.  Mr. Shields suffered minor injuries but did not require hospital treatment and two passengers in his car suffered only cuts and bruises.

Mrs. Lena Hawk, 56, who resides here, has been a teacher in the Augusta school 30 years.  Her sister, 49, resides at RD 1, Nelsonville.