Raymond Leslie Hill, known as Ray, was born on a farm in rural Iowa, the homestead in Jackson Township, Warren County.

He loved playing softball on various teams. Normally he played third base, but he would occasionally pitch as well, though he preferred third base.

A photograph of him posing with some of his brothers in their uniforms may be among the artifacts in the museum in Maxwell, Iowa. This photograph is probably from his younger days, when he was living in Iowa, before he had played on any teams in South Dakota.

In South Dakota, he first played for the Lake Preston Divers. He was a very young kid at the time. There were tournaments and occasionally he would play. His family and farm obligations probably weighed heavily on his decision whether or not to play in games relatively far from home.

Ray played with a classic glove, with none of the webbing seen in modern-day gloves, similar to something Babe Ruth would have used. Often he’d come home with a very red, sore hand.

Later in life, he was often the oldest man on the squad, surrounded by much younger men. Ray Hill played for four teams while living in South Dakota: the Bryant Bombers, the Erwin Eagles, the Lake Preston Divers, and the team in Lake Norden.

He was closing in on fifty when he had to quit. He couldn't run like he had. He may have been in the first stages of emphysema, which is ultimately what killed him.

He was a smoker, and frequently used a pipe.

Raymond Leslie Hill, known as Ray, was born on a farm in rural Iowa, the homestead in Jackson Township, Warren County.

He loved playing softball on various teams. Normally he played third base, but he would occasionally pitch as well, though he preferred third base.

A photograph of him posing with some of his brothers in their uniforms may be among the artifacts in the museum in Maxwell, Iowa. This photograph is probably from his younger days, when he was living in Iowa, before he had played on any teams in South Dakota.

In South Dakota, he first played for the Lake Preston Divers. He was a very young kid at the time. There were tournaments and occasionally he would play. His family and farm obligations probably weighed heavily on his decision whether or not to play in games relatively far from home.

Ray played with a classic glove, with none of the webbing seen in modern-day gloves, similar to something Babe Ruth would have used. Often he’d come home with a very red, sore hand.

Later in life, he was often the oldest man on the squad, surrounded by much younger men. Ray Hill played for four teams while living in South Dakota: the Bryant Bombers, the Erwin Eagles, the Lake Preston Divers, and the team in Lake Norden.

He was closing in on fifty when he had to quit. He couldn't run like he had. He may have been in the first stages of emphysema, which is ultimately what killed him.

He was a smoker, and frequently used a pipe.