Packard Clipper

You don't see a Packard Clipper on the side of the road very often, but when you do it's going to be in the Mission. Not half an hour after Plotnik got off his Plotkicycle to take this photo on 24th and Mission, he saw a classic white Cadillac sedan, same vintage, parked on 18th and Valencia St. The vatos in the Mission sure know beautiful automotive machines.

This looks like one of the last Packards -- and Plotnik knows exactly when the company stopped making passenger cars, because his Little League Team was responsible. Packard sponsored the team -- paid for the uniforms, balls and bats. It must have been 1956. Plot's stepdad Harold was the team's coach.

Because of Harold, Plotnik got to pitch. Harold also kept score, so although the Packard Clippers lost most of their games, Plottie managed to bat around .800. Every time he touched the ball, Harold credited him with another base hit.

What a great year. Harold got to take all the baseball equipment home between games. This meant Plotnik and his brother Schmeckl got to run out into the back yard, pour all the balls and bats and catcher's equipment onto the ground, then put on the shin guards and mask and pretend they were hot stuff.

The next year, Packard went out of business. So did the Plotnik Ballfield -- the city acquired their house and ploughed it under to extend the Ventura Freeway. Two years after that, Harold died.

Plotnik still loves those old Packards.