Spit N Argue domino club for senior men

 

All photos are from a faded worn clipping of The Frederick Daily Leader, January 1963

Spit N Argue Club was Frederick Hangout for Men

The Spit N Argue Club was a longtime hangout for many of Frederick’s older men.

If was a place for friendly banter, discussion and analysis of all kinds, and dominoes… ALWAYS dominoes!

The Spit N Argue clubhouse was located at the north end of Pioneer Park in an area that is now included in Frederick’s Pioneer Townsite Museum. The old clubhouse stood at the location where the museum’s shop is now located.

It was a feature of Frederick from 1957 until the 1970s.

Charlotte McPherson recently shared a yellowed, torn clipping about the Spit N Argue club that she found in an old scrapbook. The clipping is undated, but based on TV schedules that were printed on it’s opposite side, it apparently appeared in the Frederick Leader during the first week of January, 1963.

It was written by Madge Dombrowski, Frederick photographer and longtime correspondent to local and area newspapers.

Spit And Argue Club in 6^th Year

By Madge Dombrowski

One of the most popular places in Frederick for retired men is the Spit and Argue Club located in the Pioneer Park.

This club was organized six years ago, with Arthur McAfee as the sparkplug for the project. He built the building and is serving as president of the group again this year.

The clubhouse is open ot any man wishing to come play dominoes, visit or just sit and kibitz. The specialty of the house is dominoes though, with the building filled to capacity most of the time. In the summertime, tables are moved outside under the cool shade of the big trees, and the games and visiting are continued there.

McAfee realized the need for a place where retired men could go for recration. Owen Fry, mayor of Frederick at that time, had a one room building moved into the park and this was the beginning. IN 1957, McAfee, a member of the City Council for years, volunteered to build a larger building if the council would vote a provision for the material – and the first stone building was built.

McAfee claims it was the best money he ever spent – donating his time for that building. For his efforts, he was given a ‘Life Membership’.

He has sen it grow from year to year and today it is a most popular spot. Former mayors Allen Byrn and Glenn Dobbs did much for the club, and this year, Mayor John Stacy and the City Council voted to add another room and rest room to the building.

The first officers of the club were:

L.L. Harper, president; Raymond Rich, vice-president; and Albert Smith, secretary-treasurer.

The club has dues of 50 cents per member per month. With this money, they buy get well cares and funeral wreaths for members who experience illness, loss or who pass away.