Step back in time features news items from The Daily Star 25 and 50 years ago.
25 years ago
Aug. 15, 1987
COOPERSTOWN _ When a Cooperstown couple started the Cooperstown Bat Co. in 1982, they sold 500 bats. Today they are producing about 10,000 commemorative and player bats a year and are planning to start selling on a national level.
Sharon and Don Oberriter, who also own Obie's Brot Und Bier Restaurant, started making bats to provide tourists with souvenirs. After two years of research, they started the small business with the help of woodworker Mike Shea.
One of the next steps in expanding the company is to start selling bats to retailers across the country.
"We have about 400 requests on file," Sharon Oberriter said, from stores who want to sell the bats. When the company enters this section of the market, she said, business will probably quadruple.
Oberriter said they probably will keep the company in its original location, in Pioneer Alley next to the restaurant. They may expand the work area, but they don't plan to move in the near future.
"It was a dream we had, and we have achieved it."
50 years ago
Aug. 15, 1962
SIDNEY _ The Sidney Village Board in session Monday approved the request of the Greyhound Corporation to be relieved of the obligation to provide public bus transportation between Sidney and Oneonta and Sidney and Binghamton.
At the same time, the board approved a request from Chenango Valley Transit Lines to provide the same service now furnished by Greyhound, maintaining the present schedules, subject to approval of the Public Service Commission.
