After acquiring this land in 1919, James “Jim” Wims operated a farm and orchard here, then sacrificed acreage from crop production to create a recreational area known as Wims Meadow so his children would have a local place to play ball. That sacrifice proved worthwhile to him, as his children found opportunities here to explore their future potential and, like other youth in Montgomery County in the mid 1900s, did not become farmers but instead pursued professional and trade careers. His son Wilson played for the Hyattstown Bluebirds, later managed and co-owned the Maryland Wildcats, a local traveling semi-professional baseball team that played at Wims Meadow until the late 1950s, and also helped provide better recreational opportunities for the surrounding community, including the creation of the Clarksburg Recreation Center. Usually only one baseball game was played here on Sunday afternoons, when many guests walked the meadow after church, yet attendance was impressive as thousands of people, mainly from Washington, D.C., traveled on the “Great Road” to watch teams such as the Hyattstown Bluebirds face other Montgomery County barnstorming clubs, paying 25 cents admission. These local games featured players who struggled to become professional Negro League baseball players during the era when baseball was segregated from the 1880s until 1946, and county residents also traveled to nearby cities to watch professional Negro League teams including the Homestead Grays at Griffith Stadium in Washington D.C. and the Baltimore Black Sox and Elite Giants in Baltimore, Maryland.