EC's South Island League

[Clovidequano Dovatha]

Darby's a wonderful name, I think. But I think Church is a rather good one too, at least generally speaking, of course, EC. CD out.

[Eugene Church]

Yep, CD... I'm happy with both names... but it sure did get a little complex at times when the USAF made me use my real name.

To simplify things, I had my name changed to Church legally after I got out the Air Force.

I'm OK with Daniel... Danny... Darby... and Church... never really cared for Eugene very much... nope... didn't care for Eugene.

EC sounds better.

[Eugene Church]

I have updated all of the team rosters for the 1959 South Island Supreme League... will get busy in the next day or so on the Secondary League rosters.

[Eugene Church]

I have made a decision to drop the South Island Supreme League to 8 teams instead of 12... I will also drop the South Island Secondary League to 8 teams.

The reason I want to do this is to lessen the work load in administering the leagues... I want to become very familiar to each team and each team's players... I want to know everything about them... right now that is not the case... but I hope by cutting down to 16 teams, I will be able to do this.

Beginning with the 1959 season, I will have 8 teams in the Supreme League and 8 teams in the Secondary League... I really will miss the other 8 teams because they really have some good graphics, done by the best of the best designers... and I really love good graphics... and will really miss the teams I have to remove from the leagues.

Bottom line: OOTP leagues must be fun to play... right now it is more work than fun for me... I hope to change this.

[Clovidequano Dovatha]

Do what you have to do, EC. Perhaps, if the related teams' graphics haven't been posted anywhere, although I think they have at least a few times, you can post what you have for them, so that others can use them easier. Supposing they aren't already doing so, of course, for their various leagues.

I'm sure many, including me, could certainly use them, and would enjoy seeing them, if they haven't already done so, EC. Although I'm sure quite a few people regularly visit your various dynasty reports-related threads, you know, by now, seeing as you've been on this very board for roughly 20 years now, more or less, after all. CD out.

[Eugene Church]

Getting ready to play spring training games for the South Island Leagues.

Will begin work on the league schedules... the teams will play home-and-away against each other... a total of 14 games.

[jg2977]

I wonder which teams you are contracting?

My first vote would be the Braxton Bruins. I think they've always been awful throughout their existence.

[Clovidequano Dovatha]

Take out the worst eight overall teams from your leagues' known history, even ones that may have perhaps come over from other leagues, and leave the rest still around here. Go by each team's known overall winning percentage first, and then see if any of the potential contracted teams may have ever won titles in the relevant league or leagues. IF they have, then they could perhaps be immune from contraction, of course. If not, then they'd be at risk of being contracted. At least, that's how I'd suggest you try to determine which teams to contract here, anyway, EC. CD out.

[Eugene Church]

jg2977 and CD, thanks for the suggestions.

As you probably already know, I am really into graphics... I really love well-done logos, jerseys and caps.
I think graphics are an important part of a dynasty report league, along with a good presentation and layout, good writing and a good concept and storyline.

My favorite dynasty reports here on the Dynasty Forum are the ones that feature well-done graphics... dynasties that don't have good graphics don't appeal to me, even if they have all the other elements needed for a good dynasty report... graphics is a difference maker to me.

I will choose the teams with the best graphics for the 16 teams... it will be tough to remove 8 teams, which have very good graphics as well.

Not really concerned with the teams records.

The Braxton Bruins are not very good, but they are from one of my all-time favorite dynasties -- DreamTeams' wonderful Metro League -- he allowed me to use two of his fine teams, Braxton and the Parkland Perfectos.
So I will include them in the revised South Island Leagues.

[Eugene Church]

I completed the regular season schedule this afternoon... and this evening I simmed the spring training games.

I will recap spring training and then preview the 1959 South Island Supreme League and the South Island Secondary League.

[jg2977]

CD, I don't think any teams are immune from contraction or relocation. I read that in 1945, the Cleveland Rams won an NFL championship, but then a month later they announced their relocation to Los Angeles.

Perhaps someday New York City could completely collapse, and the Yankees could relocate, even with their 27 championships. George Steinbrenner at one point was thinking about possibly building a new stadium for them in the Meadowlands in East Rutherford, NJ.

EC, I do agree that Braxton has a very nice logo and superb graphics, so that's surely a reason for keeping them. Plus, you mentioned that they have sentimental value to you from another league.

[Eugene Church]

Saturday, April 4, 1959

RESTRUCTURED SOUTH ISLAND STARTS 5TH SEASON TOMORROW IN SUPREME AND SECONDARY LEAGUES
Every spring a young man's fancy turns to the young ladies... yep, that's what they say... but not on South Island... in recent years a young man's fancy turns to baseball and the South Island Leagues... the Supreme League and the Secondary League are embarking on their 5th year of operation... even the old men's fancies are turning to baseball... the new year starts Sunday afternoon all across the Island with a full slate of 8 games.

There was a big change in the South Island Leagues over the winter... 8 teams disbanded for lack of town support and sponsorships... instead of 24 teams, the leagues are now down to 8 viable clubs in each of the two leagues... the town of Joliet is a newcomer this season... the town merchants agreed to support the team so there would be an even number of teams in each league... only 15 teams were expected to be back.

The 16 teams in both leagues have been getting in shape and ready for the new season with practice games for the last month... they are ready, willing and able to go at it for 9 innings on the pristine and prim baseball diamonds... the teams will play a home-and-away series against one another, totaling 14 Sundays of play from April 5th through July 5th... the pennant winner in the Secondary League will be promoted each season, while the last-place club in the Supreme League will be demoted to the Secondary League.

The previous pennant winners in the South Island Supreme League were Jackson ('55), Pelham ('56), Mystic ('57) and Meraux ('58)... the league champions in the South Island Secondary League were St. Pete ('55), Moon Valley ('56), Meraux ('57) and New Yerby ('58).

According to the scribes and scribblers at the South Island Sentinel, the Supreme League champion will be defending titleholder, the Meraux Tigers... the Tigers are the only club on South Island with two titles... their biggest competiton will come from Jackson and New Yerby... Meraux also captured the Secondary League crown in 1957.

The favorites in the Secondary League are Cherrywood, Grin Hill, Parkland and newcomer Joliet... the Joliet Green Giants have always fielded one of the best high school baseball teams on the Island and are always a power in Louisiana High School sports... the Green Giants competed very well in the spring practice games.

SOUTH ISLAND SUPREME LEAGUE PREVIEW... MERAUX TO REPEAT
The pick of the litter in the Supreme League is the defending champion Meraux Tigers (8-3)... Meraux has posted a 19-4 mark in its two years in the South Island Leagues... their top performers from the very successful first two seasons are still with the club...shortstop Don Fontenot (.310 BA), center fielder Tony Moreno (.351 BA), third baseman Danny Collins (.307 BA) and second baseman Mario Sierra (.288 BA) are returnees... the Tigers are better than ever with the addition of slugging left fielder Aaron Mettler and southpaw pitcher Tommy Kitchen, two former star high school players... the bullpen will be in good hands with Kyle Fischer (14-3/3.09 ERA) and Kenny Carrigan (2-1/1.26 ERA)... Fischer was great the first year with an amazing 11-0 mark and an impressive 2.43 ERA, but he slipped to 4-3 with a 4.14 ERA last year... the Tigers still won the pennant, but it wasn't easy... Kitchen will compete with Fischer for the starting role.

New Yerby won the Secondary League title last season with a 10-1 record and was promoted to the Supreme League... the Yankees are 17-6 in their two years in the league... the Delaney family is finally getting some help with the offensive load... first baseman James Madison (.341 BA) and outfielders Silas (.263 BA) and Clayton Delaney (.295 BA) should get some help from newcomer third baseman Rusty Armstrong and shortstop Dom DeLuca... at age 38 Moses Delaney (.188 BA), father of Silas and Clayton, decided to retire from his outfield duties and take over the managerial reins of the Yankees... pitcher Steve Chancellor (15-4/2.53 ERA) will be back on the mound... he has been the key player in New Yerby's success... Chancellor was the Secondary League MVP last year... the Yankees should be even better this year with improvements in their bullpen, too... look for New Yerby to do well in the Supreme League... it will be like old times again with their old rival Meraux... the Yanks are a solid ballclub.

The Jackson Jackalopes (5-6) came in 6th last season, but a good crop of rookies has boosted their hopes... they are vastly improved and will test the Meraux Tigers and the New Yerby Yankees... the Jacks are beginning their 5th season in the South Island League and have an overall 24-19 record... they did well the first two years, winning the title in 1955, but have slipped since... ace pitcher Denny McCain (17-13/2.77 ERA) is still around at age 31... the team has always struggled for runs to back up McCain's pitching... they hope the addition of first basemen Nate Perkins, left fielder Lawrence Chapman and second baseman Mickey Retief will put some runs on the scoreboard... they really stood out in spring games.

The rest of the teams in the Supreme League are of the also-ran variety... the Delta Stars, Zebulon Zips, St. Dominic Saints and Mystic Mariners are just fair-to-middling... the Bar Harbor Acadians are just not very good.

The Delta Stars (24-20) have played good baseball in their 4 seasons in the South Island League, but they have lacked offense the last two years... the pitching has been pretty good... 4-year right fielder Jimmy Carter (.293 BA) and 2-year shortstop Boog Rucker (.294 BA) have been solid performers in the field and at the plate, but they lack home-run power... pitcher Terry Cockrell (12-7/2.90 ERA) is back for a third year... the Stars are excited by the play of rookies Steve Meeks in left field, Lynn Parker in center and first sacker Dicky Vance... they all provided longballs in spring training games... the relief corps may be improved this year, too... Delta could be a pennant contender this year.

The St. Dominic Saints are starting their third year in the South Island Supreme League... the Saints are 14-9 overall... they have very good pitching with Matt Seeley (6-2/1.88 ERA), but don't score many runs... they need help at the plate... left field/first baseman Larry Arbour (.322) is a fine RBI guy with power... rookie shortstop Danny Church gives them solid defense... he will help the pitchers... mediocre offense will keep St. Dominic out of pennant contention... the Saints are just a run-of-the-mill team.

The Zebulon Zips have been a .500 team in their two seasons in the Supreme League... they are 12-11 so far... not very good on the mound or at the plate... left fielder Eric Kiser (.293 BA) and third baseman Tubby Ernst (.261) have been their most dependable players... fair hitters and good defenders... the Zips didn't add much over the offseason... Georgie Jones, who led the Supreme League with 86 strikeouts in 84 innings is back again... he was a solid and reliable pitcher with a 5-4 record and a very good 2.69 ERA in his first season with the club... the Zips are weak in the bullpen... that hurt them last year and will hurt them again... Zebulon looks like it will end up 6th or worse in the league standings.

The Mystic Mariners started off like gangbusters in 1957 at 9-4 and won the Supreme League pennant in their first season, but it didn't last... the pitching went to pieces and they tumbled to 4-7 and 10th place last year... the Mariners are now 13-11 overall... they had strong pitching in the title season from lefty Logan Feeney, the Supreme League MVP in 1957 with a 7-3 mark and a 2.86 ERA in 13 starts... but Feeney fizzled last year with a 1-2 record and a lousy 6.66 ERA in 3 starts and 5 games... the Mariners did well offensively in the title season with a .286 BA and 17 roundtrippers... they were second in the league in scoring runs with 74 in 13 games... but the offense tanked last year with a .245 BA and only 5 homers in 11 games... the team ERA skied up from 3.31 to 5.03... second baseman John Dailey (.354 BA) has been the only consistent bat in the two years... Mystic added two longballers in the spring, slick-fielding first baseman Frank Gullo and third baseman Chris Reinhardt... they improved the offense, but neither hit for much average... wholesale improvement at the plate is needed to get back into championship contention in the Supreme League... not likely to happen this year... the Mystic Mariners are a bottom-rung team.

Despite a lack of offense the Bar Harbor Acadians put up a pretty good 6-5 record last season, though they hit only .241 with 11 homers and 41 runs scored... they are 23-20 in 4 years in the Supreme League... last season the Cajuns had the second-best staff in the league with a 2.60 ERA, led by workhorse Jesse Dodge with a 6-4 mark and a 2.62 ERA in his 11 starts... in limited duty the bullpen did well, too... Dodge is coming back, but he will miss the first 2-3 weeks of the season with a muscle pull... Bar Harbor needs improved bats... only one newcomer in the lineup this season... that's center fielder Junior Wible, a solid hitter with some power and a strong defender... top bats coming back are catcher Lionel Bissonnette (.371 BA), left fielder Adam Cunningham (.364 BA) and shortstop Mike Allen (.354 BA)... they need more help from the rest of the regulars... Dodge will have to come back strong and the bats will have to improve for Bar Harbor to move up in the Supreme League standings... probably not likely to happen.

[Eugene Church]

SECONDARY LEAGUE CROWN UP FOR GRABS... WIDE OPEN FOR THE TAKING
With the 1958 champion New Yerby gone from the South Island Secondary League and promoted to the Supreme League and Delacroix and Gull Lake, the second and third-place finishers disbanding, parity has set in... at least on paper, just about 5-6 clubs have a shot at the pennant... no one is head-and-shoulders above the others until you look at the spring training results and the rookie impact on the teams.

Here's the quality of the teams returning to the Secondary League in 1959... the 12th-place and cellar-dwelling Joliet Green Giants made the cut for this season's new league configuration... three 9th-place teams survived... add in the mediocrity of the 8th place team, coupled with three fairly good clubs that tied for the 4th spot in last year's standings... kind of looks like a hotly-contested and tight race is on the horizon.

According to the sportswriters of the South Island Sentinel, the cream of the crop in the South Island Secondary League appears to be the Parkland Perfectos this season... they have added some critcal bats that could make them a pennant contender... in past years Parkland has posted an 11-12 mark... last season they had a good starter in Denny Lee (6-2/2.50 ERA), but no offense... they ended up 6-5 and in a tie for the 4th spot in the standings... things could be better if center fielder Bruce Bundy, first baseman Aaron Kettering and catcher Paul Bryant produce in the regular season like they did this spring... the rookies will join returning veterans left fielder John Schwegmann (.308 BA), third baseman Raoul Robicheaux (.330 BA) and second baseman Davey Lee (.314 BA) in the batting order... the folks in Parkland are expecting big things from the Perfectos this season.

The Cherrywood Stouts should be the second-best club in the Secondary League... like Parkland they were 6-5 last year and came in tied for 4th place... overall in their two years in the league the Stouts are an unimpressive 10-13, but this year they are looking good and on the rise with an influx of talented players joining four of the league's premier studs 1B Tony Armstrong (.417 BA), shortstop Rick Fargnoli (.363 BA), second sacker George Hayes (.402 BA) and left fielder Brent Kittrell (.370 BA)... Kittrell paced the league with 15 RBIs last season... add in center fielder Robert Wheeler (.260 BA) and third baseman Brian Black (.448 BA) and you have a team chocked full of rock-solid hitters... in previous seasons pitching has been a problem for Cherrywood, but they think have the solution with rookie starter Jimmy Hartwell (3-1/1.72 ERA), who really impressed in spring training games... spring training competition is not as good as the regular season, but it can give some indication of talent and skill... springtime talent level is somewhat watered down with the expanded rosters.

The Billings Rams are ranked third in the preseason poll... over the 4 seasons in the South Island they have posted a dismal 17-26 mark, but in the last two seasons the Rams have been 13-10... they hit the ball well, but have had good pitching only one year... that was in 1957... the key to the season this year will be Clifton Chenier (10-7/3.78 ERA) and Mike Mitchell... if they can do a decent job on the hill, Billings will prosper... pitcher/shortstop Mike Mitchell (.392 BA), left fielder Mitch Anderson (.400 BA) and Deke Tanner (.306 BA) are a good base of attack... if first baseman Roger McCullough and rookie third sacker Ray Abrams hit like they did this spring, the Rams will be a pennant contender... but that's a lot of ifs.

The Grin Hill Smileys are looking forward to the new season... they are only 19-25 in their four seasons... in the past they were just a mediocre ballclub with poor pitching and not a lot of run scoring... four new rookies may improve the Smileys: RF Cliff Lebreton, shortstop Rafael Ramos and pitchers Leon Picard and Matt Moore... holdover pitcher Leon DeMent really stood out in the spring and looked like a different pitcher... optimism is rampant in Grin Hill this season... they are the scribes' fourth choice to win the pennant, mainly because the teams behind them are just not very good.

The rest of the teams in the Secondary League are just diamond duds and baseball busts at best.

Joliet took over for the now-defunct Guedon Gators' spot in the Secondary League... the Gators toiled in vain finishing last both years it was in the South Island League... they wound up a lousy 4-19 overall... they started off in the Supreme League in 1957 and were demoted to the Secondary League last season... three additions, left fielder Ronnie Fleming, third baseman Tee Chargois and hurler Antoine Chalamet perked the Green Giants up in the spring games, along with returning veterans, second baseman Ralph Varricchio (.333 BA), first baseman Alphonse Guidry and shortstop Phil Richard... even substandard pitchers Steve Spizale, Bob Proctor and Sid Landry looked better in the spring games this year... still the Green Giants will do no better than 5th place in the Secondary League this year.

The Littleville Supermen are a little better than Braxton and Pelham... they should be able to wind up higher than those woefully weak clubs... the Supermen are a mediocre 19-24 overall in their 4 seasons in the Secondary League... they will be decent at the plate this year, led by 4-year veteran third baseman Gerald Williams (.343 BA), center fielder David Barbour (.286 BA) and second baseman Justice Brown (.333 BA)... Littleville is hoping that newcomers like left fielder Dicky Hall and first baseman Johnny Jenkins will play like they have this spring... they will give the offense a huge lift... pitching is still the biggest problem for the Supermen... they have been terrible in 3 of the 4 years... judging from the spring performances, 1959 is not going to be any better for Littleville... left-hander Eddie Jackson (9-9/4.17 ERA) is their best hope... the Supermen will end up in 6th place this year.

The Braxton Bruins begin their 4th year in the league... they are a very poor 12-21 overall, but they did have a successful first year in the Supreme League in 1955 with strong pitching and solid bats, finishing in a second-place tie with a 6-4 mark, but the Bruins plunged to 3-9 the next season and were relegated to the Secondary League... not a lot of talent on the team... the top bats are first baseman Chris Bowler (.315 BA) and Mike Bryan (.274 BA)... rookie second baseman Chuck Abadie and center fielder Jeff Cook performed well in the spring games... the only reliable pitcher Braxton ever had was southpaw Jim Black, who went 5-9 with a 4.37 ERA in his 3 seasons... none of the current staff has an ERA under 5.00... but there is a little hope... rookie Emile Delhomme looked very good in his 3 starts this spring... Braxton is bound for the bottom of the league again... thank goodness, Pelham is still in the league.

The Pelham Oaks have been bad the last two seasons, but they did have early success in the Supreme League... the Oaks were tied for second in 1955 at 6-4 and they won the pennant in 1956 with an 8-2 record... pitcher Rufus Chenevert (6-1/3.27 ERA) sparked them to the title... shortstop Bernie Rivet (.465 BA) was voted the Supreme League MVP... he beat out catcher Doug Patterson (.372 BA) for the award... then the bottom fell out in 1957 with a 3-9 mark, which got them shipped down to the Secondary League... overall in their 4 seasons the Oaks are 20-23... for the last two seasons they have had no hitting and no pitching... still looks that way for 1959... rookies first baseman Bill Chapman and third baseman Mike Henson may help offensively... no help in sight on the mound.

Listen up, everybody... GET READY FOR SOME SOUTH ISLAND BASEBALL COMING TO A BALLPARK NEAR YOU THIS SUNDAY AFTERNOON!

[Eugene Church]

I'm excited... I think contracting the league teams to 8 teams in each league will enable me to give more details in my season previews and season recaps, so that I will get to know each team in greater detail... also listing more players in the previews and summaries and giving their stats will give me more knowledge.

I think you may learn more about each team as well.

[Eugene Church]

Monday, April 6, 1959

BRAND NEW YEAR FOR SUPREME LEAGUE... OPENS ITS 5TH SEASON WITH FEWER TEAMS
Welcome to the 1959 South Island Supreme League opening weekend.
For the next 14 weekends 8 clubs will be fighting tooth-and-nail for the league crown... 4 clubs have fallen to the wayside in the South Island Supreme League.

Sunday afternoon the 8 remaining clubs opened the brand spanking new season before good crowds... last year's title winner Meraux kicked off the new season with a 4-1 triumph on the road over the Mystic Mariners... two of the top teams dueled at Jackson Park and the visiting Delta Stars came away with a 3-2 squeaker over the Jackalopes... newcomer New Yerby promoted from the Secondary League showed well with an 8-4 victory over the Bar Harbor Acadians... and in a slugfest at Zebulon, the Zips powered past the St. Dominic Saints 10-9.




Supreme League Stars of the Week

[Eugene Church]

[Eugene Church]

[Eugene Church]

[Eugene Church]

[Eugene Church]

MY LIFE IN 1958
EC's Hopin' Life Is Great in '58

The months of July and August in 1958 were just blurs to me... they passed so quickly... the USAF kept you so busy doing seemingly useless things incessantly you didn't have time to think and deliberate much... you just did what they told you to do... and you did it quickly...no argument... no discussion... you just did it... I guess this type of training instills discipline... they just want you to react and take action and not think too much... I guess that make you a good soldier, sailor, airman, marine or coast guarder... and yep, it does... it makes you a better person in many ways... you learn to arrive on time and to follow orders and to do your job... to work together as a team... it might be good for all high school grads to go into the military for 2 years... our society might benefit from it.

What are my memories about basic training?
We were Flight 586... we were the 586th group of airmen to complete basic training at Lackland Air Force Base.

ED will always fondly remember TI John Randolph... that's Tactical Instructor Sergeant John Randolph... a 6-foot-5 lean, mean and black sergeant... at least he made you think he was lean and mean... yep, Big John was TOTALLY in charge... he would rant and rave and rush us around from pillar to post from 6am each morning to 6pm each night, 7 days a week... Big John was constantly taunting us, teasing us and training us... Sergeant Randolph was very adept at using his fatigue cap to get you moving quickly... Sergeant Randolph was quite scary when he leaned down one inch from your face calling you all kinds of names and threatening to do all sorts of things to you if you didn't do what he said or if you were slow doing what he wanted... Sergeant Randolph got your attention and he kept it for your 6 weeks of basic training in 95 degrees weather at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas.

I remember all of the songs we heard on KAKI radio - "khaki radio" - San Antonio is a military town... that is a catchy name for a radio station... later on they changed it when they found out that the call letters might mean something unpleasant in Spanish... for the first week the Air Force worked you to death... it was non-stop training classes, PT and physical exercise, both of them... inoculations and shots... lots of them...lots of walking and drilling... boy, airmen can march really good... however, we had no contact to the outside world... no TV... no radio... no entertainment... no snacks or soda pop... our only contact with humanity was Big John Randolph... the world could have ended and we would not have known it... we only drank water for a week... no candy... no coca-colas or soft drinks... it got a lot better the second week... at 6 pm training ended and we could listen to KAKI radio, a Top 40 station... we would shine our shoes, wash our clothes and get ready for the next day... you had to spit shine your brogans... they had to shine brightly or you would get "gigged"... the Air Force had a Gig System... they would give you demerits for almost anything... you were only allowed 10 gigs or demerits a week... if you reached that number, you would be "set back"... that is, set back in training and have to redo that week of training again... I got 9 demerits on a Monday morning and had to make it through the rest of the week without getting another demerit... nobody wanted to be set back... I got the 9 demerits for being "poorly shaved"... my goodness, EC did not have a beard... I had peach fuzz... EC really didn't have to shave... but guess what, I did, whether it was needed or not... one week I got 9 demerits for having a razor blade lying in the aisle in front of my bunk... had no idea who put it there... but it was there and I was the closest airmen near it... boy, did I sweat out those two weeks... looking back on it they just did this to scare you and they did... I'm sure they made certain not to give you any more demerits, UNLESS they wanted to punish you and get you sent back to the previous week of training... that did happen... all of us airmen feared being set back in training.

EC will never forget the second week of basic training... Big John gave us a 15-minute recreation break... he said we could go to the canteen and get a coca-cola and a candy bar... you would have thought Big John was a genie and had granted us two wishes... we really acted silly... each of us chug-a-lugging coke after coke after coke... I drank 6 in 15 minutes... and had 3 candy bars... yep, that was one of the best 15 minutes in my life... still remember it vividly today.

EC will never forget the day we scrubbed our barracks floor... a young lieutenant inspected us and our barracks... and he did not like the condition of our wooden floors... so we mopped and scrubbed them and waxed them... wow, they were gorgeous... but not so for our young lieutenant... he was very unhappy that we had not cleaned the floors... we had disobeyed his order to clean the floors... he wanted up to do it again... so we did... and we had to do it a third time... yep, third time... that's all we did that day was mop, clean and wax the floors... to be quite honest... the floor were never bad... it was just their way of teaching discipline, I suppose.

EC remembers the day we are marching and came to a street corner where a lady TI was drilling her ladies... lady airmen were called WAFs (Women in the Air Force)... until the 1970s the WAFs were not allow to enlist in the USAF... these marching WAFs blocked us from crossing the street and Sergeant Randolph didn't like this... he waited a little bit for the WAFs to finish drilling, but they didn't pay any attention to us... Big John then went to work on the Lady TI... he told her in no uncertain terms to get out of the way of his platoon or he would come over and kick her butt right in front of her platoon... Big John got his way... the Lady TI quickly moved her platoon out of our way... it was not really right for him to treat a lady like that, but we got a big kick out of it... in modern times Big John couldn't do that... today if he did that, Big John would get into a "heap of trouble"... and rightly so.

EC remember being on guard duty overnight from 12 midnight to 3 am... it is pitch black... you can't see your hand in front of your face... I think I was guarding a large gasoline tank... there is no one near you... you are all alone... it is totally silent... there is no moon to give you light... and you kind of get scared... for those 3 hours I imagined seeing people in the dark creeping up on me... I do believe that may have been the longest 3 hours of my life... yep, I made it through the 3 hours... I kept the big gas tank safe, I suppose... EC was well-equipped... I had a big stick to protect the gas tank against any intruders or invaders.

EC remembers the USAF Career Guidance Counselor... he reviewed my test scores -- we spent an entire week taking all sorts of tests -- and he determined where my talents and skills could best serve the nation and the USAF... I passed a language test that showed I had an aptitude to learn languages... the Cold War with Russia and China was in full bloom... Russian and Chinese linguists were much in demand... 64 years later I still remember the pseudo-language they created for the language test... the word for "frog" was "lyung"... yep, still remember that 64 years later... the Air Force at that time promised you could choose the school of your choice, if you qualified for those schools... yep, that was mighty nice of them to give EC the choice... so the Career Guidance Counselor tells me I have qualified for three schools... the Language School, Food Service School and Air Police School... wow, what a choice... the USAF wanted me to choose Language School, so they gave me the other two choices, knowing I would not want to be a cook or an Air Policeman... not to demean anyone, I think everybody in the Air Force qualified for Food Service and the Military... remember EC worked in the kitchen at the Ranch Restaurant for three years in high school... nope, didn't want to further my career in Food Service in the Air Farce... just kidding, didn't really mean it... I intentionally misspelled Air Force.

Of course, I picked the Language School... come December, I would be headed to the Army Language School at the Presidio of Monterey in Monterey, California, to study Russian for a year.

It's funny looking back on the basic training experience, but it wasn't really funny back then... but it worked... you learned to take orders and to quickly carry them out... the Air Force made me a better person... and so did my future wife, about 12 years later.

In closing, here's a song that is near and dear to our hearts... I'm sure you sang some version of this song during your own basic training days.
Here's Vaughn Monroe and his hit from the 1950s.... "Sound Off".

You had a good home but you left / You're right
You had a good home but you left / You're right
Jody was there when you left / You're right
Your baby was there when you left / You're right
Sound off! 1,2
Sound off! 3,4
Cadence count! / 1,2,3,4,1,2 ... 3,4!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3owoYQazL9o