Ec's north island recreation league

[Eugene Church]

[Eugene Church]

[darkcloud4579]

Another brilliant creation, EC. Amazed at your ideas over the years.

[Eugene Church]

Originally Posted by darkcloud4579

Another brilliant creation, EC. Amazed at your ideas over the years.

Thank you... that is nice of you to say.
Much appreciate it.

Not sure how brilliant my leagues are, but I really enjoy them... especially this short-season 20-game league where I can really get immersed in it.

Look like you really have some good leagues going, too.

Impressed with your website... very well done.

[Eugene Church]

GAMES GALORE ACROSS THE ISLANDS THIS SUNDAY
The feature game in Island baseball this weekend will be the first place New Yerby Yankees (11-5) playing the second place Joliet Green Giants (8-8)... Joliet has to win to have any chance to win the North Island First Division... only 4 games remain on the schedule... there's also a big game in the South Island First League between first place St. Dominic (10-6) and runner-up Guedon (9-7)... the game is slated to be played at St. Dominic Field... and the two clubs tied for second place in the South Island Second Division will tangle at Bar Harbor... the Acadians (9-7) will host the Delacroix Cubs (9-7) at Fleur de Lis Field... both clubs trail the Meraux Tigers (10-6) by one game.

Other games with pennant implications are Dutton (8-8) at Jackson (7-9) in the NIRL First League... the Coyotes still have a shot at the top spot... in North Island Second Division action Theodore (11-5) is on the road in Kofa (8-8)... and runner-up Union Heights (10-6) entertains West Chester (7-9) at Hilltop Stadium... the Bobcats and Hackers are running 1-2 in the NIRL Second... the top team in the South Island Second League Meraux will be at home at Tiger Stadium welcoming the Chitamaca Moccasins (7-9).

[Eugene Church]

Monday, June 22, 1953

JOLIET JOLTS YANKS IN NIRL FIRST DIVISON
Runner-up Joliet and Dutton are clinging close to first place New Yerby in the North Island First Division pennant race, but time is running out... only 3 games are left to be played and the Yankees have a two-game lead... both clubs gained on the league leader this weekend... Joliet jolted New Yerby 8-7... Dutton knocked off the Jackson Jackalopes 9-6 in extra innings... and the Stockdale Mustangs stomped the Wafford Eagles 12-4.

[Eugene Church]

[Eugene Church]

[Eugene Church]

[Eugene Church]

MY LIFE IN 1953
EC's Glee in '53

It's the middle of June... school is out... EC is footloose and fancy free until the Monday after Labor Day -- the infamous first day of the new school year... EC will be in the 8th grade... actually, 1953 was one of my better years in school... I went the entire year without changing schools -- that's a first in my life... yes, my Mama, little sister Linda and me are moving to a new life in Mobile... my Mama is a waitress at the Rex Cafe on Government Street... she works the day shift... so she has to hire a wonderful lady named Roxy to babysit us... Roxy is a very special lady... dressed in a white starched-and-ironed uniform... no kids ever had a better nanny than Roxy... my sister adored Roxy... I adored Roxy and my Mama loved Roxy... she treated us like her own kids... she babysat us, washed clothes, kept the house spotless and cooked Monday through Friday... Roxy really was a member of our family... she was special... Roxy was a blessing from God.

Roxy taught my Mama, little sister Linda and EC that you don't judge a person by the color of their skin... Roxy was a wonderful Black lady and I'm proud she was a part of my life... knowing Roxy made our family better human beings.

We lived on Conception Street in a beautiful two-story antebellum-type house... we lived on the first floor and another family lived on the second floor... there was a beautiful mahogany staircase at the end of a long entrance hallway -- and yes, EC used to slide down the railings... goodness gracious, great balls of fire... sorry for the sudden digression... now back to the apartment... our apartment had 15-foot high ceilings, gorgeous hardwood floors and windows that went from the floor to the ceiling... not real big... it really was just three rooms and a bath... a living room, bedroom and very small kitchen... separating the bedroom and the living room were two massive, floor-to-ceiling, white folding French doors... my Mama and sister slept in the bedroom... EC's back on the couch in the living room like I was in that small apartment in New Orleans on Vermillion Street... no problem... I love sleeping on a couch... I like the wonderful back support.

Rent is $85 a month... I'm guessing Roxy was paid around $25 a week... my Mama's salary was $35 a week... in '53 the average family income is about $3000 a year... but my Mama didn't make anywhere near that... so our life depended on tips from customers... life was not easy for my Mama... but we got by... I never realized how tough it was for her until I was in my 20's... my Mama was a special lady... she was a blessing from God.

The owner of the house lived in an apartment built onto the back of the house... it was really beautiful... he likes classical music... and one time he invited me to listen to his sound system... EC was used to listening to small radios...but he had huge speakers, probably Klipschorns... the music was magnificent... maybe this introduction to music made me a lifetime lover of music... don't know if I have ever told you, but EC has his own audio system in my present life... it is a two-channel system... with a 250-watt per channel Anthem amplifier... two Klipsch Heresy III speakers and a subwoofer... it is pure heaven... when I listen to the trio Peter, Paul and Mary, it is like they are standing right smack dab in front of me... Peter on the left, Mary in the center and Paul on the right with EC sitting in their midst right smack dab in the "sweet spot" listening... the "sweet spot" is when you separate your speaker about 10-12 feet apart and you sit about 5-6 feet away from them and halfway between the two speakers... that is the perfect place to listen to music... there is a scientific formula to figure the sweet spot... I got it from an audio engineer on the internet... and it really works.

And since y' all brought up the subject of music, how's about we listen to two of the best songs being played on the radio in mid-June 1953.
"The Song from Moulin Rouge" is still number one on the pop charts... I played that for you awhile back... it was number one for 10 weeks and still has 5 weeks to go at the top spot, so I will feature another song... it's by Jo Stafford... EC thinks she is one of the greatest voices of all-time... she started off with the Pied Pipers and the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra in the 1940's... now she is a solo artist and is doing quite well with a bunch of number-one songs like "Jambalaya" and "You Belong To Me".

Here's the great Jo Stafford with a little bit of Pop Rock from the early 50's: "Make Love To Me".

Come on darlin'... sing those sweet nothin's to EC... I'm all ears for ya, dear!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6x24oxzwNwY

Well, EC can't forget about all you little darlin's and all you buckaroos, too... after 10 straight weeks at the top spot Jim Reeves and "Mexican Joe" were finally replaced as the number one country song in early June by Hank Williams... here's the great Hank Williams and his Drifting Cowboy band entertaining y'all with another tearjerker from his life -- "Take These Chains From My Heart".

Sing it purty, Hank!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdtSxT_R6C4

[Eugene Church]

Monday, June 22, 1953

BOBCATS WIDEN NIRL 2ND LEAD OVER HACKERS
The Theodore Bobcats and their big, booming bats widened their lead over Union Heights to 2 games in the North Island Second Division title race... the Bobcats blasted the Kofa Kings 10-5, while the second place Hackers were getting their lumps at the hands of the West Chester Comets 9-1... in the other game Sunday afternoon Kinston whipped Avalon 4-1.

[Eugene Church]

[Eugene Church]

[Eugene Church]

MY LIFE IN 1953
EC's Glee in '53

EC loves music, movies and sports... that's pretty much the story of my life... guess I need to update you on baseball in June, 1953.

My Mobile Bears are not doing very well in the Southern Association... the Bears are bad... and in seventh place... my New Orleans Pelicans have perked up recently and have climbed up into fifth place, only 5 and a half games back of the league-leading Chattanooga Lookouts.

EC does not like the New York Yankees... haven't pulled for them since George Steinbrenner took over the team.. but I used to like the Bronx Bombers in the 50's and 60's... wow, the Yanks are really playing good ball this season... already ahead by 11 games in the American League, led by Yogi Berra, Mickey Mantle, Phil Rizzuto at the plate and by Whitey Ford, Vic Raschi, Eddie Lopat, Allie Reynolds and Johnny Sain on the mound... don't think anybody will catch the Yankees this season.

I always liked the Yankees because they always beat those dastardly Brooklyn Dodgers, who always beat Stan "The Man" Musial and my St. Louis Cardinals in the late 40's and 50's... it's a tight race so far in the National League... Milwaukee is up by 2 and a half games over the Dodgers... my Cardinals are within striking distance, 5 games off the pace... the Phillies are running fourth and trail by 7 games.

The Braves are led by the fine pitching of Warren Spahn, Bob Buhl, Lew Burdette, Johnny Antonelli and Max Surkont... at the plate it's Eddie Mathews, Joe Adcock, Sid Gordon, Andy Pafko, Johnny Logan and Bill Bruton.

Brooklyn is loaded with the likes of Duke Snider, Roy Campanella, Pee Wee Reese, Jackie Robinson, Gil Hodges and Carl Furillo... wow, don't like 'em at all, y'all, but that is an awesome team... plus they got pitchers, too... Carl Erskine, Preacher Roe, Clem Labine, Johnny Podres and Russ Meyer.

My Cardinals are sparked by Stan Musial, Enos Slaughter, Red Schoendienst, Ray Jablonski and Rip Repulski... on the hill it's Harvey Haddix, Gerry Staley and Vinegar Bend Mizell... good team, but not as good as those dastardly Dodgers.

The Philadelphia Phillies are no longer the "Whiz Kids"... but they still have Richie Ashburn, Del Ennis and Granny Hamner, along with hurlers Robin Roberts, Curt Simmons and Jim Konstanty... still a capable team.

[Eugene Church]

MY LIFE IN 1953
EC's Glee in '53

After an absence of three years EC is home again in Mobile, Alabama, the Azalea City... home of the bee-you-tee-full Bellingrath Gardens... go in the Spring when the Azaleas are in their bull bloom and full glory... also home of the first Mardi Gras in the United States... I personally prefer Mardi Gras in Mobile... it's more like a State Fair with parades... and really kid friendly... New Orleans is mainly parades and catching worthless beads... and of course, Mobile is the home of the Mobile Bears, my favorite team of all times in my beloved Southern Association... I think the Southern Association started in 1901 and lasted until 1960.

EC is in his glory... going to Hartwell Field to watch the Bears... listening to Jack Bitterman do the play-by-play on WABB radio... and reading about the Bears in the Mobile Press-Register... thought I'd share a couple of box scores... I loved the "Bear-O-Meter" (a play on the word "barometer"), which gave all the current stats of the Mobile players... the New Orleans Times-Picayune presents "Baseball Barometer", which is the league standings of all the leagues the paper covers.

The Bears are pretty bad... first baseman Norm Larker was an very good first baseman... he spent 6 seasons in the Major Leagues and had a couple of decent years... he hit .323 for Brooklyn one year... Larker played 3 years with Mobile... .300 hitter, 20 homers, 75 RBIs... Ray Shearer was a fine center fielder and played for Mobile for 3 seasons... a .300 hitter with good power, around 25-30 doubles and 20 homers a season with 85-100 RBIs in Double A and Triple A... he was just a 12-year journeyman minor league outfielder... but he did hit .500 for Montreal in the Major Leagues... yeah, I know... he only had 3 at bats... was 1 for 2 with a walk... Shearer was one of my all-time favorite Bears... I also see Dick Teed... a fine defensive catcher in Double A and Triple A... .280 hitter in 3 seasons with the Bears.

New Orleans is better than the Bears... must have been the pitching staff... the regulars do not look much better than Mobile... Double A and Triple A first baseman Al Grunwald had 3 good seasons with the Pelicans, hitting .293, .320 and .332... 30 doubles, 20 homers a year... 100 RBIs... Gail Henley was a solid minor-league center fielder that could hit... Triple A and Double A... played 6 years in the Southern Association compiled a .285 BA with 25 doubles, 15 homers and 75 RBIs on average... Mel Brookey was a good defensive catcher... not much of a hitter... batted around .260... no power 2-3 homers a year... 50 RBIs... and Felipe Montemayor, a fine defensive center fielder... played 4 years with the Pels, batting .277, .282, .236 and .309... one year was outstanding with 30 doubles, 6 triples, 24 homers, 100 RBIs... Montemayor played a few games in the Majors with the terrible Pirates... over 2 seasons he played 64 games and batted only .173 for Pittsburgh.

Sorry, I think the Associated Press or Elias Sports would abbreviate players' names to fit them in the box scores... the print quality of the Mobile Press-Register is sometimes pretty bad.
Note that it was Ladies Night at Hartwell Field in Mobile... 557 ladies got in free to the game... only 926 paid admissions... Mobile was not a good sports city, except for the wonderful Senior Bowl All-Star Football Game that is held each year at Ladd Memorial Stadium... that's where my high school graduation was held... outdoors for 922 graduates of Murphy High School,which was the largest high school in the South at that time... it was a beautiful southern night under southern skies and I got to sit next to one of the school's beauty queens at graduation... I was in awe at first, but then found out to my surprise, she was just an average gal, like I was an average guy... she was not stuck up or uppity at all, y'all... actually she was quite friendly and amiable toward EC... she was a very nice young southern belle.

[Eugene Church]

Monday, June 22, 1953

SAINTS, GATORS TIED FOR TOP SPOT IN SIRL FIRST
The Guedon Gators needed a win in the worst way Sunday afternoon on the road at St. Dominic Field and they got it... they squeezed out a 3-2 victory over the St. Dominic Saints to tie them for the top spot in the South Island Recreational League First League... a loss would have dealt Guedon a serious blow to their pennant chances... now they have new life... three teams are battling hard to avoid being relegated to the SIRL Second League... the fifth and sixth place clubs will be demoted at the end of the season... Claiborne won a big battle with the Opelousas Lions 8-1... and Labadieville lost 15-10 to last place Des Allemands... the Cardinals, Lions and Pelicans are all endangered of being demoted next year.

[Eugene Church]

[Eugene Church]

[Eugene Church]

[Eugene Church]

Monday, June 22, 1953

MERAUX HOLDS ON TO SCANT LEAD IN SISL, BAR HARBOR CLINGS CLOSE
All first place Meraux has to do is win three more games and no on can catch them in the South Island Second League standings... if the Tigers close out with three more victories they will wrap up their first-ever league title... Bar Harbor continues to cling close on their heels, just one game off the pace... both were victorious this weekend... Meraux had a close call, but managed to pull out a 4-3 triumph over the Chitamaca Moccasins... Bar Harbor won its 5th consecutive game plastering the Delacroix Cubs 7-1 and knocking them out of a tie for the second spot... the Bayou Bleu Blues were singing some high notes with a 7-2 victory over the Mystic Mariners... three clubs are now deadlocked for last place.