In a land far away long ago that no longer exists, there was a wonderful place for a young boy, nine years old to be exact about his age, who experienced youth at its best. He grew up in a small country town about an hour from the capitol of Tennessee. He walked to school. He rode his bike everywhere. And in the fantastical summer of 1954, he played baseball in the first organized youth baseball league as he recalls.
They called it the “Pony League.” He doesn’t remember the team’s name.
They had matching tee shirts with pockets, or at least some of them had them, and a few had matching hats. They played on the field at the back of the McClain Elementary School. He rode his bike just over a half mile to practices and games. He was selected to be the catcher, and that became one of his most frequent positions when he played from then until he finally stopped in an “Over 33 League” when he was 46 years old. In looking at the one home movie showing him playing he still thinks he didn’t look very athletic.
The next year, the town’s Kiwanis Club sponsored the first “Little League” at the new ball park just shy of two miles from his home. His mother or father would drive him to practices and games.
He did well in Little League, Babe Ruth League, high school, and American Legion ball, never the star but he held his own.
He doesn’t remember most of that first season. After all, it was seventy-one years ago. But he does remember loving it and will love it for the rest of his life: the smell of the glove, the feel of the ash wood bat, the sound of his bat hitting a ball, the dust, the awkward feel of wearing shin guards, chest protector and the catcher’s mask that never stayed put.
The photo below is one his mother saved. She wrote on the back the names of the players and coaches she knew:
“Top Row: 1&2 unknown, 3 Joel Martin.” The fourth one she named “Bucky Hesson,” but i’m pretty sure it was Bucky’s older brother, Bobby Hesson. “5 unknown, 6 Cullen Collingsworth, 7 unknown.
“Bottom Row: Coach unknown, 2 unknown, 3 Jim Jewell, 4,5,6,7 unknown, Coach Dennis Sircy.”
Can any of my Lebanon friends provide any of the other names for me. i would like to know who shared that field of dreams with me.
Many thanks for your recall of our youth. I was shocked by this photo and almost didn’t recognize myself. At first I thought the middle boy next to me in the back row was Earl Major, but your mother’s ID is most likely correct. The unidentified boy front row left looks a little like Bobby Bradley. As you probably know, both Bobby and Cullen were lost during their naval service. I was a pall bearer at Cullen’s funeral. Your dad was a good friend and fishing buddy with my father. It has been a privilege to know you.
Joel, How nice to hear from you. And yes, your father and mine were great fishing buddies, and my parents loved his smoked turkey. Turns out the guy on your left was Bobby Hesson, Bucky’s older brother. The second boy on the front has been identified as Wendell Edwards. i was shocked when i learned of Cullen’s passing and was devastated when i learned about Bobby. They were both good buddies growing up. How are you doing?
Retired for 10 years after 40 years as a commercial insurance specialist- 36 years with State Farm as a field rep traveling the state of Florida. Quit teaching to join the USN after 3 friends including Cullen & Bobbly were lost in Vietnam, and Martin Luther King’s assassination I’d taught one of the first integrated classrooms in Murfreesboro until that event. My dad was actually staying in the Lorraine Motel the day of the assassination while on business in Memphis.
Volunteered for the Navy, had always wanted to experience life at sea. The Navy treated me well, lived my last 2 navy years as “ship’s company” on USS Saratoga, reached the rank of E5 quickly, but decided to go to law school after 4 years. Was recommended for OCS, after going before a board of officers, but after paperwork was delayed due to a change in personnel, decided not to extend my naval obligation. Worked for a wonderful CPO in the “calibration lab”on Saratoga where he had me do his paperwork keeping track of all the electronic equipment on the ship which we loaned to the squadrons. Found the calibration work fun, but didn’t really like troubleshooting the gear which he loved. I’ll never forget the chief’s understand after my liberty buddy got a “dear John” letter from his wife and retreated of a store room for a couple of days.
My wife is a retired State Farm agent, was one of the first military police women in the USAF. the only one in our household with a purple heart. My son spent a year each in Iraq & Afghanistan with the US Army.
Almost 82 now, hoping to stay in good health and continue enjoying life a bit longer. Just discovered your site, and plan to continue following it.
First row from left to right
#4 David Cox
# 6 my brother Houston Robinson Jr.
Thanks, Newton. i should have recognized Houston, but don’t remember David for some reason…perhaps it’s age.
David lived down on Fairview
And I too practiced ball behind McClain and played our games at the new Kiwanis field.
A bike ride across town for me
😂
Front row, second from left, Wendell Edwards
Thanks, Jan. i did not recognize Wendell.
Those were the days growing up in Lebanon, Tennessee. Thank you, Jim