Cafeoutdoors.com: Small town USA

For no better reason than the word baseball I'll just put it here.

Some of my fondest moments of childhood took place in Paris, MO,,,,sleepy lil town back then sort of like Mayberry. As a kid you could run all over town and yer folks knew exactly where you were and whose yard you playing ball in.It was a town big on baseball and softball.
I guess it was late 60's round 67,68,69 that Dad coached a lil league team there. He umpired games bout every nite that we weren't playing,,Him and Charlie Garnett and Charlie Mitchell,they were pretty much committed to the kids having fun. Last time I was there they had Named it Garnett field after Charlie and his son Rickie who carried the torch after his father passed,,both of em left this world way too early.
Anyhoo,,there were enuff kids in the program we had 2 teams in this lil ole town of the same age,the coaches would get together and look at the list and choose players before the season. There were 2 black boys that wanted to play ball,Pete and Leo, brothers. The one coach said he wouldn't have negros on his team,,Dad said I know their folks they are fine people,they can play with us. He proceeded to put together a lil league team that was undefeated 3 years running,,,most games were done in 5 innings,thanx to the 10 run rule. Pete was our 1st baseman,Leo played center,Mike played second,John was SS I played 3rd and pitched,David was the go to pitcher,Carl caught(a lefty) Roy pitched and played any dang where you put him and Dusty was bout like Roy...
Anyways were traveled round to other small towns most of the summer and it was up to the parents to help get us all there. I used to love riding with Pete and Leo them 2 boys could keep you in stiches.Pete he was on the quiet side but Leo,he was plumb full of life

They'd get to tellimg stories on each other,,lots of times their folks hadn't heard

I've heard Mr. Carter say Leo when I get you home Leo I'm a gonna tan yer hide. Leo bein Leo,,papa my hides done already tan.

I guess this is where I was really goin with this story and I have thought some about it from time to time,but never really knew what I was involed in at that time.
One day me,Pete ,Leo, Roy ,Carl and Dusty was playin ball.
My mom worked part time at the restraunt uptown (Jonesy's)
I guess it was noonish and we were hungry..We'd picked up a bunch of soda bottles and returned em so we had some spending money

Let's go to Jonese'y and get something to eat...Pete and Leo said ya'll go ahead,,they prolly don't want us in there...Well we talked em into going with us,,,lunchtime crowd,, we walked in with them 2 black boys in tow and you could have heard a pin drop. Not long after we sat down folks started leaving...Yes they were served.
When Mom got home I was informed that Pete and Leo were the FIRST blacks to ever be in there to eat and the folks that owned the place requested I never bring them back. Not that they weren't good boys,,but that it was bad for business.
At that age I never put 2 and 2 together,,guess maybe I still ain't.
But dayum we had a heck of a ball team and a hell of a lot of fun.

--------------------
A gun is like a parachute, if you need one and don't have one, you'll prolly never need one again.

Post Extras