Title
Tucker Motor Company's American Legion Junior Baseball Team, 1949
Subject
Baseball
Description
This American Legion Junior Baseball Team was sponsored by Tucker Motor Company in 1949.
In front is batboy Bobby Hanna.
Frist row from left: Cecil Ingram, Jimmy Walker, Tommy Belk, Buford Hamner, Neely Foster, Don Price and Steve Hunter.
Second row: Skeet Wilson (salesman for Tucker Motor Company), Jack Smalley, Jimmy Harrison, William Lawley, Billy Henderson (manager), Walter Flowers, Charles Burroughs, Jerry Belk and W. Otis Foster (sales manager for Tucker Motor Company).
According to Jerry Belk, one of the team members, only he and two others survive in 2017.: Cecil “Hootie” Ingram and Jimmy Harrison Jr.
Jerry Belk described the summer of 1949 as the best one of his life. World War II had just ended, and people didn’t have much, but the boys had “a little white ball” according to Belk. There was camaraderie among the boys on the team that lasted for their lifetimes. Belk says the remaining three still get together.
The team was composed of gifted, intelligent and ambitious young men. Jimmy Harrison Jr., who pitched almost every game, became an owner of Harco Drug store. Walter Flowers became a congressman. Belk described Jack Smalley, left fielder, as probably the best all-around athlete who went on to play football for Alabama for two years and become a football coach. “Hootie” Ingram became director of athletics at Alabama. Jimmy Walker became a preacher. Belk, himself, was a teacher and coach at Holt High School and director of Tuscaloosa County Parks and Recreation for 31 years.
The team had a great coach, Billy Henderson. The team played and practiced at Veteran’s Field, behind the Veterans Administration Hospital. Veterans who were able came out to watch the team practice and play. The joke that Belk attributed to “Hootie” Ingram was that their team had more people at their practices than the teams they played had in their towns. The team won the State Championship though they were beat out in the regionals, the first time a Tuscaloosa team had won the State.
In front is batboy Bobby Hanna.
Frist row from left: Cecil Ingram, Jimmy Walker, Tommy Belk, Buford Hamner, Neely Foster, Don Price and Steve Hunter.
Second row: Skeet Wilson (salesman for Tucker Motor Company), Jack Smalley, Jimmy Harrison, William Lawley, Billy Henderson (manager), Walter Flowers, Charles Burroughs, Jerry Belk and W. Otis Foster (sales manager for Tucker Motor Company).
According to Jerry Belk, one of the team members, only he and two others survive in 2017.: Cecil “Hootie” Ingram and Jimmy Harrison Jr.
Jerry Belk described the summer of 1949 as the best one of his life. World War II had just ended, and people didn’t have much, but the boys had “a little white ball” according to Belk. There was camaraderie among the boys on the team that lasted for their lifetimes. Belk says the remaining three still get together.
The team was composed of gifted, intelligent and ambitious young men. Jimmy Harrison Jr., who pitched almost every game, became an owner of Harco Drug store. Walter Flowers became a congressman. Belk described Jack Smalley, left fielder, as probably the best all-around athlete who went on to play football for Alabama for two years and become a football coach. “Hootie” Ingram became director of athletics at Alabama. Jimmy Walker became a preacher. Belk, himself, was a teacher and coach at Holt High School and director of Tuscaloosa County Parks and Recreation for 31 years.
The team had a great coach, Billy Henderson. The team played and practiced at Veteran’s Field, behind the Veterans Administration Hospital. Veterans who were able came out to watch the team practice and play. The joke that Belk attributed to “Hootie” Ingram was that their team had more people at their practices than the teams they played had in their towns. The team won the State Championship though they were beat out in the regionals, the first time a Tuscaloosa team had won the State.
Date
1949
Contributor
Betty Slowe (Description)
Type
Photograph
Identifier
2400
Coverage
Tuscaloosa (AL)
Original Format
Photograph