PIECES OF OUR PAST -- THE ET CETERA CHRONICLES - NO. 57 BASEBALL

 THE ET CETERA CHRONICLES - VOL. 57 (BASEBALL) 

HELLO JOE  - Joe  DiMaggio, one of the greatest baseball players of all time,  was traveling to a business meeting when he decided to stop and eat lunch at the Tindol’s Restaurant on Telfair Street on May 6, 1960.  While in route to the Stuckey Candy plant, the then vice-president of Public Relations for The Monette Company, joined eight others for a quick busines lunch.   The  Monette  Company provided goods and products to the    government   PX   system    on    armed   forces   posts.   Among the group were Bill Stuckey of Eastman, Mr. Monette, and two Miss America runners up.  Of course, the group met in a private dining room.

HE’S GOING TO GET BETTER SOMEDAY - On July 8, 1919, Tige Stone, pitching for the Eastman Semi-pro team, was battered by Dublin batters, who smacked Stone for 14 hits at Dublin and  10 stolen bases, in a 16 to 1 loss to Dublin.  Stone, an 18 year native of Macon, was later regarded as one of the best pitchers on the small league circuit in Georgia.    Stone went on to star as a pitcher and outfielder for Mercer University and several teams across the Southeast.

Stone signed with the Saint Louis Cardinals in 1923.  He debuted on August 23 and played his 5th and final game on on October 7, 1923.  In those five games, Stone managed to get only one at bat, but Stone made the best of it getting a hit.  In so, Stone tied an all time major league career record, with the highest career batting average of (1-) 1.000, highest season average of (1-1) 1.000, and getting his first and last hit in his first at bat. By the way, that hit came in his last plate appearance in the major leagues while pitching in relief for future Cardinal Hall of Famer, Jesse Haines.  Stone returned to the minor leagues, playing with Texarkana, Paris, Moline, Jacksonville, Coleman, Columbus, and Baton Rouge. Stone, a veteran of World War II, died in 1960 in Jacksonville, Fla.

PITCHER ON THE COURSE -  Alva Lee “Bobo” Holloman was a frequent golfer at the Dublin Country Club after his baseball playing days were over.  Holloman, a native of Thomaston, Georgia, is the subject of an often asked baseball trivia question.   Pitching in his first game with the St. Louis Browns and the first start of his career on May 6, 1953, Holloman pitched a no-hit, shutout against the Philadelphia Athletics, making the first and only major league pitcher to achieve that remarkable feat.  Holloman’s feat was short lived as by the end of the season, he only had three wins in his only season in the major leagues.  In his one year with the Browns, Holloman’s fellow pitchers included future Yankee star hurlers, Don Larsen and Bob Turley, along with the aging superstar Satchel Paige in the twilight of his career. 

WARRIORS IN KOREA - Will Ostoff, a member of the original 1949 Dublin Green Sox, was a paratrooper with the 101st Airborne Division in World War II.  Ray Mendoza, the handsome latin star of the 1949 team, was seriously wounded while serving in the Korean War.

William E. “Bill” Crago began his professional career in Marion, Ohio near his hometown of Gary, Indiana.  Crago signed a contreact in 1948 the Fitzgerald Pioneers of the Class D Georgia State League for the regular season and batted .223 in 105 games. For the next three seasons, Crago became a solid hitter and steady outfielder.  He drew the eye of Dublin Green Sox owner, Herschel Lovett, who offered Crago to a contract for the 1951 season.   Crago frustrated a lot of Dublin Green Sox fans with his great play.  But, things change. Crago was called into the military  PFC Crago served with Company A, 38th Infantry Regiment of the 2nd Infantry Division in Korea. He was killed in action on July 26, 1951.  For his conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in connection with military operations against the enemy, Crago was awarded the Silver Star for heroism.  Crago was one of 18 professional American baseball players who were killed in Korea. 

PERFECT SENIOR  - Chuck Beale pitched one of the few, if not the only, perfect games in Dublin Recreation Department Senior League history on June 25, 1990.  Beale went seven innings, striking out 13 batters with eight batters grounding out to the infield.  Beale also provided the game winning hit with a home run in the fourth inning.  Beale came back to shut out Statesboro in the opening game of the 1990 First District GRPA tournament on July 16, 1990 by the score of 14-0.