The Evergreen Courant's Sports Flashback for July 26, 2021

Auburn's Ralph "Shug" Jordan

15 YEARS AGO
JULY 27, 2006

Sparta Academy and all Alabama Independent School Association schools will begin summer football practice today.
Russ Brown, an assistant coach on head coach Clint Floyd’s staff at Sparta, said they’re expecting to have between 25 to 30 players to show up for opening day drills.
Floyd was hired in May to replace Daniel Wilson, who resigned to accept an assistant coaching position at T.R. Miller High School in Brewton.

Evergreen improved to 1-1 without snapping the football last Saturday when the Jaguars’ Minor League professional football team accepted a forfeit.
Victor Coleman, the team’s owner and coach, said the Baton Rouge, La. Eagles were not able to field a team.
Evergreen opened its regular season July 15 with a 24-6 loss to the Bayou Vipers of Hammond, La. in Evergreen.

Hillcrest High School will serve as host for a 7-on-7 scrimmage tonight at Jaguar Stadium in Evergreen.
Head coach Maurice Belser said the 7-on-7 scrimmage will start at 6 p.m. In addition to Andalusia, Highland Home, Enterprise, Straughn and Luverne will compete in the scrimmage.

31 YEARS AGO
JULY 26, 1990

Bill McGehee Memorial Tourney winners are told: On Tues., July 17, the Sixth Annual Bill McGehee Memorial Junior Tournament was held at the Evergreen Golf Club. Twenty-seven boys participated in the event.
The tournament champion for the second year was 16-year-old Scott Stephens of Rose Hill, Ala. Other winners in the age divisions were: 10 and under-1st, Josh Gardner, Greenville; 2nd, Terry Hammonds, Evergreen; and 3rd, Caleb Gardner, Greenville.
11 and 12-1st, Wade Warren, Birmingham (son of Connor Warren and grandson of Mrs. Byron Warren); 2nd, Walton Hickman, Greenville; and 3rd, Chris Waller, Greenville.
13 and 14-1st, John Hart, Brewton; 2nd, Jeff Sellers, Andalusia; and 3rd, Scott Sikes, Greenville.
15 and 16-1st, Scotty Stephens, Rose Hill; 2nd, Patrick Padgett, Andalusia; and 3rd, Clark Cameron, Andalusia.
17 and 18-1st, Brian Dassinger, Brewton; 2nd, Boyd Robinson, Monroeville; and 3rd, Matt Moorer, Monroeville.

The Evergreen Aggies Tiny Mite and Pee Wee football registration will be held Sat., July 28, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the old Alfa Insurance Office on South Main Street. This is the team with the green jerseys.
If you live north of Reynolds Avenue, thru north Pierce Street, including all of Route C, Route D and east of the railroad in the Route 3 area, this is the team you sign with.

34 YEARS AGO
JULY 23, 1987

LYEFFION QB’S MEET: There will be a meeting of the Lyeffion Quarterback Club Thursday night, July 30, at 7:30 p.m. at the school. The Tiny Mite and Pee Wee football program will be discussed. Any boys age 8 to 13 in the county interested in playing should contact Dan Byrd. Practice will begin Aug. 3.

Sergeant Major Frank Jones caught this 26-pound King Salmon out of Sheep Creek, 82 miles north of Anchorage, Alaska.

PEE WEE & TINY MITE SIGNUP: Sign-up dates for Pee Wee and Termite Football players at Conecuh County High School has been set for Aug. 1 from 9 a.m. until 11 a.m. at the school. If you are playing for the first time, you need to bring your birth certificate.

Army Sergeant Major Frank Jones caught this King Salmon, which weighed 48 pounds, out of Sheep Creek, 82 miles north of Anchorage, Alaska. He said: “Pop Jones and Kenneth Jones, eat your hearts out.”

Frank Jones Jr., son of Sergeant Major Frank Jones, caught this 26-pound King Salmon out of Sheep Creek, 82 miles north of Anchorage, Alaska.

Beano Baker’s SPORTSBEAT: THE ALABAMA CONNECTION… It’s been somewhat of a down year for major league ballplayers with ties to Alabama, the state that produced Hall of Famers Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, Willie McCovey, Billy Williams and Dixie Walker.

44 YEARS AGO
JULY 28, 1977

Peacock drowning shocks all county: The drowning Monday afternoon of Jerry Willard Peacock, 18, shocked this entire county. The popular Evergreen youth drowned after he and another local youth, Bobby Johnson, were involved in a boating accident on the Alabama River north of Haynes Ferry in Monroe County.
Jerry was a popular member of this year’s graduating class at Sparta Academy. He was an outstanding athlete and student and took an active part in all school activities. He performed outstandingly in a number of leading roles in productions by The Sparta Players.
According to information given to The Courant by telephone by Frank Blanchard of The Monroe Journal, Monroeville, the accident occurred about 2:30 Monday afternoon.
Monroe County Deputy Sheriff Larry Ikner said that Johnson and Peacock were fishing when they had motor trouble. Johnson was attempting to start the motor and was thrown from the boat when the motor started and suddenly jerked the boat forward. Peacock fell overboard in mid-river when he stood and tried to assist Johnson.
Johnson reportedly lost sight of Peacock immediately and after trying to locate his friend, who could not swim, he swam to shore and fell unconscious from exhaustion.

From “The Colyum” by Bob Bozeman: Mostly a country editor enjoys his work, but there are also unpleasant duties that must be performed. The most unpleasant is writing of deaths and this is especially unpleasant when the deceased is a young person taken from this earth when a whole life was yet to be lived.
The tragic drowning of Jerry Peacock shocked all of us who knew him. Jerry was a fine young man and as he and my daughter were classmates his death really struck hard at our house. Jerry was a fine athlete, a true competitor, but more than that he was a well-rounded young man, one who lived life to the fullest and enjoyed his family and friends. An example of his versatility would be the fine acting he did in a number of leading roles in productions by The Sparta Players.
There are really no words to cover a tragedy like this, but I do want to extend deepest sympathy to Jerry’s family and to his many friends. We all enjoyed knowing him and we all shall miss him.

65 YEARS AGO
JULY 26, 1956

Auburn Alumni Attend Meeting: Hear Jordan: The Evergreen Auburn club attended a joint meeting with the Brewton and Andalusia clubs in Brewton, Thursday night, July 19, at the Townhouse Cafeteria.
Ralph Jordan, head coach at Auburn, was the guest speaker. Coach Jordan gave a very interesting talk on conditions of the current football teams at Auburn and gave brief appraisals of various players asked about by members of the group attending. He stated that the outlook for the incoming football season was very good for Auburn. Others attending from Auburn included Jeff Beard, Assistant Coach, and Joe Shaver, Executive Secretary, Auburn Alumni Association.
Each of the clubs attending elected new officers and the following officers were elected for the Evergreen Auburn Club: Willie Tucker, President; Tal Stuart, Vice President; and Judson Gary, Secretary-Treasurer. Other alumni attending from Evergreen were M.M. Cardwell, J.F. Clements, Cecil Hagood, C.A. Jones, Guy Kelly, Henry Sessions, O.B. Tuggle, A.G. Walker and J.H. Witherington.

Last Week With The Evergreen Jr. League: Yankees Clip Sox 7-5: In the regular season double header Wednesday night the Yankees got off to a flying start off Claude Aaron with four runs in the first inning. Ward scored on Miller’s fielder’s choice then with two on Kelley lined thru short pushing in two and followed them home on Johnson’s single.
The Red Sox came back in their half of the first with three runs off three walks and three hits. Moses relieved Aaron and set the Yanks down in order.
In the third, the Yankees erupted again with back to back triples by Miller and Bullington and a scratch hit by Kelley who scored the third run on a passed ball.
Time ran out at the end of the fourth. Winning pitcher Jackie Frazier. Losing pitcher Claude Aaron.

Top Ten Thumpers: Joe Bullington, slugging catcher, pitcher for the Yanks, is still leading the league at the plate for the second half. Two newcomers have banged their way into the top ten, Jimmy Kelley of the Yanks and Jimmy Aaron of the Giants.
Joe Bullington, Yankees, .533; Bobby Smith, Red Sox, .500; Ray Granade, Red Sox, .500; Johnny Moseley, Red Sox, .500; Jimmy Weaver, Giants, .444; Eddie Lambert, Red Sox, .444; Bonner Ridgeway, Giants, .437; Jimmy Kelley, Yankees, .400; Jimmy Aaron, Giants, .312; and Leon Stinson, Dodgers, .308.

Monday Night Game Postponed: Rain postponed the Yankee, Red Sox game Monday night. This game will probably be played Saturday night. Thursday night most of the Evergreen Little Leaguers will be in Monroeville to see the start of the Little League Regional playoffs. All Star teams from Greenville, Brewton, Bay Minette, Jackson, Robertsdale and Monroeville will play to see who goes to the sectional playoff at Leeds, Ala.