100-year-old news highlights from The Wilcox Progressive Era

Grave of J.C. Ballard.

What follows are 100-year-old news excerpts from the May 31, 1917 edition of The Wilcox Progressive Era newspaper in Camden, Ala.

Mr. P.E. Wallace of Ackerville has passed the mental and physical examination and is now in the U.S. training camp at Ft. McPherson, Ga. He is 21 years old. We commend his example to our young men.

Sgt. Willy Murphy, 1^st Alabama Cavalry and Cpl. Robert Young, 1^st Alabama Infantry, were recent Camden visitors.

The wind of last Sunday was so severe that the Steamboat Burke had to tie up at Cobb’s Landing. Fortunately, no damage was done in Wilcox County.

Press Pharr of Caledonia recently killed in a pasture on Snells plantation and near Bear Creek a monster rattlesnake with 13 rattles and six inches in diameter.

DEATH OF COLONEL ED N. JONES SR. – After a long and useful life, worthy of himself, his loved ones and his family, Col. Edward Nathaniel Jones Sr., a good man, father, friend, neighbor, citizen, Democrat and high-toned patriot, died under treatment at a Birmingham infirmary last Saturday, aged 79 years. His remains were interred in his hometown of Camden last Monday, the Editor was honored with his esteemed friendship, and as a slight tribute to his memory, an extended notice that is crowded out this week will appear in our next issue. – S.D. Bloch.

COL. E.N. JONES: On yesterday, May 28, we laid away in a brick vault in the Camden Cemetery the last remains of Col. E.N. Jones of the Camden bar. “Colonel Ed” was about 78 years of age and had been an active lawyer here since before the Civil War.

Prof. Emmet Kilpatrick is now in Co. 4 and also J. Brad Holman Jr., Esq., are in the officers training camp at Fort McPherson, Ga. Judson Hawthorn, who was in Idaho in business, is now in the Second Regiment, U.S. Army, at San Diego, Calif. Hurrah for you young men.

THE WILCOX COUNTY TEACHERS INSTITUTE: The sixth annual Institute of Wilcox County Teachers met in the auditorium of our County High School building at Camden last Wednesday and was in continuous session until Friday afternoon. The proceedings were conducted by Prof. Ledbetter of the State Dept. of Education, assisted by Miss Gray of Birmingham, who is also in the State Dept. of Education. There were 61 teachers present.

Official Notice, Registration Day, June 5: Notice is hereby given to all male citizens of Wilcox County, that there will be a registration on Tues., June 5, 1917 of all who are of the age of 21 to 30 years, inclusive, and subject to military duty in the United States.

Every male resident of the United States who has reached his 21^st birthday must register on the day set, June 5, 1917. Registration is distinct from draft. No matter what just claim you have for exemption, you must register. No one is exempted, whether sound, blind, married, white or colored.

It is gratifying to many Wilcox County friends of Reo. Francis Pappy, formerly of our county, but now at Huntsville, to learn that the honor of doctor of divinity, a degree, has been conferred on him by the Alabama Presbyterian College of Anniston.

Pine Hill: Mr. J.C. Ballard, who will be remembered as being very sick for some time past, died last Wednesday, the 23^rd, and was buried at Enon on Thursday, the 24^th. The W.O.W. camp of which he was a member buried him with all honors due a brother woodman.

The Pine Hill Dramatic Club, presenting the “Dramatic Players,” went to Camden, Ala. last Friday evening and presented at the school auditorium the three-act comedy, “Facing the Music.”

Mrs. Joedy H. Curry of Darlington has presented the Editor with a large Rutabaga Purivip that weighed 4-1/2 pounds. It was grown in her garden where she has many fine, nice vegatables.

NOTICE: My cattle are branded O in right side. Please notify me in case of any of them are found. H.H. Dale, Camden, Ala.

The McWilliams Medal, offered by Hon. R.E. McWilliams, for the big, best average made in the Camden Grammar School was won by Jessie Lee Bonner, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. E. Bonner. Grace Wallace and Jennie Stewart were next highest and received honorable mention.

We are informed that Mayor McIntosh and the Council have made a contract with Mr. O.B. Bradford of Selma to repair the second waterworks well, as to furnish more water or build a new well, so the Camden waterworks may be completed in a few weeks.

The county teachers association elected the following officers for the ensuing year: President, R.L. Griffin, Pine Hill; Vice President, J.B. Sellers, McWilliams; Secretary, Miss Alberta Chambers, Snow Hill.

CATHERINE: There will be some stereopticon scenes at the Baptist church Monday night for the benefit of the Missionary Society, carried out by Rev. Page of Nicholsville.

President Wilson has been invited to address our Confederate veterans when they assemble at our National Capital on June 7.

Pine Apple: Commencement exercises of the Moore Academy were held here Monday night. The graduating class, consisting of Misses Lila Davidson, Julietta Norred, Nellie McCrory and Adele Haskew, rendered their essays in a creditable way. John H. Wallace Jr. delivered the graduating address and was introduced by J.R. Melton.

The diplomas were delivered to the graduates by J.T. Adams, mayor of the city.

At the conclusion of the exercises, C.H. Newsom, principal of the school, delivered a prize offered by Miss Julia Barge for punctuality in the fifth, sixth and seventh grades, which was won by William Stasford Jr.

Professor Newsom was re-elected for the term 1917-1918.

VREDENBURGH: A real live camp in the Modern Woodmen of America was organized Wednesday night at Vredenburgh, Ala. by District Deputy G.B. Morgan, assisted by Messrs. L.Y. Moore and W.H. Drew, who has been very active in the organizing of this camp, and deserve much credit for such a large membership to start on, as the camp was organized with over 50 new members. The meeting nights will be on Monday night of each week.

Happy 130th birthday to The Wilcox Progressive Era newspaper!

This week’s edition of The Wilcox Progressive Era newspaper is dated for May 31, and I didn’t want the month of May to slip by without wishing The Progressive Era a happy 130^th birthday.

According to old, archived editions of The Progressive Era, the newspaper traces its official roots to May 1, 1887 when it was organized by editor and president Solomon Daniel Bloch under the name The Wilcox Progress.

In and around 1887, there were a number of other newspapers operating within Wilcox County, including The Wilcox New Era, the Wilcox Banner and the Camden News. The Wilcox New Era was established in 1889, the Wilcox Banner started in 1903 and the Camden News began publication in 1912. However, all of those newspapers eventually merged with the Wilcox Progress, which took the name, The Wilcox Progressive Era.

A little over 100 years ago, in the May 10, 1917 edition of The Progressive Era, Bloch, who was 62 years old at the time, celebrated the newspaper’s 30^th birthday with an editorial in which he declared May 1, 1887 to be the newspaper’s official date of organization. He also said that it was “with pride that we recall in these years, that not a line has ever appeared in its columns that any lady or girl could not read with pleasure. With our people, we have passed through years of adversity and sunshine, and shared with them sorrow and happiness.

“The Progressive Era has ever been the champion of unsullied democracy and the people’s rights, and has ever stood for the betterment of our farmers’ interests and the general improvement of our country. We thank our friends and subscribers and the county officials, professional and mechanical men, the businessmen of Mobile and Selma, and we hope soon to add the businessmen of Camden, for their liberal patronage. We trust by attention to our affairs and with the aid of our people, to merit their future approval and continued favors.”

Solomon “Sol” Bloch was an interesting man and was without a doubt the man who helped mold The Progressive Era into Wilcox County’s dominant newspaper. According to the 2002 book, “The Heritage of Wilcox County, Alabama,” Bloch was “one of the county’s most renowned newspaper editors” and was an “active political, civic and business leader of the early 20^th century.” Bloch was born in Camden on Jan. 16, 1855 and was buried in Mobile’s Springhill Avenue Temple Cemetery after his death at the age of 69 on March 17, 1924.

In late 1917, S.C. Godbold purchased The Progressive Era and his family published the newspaper well into the 1960s. Alabama newspaper legend M. Hollis Curl purchased The Progressive Era in 1969, and his family continues to operate the newspaper today.

In the end, the current newspaper staff at The Progressive Era finds themselves carrying on the outstanding tradition of community journalism that was established 130 years ago this month. This week, if you happen to see a Progressive Era employee out and about, tip your hat to them for a job well done and wish them a happy 130^th birthday.

Today in History for May 31, 2017

Billy Wayne Pettis of Castleberry, Ala.

May 31, 1578 – Martin Frobisher sailed from Harwich in England to Frobisher Bay in Canada, eventually to mine fool's gold, used to pave streets in London.

May 31, 1692 – In connection with the Salem witchcraft trials, John Hathorne, Jonathan Corwin and Gednew examined Martha Carrier, John Alden, Wilmott Redd, Elizabeth Howe and Phillip English. Alden and English later escaped from prison and did not return.

May 31, 1775 – During the American Revolution, the Mecklenburg Resolves were allegedly adopted in the Province of North Carolina.

May 31, 1801 – The Supreme Council of the Scottish Rite was founded.

May 31, 1819 – Walt Whitman was born in West Hills, Long Island, New York.

May 31, 1852 – Argentinian explorer and academic Francisco Moreno was born in Buenos Aires.

May 31, 1859 - The Philadelphia Athletics were formally organized to play the game of Town Ball.

May 31, 1861 – During the Civil War, P. G. T. Beauregard was ordered to assume command of the Alexandria Line.

May 31, 1862 – During the Civil War’s Peninsula Campaign, the Battle of Seven Pines (or Battle of Fair Oaks) occurred as Confederate forces under Joseph E. Johnston and G.W. Smith engaged Union forces under George B. McClellan outside Richmond, Va. Robert Rose of the Conecuh Guards was killed during this battle, and James H. Thomas of the Conecuh Guards was wounded. The Yankees lost 5,000 casualties to the Rebels’ 6,000.

May 31, 1863 – Pakistani-English captain and explorer Francis Younghusband was born in Murree, British India.

May 31, 1863 – During the Civil War, the siege of Vicksburg, Miss. entered Day 13.

May 31, 1863 – During the Civil War, an affair took place near Patterson, Missouri.

May 31, 1864 – During the Civil War’s Overland Campaign, the Battle of Cold Harbor began near Mechanicsville, Va. as the Army of Northern Virginia under Robert E. Lee engaged the Army of the Potomac under Ulysses S. Grant and George Meade. The battle continued until June 12. Nicholas “Nick” Stallworth of Evergreen, who joined the Conecuh Guards at age 15, was wounded here. He became an attorney after the war, state representative and solicitor of 11th Judicial Circuit. First Lt. Archibald D. McInnis of the Conecuh Guards was also wounded at Cold Harbor.

May 31, 1864 – During the Civil War, combats occurred at Bethesda Church, Mechump's Creek, Shallow Creek and Turner's Farm in Virginia.

May 31, 1864 - A small convention in Cleveland of Republican abolitionists unhappy with Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation and other things, nominated John C. Fremont for president.

May 31, 1879 – Gilmores Garden in New York, New York, was renamed Madison Square Garden by William Henry Vanderbilt and was opened to the public at 26th Street and Madison Avenue.

May 31, 1889 – During what is now known as the Johnstown Flood, over 2,200 people died after a dam failed and sent a 60-foot wall of water over the town of Johnstown, Pennsylvania.

May 31, 1906 – The Monroe Journal, in news from the Poplar Springs community, reported that the Rev. G.W. McRae had changed his regular appointment at Poplar Springs from the first to the second Sunday in each month, and had also sold his home in Atmore and moved his family to Grove Hill in Clarke County.

May 31, 1906 – The Monroe Journal reported that W.A. Mooney, the “efficient photographer of Excel,” was in Manistee during the previous week.

May 31, 1909 – The National Negro Committee, forerunner to the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, convened for the first time.

May 31, 1911 – Postmaster Dean reported that during the month of May 1911, the Evergreen Post Office handled 127,450 pieces of mail, an average of 4,253 pieces each day.

May 31, 1911 – The hull of the ocean liner RMS Titanic was launched.

May 31, 1913 - The crack baseball team of Belleville defeated Evergreen in a one-sided game on this Saturday afternoon, 28-3. The features of the game were the pitching by Avant and the homerun by Perrin Lindsey with two men on bases, both of Belleville. Batteries for Belleville, Avant and R. Lindsey; batteries for Evergreen, Whitley, Johnson and Blake, Williams and Blake.

May 31, 1915 – The second day of Monroe County High School’s four-day fourth-annual commencement exercises continued on this Monday with a concert by the school’s music department at 8 p.m.

May 31, 1916 – As part of the closing exercises of the Second District Agricultural School in Evergreen, this Wednesday was graduation day and the auditorium was filled on that night “with friends of the graduates, who entertained them with essays and orations,” according to The Conecuh Record. Misses Mamie Lou Smith, Mae and Aline Chapman, Annie Lovelace Moorer and Messrs. J.G. Lundy, Thomas Jackson, Bryan Northcutt and Percy Chapman composed the graduating class. The commencement address was delivered by Dr. Zebulon Judd of Auburn.

May 31, 1916 – A large crowd gathered for Monroe County High School’s annual graduation exercises in the school auditorium. Dr. J.S. Thomas of the University of Alabama delivered the graduation address.

May 31, 1916 – During World War I, at the Battle of Jutland, the British Grand Fleet under the command of John Jellicoe, 1st Earl Jellicoe and David Beatty, 1st Earl Beatty engaged the Imperial German Navy under the command of Reinhard Scheer and Franz von Hipper in the largest naval battle of the war, which proves indecisive.

May 31, 1917 - The Conecuh Record reported that several heavily loaded troop trains passed through Evergreen during the previous few days en route to Chickamauga. The troops were from Arizona.

May 31, 1917 – The Conecuh Record reported, in news from the Castleberry community, that Capt. E. Downing Jr. of the First Regiment, stationed at Mobile, came home for a few days that week.

May 31, 1917 – The Conecuh Record published the following advertisement – “Washington, D.C. and return, $18.95, United Confederate Veterans Reunion, June 4-8, Tickets sold June 1 to 6, Limit June 21, Extended limit July 6, Extension fee 50 cents, Let us arrange your trip now as the attendance will be large, Ask us about regular and special service, C.H. Mann, D.P.A., Pensacola, Fla., C. Hawkins, Agent.”

May 31, 1917 – The Monroe Journal reported that completion of plans for the 27^th annual reunion of the United Confederate Veterans to be held in Washington from June 4 to 8 was announced by Col. Robert N. Harper, chairman of the citizens’ reunion committee. Harper stated that 16 hours of each day would be filled with patriotic, social and spectacular events. President Wilson was expected to address the opening session of the veterans on June 5. The parade was to take place on June 7. The visitors were also to go to the battlefield of Gettysburg June 8 to take part in the dedication of the Virginia memorial of which an equestrian state of General Robert E. Lee was the central figure.

May 31, 1917 – The Monroe Journal reported that the sheriff’s department effected a few days ago the capture of a negro labor agent who had been operating in that section in violation of state laws. Officers had been on the lookout for such agents for some time but previously were unable to secure conclusive proof of guilt. The capture was effected at the L&N Railroad station where the agent was awaiting transportation for himself and several negro laborers whom he had engaged and for which he had wired his employers. The negro gave his name as Sam Moore, claiming to hail from Bagdad, Fla. When taken into custody a concealed pistol was found on his person, hence he was held on two charges.

May 31, 1919 - Capt. Raymond Brown stopped off in Evergreen, Ala. on this Saturday for a few hours to renew old acquaintances. Capt. Brown was “with Co. E, the old Fourth,” which was encamped in Evergreen for a few months in the spring 1917, shortly after the declaration of war by the United States against Germany. He was first lieutenant at that time but after being in France a short time he was promoted to the captaincy of his company.

May 31, 1919 - John Lassiter reached home on this Saturday from overseas. He was wounded in one of the fierce engagements in France but was at that time in excellent shape, according to The Evergreen Courant.

May 31, 1921 - Suffy McInnis began an errorless streak of 1,700 chances.

May 31, 1922 - Commencement exercises were scheduled to be held at the State Secondary Agricultural School in Evergreen, Ala. on this Wednesday at 8 p.m. The keynote speaker was Dr. Spright Dowell, President of the Alabama Polytechnic Institute in Auburn. The senior class was the largest in the history of the institution up to that point, numbering 17 boys and 15 girls. The class roll was as follows: Ruby Allen, Annie D. Brooks, Ira Mae Bryant, Julius Edward Chapman, Harry Edwin Dickinson, Reginald Rex Golson, Eva Myrtle Hurst, Daisy Leigh Harvell, Helen Lucille Hagood, Charles Thaddeus Ivey, Aline Marie Johnson, Battie Drucilla Johnson, Mary Allen Johnson, Martha Jennings Lundy, Carl Henry Middleton, Algia French Miller, Benjamin Franklin Miller, Carlos Holgrove Mills, Samuel Robert Morris, Claudia Oswald, Ollie Phares, John Carey Pritchett, James Edward Ridgeway, Joseph Pickett Rutland, Lucy Clare Shannon, Johnnie Mae Shoemaker, Henry James Smith, Lemuel Robert Stallworth, Robert Lee Stallworth, John Deming Stearns, Charles Robert Taliaferro Jr. and Sara Elsie Williamson.

May 31, 1922 – In connection with the ongoing commencement exercises at the State Secondary Agricultural School in Evergreen, Ala., a baseball game was scheduled to be held on this Wednesday at 3:30 p.m.

May 31, 1927 - Johnny Neun of the Detroit Tigers made an unassisted triple play.

May 31, 1927 – The last Ford Model T rolled off the assembly line after a production run of 15,007,003 vehicles.

May 31, 1930 – Clint Eastwood was born in San Francisco.

May 31, 1934 – On this Thursday, Evergreen’s baseball team played the Andalusia Senators on the Evergreen field and lost, 10-6. Andalusia left fielder Nelson led in the defeat of Evergreen with four runs. Evergreen’s lineup in that game included Kendall, second base; Hanna, center field; Melton, right field; Steen, third base; Fergison, shortstop; Hansen, left field; English, catcher; Jones, pitcher; and Barfield, first base.

May 31, 1935 – In Lovecraftian fiction, Miskatonic University’s Peaslee Australian Expedition reached the Great Sandy Desert.

May 31, 1935 – The State Secondary Agricultural School in Evergreen, Ala. was scheduled to hold its 43rd annual commencement exercises. Dr. S.J. Hocking of the University of Alabama was scheduled to deliver the baccalaureate address, and the school’s principal, Prof. W.Y. Fleming, was to present the seniors with their diplomas.

May 31, 1935 - Alabama author Sara Haardt died in Baltimore, Md.

May 31, 1937 - The Brooklyn Dodgers ended Carl Hubbell's of the New York Giants 24-game winning streak.

May 31, 1941 - The first issue of "Parade: The Weekly Picture Newspaper" went on sale.

May 31, 1941 – During the Anglo-Iraqi War, the United Kingdom completed the re-occupation of Iraq and returned 'Abd al-Ilah to power as regent for Faisal II.

May 31, 1943 – Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Namath was born in Beaver Falls, Pa. He went on to play for the University of Alabama, the New York Jets and the Los Angeles Rams. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1985.

May 31, 1945 – Italian-Austrian SS officer Odilo Globocnik, around 11:30 a.m., committed suicide by biting on a cyanide capsule in Paternion, Austria. He was 41 years old.

May 31, 1955 – Award winning pilot and engineer Dave McKenzie graduated from Evergreen High School in Evergreen, Ala.

May 31-June 5, 1956 – In the first game of the season in Evergreen’s Pony League, the Chicks beat the Pelicans, 14-12. The game started on Thurs., May 31, but was called at the end of the third inning due to darkness as the Chicks led, 7-4. The game resumed on Tues., June 5, and the Chicks went on to win. Carl Dyess was the manager of the Chicks, and Moreno White was the manager of the Pelicans.

May 31, 1961 - Jimi Hendrix enlisted in the U.S. Army.

May 31, 1963 - Graduation exercises at Repton High School were scheduled to be held at 8 p.m. on this Friday night. Betty Jo Richards was named valedictorian of the graduating class of 1963, which was announced by H.E. Penny, principal of Repton High School. Faye Ellis had been chosen as salutatorian. Twenty-five seniors were slated to receive diplomas.

May 31, 1965 – Lyeffion High School was scheduled to hold graduation exercises on this Monday night at 8 p.m. in the school auditorium in Lyeffion, Ala. Keith Holcombe was the valedictorian, and Bobbie J. Carter was the salutatorian. Twenty-four seniors were expected to receive diplomas.

May 31, 1965 – As part of Operation Rolling Thunder, U.S. planes bombed an ammunition depot at Hoi Jan, west of Hanoi, and tried again to drop the Than Hoa highway bridge.

May 31, 1968 – Army PFC Jimmy Ray Thomas, 20, of Brewton, Ala. was killed in action in Vietnam. Born on Sept. 9, 1947, he was a member of Troop A, 1^st Cavalry, 4^th Infantry Division in Vietnam. He was buried in the Catawba Springs Cemetery in the Keego community of Escambia County, Ala.

May 31, 1969 – U.S. Army PFC Billy Wayne Pettis, 21, of Castleberry, Ala., was killed in action in Ben Luc, Long An, Vietnam. Up to that point, he was the fifth Conecuh Countian to lose his life in Vietnam, where he arrived on March 10, 1969. Funeral services were held June 7 at Oak Grove Holiness Church at Sandcut with the Rev. L.L. Smith and the Rev. Cobb officiating. Burial was in the church cemetery. Born on Feb. 29, 1948 in Castleberry, he was an infantryman in Co. B, 5^th Battalion, 12^th Infantry Regiment, 199^th Infantry Brigade. Pettis was featured in the June 27, 1969 edition of LIFE magazine in a cover story entitled “The Faces of the American Dead in Vietnam: One Week's Toll.” Pettis was awarded the Purple Heart Medal, the Bronze Star Medal and the Combat Infantry Badge.

May 31, 1970 - About 75 communist soldiers who had seized key outposts in the city of Dalat, 145 miles northeast of Saigon, managed to slip past 2,500 South Vietnamese militiamen and soldiers who had surrounded their positions.

May 31, 1971 – In accordance with the Uniform Monday Holiday Act passed by the U.S. Congress in 1968, observation of Memorial Day occurred on the last Monday in May for the first time, rather than on the traditional Memorial Day of May 30.

May 31, 1972 – Fort Pickens on Santa Rosa Island near Pensacola, Fla. was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

May 31, 1973 – Joseph “Joe” Leon Reddoch, probably Monroe County’s most avid sports fan, died on this Thursday in Monroe County Hospital. He was 74 years old. He was active in the Monroe County Little League and was a renowned supporter of all the school teams in the county. He belonged to several school booster clubs in the area and was perhaps Patrick Henry’s most enthusiastic Patriot fan. He was instrumental in raising money for scholarships for PHJC athletes.

May 31, 1973 - The Monroe County Babe Ruth League opened its season with a bang on this Thursday night at the local Babe Ruth Park, with the Reds and Tigers capturing wins. The Tigers shut out the Yanks, 13-0, as the Tigers’ pitcher, Rhett Barnes, threw a no-hitter. In the process, Barnes struck out 12 batters.

May 31, 1974 - Alabama naturalist and author Blanche Evans Dean died in Goodwater, in Coosa County, Ala.

May 31, 1976 – Irish actor Colin Farrell was born in Baldoyle, Dublin, Ireland.

May 31, 1976 – NBA small forward Matt Harpring was born in Cincinnati, Ohio. He went on to play for Georgia Tech, the Orlando Magic, the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Philadelphia 76ers and the Utah Jazz.

May 31, 1981 – Major League Baseball starting pitcher Jake Peavy was born in Mobile. So far during his career, he has pitched for the San Diego Padres, the Chicago White Sox, the Boston Red Sox and the San Francisco Giants.

May 31, 1982 – Italian mountaineer and explorer Carlo Mauri died in Lecco, Italy.

May 31, 1990 - The first episode of "Seinfeld" aired on NBC.

May 31, 1992 - The final episode of "Night Court" aired on NBC.

May 31, 1997 - Ila Borders became the first woman to pitch in a minor league baseball game, when she entered a game in relief for the St. Paul Saints of the Northern League. Mike Veeck, son of famous baseball impresario and promoter Bill Veeck, owned the Saints, and signed Borders to garner publicity for his team and the Northern League, an independent minor league not affiliated with Major League Baseball. Borders, though, was more than an attraction: She could throw strikes, and she went on to pitch in the Northern League for three years.

May 31, 1999 - Weather observer Harry Ellis reported that total rainfall for the month of May 1999 was 5.17 inches.

May 31, 2003 - In North Carolina, Eric Robert Rudolph was captured. He had been on the FBI's 10 Most Wanted list for five years for several bombings including the 1996 Olympic bombing.

May 31, 2005 – Vanity Fair magazine revealed that Mark Felt was Deep Throat, the secret source that led to the uncovering of the Watergate scandal. The family of Mark Felt, a former FBI official, revealed that he had been the source for the Washington Post.

May 31, 2011 – Pro Football Hall of Fame defensive end Andy Robustelli died at the age of 85 in Stamford, Conn. During his career, he played for the Los Angeles Rams and the New York Giants. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1971.

Daily Rainfall Observations from SW Alabama for Wed., May 31, 2017

Rainfall (Past 24 Hours): 0.10 inches

Week to Date Rainfall: 0.35 inches.

Month to Date Rainfall:  10.25 inches.

Spring to Date Rainfall: 16.60 inches.

Year to Date Rainfall: 37.10 inches.

Notes: Today is the 151st day of 2017 and the 73rd day of Spring. There are 214 days left in the year.

Readings taken at 0700 hours Central Standard Time (1300 GMT) daily, just west of the Monroe-Conecuh County line and south of U.S. Highway 84, near Excel, Alabama, USA, in the vicinity of Lat 31.42834N Lon 87.30131W. Elevation 400 feet above sea level. CoCoRaHS Station No. AL-MN-4, Station Name: Excel 2.5 ESE.

The Evergreen Courant's News Flashback for May 30, 2017

Evergreen officials and veterans with Purple Heart signs.

THREE YEARS AGO

JUNE 5, 2014

A host of local officials, businessmen and developers gathered at the future site of the new Food Depot grocery store in Evergreen last Thursday morning to mark the halfway point of the store’s construction. Pictured at the event are Evergreen City Projects Manager Jeff Sullivan, Evergreen Concrete’s Mike Lanier, Rusty Daniels and Brent Salter with SDS Properties, Conecuh County Engineer Winston Foshee, Super Food’s Supermarkets President/COO John M. Wilson, Evergreen Mayor Pete Wolff, Evergreen Economic Development Director Bobby Skipper, incoming Evergreen City Clerk Mary Skipper, outgoing City Clerk Becky Robinson, Evergreen-Conecuh County Chamber of Commerce representative Mercedes Harper and Larry Ryland.

The City of Evergreen began installing “Purple Heart City” signs along all major thoroughfares leading into the city Tuesday of last week. Pictured with a couple of the new signs Wednesday of last week are City Projects Manager Jeff Sullivan, City Councilman John Skinner, Purple Heart recipient Greg Hall, City Councilwoman Vivian Fountain, Purple Heart recipient Ray Fleming, local Disabled American Veterans chaplain Michael Jackson, City Councilman and Purple Heart recipient Luther Upton, Purple Heart recipient Johnny Mack Grace, Mayor Pete Wolff and City Councilwoman Maxine Harris.

Evergreen weather observer Betty Ellis reported .44 inches of rain on May 26, .01 inches on May 27, .68 inches on May 28, .47 inches on May 29, .02 inches on May 30 and .60 inches on June 1. She also reported a high of 89 degrees on May 26 and lows of 66 on May 26, May 28, May 30 and June 1. Total rainfall for the month of May was 8.54 inches.

28 YEARS AGO

JUNE 1, 1989

Evergreen High School will hold its final graduation exercises Saturday night at 7:30 o’clock at Brooks Memorial Stadium, according to Principal Ronnie Brogden. The school will be consolidated into Hillcrest High School this fall along with Conecuh County High School and Repton High School. Lyeffion High School has already been consolidated with Evergreen High. Hillcrest, grades nine through 12, will serve the entire county.

Mrs. Louise Bradley, principal of Conecuh County High School, announces that the school will have its final commencement ceremony on Fri., June 2, at 7 p.m. at the M.C. Thomasson Stadium. Thirty-one seniors will be awarded diplomas.

Conecuh County High School 1988-89 valedictorian is Kerrie Garrett, daughter of Mrs. Shirley Garrett and James G. Garrett of Castleberry. The salutatorian is Tracey Madden, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Johnny Madden of Castleberry.

Evergreen City Clerk Mrs. Laurice A. Baggett was presented the Distinguished Service Award by the Alabama League of Municipalities during its recent convention in Montgomery. Mrs. Baggett received a plaque “in recognition of outstanding performance in promoting he aims and objectives of the Alabama League of Municipalities.”

PFC Jeff Walker (of Evergreen) graduated May 2 from Marine Corps boot camp at Parris Island, South Carolina. He is a 1987 graduate of Sparta Academy.

53 YEARS AGO

JUNE 4, 1964

Frank T. Salter of Evergreen won nomination to the office of Judge of Probate of Conecuh County over veteran Judge Lloyd G. Hart in Tuesday’s Democratic Primary Election. Nomination is tantamount to election in Conecuh.

Salter rolled past Hart by a complete, but unofficial count of 1,935 to 1,591. His margin of 344 votes came as a surprise to many political observers, although his victory had been predicted freely in the closing days of the runoff campaign.

Mr. and Mrs. D.T. Stuart and Miss Nell Stuart attended the graduation of D.T. Stuart III Wednesday from Auburn University.

Mr. and Mrs. W. Davis attended graduation of their son-in-law Charles Branum from Livingston State College Sunday.

Ellington Begins 13^th Year Here: Mr. Fitzhugh Ellington, minister of the Evergreen Church of Christ, this month begins the 13^th year of his ministry here. During the 12 years of his service, the church has made much progress in every way. Payment for the sanctuary has been completed, additional lots purchased and an educational building constructed and paid for, as well as heating and air conditioning the church plant. Mr. Ellington is a graduate of Alabama Christian College and served as a member of the College Board of Directors for five years.

78 YEARS AGO

JUNE 1, 1939

Thirty-Six Seniors Receive Diplomas: The graduating exercises held Tuesday night at the Evergreen High School wrote finis to the high school career of 36 eager seniors when they were presented diplomas by Principal Marvin A. Hanks.

The speaker for the occasion was Dr. C.W. Williams of the University of Alabama, who was selected to deliver the baccalaureate address.

After the address, the diplomas were presented by Mr. Hanks to the following 36 seniors: Russell Brown, Elly Cowart, John Dunn, Mary Horton (valedictorian), Warren Johnson, Devon “Bud” King (salutatorian), Elwin Knight, Willis Middleton, James Mitchell, Paul McGraw, Eugene Powell, Moye Pugh, Roger Salter, Gordon Stinson, J.W. Weaver, Jean Archibald, Fannie Merle Brooks, Eloise Cowart, Nelda Davis, Nan Deal, Avalon Ellis, Marion Gantt, Margaret Harper, Marylene Heath, Mary K. Higdon, Earline Ivey, Eleanore Jones, Sara King, Donirene Lee, Pauline Morris, Etelle McCreary, Ann Shaver, Willie Mae Sheffield, Movalene Smith, Nadine Wells and Estelle Williams.

Conecuh Hi Holds Closing Program: Castleberry, Ala., May 30 – The 24^th commencement of the Conecuh County High School took place Monday evening with the exercises being opened by the invocation led by Rev. B.M. Herlong.

(Graduates included valedictorian Ruby Lynch, salutatorian Thelma Williams, Edna Weaver, Lillian Findley, Marjorie Ward, Myrtle Josey, Juanita Sullivan, Edythe Hooper, Albert Griffin Jr., Luther McDonald, Floyd Oliver, Duard James, George Bethune, Winston Riggs, William Davis, Golden Suddith and Robert Deuel.)

103 YEARS AGO

JUNE 3, 1914

Cedar Creek: Our rural mail route started today from Castleberry and is welcomed by everybody. This community has felt the need of mail service for a long time.

The Board of County Commissioners is in session this week the full board being present. Tax matters and routine business are being considered.

Congressman Dent says that the proof sheets of the soil survey of Conecuh County have been completed and that the books will be ready for distribution within about two weeks more.

Mayor Gaston, L.C. Gaston, H.L. Dees, A.R. Knight and Milton Dunn were among prominent Repton citizens here yesterday.

The first tomatoes of the season were shipped from here last week. Since that time increasing quantities have gone forward daily by express. The crop has been greatly injured by the dry spell and truckers are much discouraged.

On next Sunday, June 7^th, the local lodge of Woodmen at China will decorate the graves of deceased sovereigns at Witherington Cemetery, and all Woodmen are invited to participate.

Miss Hart and Mr. Rowland Wed at Repton: Repton, Ala. – Miss Nell Hart and Mr. A.A. Rowland were quietly married at the home of the bride’s parents yesterday morning and left on the noon train for a bridal tour.

Today in History for May 30, 2017

Alabama Gov. William C. Oates

May 30, 1432 - Joan of Arc was burned at the stake. The 19-year-old, who claimed heavenly voices had urged her to lead France to victory over England, was condemned by the Church and executed for heresy.

May 30, 1539 - Hernando de Soto, the Spanish explorer, landed at Tampa Bay, Florida with 600 soldiers to search for gold.

May 30, 1783 - The first daily newspaper was published in the United States by Benjamin Towner and was called "The Pennsylvania Evening Post."

May 30, 1806 – Future U.S. President Andrew Jackson killed Charles Dickinson in a duel after Dickinson had accused Jackson's wife, Rachel Donelson Robards, of bigamy.

May 30–31, 1825 – During his tour of the United States, the Marquis de Lafayette stayed in Pittsburgh.

May 30, 1842 – John Francis attempted to murder Queen Victoria as she drove down Constitution Hill in London with Prince Albert.

May 30, 1849 – Henry David Thoreau self-published “A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers,” his first book.

May 30, 1854 – The Kansas–Nebraska Act became law, establishing the U.S. territories of Nebraska and Kansas.

May 30, 1861 – Randolph County, Ala. native and Lincoln assassination conspirator Lewis Powell enlisted in Co. I of the Second Florida Infantry in Jasper, in Hamilton County, Fla. at the age of 17.

May 30, 1861 - Union troops occupied Grafton, Va.

May 30, 1861 – During the Civil War, at a convention in Knoxville, a group of Unionists denounced Tennessee's secessionist actions.

May 30, 1862 - The Confederates abandoned the city of Corinth, Mississippi. After the epic struggle at Shiloh, Tennessee, in April 1862, the Confederate army, under the command of P.T. Beauregard, concentrated at Corinth, while the Union army, under Henry Halleck, began a slow advance from the Shiloh battlefield toward the rail center at Corinth. Halleck’s men entered a deserted Corinth later that day. Although an important city had been forfeited to the Union army, Beauregard’s army remained intact and, with it, Confederate hopes in the West.

May 30, 1862 – During the Civil War, Tuscumbia Bridge in Mississippi was destroyed.

May 30, 1862 – During the Civil War, skirmishes were fought near Fair Oaks and Front Royal, Virginia and at Tranter's Creek, North Carolina.

May 30, 1863 – During the Civil War, Robert E. Lee restructured his Army of Northern Virginia, creating three corps under James Longstreet, Dick Ewell and A. P. Hill.

May 30, 1863 – The siege of Vicksburg, Miss. entered Day 12.

May 30, 1863 – During the Civil War, an affair occurred at Point Isabel, Texas and a skirmish was fought at Jordan's Store, Tennessee.

May 30, 1864 - Confederates attacked Union troops at Bethesda Church, Va.

May 30, 1864 – During the Civil War, combats occurred at Shady Grove, Old Church and Armstrong's Farm, Virginia, and a skirmish was fought at Greenville, Tennessee.

May 30, 1868 – Decoration Day (the predecessor of the modern "Memorial Day") was observed in the United States for the first time (by "Commander-in-chief of the Grand Army of the Republic" John A. Logan's proclamation on May 5).

May 30, 1890 - Dave Foutz hit the first Dodger home run.

May 30, 1894 - Bobby Lowe of the Boston Red Sox became the first player to hit four home runs in one game.

May 30, 1895 – The Monroe Journal reported that Alabama Gov. William C. Oates had appointed Capt. Thomas A. Nettles, John I. Watson and Thos. A. Rumbly to serve as members of the Board of Confederate Pension Examiners for Monroe County.

May 30, 1896 – Filmmaker Howard Hawks was born in Goshen, Indiana.

May 30, 1904 - The store of W.S. Oliver in Repton was completely destroyed by fire on this Monday night. The fire was discovered about one o’clock, but it had made such headway that it was impossible to check it and the building with practically all its contents including the post office and fixtures, were soon a pile of ashes. It was with much difficulty that nearby buildings were prevented from burning. This was the fourth fire that had occurred in Repton within the past few weeks.

May 30, 1904 – The Monroe Journal received the first cotton bloom of the 1904 season on this day from F.S. Busey of Claiborne. Busey’s bloom was two days ahead of any the newspaper had seen reported in any of it exchanges and 10 days earlier than the first reported bloom in 1903.

May 30, 1909 – W. Roach, who lived near Castleberry, Ala., allegedly killed his wife and child on this night with a shotgun. He claimed he did so in self defense and surrendered to the Conecuh County Sheriff, who put him in jail.

May 30, 1911 – At the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the first Indianapolis 500 ended with Ray Harroun in his Marmon Wasp becoming the first winner of the 500-mile auto race. Harroun's average speed was 74.59 miles per hour.

May 30, 1913 - On this day, a peace treaty was signed ending the First Balkan War, in which the newly aligned Slavic nations of Serbia, Montenegro, Bulgaria and Greece had driven Turkish forces out of Macedonia, a territory of the Ottoman Empire located in the tumultuous Balkans region of southeastern Europe.

May 30, 1915 – Monroe County High School’s four-day fourth-annual commencement exercises began on this Sunday at 11 a.m. with a commencement sermon delivered by Dr. B.F. Riley of Birmingham, Ala.

May 30, 1916 – Senior Class Exercises of the Second District Agricultural School in Evergreen, Ala. were scheduled to begin at 8 p.m.

May 30, 1917 - The commencement exercises of the Conecuh County High School ended on this Wednesday morning with the graduation exercises. The following students received diplomas: C. Matilda Albreast, W.B. (Otto) Castleberry, Verna M. Castleberry, Sibyl DeLoney, Kate Holland, Haskew Page, Marguerite Page, Mendenhall Page. Mrs. L.M. Baskinsky of Troy made the address to the graduates.

May 30, 1922 – The Lincoln Memorial was dedicated in Washington, D.C.

May 30, 1922 - Max Flack of the Chicago Cubs and Cliff Heathcote of the St. Louis Cardinals were traded for each other between the morning and afternoon games of a Memorial Day twin bill. They played one game for each team.

May 30, 1927 - Walter Johnson recorded his 113th career shutout. It was also the final shutout of his career.

May 30, 1927 - Jim Cooney of the Chicago Cubs became the sixth player to record an unassisted triple play against the Pittsburgh Pirates. He caught Paul Waner's line drive, stepped on second to double Lloyd Waner and then tagged Clyde Barnhart coming from first.

May 30, 1927 - Johnny Neun of the Detroit Tigers became the seventh player to record an unassisted triple play.

May 30, 1932 - The New York Yankees dedicated a plaque to Miller Huggins.

May 30, 1933 – Alabama Attorney General Thomas E. Knight Jr. issued a press release about Conecuh County, Alabama’s “lion” incidents.

May 30, 1935 - Babe Ruth of the Braves played in his final game. He went hitless against the Phillies.

May 30, 1937 - Pitcher Carl Hubbell got his 24th consecutive victory.

May 30, 1939 – The Mills Brothers - Carl and Thomas Mills - announced on this Tuesday that they had taken over the Crystal Café which had been operated for the previous year by ‘Skin’ Hyde. They announced that a number of interior improvements would be made at an early date.

May 30, 1941 - Author Maud McKnight Lindsay died in Tuscumbia, Ala.

May 30, 1943 – Pro Football Hall of Fame running back and punt returner Gale Sanders was born in Witchita, Kansas. He went on to play for Kansas and the Chicago Bears. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1977.

May 30, 1946 - Carvel William "Bama" Rowell of the Braves hit a home run that shattered the Bulova clock in Ebbets Field.

May 30, 1955 – Irish novelist Colm Toibin was born in Enniscorthy, County Wexford, in southeast Ireland.

May 30, 1958 – On this Memorial Day, the remains of two unidentified American servicemen, killed in action during World War II and the Korean War respectively, were buried at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery.

May 30, 1962 - Pedro Ramos of the Cleveland Indians pitched a three-hitter and hit two home runs in a 7-0 victory over the Baltimore Orioles. One of his home runs was a grand slam.

May 30, 1963 – Willie Holder, a farmer who lived 2-1/2 miles from Evergreen, Ala. on the Loree Road, brought the first cotton bloom of the 1963 crop by The Courant.

May 30, 1963 – A protest against pro-Catholic discrimination during the Buddhist crisis was held outside South Vietnam's National Assembly, the first open demonstration during the eight-year rule of Ngo Dinh Diem.

May 30, 1966 - In the largest raids since air attacks on North Vietnam began in February 1965, U.S. planes destroyed five bridges, 17 railroad cars and 20 buildings in the Thanh Hoa and Vinh areas (100 and 200 miles south of Hanoi, respectively). Others planes hit Highway 12 in four places north of the Mugia Pass and inflicted heavy damage on the Yen Bay arsenal and munitions storage area, which was located 75 miles northeast of Hanoi.

May 30, 1968 - The Beatles began recording the "White Album."

May 30, 1969 - South Vietnamese President Nguyen Van Thieu, concluding a four-day visit to South Korea, told reporters at a news conference that he would “never” agree to a coalition government with the National Liberation Front (NLF).

May 30, 1970 - Voting for baseball's All-Star game was returned to the fans.

May 30, 1971 - Willie Mays hit his 638th home run. He set a National League record of 1,950 runs scored.

May 30, 1976 – National Baseball Hall of Fame outfielder Max Carey passed away at the age of 86 in Miami, Fla. During his career, he played for the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Brooklyn Robins, and he also managed the Brookly Dodgers. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1961.

May 30, 1976 – NBA center Radoslav Nesterović was born in Ljubljana, SR Slovenia, SFR Yugoslavia. He went on to play for the Minnesota Timberwolves, the San Antonio Spurs, the Toronto Raptors and the Indiana Pacers.

May 30, 1977 - Dennis Eckersley pitched a 1-0 no-hitter against the California Angels.

May 30, 1981 - Author Howell Vines died in Bessemer, Ala.

May 30, 1981 - The Los Angeles Dodgers became the quickest to get 1,000,000 people to attend games in a season. It took 22 games.

May 30, 1982 – Cal Ripken Jr. made his Major League debut and began his record-setting streak of 2,632 consecutive games played that would last for 17 seasons. The streak ended on Sept. 20, 1998.

May 30, 1983 - Yankees owner George Steinbrenner was suspended for one week for his public criticism of umpires.

May 30, 1987 - Eric Davis of the Cincinnati Reds became the first National League player to hit three grand slams in a month and set a National League record of 19 home runs in April and May.

May 30, 1992 - Scott Sanderson of the New York Yankees became the ninth pitcher to beat all 26 teams.

May 30, 2001 - Barry Bonds hit two home runs to move into 11th place on the major league career list with 522.

May 30, 2005 – Natalee Ann Holloway, 18, of Mountain Brook, Ala. disappeared while on a high school graduation trip to Aruba.

May 30, 2006 – “Mockingbird: A Portrait of Harper Lee” by Charles Shields published by Henry Holt & Co.

Daily Rainfall Observations from SW Alabama for Tues., May 30, 2017

Rainfall (Past 24 Hours): 0.25 inches

Week to Date Rainfall: 0.25 inches.

Month to Date Rainfall:  10.15 inches.

Spring to Date Rainfall: 16.50 inches.

Year to Date Rainfall: 37.00 inches.

Notes: Today is the 150th day of 2017 and the 72nd day of Spring. There are 215 days left in the year.

Readings taken at 0700 hours Central Standard Time (1300 GMT) daily, just west of the Monroe-Conecuh County line and south of U.S. Highway 84, near Excel, Alabama, USA, in the vicinity of Lat 31.42834N Lon 87.30131W. Elevation 400 feet above sea level. CoCoRaHS Station No. AL-MN-4, Station Name: Excel 2.5 ESE.

The Evergreen Courant's Sports Flashback for May 29, 2017

Thomas Roy "Goat" Walker of Troy, Ala.

THREE YEARS AGO

JUNE 5, 2014

All-Star teams announced: Evergreen’s Cal Ripken Baseball League released the names of their 11-and-12-Year-Old All-Star Team on Tuesday morning, and the team’s roster features the names of 12 of the best youth baseball players in Conecuh County.

Players making the All-Star cut this year include Tyrus Bruce, Jacobee Bryant, Kenjarvis Bryant, Jalien Powell, Preston Sims, Frank Carson, Cam Riley, Jalien Johnson, Marvae Lee, Andray Pope, T.K. Brantley and Brady Gorum.

The team will represent Conecuh County in the district tournament, which is scheduled to begin Fri., June 13, at 6 p.m. in East Brewton. In the opening game of the tourney, Evergreen will play Covington County. At the same time on another field, Andalusia will play East Brewton.

Officials with Evergreen’s Cal Ripken youth baseball league announced the members of the league’s 7-and-8-Year-Old All Star Team last week

Members of that all-star team are Jacob Bradley, Dion Franklin, Alijah Smith, Christian Ingram, Martin Lee, Damien Rankins, Jermonte Stallworth, Jackson Sullivan, Kobe Wallace, Demarion Wallace, Colton Phillips and Ethan Waters.

The 7-and-8-year-old all-star tournament is scheduled to begin on Thurs., June 12, at Johnson Park in Andalusia when Covington County plays Opp at 6 p.m. and Brewton plays Andalusia at 6 p.m.

The Sunflowers won the local Cal Ripken Softball League Championship by beating the Rampage, 14-3, in the league championship game Tuesday of last week at Evergreen Municipal Park.

The Sunflowers finished the season with a 6-2 overall record and overcame a pair of losses to the Rampage earlier in the season.

Players on the team included Alexis Albritton, Madison Barnes, LaBrina Beasley, LaTerrica Bradley, Morgan Cook, Kendall Johnson, Audreonna Lopez, Paige Matthews, Jatonie McConnico, Shanecia Robinson, Tamirah Robinson and Tiliyah Wiggins. The teams coaches were Antonio Woods and Juanita Woods.

The Evergreen Cardinals picked up another win last week in local Babe Ruth baseball action as they downed the Evergreen Braves, 16-9, at Evergreen Municipal Park.

Jarrett Taylor and Kobe Bradley pitched for the Cardinals, and Bradley led the team at the plate with two singles and a double. Taylor also hit a pair of singles.

KeDedric Ingram and Jarrett Kirk hit two singles each. Dalton Ward recorded a double. Colton Lambert and Victor Johnson hit two singles each.

Jeremy Dees, Austin Roper and Sean Kelly all pitched for the Braves.

At the plate, the Braves were led by Kelly, Dakota Coleman and Noah Pettis, who hit two singles each. Roper, Nick Beasley and Logan Thompson chipped in a single each.

28 YEARS AGO

JUNE 1, 1989

HORSE SHOW IN ANDY: The Blue Ribbon Saddle Club of Andalusia will sponsor an open horse show on Sat., June 3, beginning at 2 p.m. There will be pleasure, racking and timed event classes. Points earned will apply toward the D.H.S.A. year-end high points.

53 YEARS AGO

JUNE 4, 1964

SR. LEAGUE SCHEDULE: The Evergreen Senior Baseball League will start play next Monday night at six o’clock. Game time for all games will be 6 p.m. The league will take a breather July 5 through July 12 for Boy Scout Camp.

Sr. League meets, lists players: The second meeting of the Evergreen Senior League was held in the Civic Room of the Court House Monday night, June 1, 1964, at 7:30. The meeting was presided over by President Bill Chapman.

The rosters for the Senior League are:

Braves, Johnny Brown, Jud Stinson, George Stinson, Bobby Sasser, James Adams, Grover Jackson, Don Hansen, Forrest Simpson, Charley Wild, John Adams, Gray Sullivan and Eddie Rawls.

Pirates: Mike Moorer, Tommy Chapman, Benny Burt, Ronnie Chastain, Steve Baggett, Johnny Thornley, Glenn Bolton, Eddie Thornley, Harold Hamiter, Ralph Deason, Elliott Quarles and Wayne Hicks.

Indians: Knud Nielsen, Claude Nielsen, Ed Smith, Bill Snowden, Bubba Mininger, Bill Bailey, Wayne Caylor, Jerry Caylor, Thomas Riley, Larry Wright, Tommy Weaver and Dan Johnson.

Tigers: Wayne Pate, Eddie Ellis, Miles Covin, Ronnie Elliott, Jerry Johnson, Bubba Faulkner, Donald Brewton, Herbert Ellis Jr., Bobby Jernigan, Dallas Kelly and Emmett Price.

About 50 youths are expected to participate in the Evergreen Rotary Club’s 5^th annual Conecuh County 4-H Fish & Wildlife Camp next Tuesday and Wednesday (at Tal Stuart’s Pond near Belleville).

78 YEARS AGO

JUNE 1, 1939

Lee Anthony Making Good In South Atlantic League: Lee Anthony, former Evergreen and Andalusia pitcher, is upholding his reputation as an ace pitcher by winning five games out of six starts with the Jacksonville club of the South Atlantic League. His only defeat so far this season came as a result of an error by Manager Goat Walker in the ninth inning with two out and one on. Walker dropped a fly ball.

Arthur Goetz, also a former Evergreen hurler, now playing with the Albany club of the Georgia-Florida League, struck out eight men and shut out the Cordele club 3-0 May 25. However the game was played under protest of Manager Harry Rice, who at one time managed the Evergreen club.

Bruno Shedis, another former Evergreen pitcher, has won three and lost three for the Elmira club of the Eastern League.

Greenies Win One, Lose One During Week: Behind the four-hit pitching of their ace flinger, Watson, the Greenies clubbed their way to a 5 to 3 win over the Jay, Fla. team here Thursday afternoon. For the first four innings, McCurdy, Jay’s twirler, had the Greenies handcuffed, pitching no-hit ball up to the fifth stanza, at which time third-sacker Raines tapped a single. Jay scored in the first inning when Prickett scored from third on a single by Lashley, after the locals had committed two errors. Jay scored again in the third as North crossed the plate as a result of three errors and a double.

In the sixth, the Greenies started a rally that netted them five runs out of four hits and a walk. Barfield cleared the bases with what is technically a double but in reality it was a homer. The all was a hard hit one to left that went to the fence, rolled through a crack and down to the swamp. In the eighth, Jay pulled in another run off a walk, two stolen bases and a double. Watson whiffed nine Jay batters while his mound opponent salted away five.

The Monroeville baseballers washed into town Sunday afternoon and lambasted their way to a 5 to 2 victory over the Greenies behind the five-hit pitching of Zuber, their ace moundsman. Greenie errors helped the Monroeville cause to a considerable extent and was the cause of three Monroeville scores in the seventh inning. Watson, Greenie hurler, matched Zuber’s performance, allowing only five hits to leave the Monroe bats.

103 YEARS AGO

JUNE 3, 1914

Fishing parties are numerous and frequent during the warm clear weather of the past few weeks. Some of the anglers report excellent success while others have little to say.

Hon. D.F. Crum sustained a painful accident one day last week and was confined to his room for several days in consequence. He and J.D. Moorer were fishing on Murder Creek and while he was sitting near the railroad trestle a piece of coal or some other missile fell from a passing engine striking him with great force on the forehead producing an ugly wound. He was brought home as quickly as possible and given medical attention. He has about recovered we are glad to note.

Today in History for May 29, 2017

May 29, 1500 – Portuguese explorer Bartolomeu Dias died at the age of 48 (some sources say 49) in a shipwreck near the Cape of Good Hope.

May 29, 1677 – The Treaty of Middle Plantation established peace between the Virginia colonists and the local Natives.

May 29, 1721 - South Carolina was formally incorporated as a royal colony.

May 29, 1736 – American “Founding Father” and first Virginia governor Patrick Henry was born in Hanover County, Colony of Virginia, British America.

May 29, 1765 - Patrick Henry denounced the Stamp Act before Virginia's House of Burgesses.

May 29, 1780 – During the American Revolutionary War, at the Battle of Waxhaws near Lancaster, S.C., the British, under commander Lt. Col. Banastre Tarleton, continued attacking after the Continentals laid down their arms, killing 113 and critically wounding all but 53 that remained.

May 29, 1781 - Captain John Barry, commander of the American warship Alliance captured the HMS Atlanta and the HMS Trepassy.

May 29, 1790 – Rhode Island became the last of the original United States' colonies to ratify the Constitution and was admitted as the 13th U.S. state.

May 29, 1825 – During his tour of the United States, the Marquis de Lafayette visited Braddock, Pa.

May 29, 1848 – Wisconsin was admitted as the 30th U.S. state.

May 29, 1862 - P.T. Beauregard began moving troops out of Corinth, Miss. The evacuation was completed the next day.

May 29, 1862 – During the Civil War, a skirmish was fought at Whitesburg, near Huntsville, Ala.

May 29, 1862 – During the Civil War, skirmishes were fought near Seven Pines, Virginia; near Boonville and Corinth, Mississippi; at Kickapoo Bottom, Arkansas; and near Wardensville, West Virginia.

May 29, 1863 - Ambrose Burnside offered his resignation over the Vallandigham affair. Lincoln refused to accept it.

May 29, 1863 – The siege at Vicksburg, Miss. entered Day 11.

May 29, 1864 - Union troops lost another foot race with the Confederates in a minor stop on the long and terrible campaign between Ulysses S. Grant’s Army of the Potomac and Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia. Grant was getting frustrated. After the Totopotomoy, Grant slid south to Cold Harbor, just 10 miles from Richmond. His impatience may have gotten the best of him. At Cold Harbor, Grant would commit the foolish mistake of hurling his troops at well-fortified Confederates, creating a slaughter nearly unmatched during the war

May 29, 1864 – During the Civil War, an “action” occurred at Moulton, in Lawrence County, Ala.

May 29, 1864 – During the Civil War, skirmishes were fought on the Fordoche Bayou Road in Louisiana and at Hamlin, West Virginia.

May 29, 1865 – During the Civil War, a skirmish was fought near Austin, Nevada.

May 29, 1865 - Andrew Johnson granted a Presidential pardon to those who directly or indirectly aided the Southern war effort. He restored property rights to the South with the exception of slaves. Unlike Lincoln's declaration in December 1863, Johnson created an exception for property owners whose holdings totaled $20,000 dollars or more.

May 29, 1865 - President Andrew Johnson appointed William Holden as provisional governor of North Carolina, a blueprint for his plans of Presidential Reconstruction. Holden was instructed to call a constitutional convention of men who had signed an oath of allegiance to the United States.

May 29, 1874 – English author G.K. Chesterton was born Gilbert Keith Chesterton in London.

May 29, 1880 – German philosopher Oswald Spengler was born in Blankenburg, Germany.

May 29, 1886 – The pharmacist John Pemberton placed his first advertisement for Coca-Cola, which appeared in The Atlanta Journal.

May 29, 1886 – The (Monroe) County Convention was scheduled to meet on this Saturday, according to The Monroe Journal.

May 29, 1896 - Mr. J. Falkner, representing Alabama Mercantile Co. of Montgomery, was in Pineville on this Friday.

May 29, 1900 – Charles Pawson Atmore, General Passenger Agent of the Louisville & Nashville Railroad, passed away from apoplexy at the age of 66 in Louisville, Ky. He was buried in the Cave Hill Cemetery in Louisville, Ky.

May 29, 1901 - Seven days into the Constitutional Convention of 1901 a petition submitted by Booker T. Washington and 23 other African-American leaders was read to convention delegates, all of whom were white. The petition asked that the black Alabamian be given "some humble share in choosing those who shall rule over him." Nevertheless, with the ratification of the Constitution of 1901 in November, blacks--along with poor whites--were effectively disfranchised.

May 29, 1903 – Comedian Bob Hope was born Leslie Townes Hope in Eltham, near London, England.

May 29, 1904 – The Rev. W.N. Huckabee preached at the Sowell Old Field School House (Monroe County?) on this fifth Sunday evening at 5 p.m.

May 29, 1906 – English author T.H. White was born Terence Hanbury White in Bombay, India, to English parents employed by the British civil service. He is best known for his sequence of Arthurian novels, “The Once and Future King,” first published together in 1958.

May 29, 1909 – The Conecuh Record reported that about four inches of rain fell in Evergreen, Ala. on this day and 1-1/2 inches fell the day before.

May 29, 1911 – The government thermometer reached 100 degrees on this day in Evergreen, Ala.

May 29, 1913 – Igor Stravinsky’s “The Rite of Spring” premiered at the Theatre des Champs-Elysees in Paris.

May 29, 1914 – English explorer, hunter and author Henry Seton-Karr passed died at the age of 61 in Canada’s greatest maritime disaster when the Empress of Ireland sank in the St. Lawrence River when he was returning to England from a hunting trip in British Columbia.

May 29, 1914 – Edgar Lee Masters published the first poem of what would later be collected and published as “The Spoon River Anthology” in 1915.

May 29, 1915 – The Bowles baseball team beat Skinnerton, 17-12, on this Saturday.

May 29, 1916 - The New York Giants won their 17th consecutive road game.

May 29, 1916 - Author Virginia Pounds Brown was born in Birmingham, Ala.

May 29, 1916 – As part of the closing exercises of the Second District Agricultural School in Evergreen on this Monday evening, a Chinese operetta, ‘The Feast of the Little Lanterns,’ was presented to “a large and appreciative audience,” according to The Conecuh Record. “All the girls in the play acquitted themselves splendidly; those deserving special mention are Misses Sara Cunningham, Edith Shields and Evelyn Chapman. Mrs. Dr. Hairston of Burnt Corn, who ably assisted Miss Gammon, played the part of a ‘Japanese Juggler Maid’ and her work could not have been surpassed.”

May 29, 1916 - The state high school commission, at its meeting in Montgomery on this Monday, reelected Prof. G.A. Harris as principal of the Monroe County High School for the ensuing year. Principals of the 50 other high schools in the state were named at the meeting, among their number being Prof. G.M. Veasey for Chambers, Prof. Claud Hardy for Wilcox and Prof. C.A. Peavey for Escambia.

May 29, 1917 - John Fitzgerald Kennedy, the 35th President of the United States, was born in Brookline, Mass.

May 29, 1917 – “Another noble old veteran in the person of Mr. D.M. McNeil has called to his reward, his death occurring suddenly at his home near Axle” on this Tuesday evening, aged upward of 70 years.

May 29, 1918 – Wm. T. Broughton and Zeilin Simpson, who both died in World War I, were inducted into the Army and sent to Camp Sevier, S.C. for training.

May 29, 1922 - The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that organized baseball was a sport, and not subject to antitrust laws.

May 29, 1922 – In connection with the ongoing commencement exercises at the State Secondary Agricultural School in Evergreen, Ala., a baseball game was scheduled to be held on this Monday at 3:30 p.m.

May 29, 1932 – World War I veterans began to assemble in Washington, D.C., in the Bonus Army to request cash bonuses promised to them to be paid in 1945.

May 29, 1942 - A movie version of Alabama author Octavus Roy Cohen's book “Gallant Lady” was released.

May 29, 1943 - Marvin Coleman died of a heart attack on this Saturday night about 11:30 p.m. He was on duty as town marshal of Frisco City when death came.

May 29, 1946 – German SS officer Martin Gottfried Weiss, after being found guilty of "violating the laws and usages of war," was executed by hanging at Landsberg prison at the age of 40.

May 29, 1949 - Barzell Griffin, 24-year-old who escaped from the Conecuh County Jail in Evergreen on Tues., May 24, was picked up by law enforcers in Birmingham on this Sunday after a tip from the sheriff’s office in Evergreen, Conecuh County Sheriff W.D. Lewis reported. The Jefferson County law enforcers picked up Griffin by watching his wife, who lived in Birmingham, after receiving the information from Sheriff Lewis. Lewis also informed The Courant that Griffin was being held in Birmingham to face trial on a burglary indictment from several months before. Griffin was also wanted in Selma and Pensacola, Fla. Griffin was being held in Evergreen for breaking into Brown Supply Co. and cracking their safe. He got away with $300 after smashing the safe with an axe. When Griffin broke out of the county jail in Evergreen it marked the sixth time he had escaped from civil and army authorities since beginning his career of crime 13 years before at the age of 11.

May 29, 1950 – The St. Roch, the first ship to circumnavigate North America, arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.

May 29, 1951 - C.F. Blair became the first man to fly over the North Pole in single engine plane.

May 29, 1952 – Country music legend Hank Williams and his wife, Audrey, were divorced.

May 29, 1953 – Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay of Nepal became the first people to reach the summit of Mount Everest, on Tenzing Norgay's (adopted) 39th birthday. "A symmetrical, beautiful, snow cone summit," Hillary said of the peak that is 29,028 feet above sea level.

May 29, 1954 - The first meeting of the annual Bilderberg group, a secretive, invitation-only gathering with the elite from such fields as politics, commerce, and banking, was held.

May 29, 1955 – New Hope Baptist Church at Natchez, Ala. held its 100th anniversary homecoming.

May 29, 1955 - John Hinckley Jr., who attempted to assassinate U.S. President Ronald Reagan in 1981, was born in Ardmore, Okla.

May 29, 1959 – Repton High School was scheduled to hold its graduation exercises at 8 p.m. in Repton, Ala. Starr Smith of Montgomery was to deliver the graduation address, and Principal E.H. Penny was to deliver the diplomas.

May 29, 1962 – First baseman Fred Whitfield, a native of Vandiver, Ala., made his first Major League start, two days after his Major League debut. He went 1-for-4 for the St. Louis Cardinals at Pittsburgh’s Forbes Field with his first hit coming in the fourth inning, a RBI single off Al McBean that scored Red Schoendienst.

May 29, 1962 - Buck (John) O’Neil became the first black coach in Major League Baseball when he accepted the job with the Chicago Cubs.

May 29, 1963 - A delegation of Monroe County, Ala. residents planned to meet with Gov. George Wallace and State Superintendent of Education Austin Meadows in Montgomery on this Wednesday to discuss Monroe County as a location for a new prospective junior college.

May 29, 1965 – Repton High School was scheduled to hold graduation exercises on this Saturday night at 8 p.m. in the school auditorium in Repton, Ala. Dorothy Waller was the valedictorian, and Willene Powell was the salutatorian. Twenty-three seniors were expected to receive diplomas.

May 29, 1965 - Dick Allen of the Philadelphia Phillies hit a 529-foot home run out of Connie Mack Stadium.

May 29, 1967 - Noel Gallagher, the lead guitarist, co-lead vocalist and principal songwriter of the rock band Oasis, was born in Longsight, Manchester, England.

May 29, 1967 - Economist and “Freakonomics” co-author Steven Levitt was born in St. Paul, Minn.

May 29, 1972 – Sparta Academy held its first ever graduation exercises on this day at 8 p.m. at Stuart-McGehee Field in Evergreen, Ala. Members of the class included Forrest Brantley, Robert Carleton, Terry Chapman, Martha Gaines, Gary Gibson, Donnie Griggers, Beth Harper (salutatorian), Kitty Horton, Deborah Josey, Crawford King (valedictorian), Mary Ann Mack, Charlotte McCreary, Mike McKenzie, Joey Nix, Carey Stinson, Larry Tranum, Mike Turner, Shelia Ward and Dwight Watson.

May 29, 1972 - In a joint communique issued by the United States and the Soviet Union following the conclusion of summit talks with General Secretary Leonid Brezhnev during President Richard Nixon’s visit to Moscow (the first visit ever by an U.S. president), both countries set forth their standard positions on Vietnam. The United States insisted that the future of South Vietnam should be left to the South Vietnamese without interference. The Soviet Union insisted on a withdrawal of U.S. and Allied forces from South Vietnam and an end to the bombing of North Vietnam.

May 29, 1974 - U.S. President Richard Nixon agreed to turn over 1,200 pages of edited Watergate transcripts.

May 29, 1976 – Major League Baseball infielder and outfielder Jerry Hairston Jr. was born in Des Moines, Iowa. He went on to play for the Baltimore Orioles, the Chicago Cubs, the Texas Rangers, the Cincinnati Reds, the New York Yankees, the San Diego Padres, the Washington Nationals, the Milwaukee Brewers and the Los Angeles Dodgers.

May 29, 1976 – NBA power forward and center Raef LaFrentz was born in Hampton, Iowa. He went on to play for Kansas, the Denver Nuggets, the Dallas Mavericks, the Boston Celtics and the Portland Trail Blazers.

May 29, 1981 – The Sloss Furnaces in Birmingham, Ala. were designated a National Historic Landmark.

May 29, 1984 - The Boston Red Sox retired the No. 9 jersey of Ted Williams and the No. 4 jersey of Joe Cronin.

May 29, 1986 - The first issue of "The Frisco Citian" newspaper was published in Frisco City, Ala.

May 29, 1987 – In Monroeville, Ala., Alabama Bureau of Investigations agent Simon Benson conducted a tape-recorded interview in the county courthouse with Karen Kelly, whom he suspected of lying about the Vickie Lynn Pittman murder, according to Pete Earley’s book “Circumstantial Evidence.”

May 29, 1990 - Rickey Henderson stole his 893rd base, breaking Ty Cobb's record.

May 29, 1992 - Tim Raines of the Chicago White Sox stole his 700th career base.

May 29, 2001 - In New York, four followers of Osama bin Laden were convicted of a global conspiracy to murder Americans. The crimes included the 1998 bombings of two U.S. embassies in Africa that killed 224 people.

May 29, 2003 – High Ground Burial in Baldwin County, Ala. and the Dulaney Cemetery in Wilcox County, Ala. were added to the Alabama Historic Cemetery Register.

May 29, 2004 – The National World War II Memorial was dedicated in Washington, D.C.

May 29, 2015 – NFL defensive back and Olympic track athlete Henry Carr, a native of Montgomery, Ala., died at the age of 73 in Griffin, Ga. He played football at Arizona State and for the New York Giants.