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

Gene Stallings

26 YEARS AGO
APRIL 27, 1995

Sparta Academy’s Quarterback Club will hold their annual athletic banquet this Saturday night, April 19, at six o’clock in the school gym.
Dean Peevy, an outstanding football player for the Robert E. Lee Generals and Arkansas Razorbacks, will be the guest speaker.

Beverly Johnson Scherer and Edsel ‘Scooter’ Johnson Jr. made the opening remarks Saturday at the Ottis Johnson Tribute Day held in conjunction with opening day of Little League. A large crowd was on hand for the event.

Renowned local Alabama Crimson Tide football fan Warren Bolton had the pleasure last week of meeting Alabama head coach Gene Stallings. Warren and his son, John, were invited to Dozier Camp last week when the coach was invited to turkey hunt with Sportsman Showcase host Ken Tucker.

The local lodge of the Woodmen of the World helped the Evergreen Little League make money Saturday by holding a fish fry at the opening ceremony of Little League baseball. The lodger cooked and served the fish with the help of several volunteer lodge members. Over 120 pounds of catfish were served in just over three hours.

39 YEARS AGO
APRIL 22, 1982

Warriors win one, lose one: The Sparta Academy Warriors ‘batted .500’ last week, winning one and losing one, according to Sports Information Director Byron Warren Jr.
Sparta beat South Butler, 12-2, on April 13 behind the four-hit pitching of Joe McInvale and a 10-hit assault led by Mike Mixon with three hits and Ed Carrier with two.
Thursday of last week the Warriors proved generous hosts as the pitchers gave up 13 hits and the fielders committed four errors in a 11-3 loss to Escambia Academy of Atmore. Mike Mixon got credit for the loss, but joined Joe McInvale in collecting two hits to account for over half of Sparta’s seven-hit attack.
Russ Raines is hitting .429 and Mike Mixon .425 to lead the Warriors in batting averages. Ed Carrier is hitting .367, Chris Blatz .310 and Joe McInvale .308.

Bill Seales (retired from everything but fun) of Castleberry says real wild turkey hunters don’t get older, they just get better. He killed this fine 17-pounder, 9-1/2 inch beard and 1/2-inch spurs on Friday.

49 YEARS AGO
APRIL 27, 1972

Tommy Yearout, co-captain of the 1971 Auburn Tigers, will be the speaker at the first annual athletic banquet of the Sparta Academy Quarterback Club tomorrow night at the Holiday Inn. President James Ansley said only a few tickets are still available. Yearout, a 210-pound defensive tackle from Birmingham, is considered the finest speaker on the Auburn team. His talks are humorous, but he also gets across an inspirational message. A senior, he was a three-year starter for the War Eagles.

Col. Lee F. Smith presents the Evergreen Civil Air Patrol’s award for Best Lineman to Whalon Oliver who also received the Best Sportsmanship Trophy for football. Wayne Caylor presents the Station WBLO Best Back Trophy to Wavie Ausby who also won the Most Valuable Player Trophy for basketball which was presented by Coach Charles Branum. Marshall Davis received the Best Sportsmanship Trophy for basketball. Frank Murphy received the Evergreen Jaycees Best All Around Player Award. The awards were presented at the Evergreen High School Athletic Banquet Friday night.

Principal John Floyd presents a special award to Coach Wendell Hart to climax the Evergreen High Athletic Banquet. Hart retired from coaching at the end of the 1971 season ending one of South Alabama’s longest coaching careers that spanned 26 years.

57 YEARS AGO
APRIL 23, 1964

Weaver Paces Win Over Tigers, 6-2: Jimmy Weaver hurled a two-hitter and banged out two doubles to lead the Evergreen Aggies to a 6-2 conquest of the visiting Greenville Tigers Saturday night. The win evened the Aggies’ slate at 2-2.
The Aggies drew first blood in the third inning when Larry Ellis reached first on a fielder’s choice, stole second and scored on Sid Lambert’s single.
The winners pushed across five runs in the fourth as they sent 10 men to the plate. Key blows were a double by Weaver and singles by Ellis, Johnny Brown and Bubba Faulkner.
The Tigers garnered their two runs with a small rally in the sixth frame.
Snake Raybon was knocked off the mound by the Aggies fourth inning outburst and was replaced by Owens.

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John McInnis spent the weekend at Southern Union College, Wadley, Ala., with Mack McInnis and attended a baseball banquet on Saturday night.

69 YEARS AGO
APRIL 24, 1952

Bermuda Bears Edge Castleberry 7 to 6: The Bermuda Bears edged the Castleberry nine 7 to 6 Sunday afternoon at Bermuda in a Conecuh Amateur League opener. Carl Watson with two hits, one a triple, paced Bermuda’s 17-hit barrage. Pitcher Allen Thompson also had three safe knocks.
Frank Shields, Lee Owen Dees and Gandy with two hits each topped the Castleberry batters. One of Gandy’s knocks was a homer.
The Castleberry battery was J.W. Windham, pitcher, and Ralph Graddy, catcher. The winning Bermuda battery was Thompson and G.W. Watson.

The Centerville Rookies blasted Loree’s Dollies 20 to 1 Sunday afternoon in Brooks Stadium in Evergreen as they open the 1952 season behind some of the most amazing pitching ever served up in South Alabama. George ‘One-Man Team’ Gaston struck out 22 batters and was credited with four assists to have a personal hand in all but one out in the regulation, nine-inning game.
Gaston scattered seven hits and walked only one Dollie. Statisticians are searching the records and old timers are scratching their heads trying to remember, has this pitching performance ever been topped in Conecuh County?