Daily Weather Observations from SW Alabama for Sun., July 6, 2014

Temp: 71.6 degrees F.

Rainfall (past 24 hours): 0.00 inches

Humidity: 80 percent (Humid)

Conditions: Partly Cloudy skies; birds audible and visible; cows audible; light dew on the ground.

Barometric Pressure: 29.57 inHg. 

Week to Date Rainfall: 0.55 inches

Month to Date Rainfall: 0.35 inches

Summer to Date Rainfall: 0.55 inches

Year to Date Rainfall: 43.90  inches

NOTES: Today is the 187th day of 2014 and the 16th day of Summer. There are 178 days left in the year.

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

News headlines from Conecuh County from a century ago in July 1914

Hugh M. King's grave in Evergreen.

It’s that time of the month again, time to take a trip down memory lane and review all of the interesting things that took place in Conecuh County 100 years ago, way back in July 1914.

In the July 1, 1914 edition of The Evergreen Courant, editor George W. Salter Jr. reported that one of Conecuh County’s most prominent citizens, Hugh M. King, had passed away at the age of 82. A native of Georgia, he graduated college in 1853 and began working as a lawyer a year later. In 1859, while continuing to practice law, he became the owner of The Bainbridge Argus in Bainbridge, Ga. and was elected mayor there in 1859.

At the start of the Civil War, he enlisted, organized the Hardee Rifles and was elected the unit’s captain. He was commended for gallantry at the Battle of Santa Rosa Island and went on to take part in the battles of Shiloh, Corinth, Perryville, Murfreesboro, Chickamauga, Dalton, Atlanta and Bentonville. He also fought in 85 smaller conflicts and was wounded three times. He had two horses killed under him and once, while wounded, he killed four Yankees and captured two.

King came to Evergreen in 1889, began working as a lawyer, helped publish The Conecuh Star newspaper and was elected mayor of Evergreen three times. He joined Greening Masonic Lodge No. 53 in 1904.

Salter also reported that week that “last Friday was the hottest day known in Evergreen for many years, the thermometer registering 106. The temperature for four days previous ranged from 102 to 105. The weather bureau states it’s a fact that this has been the hottest June since 1881.”

In the July 8, 1914 edition of The Courant, readers learned that “Thos. Reid was drowned in the El Pond on Saturday afternoon. He was about 21 years old.”

That week’s paper also included a death notice regarding J.C. Johnson, a 67-year-old Confederate veteran. Johnson enlisted in the Confederate army on Feb. 1, 1863 and served in Co. B of the 3rd Alabama Cavalry. He was wounded at the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain.

Salter also reported that week that “Joe Johns, who resides five miles east of Brewton on the Brooklyn road, killed a large rattler on his place one day last week. His snakeship measured about seven feet in length, and strange to relate had only two rattles and the customary button. Mr. Johns skinned the reptile, shipping the hide to New Orleans.”

Readers that week also learned that “Wm. Ellis exhibited a piece of broken earthenware here recently which he says he found 30 feet under the surface of the earth while boring a well on his premises. How it came there is unexplainable.”

It was also reported that week that “the Fourth (of July) was generally observed in Evergreen notwithstanding the fact that it came on Saturday, usually one of the best days for trade for merchants. Numbers of people attended picnics at various places in the country, but it appears that a large percentage spent the day quietly at home. In the afternoon, a large crowd enjoyed a baseball game between Evergreen and Montgomery. Evergreen, as usual, captured both games of the doubleheader.”

Salter closed the week by saying that “the finishing touches are being placed on E.A. Beaven’s new home on Belleville Street, and in a few more days it will be ready for occupancy.”

In the July 15, 1914 edition of The Courant, Salter reported that “Evergreen baseball lovers enjoyed the first real treat of the season on Monday afternoon when the first of a series of games with Gantt was pulled off, Evergreen winning the game in the 10th inning by the close score of 2 to 1. It was a pitcher’s battle between Arant for Evergreen and Manning Smith for Gantt. The feature of the game was the running catch and long throw from deeper center to first by Johnson of Evergreen. In the tenth inning, three hits scored the winning run.”

Readers that week also saw the following news item, under the headline “New Train on L&N” – “July 26 is the date set for the inauguration of a new train service by the L&N Railroad, when a new train will be placed in operation running between Georgiana and Flomaton, where it will connect with local trains for Mobile and Pensacola. The train will leave Georgiana about six o’clock a.m. Returning it will leave Mobile and Pensacola about four o’clock in the afternoon thus enabling patrons along the line to transact business in either city or at any point along the line and return home the same day. It will prove a great convenience to the traveling public.”

Readers that week also learned that “a farmer named Rogers residing in Covington County near the Conecuh line had the misfortune last week to lose three valuable mules when his barn was blown down by a windstorm. Three others were severely injured.”

Salter closed the week by saying that “we appreciate the favor if you will telephone news items to The Courant. Call No. 138 or 203.”

In the July 22, 1914 edition of The Courant, Salter reported that “H.A. Shields has returned from a tour of inspection of the St. Louis division of the L&N Railroad. He said while he was in Evansville, the thermometer registered 118 degrees, and that he was reminded of what he had often said that we live in the greatest country on the earth. He said when he reached home, he had to put his coat on to be comfortable.”

Also that week, under the headline “Crocket Janes Dead,” it was reported that Janes died at his son’s home on July 9. “While his exact age is not known, he was about 100 years old. He enlisted in the army in 1861 at the age of 46, was wounded three times, but served the whole four years.”

Salter also reported that week that “J.F.B. Lowrey of Burnt Corn is greatly interested and enthused over the scheme to have the proposed trunk road from Montgomery to Mobile to follow the Old Federal Road – more commonly known as the Old Stage Road. State Highway Engineer Keller will today accompany a party of gentlemen over this road traversing the route from Fort Deposit to a point in Baldwin County. On August 3rd, Mr. Keller and party will begin a tour of the route by Greenville, Evergreen, Brewton and Bay Minette.”

Salter closed that week by saying that “the greatest athletic novelty in the world is the Nebraska Indian baseball team which has created so much comment by its brilliant playing and wonderful success it has achieved during its 17 years of travel throughout the United States and Canada. It will be a great treat to see them play the Evergreen team at the ballpark on Fri., July 24.”

In the July 29, 1914 edition of The Courant, Salter reported, under the headline “Evergreen Defeats Indians,” that “the largest crowd that ever witnessed a game here was at the game between the Nebraska Indians and the locals, the latter winning 7 to 6. The features of the game were the sensational fielding and hitting of Randolph Moorer for Evergreen, who made two of the most thrilling catches and registering three singles, one double and one triple out of five trips to the plate; the home run of Arant for Evergreen.”

Elsewhere in the paper, under the headline “Scouting Party Traverses Old Stage Road,” Salter reported that “quite a number of Conecuh citizens joined the scouting party over the Old Stage Road route on last Wednesday. There were about 25 automobiles in the party, which included State Highway Engineer Keller, prominent men from Lowndes, Butler and Monroe as well as Conecuh.

“The party reached Burnt Corn about noon where a splendid dinner was served by the citizens of that community, after which the trip was continued through Baldwin County. It was an enthusiastic crowd and demonstrated the keen interest that the people are taking in the proposed trunk highway between Montgomery and Mobile.”

That week’s paper also including the following news item – “Masonic Officers Installed at Belleville: The officers of the lodge of A.F.&A Masons were installed yesterday by Past Master Dr. Percy B. Skinner as follows: Claude T. Livingston, W.M.; Alvin L. Riggs, S.W.; Dr. Henry S. Skinner, Treasurer; Richard H. Riggs Sr., Secretary; Perry H. Hayman, S.D.; J. Isaac Andrews, J.D.; Frederick P. Hines, Tyler; John E. Baggett and Levi Lee, Stewards; R. Earl Ivey, Marshal.”

Well, I guess that’s all that space will allow for this month. Next month, I plan to take a look at the events of August 1914 in Conecuh County. Until then, if you get the urge to research the county’s past yourself, take advantage of the Evergreen-Conecuh County Public Library’s excellent selection of old newspapers on microfilm and other resources. The library’s friendly and courteous staff will be more than happy to get you started.

Singleton tells of how gypsies had a reputation for snatching children

George Buster Singleton

(For decades, local historian and paranormal investigator George “Buster” Singleton published a weekly newspaper column called “Somewhere in Time.” The column below, which was titled “Arrival of gypsy caravans was a time of excitement,” was originally published in the March 21, 1996 edition of The Monroe Journal in Monroeville, Ala.)

Silver coins that jingle, jangle

Fancy shoes that dance in time.

Oh, the secret of her dark eyes,

They did spell a gypsy rhyme.

The time for the arrival of the gypsy wagons was usually in the early spring as the cool days of Old Man Winter slowly faded from across the countryside.

As a small boy of four, the line of slowly moving covered wagons with brightly colored banners streaming into the breezes was a sight to behold. Too young to attend school, this small barefooted boy waited patiently beside the country road for the first view of the wandering people who were sure to stop and camp down the road aways. Word that the gypsy caravan was coming always preceded the wagons by a day or so.

The old fireside tales would begin anew about how the gypsy nomads lived and how they could tell anyone’s fortune. The stories were that the gypsy women could look into the palm of your hand and read the signs of how long a person would live and if happiness or tragedy was forthcoming in their lives.

Watch small children

The farm help had strict orders to look after the small children very closely, because someone had heard that gypsy people would take small children and hide them inside their covered wagons until time to move on. Then, they would take the stolen children and raise them to be wanderers and vagabonds as they were. The story was that after a few short weeks with a gypsy family, a child who had been taken would not be recognized even by its own mother.

Everyone knew that the gypsies were a people who liked to trade. They liked to trade everything from the horses that pulled their wagons to personal jewelry. They would even trade items that they had made for chickens and eggs; milk and butter were also great items of barter. So, as the covered wagons of the gypsy people pulled into the camping area, the crowd of curious onlookers had already begun to gather.

As the gypsy camp came to order, various items that were to be up for trade would appear hanging on the sides of the covered wagons. The camping area was atop a high bank overlooking a large stream, or creek, as it was called. Here the horses could be watered easily while the gypsy band got their drinking water from a large, overflowing artisan well in the center of the camping area.

As the shadows of the evening gradually crept across the large creek and the camping area, the growing darkness was pushed aside by the light of several campfires that had been built at the front of each wagon. These small fires were kept going the entire time that the camp was there. These fires cooked the food and furnished the light for the many dances that were surely to come later in the evenings after the trading was done and the swapping had ceased.

Beside one wagon, a small tent had been erected. Here was where the fortuneteller took her customers so they wouldn’t be distracted by the goings-on around the fires as stories and events were told and retold.

Across the area, over in the edge of the camp area, the medicine woman, or healer, plied her trade. She would remove a wart or mole for a dime. She could cure a toothache by placing a piece of bark on the patient’s gum at the base of the hurting tooth. You could also get a drink of tonic that was guaranteed to rid your body of any impurities, such as boils, poison oak or poison ivy.

My grandmother always said that the old gypsy woman couldn’t do anything that she couldn’t do. So, for this reason, we never patronized the old healing woman. We knew that in due time, Grandma would bring out her remedies, and we kids knew we would take them, whether we wanted to or not.

Strange music

As the activities began to wind down, the faint sounds of a strange music began to ride the winds of the evening. As the music grew louder and faster, out of one of the wagons dashed five or six colorfully dressed young gypsy women.

A small boy of four stood spellbound at the edge of the crowd as they began to swirl and dance to the sound of the strange music. It seemed that the musicians had appeared from nowhere. They had appeared from out of the darkness into the fire-lit area as if by magic; the music and dancing grew faster and faster. The local country folks stood breathless and wide-eyed.

The dancing went on for quite some time. A tambourine was passed around and through the crowd, carried by a beautiful, dark-haired gypsy girl. A few coins could be heard hitting the sheep skin of the instrument as the local farmers coughed up what little money they could afford to give.

A small barefoot boy of four fell instantly in love as the beautiful dark-haired girl paused just long enough to bend down and kiss his cheek for a fleeting moment.

As the hour grew late, a well-dressed man in gypsy clothing stepped into the center of the dance area and announced that the festivities would continue tomorrow night. As the local folks made ready to leave, the small children were counted and all filed into the darkness, where home and soft beds awaited, with a four-year-old’s dreams of traveling with the gypsy caravan.

The gypsy wagons would camp there by the overflowing well for three or four days. A small, wide-eyed boy was always in the crowd as the swirling dancers whirled to and fro in the dim light of the evening camp fires. The small boy hoped to get a glance of the beautiful, raven-haired beauty who had won his heart in that one fleeting moment a night or so before.

But time has a way of changing all things. Gone are the days of the gypsy caravans that traveled the back country roads with their covered wagons. Gone are the communities where happiness and laughter rode the winds of the evening, as the country folks gathered for a time of fun and frolic. Where once was the overflowing well and the gypsy campground, now is an asphalt highway and a long concrete bridge across the large creek. The times of happiness that once could be found there have faded into oblivion. All that remains are a few of the memories.

(Singleton, the author of the 1991 book “Of Foxfire and Phantom Soldiers,” passed away at the age of 79 on July 19, 2007. A longtime resident of Monroeville, he was born on Dec. 14, 1927 in Marengo County and served as the administrator of the Monroeville National Guard unit from 1964 to 1987. He is buried in Pineville Cemetery in Monroeville. The column above and all of Singleton’s other columns are available to the public through the microfilm records at the Monroe County Public Library in Monroeville. Singleton’s columns are presented here each week for research and scholarship purposes and as part of an effort to keep his work and memory alive.)

Daily Weather Observations from SW Alabama for Sat., July 5, 2014

Temp: 71.4 degrees F.

Rainfall (past 24 hours): 0.00 inches

Humidity: 74 percent (Normal)

Conditions: Partly Cloudy skies and sunny; birds audible (including woodpecker) and visible; light dew on the ground; jet contrails also visible.

Barometric Pressure: 29.66 inHg. 

Week to Date Rainfall: 0.55 inches

Month to Date Rainfall: 0.35 inches

Summer to Date Rainfall: 0.55 inches

Year to Date Rainfall: 43.90  inches

NOTES: Today is the 186th day of 2014 and the 15th day of Summer. There are 179 days left in the year.

Readings taken at 0700 hrs Central Standard Time (1300 GMT) daily, just west of the Monroe-Conecuh County line, near Excel, Alabama, USA, in the vicinity of Lat 31.42834°N Lon 87.30131°W. 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 July 3, 2014

Clint Jackson

TEN YEARS AGO

JULY 1, 2004

“The Tenax team won the Evergreen Babe Ruth championship Saturday night, June 19. The regular season had a schedule of 12 games, after which the teams were tied for league champion. Pictured are Justin White, Quinten Nettles, Sarah Smith, Mason Black, Keon McCaskill and Corey Wallace; Head Coach Glen Gary, Coach Jonas Claiborne, Austin Murphy, Malcolm Rudolph, Ryan Moorer, Michael Rudolph and Coach Warren Davison. Not pictured, Drew Barlow and Dexter Chatman. The Evergreen Babe Ruth All-Star team will play in Excel on Thurs., July 1, at 7 p.m.”

“First time fishing trip lands Fordham in the money: A first time bill-fishing trip for Mike Fordham and five others brought home more than just some fish fillets recently.

“Fordham was on the Miss Celeste when they won the 8th Annual Billfish Classic at the Isle of Capri Casino in Biloxi earlier this month and took home $183,000.

“Joining Fordham on the trip were his brother-in-law, Charles Shumate, Jerry Pyron, David Stewart and his son, Thad, and Brett Smith. The trip was a graduation present to Thad Stewart from his father.

“None of the six had ever bill-fished, much less in a tournament of this caliber. According to Fordham, there were over 100 boats entered in the tournament.

“The Miss Celeste, captained by Maurice (Fitz) Fitzsimmons, is a familiar name to many because she was built for Walter Poole of Evergreen. She is known far and wide for producing fish on her many charters into the Gulf of Mexico.”

25 YEARS AGO

JULY 6, 1989

“These Evergreen Babe Ruth League All Stars will begin play in the All Star Tournament in Monroeville this afternoon when they play South Monroe at 5:30. All Stars are Chris Pate, Calvin Fluker, Steven Gall, Greg Atkins, Shalane Lowerey and Terry Conway, and Coach Wiley Grace, Michael Stanton, Eric King, Earnest Grace, Kelvin Riley, Darrell Johnson, Coach Daryl Johnson and Manager Ernest Boykin.”

“Steven Gall was voted the Most Valuable Player for the 1989 season in the Evergreen Babe Ruth League.”

“Jury convicts Jackson, Smith of kidnapping: A Conecuh County Circuit Court Jury found former Olympic boxer Clint Jackson guilty of kidnapping, first degree, last Thursday. Dale R. Smith was found guilty of kidnapping, second degree, by the jury in the same trial.

“The trial, one of the longest in county history, began Monday of last week. A third man, Billie Jean Jackson, Clint Jackson’s brother, was placed on trial with the other two. However, after the state rested its case, the kidnapping charges against Billie Jackson were dismissed on motion of his attorney, Joe B. Nix Jr. Later, the state nolle prossed robbery, first degree, charges against the younger Jackson.

“The jury deliberated about 1-1/2 hours before returning the guilty verdicts against the two men in the kidnapping last August of Evergreen banker Tom Salo.”

40 YEARS AGO

JULY 4, 1974

“Monday meeting Pee Wee football Sparta Academy: There will be a meeting of boys and their parents interested in taking part in the Pee Wee Football Program this fall at Sparta Academy, Monday night, at 7:30. Boys from eight to 12 are eligible.

“Coach Bob Owens urges all boys to come and asks that at least one parent accompany their son (or sons).”

“MEN’S SOFTBALL: Tues., June 25: Cotton-Hutcheson 12, Lyeffion 11; Jerry’s 12, Flxible Southern 8.

“Thurs., June 27: Jerry’s 12, Cotton-Hutcheson 7; Lyeffion 16, Flxible Southern 6.

“Jerry’s won the first half with a record of nine wins and three losses with Lyeffion in second place with a 5-4 mark.

“Standings in the last half of the season are: Cotton-Hutcheson, 2-1; Lyeffion, 2-1; Jerry’s, 2-1; Flxible Southern, 1-2.”

55 YEARS AGO

JULY 2, 1959

“Ump Rules No Contest In Pine Orchard Game: The Evergreen-Pine Orchard ball game was called by the umpire-in-chief in Pine Orchard with no scheduled date for the replay of the game.

“Buddy Hobbs was pitching well for the Greenies and getting better until the game was called with two out in the last half of the sixth frame and Pine Orchard leading six to five.

“The next game will be at City Park in Evergreen, Sunday, with Pine Orchard.”

“Dodgers topple Yanks Tuesday” by Malcolm and John Croft – “DODGERS vs. YANKEES: There’s a saying that goes ‘Life Begins at 40.” If this saying is true, then the Red Sox, Giants and Yankees are in for a lot of trouble (as if they haven’t already been in it) for the Dodgers stretched their winning skein to 40 Tuesday night with an 8-0 victory over the previously all-winning Yankees. The win put the Dodgers in an undisputed top spot in the National League. Ed Briggs hurled a brilliant one-hitter for the conquerors. Robert Rigsby and Terry Salter tried to hold the Dodger bats in vain. Briggs was 2-for-2, Wayne Tolbert, 2-for-4; Bobby Bateman, 2-for-4; and Ronnie Jackson, 1-for-1, as the Dodgers collected eight bingles. Rigsby was 1-for-1 in the losing cause.

“CHICKS vs. ORIOLES: The Chicks took their own sweet revenge Tuesday night by whipping the Orioles, 12-6. Jim Hart twirled six-hit pitching at the Orioles. Harold Wright hurled for the second place Orioles. Van Davis led the Chick Club with 2-for-3. Rusty Price came through with 1-for-2 with the losers.

DODGERS vs. RED SOX: The Dodgers walloped the Red Sox, 14-1, Wednesday afternoon in a make-up game. This was supposed to be the first game of the season but was rained out. Joe Glass and Ronnie Jackson tossed the Dodgers to their 38th win. Don Hanson donned the mound for the Red Sox. Mike Fields substituting for the Red Sox got two one-baggers to lead the Red Sox. Clint Ward led the Dodgers with 3-for-3 followed by Bobby Bateman who was 2-for-2.

“HAWKS vs. ORIOLES: The Orioles stayed in the top seat by whipping the Hawks, 24-4, behind the no-hitting pitching of Jack White. Wayne Caylor and Tommy Hartley led the Orioles massacre along with Glenn Bolton who was 3-for-3. Larry Wright and Jack Driver hurled for the Hawks.

“YANKEES vs. RED SOX: The Yankees blasted the Red Sox, 18-0, Thursday night. Terry Salter and Scott Cook flung a bingless game at the Crimson Hose. Vernon Crosby was the losing hiller. Robert Rigsby was 2-for-2, Salter, 4-for-4; Eddie Thornley and Jimmy Warren, 2-for-4; Mike Moorer, 1-for-3; and Cook, Claude Aaron and Ronnie Hayes, 1-for-4; as the Bombers slapped the apple at a furious pace. One of Rigsby’s hits was his second home run of the season.

“CHICKS vs. PELICANS: The Chicks plastered the Pelicans, 10-6, Friday night. Jimmy Hart, Gary Faulkner and Bobby Sasser were Chick chunkers. Knud Nielsen and Allen Marsh were the rubber-toers for the losers. Faulkner was 3-for-4; Donnie Brewton, Donnie Pittman and Bobby Sasser were 1-for-2, and Van Davis was 2-for-3 to pace the Chick attack. Judson Stinson, Moreno White Jr., George Stinson and Billy Clay were 1-for-2 for the conquered Pels.”

70 YEARS AGO

JULY 6, 1944

“NOTICE – a lost dog near Cedar Creek Church vicinity several days ago. A large white fox hound with one black spot on side and some black and red on head, had collar on with T.O. Holcombe’s name, Owassa, Ala. If located, notify Allie Spence, Owassa, Ala.”

Daily Weather Observations from SW Alabama for Fri., July 4, 2014

Temp: 72.9 degrees F.

Rainfall (past 24 hours): 0.00 inches

Humidity: 73 percent (Normal)

Conditions: Partly Cloudy skies and sunny; birds audible and visible; bees audible and visible; light dew on the ground.

Barometric Pressure: 29.66 inHg. 

Week to Date Rainfall: 0.55 inches

Month to Date Rainfall: 0.35 inches

Summer to Date Rainfall: 0.55 inches

Year to Date Rainfall: 43.90  inches

NOTES: Today is the 185th day of 2014 and the 14th day of Summer. There are 180 days left in the year.

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

Famous traveling Nebraska Indians baseball team lost to Evergreen in 1914

Postcard showing 1914 Nebraska Indians baseball team.

While looking through some old newspapers at the library earlier this week, I ran across something that I thought was pretty cool - the Nebraska Indians baseball team visited Evergreen during the summer of 1914.

Almost forgotten nowadays, the Nebraska Indians were once a famous traveling baseball team that played small town teams all over the country at the turn of the century.

Founded in 1897 by Guy W. Green, the Nebraska Indians were recruited from small schools and reservations in Nebraska, and were known for taking the field in Indian regalia, including Native American headdresses.

They got off to a rocky start, but it didn’t take long for them to get their act together. In their first season, they upset the University of Nebraska, beating them by six runs. From there, they established their own baseball park in Lincoln, Neb. and began to draw big crowds.

During the next decade, they would travel all over the country and would play just about any local town team that had the guts to challenge them. Along the way, they developed an entertaining style of play that, more or less, turned them into the Harlem Globetrotters of turn-of-the-century baseball. Their games were also very similar to the many popular Wild West shows that traveled the country around this time.

The first time I can ever remember hearing anything about the Nebraska Indians was in Ken Burns’ famous 1994 documentary film, “Baseball.” This great, 18-1/2 hour, Emmy Award-winning documentary contained a segment on the Nebraska Indians and included original footage of the Indians warming up and playing teams out west. In their heyday, they were a big deal.

You can imagine my surprise last week when I saw the headline “Ball Game With Real Indians” in the July 22, 1914 edition of The Evergreen Courant. The paper went on to say that Nebraska Indians would play the Evergreen town team in Evergreen on July 24, 1914.

“The greatest athletic novelty in the world is the Nebraska Indian baseball team which has created so much comment by its brilliant playing and wonderful success it has achieved during its 17 years of travel throughout the United States and Canada,” Courant editor George Salter wrote. “It is a rare and novel sight to see a team of ball players all of whom are marvelously expert and also who are genuine Indians. When they come to the field with scowling faces and savage warhoops some of the timid people in the grandstand grow nervous, but the Indians are only showing their irrepressible spirits and never have trouble with anyone.”

In the following week’s paper, Salter, under the headline, “Evergreen Beats Indians,” reported that “the largest crowd that ever witnessed a game here was at the game between the Nebraska Indians and the locals, the latter winning 7 to 6. The features of the game were the sensational fielding and hitting of Randolph Moorer for Evergreen, who made two of the most thrilling catches and registering three singles, one double and one triple out of five trips to the plate; the home run of Arant for Evergreen.”

Pitchers in the game included Arant and Lindsey for Evergreen, and Cleghorm, Wourkeegreen and Bataga for Nebraska.

Between 1897 and 1917, the Nebraska Indians played an average of 150 games per season, but no records exist for the team past 1914, the year they lost to Evergreen. That season, they went 101-25-3, and from 1897 to 1914, they went 1,237-336-11. After World War I, the Nebraska Indians reorganized and played for a few more years in the 1920s against college and semi-pro teams around the country. From there, they faded into history.

According to baseball historian Jeffrey Powers-Beck, the “Nebraska Indians established an impressive reputation as one of the most formidable exhibition teams in the country. They out-hit, out-ran and out-played their opposition consistently, and even more consistently triumphed over the hecklers whooping and shouting insults from the grandstand.”