What brought this to mind, I have no idea, but I am remembering the glory days of the Big Eight semi-pro baseball league that included as members towns mostly in Northwest Louisiana. During the latter half of the l950's and early l960's the Big Eight was not only a sports phenomenom but a social and economic player.
Teams were fielded by Ruston, Minden, Homer, Bernice, Farmerville, Dubach, Bastrop and Springhill. Games were played under lights three times a week -- Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Local players were favored, with a restriction on the number of players from colleges. As best as I recall former professionals could play if they had been out of baseball for l0 or more years. I believe a team was allowed only one qualified professional. I remember Bernice had a pitcher who was still outstanding after l0 years. Homer never fielded a player classified as a former professional.
We got players from SMU, Baylor, Centenary, Louisiana Tech, Magnolia, Texas A&M - -but our main connection was with LSU in Baton Rouge. One reason for that is that two of our locals plsyed for LSU. I remember that one season we had three first team LSU football players and the star of the basketball team.
We were still recovering from WWII and people seemed starved for entertainment; even the bank president was a regular attender at home games. A group of girls, dressed as if going on an important date, would arrive shortly before the game began, make their appearance, and occupy a box behind home plate. Since I was official scorekeeper and newspaper editor, I attended all away games, usually with a carload of passengers. I remember being accompanied by five girls to a game in Bastrop, 70 miles away, and got a round of applause for catching a foul ball headed towards the girls. The Big Eight continued important for several years, with the coming of television probably contributing to its decline in importance.
Several players went on to successful professional careers in sports. Perhaps the spectacular play of "Johnny Football" reminds me of a l7-year-old freshman left-handed pitcher from Texas A&;M. who played for Homer. He struck out batter after batter, sending them down swinging. He didn't like to do the
work necessary to stay in shape and wasn't as effective his sophomore year. I don't know what happened to him.
This is the first time in many, many years that I have thought about the Big Eight; the memories are all pleasant.
Teams were fielded by Ruston, Minden, Homer, Bernice, Farmerville, Dubach, Bastrop and Springhill. Games were played under lights three times a week -- Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Local players were favored, with a restriction on the number of players from colleges. As best as I recall former professionals could play if they had been out of baseball for l0 or more years. I believe a team was allowed only one qualified professional. I remember Bernice had a pitcher who was still outstanding after l0 years. Homer never fielded a player classified as a former professional.
We got players from SMU, Baylor, Centenary, Louisiana Tech, Magnolia, Texas A&M - -but our main connection was with LSU in Baton Rouge. One reason for that is that two of our locals plsyed for LSU. I remember that one season we had three first team LSU football players and the star of the basketball team.
We were still recovering from WWII and people seemed starved for entertainment; even the bank president was a regular attender at home games. A group of girls, dressed as if going on an important date, would arrive shortly before the game began, make their appearance, and occupy a box behind home plate. Since I was official scorekeeper and newspaper editor, I attended all away games, usually with a carload of passengers. I remember being accompanied by five girls to a game in Bastrop, 70 miles away, and got a round of applause for catching a foul ball headed towards the girls. The Big Eight continued important for several years, with the coming of television probably contributing to its decline in importance.
Several players went on to successful professional careers in sports. Perhaps the spectacular play of "Johnny Football" reminds me of a l7-year-old freshman left-handed pitcher from Texas A&;M. who played for Homer. He struck out batter after batter, sending them down swinging. He didn't like to do the
work necessary to stay in shape and wasn't as effective his sophomore year. I don't know what happened to him.
This is the first time in many, many years that I have thought about the Big Eight; the memories are all pleasant.
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