GRAVETTE — One of the most popular places in Gravette, particularly during the summer months, is Pop Allum Park. Everyone seems to know where Pop Allum Park is located. But do they know who Pop Allum is? Or was? Or why Gravette’s large ball complex bears his name?
A.L. “Pop” Allum was an active citizen in Gravette for more than 50 years, particularly for his work with youth, sometimes almost single-handedly, with the summer baseball programs.
A native of Killduf, Iowa, Alvin - though everyone called him A.L. or Pop - and his wife Anna and their four children, Aileen, Kenneth, Wendell and Bernice, moved from Wichita to Gravette in 1922.
Allum was a merchant and a carpenter. At one time the couple even operated a cafe on Gravette’s Main Street.
Gary Phipps, former Gravette mayor, remembers, “In later years he owned an appliance store that carried paints, wallpaper and items suited for his work in the building trade.”
As a builder he was involved in many projects in Gravette, including, according to a legendary story, the first Gravette Medical Center Hospital.
It is told the hospital was the dream of Dr. Billy V. Hall. The good doctor sketched out a simple drawing on a napkin for a new 14 bed treatment facility. Allum turned that first simple drawing into the hospital in 1953. Expanded several times, it eventually was replaced with the four-story structure which is now known as Ozarks Community Hospital of Gravette.
The original structure and its additions were finally demolished several months ago to be replaced by the new Walmart Express located alongside Highway 59 at the south edge of Gravette.
Phipps noted that after Allum sold his appliance business, he continued his handy-man work, along with the major community projects.
The Allum family attended Gravette Methodist Church and one of his projects was completing, with the help of his son Kenneth, the educational building that serves the church today.
Phipps wrote several paragraphs about the man he remembers as “Pop Allum.”
Phipps wrote, “If you lived in or around Gravette, Arkansas, in the late 1920s through the early 1970s, you would have known ‘Pop’ Allum. And if you played baseball, basketball or football, he was on the sideline keeping stats on the game. He loved sports and coaching baseball, and in later years helping Coach McAbee with high school games and practice as well as American Legion and Babe Ruth baseball.
“Pop was the first to promote Little League and Babe Ruth baseball in Gravette and helped in organizing American Legion baseball. All of thiswas for the kids; not only did he help with coaching he also bought baseballs, gloves and bats for the kids who could not afford them. He went to all of the out-of-town games and furnished rides for anyone who wanted to go.
“Before summer baseball programs for the kids, there were town teams and most towns of any size had a town team. These teams were made up of grown men who lived in the community and wanted to play ball.
“These games were scheduled in one town or another on Sunday afternoon, players were in uniforms, they had schedules and the public turned out to see the games. Gravette has had some legendary baseball teams from the early 1900s through early 1950s. ‘Pop’ Allum was very much part of theseteams.”
Another area man, Gravette High School graduate and area businessman Ed Galyean, remembers “Pop” Allum with these words:
“Pop was one of the most avid and loyal fans of Gravette youth and high school athletics that I remember and he always had a kind and encouraging word wherever you met him.
“During my high school days in the 1950s, Pop was always a fixture on the sidelines, cheering us on and keeping stats for Coach McAbee and writing articles for the News Herald.
“One of the most notable memories was at a game in Gentry whenPop’s leg was broken in a collision on the sidelines while doing his regular duties in Oct., 1958,” Galyean remembers.
During Gravette Day celebration Aug. 11, 1973, Mayor Jack Franklin presented Allum with a plaque that read “Presented to A.L. ‘Pop’ Allum in appreciation of your outstanding service to the youth of Gravette and for decades from the people of Gravette. A.L. ‘Pop’ Allum Day, August 11, 1973.”
Allum also received a guest book signed by scores of people who attended the celebration. He was also the oldest man, at age 88, attending theevent.
Franklin noted, “Mr. Allum has worked with youth in hundreds of recreational programs over the years.”
Pop Allum responded in his characteristic fashion, “Hope my work has been a good influence in helpingmake young people better citizens.”
Allum died June 13, 1974, at the Gravette Medical Center Hospital. Following his funeral service at the Methodist Church, Allum was buried at Hillcrest Cemetery in Gravette.
It was more than 10 years later, in June, 1985, that Allum was again honored when the Gravette City Council voted to name the new recreational park in Gravette “Pop Allum Park.”
Mayor Mike Hendren said Allum sometimes worked almost singlehandedly with youth and helped with all types of recreational projects, particularly the summerbaseball program. “The aim of this complex will be a continuing memorial to Allum’s dedicated service for youth of the city and the area in the future,” he said.
A simple marker at the park entrance welcomedvisitors to the site more than 20 years, until last summer a Gravette youth, Ty Graves, erected the native stone entrance sign at the park. It was through Grave’s Eagle Scout project that this appropriate permanent marker will continue to welcome the hundreds of youth into the park facility.
The park continues to grow. During the past year thousands of dollars have been spent through efforts of the summer ball program and the city adding fields, lights and improvements. Expanded landscaping and a walking trail project will be completed during the coming months.
Manny Allum, who lives in Tennessee and is Pop Allum’s grandson, provided the undated photo taken during an activity at the Methodist Church in Gravette.
He wrote, “I know he (Pop) would be thankful and quite proud.”
News, Pages 1 on 12/14/2011