By the time you read this, The Fourth will be history. But, as usual, looking back, it was impressive to hear and see the activities -- not just on a national scale, but also in hometown America, no matter the size of the community.
Firecrackers, hot dogs, picnic baskets, baseball games and flags were all part of the holiday just past, the holiday that is so often taken for granted.
Consider this: The sound of a flag popping in a stiff breeze as it flies from a staff on the front porch or yard, or a flag limply clinging to its staff, its bright red, white and blue shining proudly in the spotlight focused on our national symbol.
Perhaps it is at such a time the thought process is overwhelmed with a sincere and self-revealing burst of patriotism -- How thankful I am to live in America, the greatest, finest nation in the history of mankind.
In that fleeting moment, it is equally important -- or, perhaps, more important -- to realize that I, we, must all do our part to preserve the heritage of those centuries of freedom in our troubled world. It's quite a personal challenge, isn't it?
Enough about the Fourth, 2015. It is history. But perhaps it is time to look back at another hallmark of summer activities: Baseball!
How true it is that baseball is such a part of summer! Though football and those other ball-necessary games fill spots of importance, there is something special about sitting on a wooden bench, in the hot July summer sun, munching on a hot dog or candy bar and slugging a cold -- make that a Grapette or one of those other satisfying "sodee-pops" that help cool the brow as you watch the wind-up, delivery ... a miss ... then a grounder and the race to first base fills that screen inside the mind.
Those of an earlier generation can remember days when every little town in the area fielded its own team, mostly made up of vets returned from World War II. The rivalry between towns was great. The competitiveness equaled that which still exists between area sporting teams, no matter what the sport.
In those days, most fans in this area rooted for the St. Louis Cardinals. Clustered around a radio -- sorry, kids, no TV -- as the sound of the announcer (was his name Harry Carey?) shouted, "Holy Cow ... it might be, it could be, it is a home run" by Stan Musial or Enos Slaughter or Red Schoendienst (I never could spell his name, but old timers will know.)
Today the Cards and the Royals of Kansas City draw most support, as do the Razorbacks and the Naturals. Local American Legion or Little League teams have their fans, as do those T-ballers who may one day be the Musials.
Just recently, the star Razorback player, who also took top national honors, signed to play for the Boston Red Sox. Andrew Benintendi signed for a $3,590,400 bonus. Another Razorback, Tyler Spoon, who graduated from the U of A, also signed with the Fenway Park team.
It will be great to watch their progress in the years ahead, just as it was great to watch another Boston Red Sox fielder -- a boy from this area -- who set a major league record, one that wasn't equaled during the entire 20th century.
Glen Eugene Stephens (he was known as "Gene" locally and professionally) was the only major league player to have three hits in one inning. It occurred during a game the Sox played against the Detroit Tigers on June 18, 1953.
The Gravette News Herald reported Stephens' performance: "The record-breaking series of hits occurred in the seventh inning against Detroit, which saw 17 runs chalked up for the Sox and which ended 23-3. Stephens' hits were a double and two singles."
Stephens, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Orville Stephens, grew up on a farm, attended Hiwasse school and then Gravette High School, where he played baseball and basketball under Coach Bernard McAbee his senior year. He signed with the Sox the following year, 1951. He was 17 years old and only 19 when he set the record. It wasn't broken -- only equaled by Johnny Damon, also of the Red Sox, until more than 50 years later, June 27, 2003.
Stephens had the misfortune of playing in the shadow of Red Sox great Ted Williams. Both were outfielders and Gene got very little playing time. With only 1,913 at-bats in the 964 games he was able to play, his batting average was .240. A Topps baseball card described him: "A tall spindly Gene who rates as one of the better outfielders in the game with a .973 fielding average." After leaving the Sox, he played with Baltimore, Kansas City and the Chicago White Sox.
Following his retirement from the sport, Gene and his wife, the former Jean Johnson of Gravette, made their home in Oklahoma City. They moved to Granbury, Texas, upon his retirement from the business world. Following the death of his wife, Gene still makes his home in Texas.
Only three other players have achieved the three-hits-in-an-inning. Ned Williamson, Tom Burns and Fred Pfeffer, all Chicago White Stockings players, all hit the three on September 16, 1883. Maybe a T-baller will add his name to the list sometime during the next 50 years.
Dodie Evans is the former owner and editor of the Gravette News herald. Opinions expressed are those of the author.
Editorial on 07/08/2015