This and That Newsletter
Vol 13 Issue 633 Circulation 5,000 March 12, 2009
PO Box 2
Ardmore, Oklahoma 73402
email address: butchbridges@oklahomahistory.net
580-657-8616 (not a toll free number)
Baseball in the Cross Timbers
The Sooner State League operated for eleven seasons between 1947 and 1957. More than 3,000 players mounted the bottom rung of the baseball's ladder leading to the dream-come-true of playing in "the Show." More than just a sports book, in fourteen chapters with over 300 photos and illustrations, a glossary, tables with performance statistics, and an extensive index, Baseball in the Cross Timbers reintroduces us to the Oklahoma and north Texas teams of the 1940s and 1950s. The heroes and the goats, the civic pillars and the criminals, the raconteurs, wheelers and dealers, rouges and rascals are all there along with the players and fans as well as the owners, managers, umpires, and officials, the people who made the Sooner State League live. The story of the League continued beyond its last season in 1957 in the form of the short 1961 season of Ardmore Rosebuds, the last small-town minor league team in Oklahoma.
"Each minor league has its own story worth telling and Pete Pierce has through his meticulous research told the story of the Sooner State League with the care and depth it deserves. Pete tells behind the scenes stories of the League and its franchises, most run on the shoestring by men dedicated to bringing something worthwhile to their communities.
I know a labor of love when I see one and Baseball in the Cross Timbers is certainly that...Cross Timbers records and celebrates a simpler time when the U.S. was emerging from World War II and young men were able to turn from the battlefields to the ball field. It pays homage to the grassroots tradition of baseball and to the impact of minor league in our communities and on youngsters like the Pete Pierce's of the 1950s. The unique collection of photos that Pete has been able to gather further returns one to those halcyon days." -C. Paul Rogers, IIIhttp://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos9a/BaseballCrosstimbers2009a.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos9a/BaseballCrosstimbers2009b.jpg
http://www.SoonerStateLeague.com
About three weeks ago I mentioned the book Justice Denied by author Chuck Parsons would probably sell out before the history conference sponsored by the Oklahoma Outlaws and Lawmen History Association was held in Ada on April 19th. I received an email from Herman Kirkwood this week saying he only had a few left, and if anyone wants one of these gems, to get hold of him before they are all gone. srkirkwood@usa.com
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos9a/JusticeDenied2009a.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos9a/JusticeDenied2009b.jpg
Here is the Ardmore Police group photo Jim Hubbell in Whitesboro, TX did a makeover on this week. Everyone in the photograph has been identified. If anyone sees a mistake, let me know. One Reader said this photo had to be shot around 1961 since he was one of those in the picture and did not go to work at the PD until May 1961, so it was taken sometime after that.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos9a/APD_Feiler_1959.jpg
But in this 1969 APD group photo there are still 7 people in the picture unidentified. Maybe someone can help us out with the names.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos9a/APD_Feiler_1969.jpg
Jim will be working his magic on the 1961 photo next. Its really a poor copy of a copy of a copy, but maybe Jim can bring it to life.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos9a/APD_Feiler_1961.jpg
I have eaten several times the past few years at Baldwin's at 5th SW and South Washington, but this week was the first time I snapped a pic of their old fashion burger. They really put out a great hamburger, one like you'd fix at home. Baldwin Burger
I'm making progress on my shed made from wood pallets. When I get the corrugated sheet iron roof and smartboard siding on in a week or so, then I can start adding a chicken coop on to the main shed part.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos9a/Pallets030909a.jpg
Speaking of chickens, Jill and I was at the Sulphur Trade Days last Sunday before daylight. We had a good time going from vendor to vendor with our flashlights looking at everything. We did find several people selling chickens. These first two pics are just an overall view of the selling area.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos9a/SulphurTradeDays030809a.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos9a/SulphurTradeDays030809b.jpg
One lady had some cute goats for sale. She was feeding them from a long neck beer bottle!
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos9a/SulphurTradeDays030809c.jpg
This is a view of one vendors animals, he had quite a selection.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos9a/SulphurTradeDays030809d.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos9a/SulphurTradeDays030809e.jpg
Here's another view of his big tom turkey, some beautiful white doves, and a few guineas he had for sale. You know guineas make a great watch dog, raising all kinds of cane if someone comes on the property.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos9a/SulphurTradeDays030809f.jpg
The doves were so clean and white, I had to take a closeup view.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos9a/SulphurTradeDays030809g.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos9a/SulphurTradeDaysMap.jpg
Oil millionaire Wirt Franklin lived at Stanley and D Street SW back in the 1920s. No one has lived in the old Franklin home in many many years. Shame it can't be restored as a showcase of the magnificent homes that dotted the Southwest part of Ardmore back a hundred years ago. When the first Cornish Orphans home burned south of Ringling, Wirt Frankln came to the rescue, seeing funds came available to rebuild.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos9a/WirtFranklinHome.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos9a/WirtFranklinPhoto.jpg
Ten cheapest places to buy gas in the Ardmore area......
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/gasprices.html
Oklahoma History Boards!
http://oklahomaroots.proboards83.com/
Q. Where did the Creek people live before their removal?
A. Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and FloridaQ. In what Oklahoma state park can you find sand dunes?
A. (answer in next week's T&T)Some mail from this week's MAILBAG.....
"Hello Mr. Bridges, This is Cinnamon Carter from Ballinger again. I just wanted to give you an update about the Palacine Indian we were seeking info on from Oklahoma as well as our local version. We, amazingly, are in the process of raising funds to replace the old one that was destroyed. The kids and I have been to the city council meeting and got the approval to proceed with getting a new one to be placed back on his hillside back at the city park. We are THRILLED! When we started this whole journey, we never imagined we would be to this point. I was wondering if you could help me in finding out who originally made the statues for Mr. Franklin's company and if there were any organizations there in Oklahoma that could help with our fundraising process being that is where Friend the Indian is from. Also, have you had any information come to you via your site from our original article several months ago? We are still going to compile a scrapbook of all the stories, pictures, and information that we have collected over the past few months to document this whole journey from the time the original statue arrived in 1939 to the present. We have a local man who has agreed to be our sculptor and that is wonderful being that he graduated from Ballinger in 1958 and vividly remembers the Indian. He is a wonderful artist and the new one will be made out of bronze so that it will still be standing 100 years from now as a legacy left by the students in my class and myself who are driving this whole thing. We are going to preserve the original base that ours once stood on and mark it with a plaque that tells the story and then on the very spot where the original one stood, construct a new base to place the new one. He will not be a totally different Indian but rather a recreation of the one lost. Any help you can offer in any area I have listed would be wonderful. You can go to www.ballingernews.com and click on our own personal link, Indian Hill, and read our journey. Thanks." -Cinnamon Cinnamon.Carter@ballingerisd.net
"Came across these items on eBay and thought they might be of some interest:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Photo-Hearse-Harvey-Funeral-Home-Ardmore-OK_W0QQitemZ270355443696QQcmdZViewItemQQssPageNameZRSS:B:SRCH:US:101
http://cgi.ebay.com/Wooden-Indian-Chief-Palacine-Ardmore-OK-1929-Article_W0QQitemZ370170006617QQcmdZViewItemQQssPageNameZRSS:B:SRCH:US:101
Also have a "beta" site set up which pulls in all kinds of news, photos etc. about Ardmore:
http://www.countylinecreative.com/ardmorist/
There's still several bugs to work out, and the site can take a long time to load, since it updates so many feeds, but I've come across some interesting things from time to time." -Wes Womack
"I have some Ardmore things I would like to share with the Readers. One is a pic of my GG Grandfather W.E. Landrum, who was a deputy under the first sheriff, J.H. Akers, after statehood. I also have a newspaper photo and article which someone might be interested in, I do not have a date for the paper but the picture is old, also taken in Ardmore." -Marjorie Gray Marg81036@verizon.netHUNDREDS WILL ATTEND FUNERAL OF AGED CITIZEN OF WILLIAM ELIJAH LANDRUM
W. E. Landrum came to Ardmore in 1885; served on Sheriff's and Police force here. Odd fellows TO CONDUCT SERVICE. Hundreds of friends are expected to attend the funeral of W. E. Landrum, pioneer citizen of Oklahoma, this afternoon at 2:30 o'clock. Services will be held at the late residence, 704 C Street, northeast, with interment at Rose Hill Cemetery. Rev. J. T. McClure of the Broadway Methodist church will officiate. Mr. Landrum died at his home at 1:30 Saturday morning after an illness of two months. He was attended by friends and relatives when the end came. Mr Landrum was born in Murphysboro, Tenn. on January 28, 1850 and moved with his family to Texas when he was 5 years old. In 1885 he moved his family to Indian Territory and settled in Ardmore. He was a deputy under James Holmes Akers, the first sheriff of Carter County after statehood. He was also street commissioner and was later connected with the police department. He has an acquaintance that extends over the greater part of southern Oklahoma and northern Texas. He is survived by his wife Malena Hampton Landrum, two sons, Virgil and Jess, two daughters, Mrs. Vonie Pettijohn and Mrs. Laura Cox of Hardtner, Kansas. All of his survivors were with him at the time of his death. Members of the I.O.O.F. will have charge of the service this afternoon. Mr. Landrum had been a member of the local chapter for many years and was an active member.Newspaper Clipping from The Daily Ardmoreite by Mac McGalliard Reporter's Notebook
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos9a/WE_LandrumArticle.jpg
Photograph of W.E. Landrum
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos9a/WE_Landrum.jpg
"Butch, this picture of McGalliard Cave was taken sometime in the late 60's or early 70's. As I recall, Mac was coming back to Ardmore via helicopter when he spotted the cave in the Arbuckle's, east of I-35. He put together this team to hike to the spot and name the cave. The men, left to right, are: Charles Smith, Glenn Smith, Ollie Testerman (I think), Jodie Woody (I don't remember other name), V.S. Watson (I think), Mac McGalliard, and I don't remember the man's name behind Mac McGalliard. Joyce Franks was the photographer. Charles Smith, Glenn Smith, Jodie Woody, V.S. Watson, and Ollie Testerman; were all educators in Ardmore and Springer. Joyce gave each of us a copy of the picture." -Charles Smith McGalliard Cave Photo
"As I have been doing land survey work for the last 35 years I have passed by many old school buildings that once were. They always stir up sentiment in me that is difficult for me to ponder. I go by the most recent closed school here in Carter County - Graham. The Bearcats no longer exist. I never really knew anyone from Graham, but I know when they closed the school there was much sorrow for an era gone by. I remember only a year or so ago the Ardmore Douglas school had a reunion, and it reminded me of the few basketball games I attended there at that black high school. I remember coach Frank Luster having to bring out a ladder before the game himself and place a new net on one of the goals. Frank was once a member of the Harlem Globe Trotters, but a very eloquent and public servant type of guy - one of my favorite people. Then I go by the old townsite of Dundee and see the remains of a school building now pretty much deteriorated and gone. The same for Woodland and Central, and Gene Autry. All once exciting campuses where young people learned and lived, but now gone like a ghost town. All of these and more, but too many to mention individually.And then I receive a youtube like this one, and it makes me proud to be a student of an era gone by. My old school still exists and I'm happy about that as we plan some sort of reunion for our 50 years of passing 1959 - 2009. How blessed we have been, for it was there - Sulphur High School - where we were taught by some of the finest teachers on this green earth, their remembrances still stir each of us to honor them for who they really were - our heroes - how in that age they taught us, admonished us, loved us and prepared us for living a life of whatever we were capable of achieving. Some of them still live on this planet called earth, but all of them still live in our hearts and memories." -Michael D. Carrhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPNS6tMY26o&feature=channel
"Hey Butch, Here are are few pics of the Lone Grove disaster zone that I took a couple of weeks ago." -Joe B Johnson, Freelance Photographer www.TxVideoGuy.comhttp://txvideoguy.fotki.com/misc-pictures-1/lone-grove-ok-torna/
"Butch, in last weeks T&T you had an article about the stars on the flag representing each state. The list left out #29 - Iowa. That is my home state." :)
"I just came across your old website about upside down tomatoes. I'm sorry that you didn't have any success with them that year but I hope you have not given up. Flowers only turn into tomatoes if they are pollinated. What I do in my garden is take a q-tip and touch all of the flowers in my garden one after another until I return to my starting point. Since there aren't many bees in my area (being the city and all) this allows my veggies to get pollinated. Before I started doing this my crop was 1/7th what it is these days! This works for all flowering fruits and veggies! If there weren't any other flowering plants near your tomatoes then the bees may just not have come to visit them!"http://www.oklahomahistory.net/tomatos.html
Frugal Tip: http://www.hulu.com/
"My son David Janaskie took these pictures and my daughter Crissy Argo and husband Gary live across the street from the property in photos # 1 -8. In photo #4 their house is the one on the left in the background. Blessed aren't we/they? (David says most of these pics are unedited.)"Click here: Majestic Hills Tornado Aftermath
"The Moose Lodge of Ardmore is taking donations of furniture for the families who were affected by the tornado on Feb. 10. This is near and dear to my heart because we have many children in our school who were left homeless. Many of these families are finally getting in to homes and are finding out the enormity of what they lost. If you have any furniture you could donate please let me know and I would gladly pick it up or if you would like to deliver it to the Moose Lodge they will be open for these donations on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1pm to 5pm. If this is an inconvenient time call me at 580-465-3637 and I will make arrangements to pick up furniture. Thank you." -Carol
This is just a quick reminder of some of my upcoming public shows that I hope you might be able to attend.
March 14 ? Reagan, Oklahoma- Reagan Community Center, 7pm with the Johnny Shackleford Band.
March 28 ? Winfield, Kansas- Quail Valley Fun Barn with my Silver Lake Band ? Supper & Show/Dance
For reservations call 620-221-0052
April 18 ? Stillwater, Oklahoma- Arts & Heritage Festival with my Silver Lake Band ? Couch Park
Two Daytime Performances - Times TBA
April 23 ? Ponca City, Oklahoma- Poncan Theatre with my Silver Lake Band ? 7:30pm
Fund Raiser for Lions Club ? For tickets call 580-765-0943
April 26 ? Lawrence, Kansas- Abe & Jake?s Landing with my Silver Lake Band
Dinner 5pm, Show/Dance 6pm ? Fund Raiser for Humane Society
For Reservations call 785-841-7978
May 9 ? Muskogee, Oklahoma- Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame with my Silver Lake Band
Tribute to American Railroads ? For reservations call 918- 687-0800
May 29 ? Smith Center, Kansas- High School Auditorium with my Trio (Jeanne and Jerome) 7:30pm
May 30 ? Minden, Nebraska- Minden Opera House with the Curt Shoemaker Band & other guests
7:30pm ? For reservations call 308-832-0588
June 5 -6 Memphis, Tennessee- National Film Festival. Many stars of movies and TV Shows to visit with you and sign autographs. I will entertain for the Saturday night Dinner. For more information, call 501-499-0444
June 13 ? Winfield, Kansas,- Quail Valley Fun Barn with my Silver Lake Band ? Supper & Show/Dance
For reservations call 620-221-0052
June 20-21 ? Gene Autry, Oklahoma- Summer Jamboree ? Gene Autry Museum. Many performers on Saturday daytime and evening ? Sunday morning gospel
June 26-28 ? Kenton, Ohio- Gene Autry Days ? Fairgrounds ? Lots of music, food & western collectibles
For more information, call Chamber of Commerce in Kenton, OH
June 30 ? Broken Arrow, Oklahoma- Tuesdays in the Park with my Silver Lake Band ? 7pm
Park on South Main in Broken Arrow, OKHope to see you soon somewhere down the trail." -Les Gilliam http://www.LesGilliam.com
"Butch: It is about time for the Purple Martins to return from South America where they winter. I have been raising them for about 30 years. This year I am changing out Martin Houses to the new type. They are on sale at Walmart at a very good price including pole, they will extend up about 15ft. Sending some pics of new houses and the old wood type which the starlings can get in. The new type is designed to keep starlings out! but sparrows can get in and you may have to clean our occasionally! You can put Purple Martin in your browser and get all about purple martins!" -Hoot in Healdtonhttp://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos9a/PurpleMartinHouse9a.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos9a/PurpleMartinHouse9b.jpg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BbMmB2NFYOw
Brokers Believe Worst Is Over and Recommend Buying of Real Bargains
? New York Herald Tribune, October 27, 1929
October 29, 1929 - Stock Market Crashes!See everyone next week!
Butch and Jill Bridges
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net
PO Box 2
Lone Grove, Oklahoma 73443Save on long distance calls, just a couple cents a minute!
http://www.CheapLongDistance.org
Oklahoma Bells: http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/bellpage.html
American Flyers Memorial Fund - Administration Webpage
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/crash66.html
Official American Flyers Memorial Website
http://www.brightok.net/~wwwafm
Ardmore Army Air Field/Ardmore Air Force Base Website
http://www.brightok.net/~gsimmons
Mirror Site of the Ardmore Army Air Field/Ardmore Air Force Website
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/airbase/
Carter county schools, past and present
http://community.webshots.com/user/oklahomahistory
Carter County Government Website
http://www.brightok.net/cartercounty/
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