Church League Softball
(Written 8-31-98)
Austin, Texas: Spring 1949
Our family in Austin all attended the First Baptist Church. My Sunday School Teacher was Mr. Nollner. He’s one of the mildest, kindest, nicest men I have ever known. He was also an excellent Sunday School teacher, and was respected by all in his classes. Mr. Nollner also coached our softball team for the junior high school age group.
I was one of the pitchers on the team,–but not the best. I did get to play some, even though I couldn’t run well if and when I got a hit. I think I didn’t get to base very often. However, I did get to pitch regularly, a few innings at a time. (Everybody got to play.) Few people got to base off of my fast pitch with the spin on it. It was my one good skill in playing the game. In those days I was very bashful and soft spoken, and I spoke with a very slow drawl.
At the end of the season we scheduled a team picnic which included our siblings and our parents. Then, for some reason or another they changed the date of the picnic, moving it up a few days. The next Sunday Mr. Nollner asked me if I had a ride to the picnic and I told him I didn’t and probably wouldn’t get to go. He seemed upset and said that I really should go if I could, for the date had been moved up because I had told him I was moving from Austin to Andrews the next week. He said that at the picnic I was to be honored for my pitching for the team. I was terribly embarrassed, but certainly went to the picnic. It was one of the greatest honors I have ever received, to be recognized for my athletic prowess. They gave me a trophy. Me! The guy who couldn’t run like the rest of the guys!