Eric Reece
We are all very proud of our Lady Knights softball team.
Watching them compete on the diamond brings back good memories.
I grew up in a mill town, where softball was the summer pastime. We had church- and industrial-softball leagues.
I remember going with my grandfather to watch the games. The stands would be filled with fans cheering for their teams. The kids who turned in a foul or home run ball got a free soda.
One of the churches I served had both a men's and women's team. As the pastor, I had to sign the roster.
The rules had been changed where two players did not have to be members of the church. Also, others had only to agree to show up at church sometime during the season.
One game, someone asked me who the pitcher was for my team and I did not know. I told the church I was the MVP of the team: the Most Valuable Preacher.
As the only preacher, that made me valuable (I hoped).
I understand softball was created around 1887 in Chicago, when some guys were playing around with an old boxing glove tied up in a ball. They threw the glove and hit it with a stick.
As the game spread, each city came up with their own rules. You pitched underhanded and there were slow- and fast-pitch leagues.
To coincide with the Chicago World’s Fair in 1933, a softball tournament was held – with 55 teams from all over the United States. Since many of the teams had their own rules, the tournament had to standardize the rules.
To reach this week's state-championship series, the Lady Knights defeated Bethany Community School. I served in the Bethany community and remember when the charter school started in two double-wides; then rented an old building before building its new campus, which is half a from Glencoe Church – where I served.
Not only is there a new school around the corner from the church, there is a new Dollar General across from the school.
Some years later, I served at a church where there was a wonderful couple, Gaither and Barbara Cline. Coach Cline played baseball at East Carolina University back in the 1950s, and started his teaching and coaching career in Williamston.
One of the nearby communities is Bear Grass, home of the school our Lady Knights play next.
It was in the Bear Grass community that Cline visited the Perry household to convince one of his players – Jim’s brother Gaylord – to play on the high school baseball team. He succeeded and the rest is history, with Gaylord Perry becoming a MLB Hall of Famer.
In many communities, the mills are gone and churches no longer field teams. Community-softball leagues have disappeared. The field I played on in my hometown is now the site of a supermarket.
Glory days have passed by, but not in Robbinsville.
Congratulations to the Lady Knights. I wish them success in the state championship.
Eric Reece is the faith columnist for The Graham Star. He is pastor of Robbinsville United Methodist Church and can be reached via email, ereece@wnccumc.net.