Backroads and Ballplayers #81
Stories of the famous and not-so-famous men and women from a time when baseball was "Arkansas' Game." Backroads and Ballplayers Weekly is always free and short enough to finish in one cup of coffee.
Published early this week. Happy Thanksgiving!
One Hundred Years Ago in the Arkansas River Valley, and a Personal Thank You
Wonder Boys, Atkins Boys, and Plough Boy(s)
Two lost Arkansas sports history stories from one hundred years ago.
I decided that Thanksgiving week was a good time to post links to two stories that are longer than my posts in Backroads and Ballplayers Weekly. I hope you have time in the week ahead to read about the origin of the Wonder Boys, and the complete story of the Western Arkansas League of 1924.
A president, a coach, and a quarterback change Arkansas Tech history forever.
Over the last two months, my friend Tom DeBlack and I have been researching the legend of the Wonder Boys and the three men who played important roles in that story. Here Come the Wonder Boys was one of the features in Only in Arkansas this week. I hope you will read and share this amazing story.
Here Come the Wonder Boys Only in Arkansas, November 18, 2024
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Western Arkansas League 1924
One hundred years ago six small towns in the Arkansas River Valley made the somewhat audacious move to convert their comfortable semi-pro league to a minor league. The new Western Arkansas League would issue contracts, create a master schedule, and develop a championship playoff series. Against all odds, they survived several serious obstacles to complete the entire season. The members included the Atkins Boys, Russellville Miners, Dardanelle White Sox, Clarksville Reds, Ozark Bears, and Paris Blues.
I wrote introductory posts about the WAL last month, but the entire story is too long for this space. The Western Arkansas League mini-book linked below chronicles one of the boldest adventures in Arkansas baseball history. For research purposes, this detailed story also has the names of players from all the teams.
Many of the teams had players from their local area. Is it possible there was a pro baseball player in your family?
More Arkansas Baseball History and Book Ordering Information:
Welcome new subscribers. Stories you may have missed.
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A personal thank you…
Thanks to Arkansas Tech, my family, and my “girls” for making my Arkansas Tech Hall of Fame induction one of the most memorable weekends of my life.
Thank you Susan. Good players make good coaches.
Jim, What a wonderful moment for you and your family. You have, indeed, touched so many lives! Congratulations on a well-deserved honor!