The Drovers Old Time Medicine Show - Prater's Creek Gazette

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Sports	The Prater's Creek Gazette 1st Issue Fall 1998 Page #5
As Compiled by Sports Editor Bubba McCalister and his brother Dorris Prater's Creek Nine Of The Diamond Ready For 1998 Season Last year was a memorable one for the Prater's Creek High baseball program, both good and bad memories. The small school, where it is anybody's guess if they'll have enough young men to even field a team every spring, accomplished what no team in school history had ever done. They went through the regular season undefeated and made it to the final game of the state tourney. Good memories right? "Yeah, it was a dream season," said Prater's Creek coach Stumpy Caldwell. "but losing to that bunch of rich boys from Irmo really trips my trigger." It wasn't just the way they lost the championship game. In the bottom of the ninth inning. Prater's Creek High was one strike away from achieving the impossible. With a man on third, Irmo High batter, Niles Cavendish III stomped on catcher Dusty Doogan's bare foot, causing the Polecat catcher to miss the pitch and the ball rolled to the backstop. The runner on third. Wayne Fair, stomped on Wally Mullinax' unshod foot and easily scored as Mullinax fell and writhed in pain on the ground. Cavendish rounded the bases spiking the first and second basemen's bare feet, along with the shortstop's clay stained toes. With the entire infield laying on the ground screaming in agony. Cavendish trotted in and Irmo won the game. As the Irmo players rode off in the limos, taunts of "barefoot hillbillies can't play sports!" and "go back to farming, you uncouth rednecks," rang out from their jewelry laden and button downed parents. And those were pleasantries compared to what their children were saying. The townspeople of Prater's Creek were demoralized. The next day a meeting was held and it was decided to hold a barn dance to raise money to buy the baseball team the much-needed spikes. Over $500 was raised through cake auctions and a cow milking contest. The Drovers Old Time Medicine Show not only provided the music, they also donated $100 to the cause. The Polecat baseball team will take the field for the first time in their new shoes March 16. When asked how he likes his first pair of shoes, Mullinax commented, "I'm so proud of my new spikes and daddy likes the way I can aerate the fields with them." "They pinch a little," said Doogan, grinning like a polecat, "but I shore hope we meet those Irmo fellas again". Prater's Creek High Triumphs In Rematch Of Last Year's Title Game Well folks, the trophy is sitting in our school lobby and the stitches are on the other teams toes this summer. A terrible wrong was righted in a most glorious manner in June. After being jeered and laughed at in last years championship game, the Prater's Creek Polecats again marched undefeated through the regular season and the playoffs to go head to head with those millionaires' sons of Irmo High, who also came into the game with a big zero in the loss column. But this year was different. We had shoes too!! Final score: Good guys 11, Irmo High 0. Of course, their boys are healing their lacerated feet and legs (Coach Stumpy Caldwell really enjoyed the copy of "Ty Cobb's Book of Base running" I lent him), resting their feet in the cool waters off the coast of Hawaii, Bermuda, or hell even Myrtle Beach. Or at some expensive sports camp run by some playing or coaching legend. While our young men are working on their family's farm trying to salvage something out of this summer's drought stricken crops. If we don't have a good crop year because of the drought, and money is short, that'll be alright. We'll all pitch in and help each other, just like we always do. If there's not enough money for expensive toys from Santa Claus, you won't hear any child complaining. They know that Christmas came early this year on a hot, dusty baseball field in June. Horse Shoe Tourney Red Taylor and Billy Hank Smith won the big annual 4th of July horseshoe tournament held at 01' Man Simmons place. Mr. Taylor attributed their victory to their training and stamina. "These young fellas, they ain't used to drankin' out in the hot sun like that" Mr. Taylor said, "Me and Billy Hank do this everyday". "Yeah boy", Mr. Smith added, laughing, "And some days we actually play some horseshoes, eh Red ?" After the tourney there were fireworks when Red's wife accused him of flirting with Tessie Jenkins.

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Sports

The Prater's Creek Gazette

1st Issue Fall 1998 Page #5

As Compiled by Sports Editor Bubba McCalister and his brother Dorris

Prater's Creek Nine Of The Diamond

Ready For 1998 Season

Last year was a memorable one for the Prater's Creek High baseball program, both good and bad memories. The small school, where it is anybody's guess if they'll have enough young men to even field a team every spring, accomplished what no team in school history had ever done. They went through the regular season undefeated and made it to the final game of the state tourney. Good memories right?

"Yeah, it was a dream season," said Prater's Creek coach Stumpy Caldwell. "but losing to that bunch of rich boys from Irmo really trips my trigger."

It wasn't just the way they lost the championship game. In the bottom of the ninth inning. Prater's Creek High was one strike away from achieving the impossible. With a man on third, Irmo High batter, Niles Cavendish III stomped on catcher Dusty Doogan's bare foot, causing the Polecat catcher to miss the pitch and the ball rolled to the backstop. The runner on third. Wayne Fair, stomped on Wally Mullinax' unshod foot and easily scored as Mullinax fell and writhed in pain on the ground. Cavendish rounded the bases spiking the first and second basemen's bare feet, along with the shortstop's clay stained toes. With the entire infield laying on the ground screaming in agony. Cavendish trotted in and Irmo won the game.

As the Irmo players rode off in the limos, taunts of "barefoot hillbillies can't play sports!" and "go back to farming, you uncouth rednecks," rang out from their jewelry laden and button downed parents. And those were pleasantries compared to what their children were saying.

The townspeople of Prater's Creek were demoralized. The next day a meeting was held and it was decided to hold a barn dance to raise money to buy the baseball team the much-needed spikes. Over $500 was raised through cake auctions and a cow milking contest. The Drovers Old Time Medicine Show not only provided the music, they also donated $100 to the cause.

The Polecat baseball team will take the field for the first time in their new shoes March 16. When asked how he likes his first pair of shoes, Mullinax commented, "I'm so proud of my new spikes and daddy likes the way I can aerate the fields with them." "They pinch a little," said Doogan, grinning like a polecat, "but I shore hope we meet those Irmo fellas again".

Prater's Creek High Triumphs In

Rematch Of Last Year's Title Game

Well folks, the trophy is sitting in our school lobby and the stitches are on the other teams toes this summer. A terrible wrong was righted in a most glorious manner in June. After being jeered and laughed at in last years championship game, the Prater's Creek Polecats again marched undefeated through the regular season and the playoffs to go head to head with those millionaires' sons of Irmo High, who also came into the game with a big zero in the loss column.

But this year was different. We had shoes too!! Final score: Good guys 11, Irmo High 0. Of course, their boys are healing their lacerated feet and legs (Coach Stumpy Caldwell really enjoyed the copy of "Ty Cobb's Book of Base running" I lent him), resting their feet in the cool waters off the coast of Hawaii, Bermuda, or hell even Myrtle Beach. Or at some expensive sports camp run by some playing or coaching legend. While our young men are working on their family's farm trying to salvage something out of this summer's drought stricken crops.

If we don't have a good crop year because of the drought, and money is short, that'll be alright. We'll all pitch in and help each other, just like we always do. If there's not enough money for expensive toys from Santa Claus, you won't hear any child complaining. They know that Christmas came early this year on a hot, dusty baseball field in June.

Horse Shoe Tourney

Red Taylor and Billy Hank Smith won the big annual 4th of July horseshoe tournament held at 01' Man Simmons place. Mr. Taylor attributed their victory to their training and stamina. "These young fellas, they ain't used to drankin' out in the hot sun like that" Mr. Taylor said, "Me and Billy Hank do this everyday".

"Yeah boy", Mr. Smith added, laughing, "And some days we actually play some horseshoes, eh Red ?" After the tourney there were fireworks when Red's wife accused him of flirting with Tessie Jenkins.