A Collection of Buckhead Baseball Historical Photos and Articles
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A Collection Of Buckhead Baseball Historical Photos And Articles Enjoy these Buckhead Baseball memories. Please contact [email protected] if you have historical photos or articles to contribute to our archive. Origins of Frankie Allen Park Frankie Allen Park off Pharr Road has long been associated with the Garden Hills neighborhood and Buckhead Baseball. The park has baseball diamonds, tennis courts and a long meadow dotted with large granite picnic/grilling areas. The area now occupied by the park once was a black residential area when Buckhead was an area of farms. The Mount Olivet Methodist‐ Episcopal Church was located there in the early 1900s. Its cemetery remains in a corner of the park near the entrance. Graves in the cemetery are still visited, and small wreaths and other tokens are sometimes left beside the old stones. The park was established around 1952 as Bagley Park at 1120 Bagley Street. In 1980, it was renamed Frankie Allen Park in honor of a popular baseball umpire who had died the year before. "Frankie Allen had become an Atlanta sports legend with his penchant for building character in the young, through the Buckhead Baseball program for the last 28 of his 51 seasons in sports in Atlanta and Georgia," the Atlanta Journal‐Constitution wrote at the time of the renaming ceremony. Young players continue to benefit from Frankie Allen's legacy in the park that bears his name. 1953 50 Club Team Buckhead Baseball In The Beginning. Thanks to Tom Carlock for letting us use this great picture! He was 12 years old when this was taken and played shortstop. The team was on the Majors field. Oh, how it has changed... Go Buckhead! First Row (L to R): Douglas Mitchell, Wade St. John, Ben Stathan, Harvard Hughey, Jack Addison, Bill King, David Jamison Second Row (L to R): Sam Mitchell, David Truby, Jeff Stewart, Billy Hull (Mascot), Jimmy Sudderth, Richard Askew, Burnett Hull, Tom Carlock Not present: Jimmy Respress 1959 State Champions Thanks to Kenny Squires and his wife, Diane, for sending us this picture of the Buckhead Nationals All‐Star team in 1959. Diane contacted us after seeing the 2005 Buckhead 12 year olds on ESPN at the Regionals. In 1959 there were 2 teams of 12 year old All Stars. They were the Americans (blue and white uniforms), and the Nationals (red and white uniforms.) Kenny played on the National team. According to Ken, the Americans beat the Nationals with a home run in the bottom of the 6th. inning. The winning pitcher was Buddy Copeland (went on to pitch for the UGA), and the losing pitcher was Taylor Branch. Ken believes that Billy Payne played on the winning American team. Ken played on the Elks team in the regular season prior to the All Star Nationals. He knew Frankie Allen and kept score for Allen when he got too old to play ball. He said that Hoyle Dye, a policeman, was killed in the line of duty and there was a plaque honoring Dye on the wall of the concession stand. Most of these boys went to high school together graduating from North Fulton High School in 1965. Ken and Diane were in the same high school class and went on to the Univ. of Ga following graduation. A great piece of Buckhead Baseball History! 1961 Civitans Team Top Row Left: Al Becham‐Coach Top Row Right: Mark Pope‐Manager Middle Row (left to right): Ken McDuffie, Hampton Morris, Mike McLaughlin, William (Tub) De Golian, Billy Graham, Mark Pope, Bobby Davis, Bobby Feninger Bottom Row (left to right): Joe Sigur, Ed Evans, Kelly Barge, Jack Jamison, Mike Smith, Bobby Campbell, Bobby Lawler 1966 AA Giants Team (8 and 9 year olds) Front Row (from Left): Jimbo Livaditis, Jonathon (Bubbie) Weston, Mark Lieb, Trip Hope, Sammy Mathis, Alan (Abba) Waller, Todd Tinkler, Jeff Levin, Dale Latty, Alan Quarterman. Back Row (from Left): Ed Ruus, John Olden, Lewis Robinson, Johnny Jarman, ? ?, Richard King, Kenny Whiten, Scott ?, John Hallen, Herbert Avery, Kevin Latty, Teddy Weiner (sp?). Coach: Buzz Hope Thanks to Jimbo Livaditis for sharing this photo. 1969 National League All‐Stars This color photo is from the 1969 National League All‐Star Team Tournament (we had both an American and National League team when we were broken down that way in the league, and the 11's and 12's played together). It shows what our old heavy cotton uniforms looked like (that we turned in after the season!). Unfortunately, I don't remember how we faired in the tourney. From left, the first kid in uniform is Wade McKinney (12 year old) and me, Jimbo Livaditis, (11 year old). I don't remember who the other two kids with their backs to us are. Thanks to Jimbo Livaditis for sharing this photo. Ross Dedeyn Wins 1982 Buckhead Baseball Sportsmanship Award This picture shows Terry Jerden, our umpire chief, in 1982 presenting the Sportsmanship Award to Majors Oriole player, Ross Dedeyn. The sportsmanship award is presented to the Majors player who best exemplifies good sportsmanship during the season. The Sportsmanship Award is nominated by the Majors coaches and voted on by the season umpires. 1995 Majors Champions Top left: coach David Edwards, coach Scoot Dimon, head coach Scott Arnold, coach (not identified) 3rd row left: Billy Glisson, Judson Wallace, Charlie Yates, David Fenton 2nd row left: Patrick Arnold, Rollins Luckey, Noble Stafford, Ricky Dimon, Zach Lipton Bottom row left: Frank Edwards, Si Sitterson, Palmer Dobbs Ricky and his Dad and Coach, Scoot Dimon "22. The number of wins the 1995 Buckhead Baseball Major Royals had heading into the playoffs. That’s 22 more than their number of losses. That’s right, 22‐0 and hands down the most talented team in Buckhead history. We, the Dodgers, headed into that semifinal showdown with a meager 12‐10 record. I can’t say that the Royals weren’t a team in the truest sense of the word; they probably were. But I know for sure we were. Most of the Dodgers had played together for 2 years, and most of us went to Westminster, courtesy of the drafting of my dad in the Major Draft two years earlier. That included me, Charlie Yates, Noble Stafford, David Fenton, the late Si Sitterson, Judson Wallace, and Rollins Luckey. Wallace, an all‐Ivy League hoopster and now playing professionally in Germany, pitched the game of his life against the Royals and somehow we prevailed, 8‐6. How we got to 8‐6 is almost all a blur now, although I do know I reached base 5 times in 5 at bats, although I think at least one was via error. Either way, it was then and always will be both the biggest upset in Buckhead Baseball history and the greatest moment of my playing career." ‐ Ricky Dimon Buckhead Baseball A Poem by Philip K. Curtis, Father of a Former Buckhead Baseball All Star A summer respite from stress and strife, Buckhead Baseball has been a way of life; From Opening Day to the last recorded out, We relish the outcome be it close or a rout. It all started way back in the Fall of ‘52, Bagley Park was the name of the venue; Baseball & Buckhead were an instant hit, With bat, baseball, cap and leather mitt. Little League was the center of attention, But others soon vied for special mention; Mickey Mantle and Connie Mack came, Then the Dixie League put on the game. The players learn to respect the team, As good sportsmanship is the theme; Lessons are learned that last life long, As solid fair play prevails over wrong. Coaches are role models for the boys, As they turn raw material into alloys; Leaders like Ward, Tucker and Farmer, Loyd, Hammond, Hawkins and Doster. But the players are always number one, As they compete mightily under the sun; All Stars Bryant, Beckham and Small, Sure knew how to play great baseball. Still it is the average player we hail, The lad who occasionally lets one sail; Buckhead Baseball is for one and all, From the major leagues to T‐ ball. Our hats are off to this legacy of fun, We acknowledge parents and everyone; Frankie Allen Park is the place to be, For every young baseball “wannabe”! 2003 State Tournament Logo Check out this tournament logo drawn by Jack Davis. This design was specially drawn for the 2003 Georgia State Little League Tournament by Jack Davis, creator of MAD magazine. The 78‐ year‐old artist is one of the "Buckhead Boys" whose artwork has adorned at least 36 Time magazine covers, 80 album covers, scores of movie posters and dozens of dust jackets. His awards include the prestigious Milton Caniff Lifetime Achievement Award and the Reuben Award, the National Cartoonists Society equivalent of a Pulitzer Prize. The Tournament Committee thanks Jack Davis for his contribution to the Little League State Tournament! 2007 Opening Day Ceremonies Tball players during the national anthem Buckhead owes a great debt of gratitude to many of its volunteers for making opening day a super success! In particular, Martha Payne put together our opening day ceremony this year which was not only an outstanding start to our season but well organized and on time! Krist Voyles, our roster book coordinator, worked very hard to produce our essential roster book and get it in our hands by opening day. This is no small task! Paige Lee, merchandise coordinator, was on the spot in very cold weather doing a wonderful job getting our Buckhead gear out for everyone to enjoy.