Comments for Travellinbaen

Comment on Mississippi in Africa by Watch The Daily Show Tonight–Friend of the MTGU Appearing Live » MISSING THE GROUND

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 17:29:01 +0000

[...] to wait a few days, I’ll post a direct link when I post my thoughts. Here’s a link to what I wrote about one of Huffman’s previous books, Mississippi in Africa. He is also the author of Sultana: Surviving the Civil War, Prison, and the Worst Maritime [...]

Comment on A Virtual World Series of Pascagoula Champions by mdm

mdm — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 20:01:06 +0000

Hey Randy, what a small world. So good to see that you found this site and have provided some interesting reading for those who remember those semi-pro baseball days along the Gulf Coast and more specific, the Jackson County, Ms. area. As you can see, there are many of us on this site that enjoy talking baseball history about the local area. Thanks again for your input on that “title game of ’86″. That was literally the last game in Merchants history as Stallworth hung up his cleats after leading the team for 15 seasons. Congratulations again on your induction into the Alabama HOF….One question, did you and pitcher Roger Parker play at Louisiana Tech together? He played with the Merchants in the 70′s as well correct?

Comment on Remembering Six by Leon Aleman, Jr.

Leon Aleman, Jr. — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 05:39:34 +0000

Greetings All! My name is Leon Aleman, Jr. When my brother, Sixto Louis, shared this article on our Uncle Six with me I was so inspired by the way he inspired so many of you that I forwarded the story to many of my fellow coaches and teacher friends. I am a high school teacher and coach of 21 years in San Antonio, Texas. We did not see or talk to Uncle Six very often but when we did we always talked baseball! It seemed no matter how well I felt I did or how good I thought I was, he always found something to critique and told me I could still do better! Now to the point, before I share this with you, I need to give you a little background info. My grandfather (mom’s dad), Salvador Acuna, was a great fan of baseball. There is a story about Salvador, do not know if it is true or not, but all the old timers say it is. Where, as a young man Salvador had an opportunity to play professional baseball, St. Louis Browns, I believe, but being a migrant worker and working for the family his mother did not sign the papers for him to go as he was underage and needed to make money. Well, Uncle Six loved to sit, have a beer and talk baseball with my “Grandpa Sal”. Though not related to him, other than my dad’s, Six’s brother’s, father-in-law, he often spoke very highly of his love and respect for Salvador and his love for “THE GAME”. Now the story, my Grandpa Sal loved to sit with me and talk baseball. Whether it was in his living room, in his kitchen with a bowl of menudo, out back by the picnic table, walking through the aisles at Handy Andy (for those of you who don’t know Handy Andy is an old San Antonio family grocery store, gone now, maybe one or two left), or at the “Sportsman’s”, his hangout across the vacant lot from his house, we talked baseball for hours! I can still see Grandpa Sal with his cold Pearl Beer in his right hand and smoky old cigarette in the other! Well, in all the many years of Little League, Pony League, Babe Ruth League, High School, College, and Amateur Ball, Salvador never was able to see me play, Well not exactly, Uncle Six did an awesome thing for me and my Grandpa Sal. I was playing for Incarnate Word College in the program’s inaugural year, Spring 1987, our field was under construction so we played our home games at Trinity University. I can not tell you who we played, whether we won or lost, or even how I did that day, but I can tell you this, my Grandpa Sal saw me play and he was proud! Thanks Uncle Six for bringing Grandpa Sal to my game! (Grandpa Sal died the following spring) That is the kind of person Sixto Aleman was he always seemed to do just what mattered. Thanks to all of you for remembering Uncle Six. God Bless you all!

Comment on Remembering Six by Sixto L. Aleman

Sixto L. Aleman — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 12:37:07 +0000

To all who knew my Uncle Sixto,

My name is Sixto Louis Aleman, I live in San Antonio, Tx. Sixto Xavier Aleman was my uncle. I am very touched by your stories about him. It is nice to know that he is remembered and respected by others. I did not see him very often growing up, but I do recall one particular visit when he asked me to bring him a glass of ice water and he tells me to make sure the glass was sweating. I had never thought about it, but unless your glass is sweating on a hot Texas Spring day, your drink isn’t very cold at all. Well, that’s what I remember. I still remember him teaching me how to throw a circle change and I remember him calling my Uncle Raymond and my parents and asking how I was doing on my high school baseball team. I did not see him enough or as much as I would have liked, but reading about him and how he touched your lives is heart-warming. I want to thank you all for sharing and remembering my Uncle Sixto.

Comment on A Virtual World Series of Pascagoula Champions by Anonymous

Anonymous — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 04:04:00 +0000

I want to thank you guys for the compliments on my pitching that muggy summer night in 1986. The facts are that Robert Stallworth and Ricky Patterson called me in 1973 (I was at Louisiana Tech) during the summer at 1:00am and asked me if I wanted to pitch in Jackson. I didn’t know anything about the Merchants,but Ricky was my lifelong friend and I didn’t hesitate. I got up and got on the road. Iplayed with the very guys you mentioned (Seaman, JO,Sutherland, Davis, and Moose) I pitched 2 games back to back and went back to Ruston. If you go back and look,I pitched for Robert and Tommy while working at Ingalls and was very confident in the Merchants to kick and kick hard.
The so-called fly in was a good friend that owned a plane and flew me up because I had to work and Ricky gave me two weeks to get in shape. I remember well the games on that day. The Merchants were facing the stud from Faulker. He could blow a fastball,but not a lot of control. I wasworking with him in the bullpen and really wasn’t supposed to pitch. After the first gamethe young lefties from South and the stud from the Sunchiefs weretalking with me in the bullpen and I was telling them about control and pitching in on you guys. I wasstillrunning the ball up at upper 80′s. I toldthem some things and they said “since your so good you go do it and show us” Ricky knew me well enough that I take the challenge. That is why I pitched. They had other pitchers,but there’s more to pitching than just throwing. I pitched to show them that I didn’t talk it. Robert didn’t mind because we had great respect for each other. I have many friends that will tell you that I just wanted to pitch. I pitched in the 30 and over until I was 50 because I was training young pitchers and I always taught what I could do. I apologize for the long story,but I have as many found memories as a Merchant as I did as a Royal. My best to you all. My son told me about this site and mentioned my wife Roxie. I have many friends in P’goula and Kim and Tommy are great. I played against Kim in the minors. You guys have a great day.

Randy McGilberry

Comment on A Virtual World Series of Pascagoula Champions by TheLex

TheLex — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 00:09:56 +0000

MDM,
Thank you for posting this about my father. I have vague memories of him pitching in the finals in ’86 mostly because I was running around under the bleachers. He has always spoken highly of the Merchants and I believe he actually played for them while in college and right after he got out of pro ball. Pascagoula must have been doing something right because dad married a 1970 graduate of PHS. Thank you again.

Seth McGilberry

Comment on All-time Pascagoula Football Team by David Hawkins

David Hawkins — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 14:48:35 +0000

The run was 92 yds. and the year was 1958

Comment on The Old Neighborhood by Rich

Rich — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 04:39:12 +0000

Awesome tribute. We had a truly unforgetable childhood!

Comment on The Old Neighborhood by Diane drury

Diane drury — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 03:15:05 +0000

This was great. I am a daughter of David Lowell and really enjoyed your tribute to the neighborhood…. And Duke!

Comment on The Old Neighborhood by Joyce Lowell Puckett

Joyce Lowell Puckett — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 02:59:05 +0000

You brought tears to my eyes! Thanks for the Stroll down memory lane! Dad and Duke both passed away at that house, as well as Mom.