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UPDATE: Names of players shown:Front row - L to R: Sara Bell Prather Jordan, Hazel Murley, Margene Lewis, Jean Garret Ratliff, Louise Davis, Era Del Pettigrew; Back row, L to R: Anna Lee Davis Prather, Jean Prather Williams, Iva Sue Herring, Juanita Taylor, Pauline Duncan Murphy, Esther Foster Duncan, Frances (Speed) Adams, Maureen Hughes Young. (Thanks to Jo Ann Patton Wilroy)
This is a picture of the shirt factory basketball team--the shirt factory that was in town next to Al's Cafe. It was probably made in the early '50s.
I recognize most of the faces but I don't remember any names except #11 is a Murley. Helen? Surely some of them had attended school at Baldwyn so maybe they were big sisters of blog members.
I think it was called Prentiss Manufacturing before Blue Bell but I'm not sure of that. It was always just "the shirt factory" to me. Mother worked there at the time this picture was made. Al was my babysitter before and after school.
The shirt factory paid for a lot of kids' clothes and shoes and put food on the table back in those days.
Photo and text from Jo Carolyn Anderson Beebe
Click on photo to enlarge
____________________________________
I recognize most all of the faces also, Jo, but only one that I can attempt to put a name to -Anna Lee ?? Davis #1 (top left), hope that is correct. I believe she married Googe Prather.
I believe that the team was Blue Bell. I you will enlarge the picture and look at the lady on the first row next to last ( number 8) you can almost read "Blue Bell". Also look at the building behind them, it is the Blue Bell building. The building that was down town between Mr. Victor Davis's home and Al's Cafe I always thought that was Prentiss Manufacturing. I believe that Jim Davis's father had something to do with that building at one time. This was Norma Jean Davis's father also.
ReplyDeleteThe building was Blue Bell before they moved further north on Hwy 45. I agree that is Judy Prather's mother and a Murley.
ReplyDeletenumber 6 is Ester Duncan-Tim Duncan's mother, the lady behind her on left is Pat Duncan -Gail
ReplyDeleteDuncan's sister
I saw some pay vouchers once that had Baldwyn Garment Company on them. That was from the 1940's. Could that have been the company name then?
ReplyDeleteThird from left, back row, is Iva Sue Price Herring, my aunt. She lives in Oxford. I remember this team was very good, but most of all, they had alot of fun. Jo Ann P Wilroy
ReplyDeleteI don't think I ever knew Johnny, Billy, and Hilda Massengill's mother, but No. 8 looks just like Hilda!
ReplyDeleteCarl, I just looked in my genealogy data base to check Googe's wife's name. (He's my first cousin twice removed.) I have the same name for his wife and his mother so I need someone to set me straight. Do others agree the wife was Anna Lee?
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteJo, I do not know his mother's name, but I think I can find out. Sit tight.
ReplyDeleteJo Carolyn, No #1 is definitely Anna Lee Davis Prather. She and Googe had two children, Judy ('64) also a very good basketball player, and Bob ('72 ?).
ReplyDeleteJo Carolyn, Googe's parents were James "Jim Ed" and Lena Roberts Prather, your half great-grand uncle & aunt. mc
ReplyDeleteMassengills only came to Baldwyn in 1956 so I don't think that is MS Massengill.
ReplyDeleteJO Carolyn,
ReplyDeleteAnna Lee Prather had a sister named Emma Jean Yarborough and called her "Ticker". Her husband was Paul Yarborough.
Was there a Tim Duncan? I know that # 6 was married to Forest Allen Duncan and was the mother of Phil Duncan, who died in VietNam.
ReplyDelete# 5 on bottom row looks like Clara Faye Tapp Conway, whose daughter Jan was married to Joseph Wade.
ReplyDeleteGooge Prather played basketball at U of Alabama and was all SEC once, but I am unsure of the year. Of course he was long time coach at Saltillo and was always smiling.
ReplyDeleteThanks for all the help. I had Googe's mother's name right, but not his wife. See what a good thing this blog is. In addition to bringing back memories, it has helped me get some family tree data corrected. Judy and her brother were much younger than me so I don't remember them. Nonetheless, they are in my data base.
ReplyDeleteSecond from left standing is Ruby Jean Prather and number "3" bottom left is Sarah Bell Prather, both sisters of Googe Prather (basketball ran in the family)
ReplyDeleteRuby is the mother of Sidney "Steve" Williams and Sarah is the mother of the Jordan brothers: Roy Wade, James David and Danny Raby Jordan.
Number "11" is Evelyn Murley sister of Harold, Archie and Linda.
Sorry Phil, Ester Duncan's youngest son is named Tim.
ReplyDeleteIt is Pauline Murphy(Gail Duncan's Sister)not Pat.
I stand corrected. Ester did have a third son, Tim. However, he must be at least six to eight years younger than Steve. In my Year Book, 1966, Phil is a freshman and Steve was in sixth grade. Tim was not yet in school, so he would have to be several years younger. And now that I've talked to a couple of folks and really racked my memory, I remember that very often Ester did have a small child in tow when I sacked groceries for her at Cunninghams.
ReplyDeleteI think that Anna Lee Davis' sister was Erma Jean (or Irma Jean) not Emma Jean; but I could be wrong!
ReplyDeleteIrma Jean is correct I believe.
ReplyDeleteMy sister-in-law Janie Bishop thinks number "7" may be Cindy Heavener's mother.
A blog posting on Oct 2 2008 shows several ladies with 20 or more years with Blue Bell; a Geraldine Heavener is listed there. That could be who you are referring to, Milton
ReplyDeleteThat could be her Carl, thanks.
ReplyDeleteI usually find some reason to miss my Mom most days. She would have known all of these ladies. mc
Does anyone now any one of the ladies on the back row? When I look at the lady on the back row next to Anna Lee Prather I think of Joyce Wilson; does anyone know who she is?
ReplyDeleteWhen this picture was first posted, I to thought the lady next to Anna Lee Prather was my Aunt Hazel Cooper Wilson and now I have confirmed that she in fact did work at Blue Bell for many years. The lady in this picture looks just like her daughter and my first cousin, Joyce Wilson Brown. However,I can not say with certainty that that is Aunt Hazel.
ReplyDeletePhil, like you I cannot say with absolute certainty that my identification above is a fact. However, Gloria recognized her as Ruby Jean immediately and took a copy of the photo over to her sister-in-law Janie Bishop who also made the same ID. Janie's mother Lula was a sister to Ruby, Sarah and Googe Prather. Anna Lee plans to check her pictures to see if she has some that would help. (I think Judy has most of her old photos). mc
ReplyDeletePhil,
ReplyDeleteJoyce Wilson was a member of the class of 1962 at Baldwyn. This picture appears to be in the early 1950's. When I first asked I thought that might be her mother or maybe an older sister.
Phil,
ReplyDeleteThere were 2 young men from Alabama that used to visit in the summers in the 1950's; their names were Butch and Phil Stidham. Were they any relation to you?
If # 5 is Clara Fay Tapp Conway, she graduated in 1944 and this picture would surely not be more than one or two years after that.
ReplyDeleteLET5 ME PUT MY 2CENTS WORTH IN-MAY BE WRONG--MY MOTHER VERDIE WORKED A BB FOR NEARLY 40YRS & MY DAD BOYD FOR A WHILE-WE WENT TO LOTS OF THE GAMES - #2 BOTTOM MURLEY OK NOT EVELYN "MAYBE HAZEL-#4 BOTTOM COULD BE NONA BELL EATON-#8 TOP MAYBE MAUVALINE GENTRY--THINK #5 BOTTOM COULD BE A DAVIS (MARIE DAVIS HILL???)CANT REMEMBER #4 BACK-#3BOTTOM OR #6 BOTTOM--DONT BELIEVE PLAYER #7 IS GREALDINE HEAVENER BUT COULD BE-WAYNE HILL
ReplyDeleteThinking back-this pic would have probably been about 1951-1954 era-we lived on Blue Bell Street behind the HWY 45 plant with other Blue Bell families & played cowboys & indians in the open spaces on the Blue Bell lot while our parents worked--some of us kids were--Sue & Dale Chisholm-their cousins "all the DeVaughn kids"-Buddy,Johnny etc--Betty Jean,Robert A. & Larry Lee Franklin-Jimmy Dale Langley-my sister Brenda & me Wayne Hill
ReplyDeleteto Phil C--my cousin--Steve Duncan lives near Tupelo in the Palmetto area--"where abouts are definiely known" by us in our family-as well as others--now just so you know too-haha--Wayne Hill
ReplyDeleteJoyce Wilson Brown was an only child. My sister Gloria and I both think that is our Aunt Hazel, Joyce's mom.
ReplyDeleteButch and Phil Stidham are my first cousins. Their father, Curtis Stidham was my mother's brother. Phil lives in Oklahoma and Butch in northern Arkansas.
John O. and I are trying to guess some names on this photo made in front of the Blue Bell building on Hwy. 45. Wayne, I agree with the time period. J.O. and I didn't agree on all, so I am listing his.
ReplyDeleteFront Row L to R
Sarah Prather Jourdan,Hazel Murley,Marjean Stiles,Jean Garret Ratliff,Louise Davis Ramey, Geraldine Heavener Garret.
Back Row L to R
Anna Lee Prather, Ruby Jean Prather, ?,next, is that Nona Bell Eaton?, Pauline Duncan Murphy, Ester Duncan, Kate Whitehead.
What do y'all think?
Wayne, That's good to hear! Several of us were eating out Friday night and no one knew where "Whooly" was living. Gary De Vaughn said that Tim was on his mail route near Unity and Steve used to be also but that he had moved a long time ago and he had no idea where.
ReplyDeleteBoy oh boy, now this is the way a blog should be conducted. See how interesting it can be when we are trying to remember and we come up with the right names.....hehehehe. As for me, I can't remember what I had for supper an hour ago...
ReplyDeleteGlo-i am just remembering names from when we went to the games & cheered like it was Major League/haha---#3 top is Iva(Berty Pattons sister)Herring--dont recognize lady between Cousin Ester Duncan (she may have been coach) & lady at end (top right)-which i am almost sure is Mauveline Gentry from over around Marietta--NOW she was a Ball Player!!! i think rest are pretty well idnetified/Wayne--U & I know "those were the good old days"-Wayne
ReplyDeleteGlo, could the lady on the back row between Esther Duncan and Martha Kate Wallis Whitehead be Speed Adams? mc
ReplyDeletethat lady on top right is not Martha Kate--but probably Mauveline Gentry-the one between Ester & whomever the lady on the far right is looks a lot like Speed Lauderdale Adams_Pewees Mom--but i can only remember Francis(Speed) working at M Gordons with the sweetlovely lady Mrs Dot Mcarley (Gordys mom)--Dot & Speed are a Baldwyn treasure
ReplyDeleteMilton.. Wayne, John O and I disagreed on the idenity on the lady on the end. I didn't think it was Martha Kate either. This picture was made several years before I worked for BB and I don't remember Speed Adams ever working there... it kinda looks like her. I will show this pic to an "old" BB friend, perhaps she can fill in the blanks for us. Glo
ReplyDeleteP.S. John O. didn't think that was Geraldine H. Garrett ( who was married to Ray Garrett) on the bottom RT.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure. I thought it was.
Wasn"t Pauline Murphy married to Merle Murphy?
ReplyDeleteLet me know when all names are correct and I'll put them on the photo.
ReplyDeleteYES PAULINE MARRIED MERL MURPHY, A CAR DEALER AND SHOP OWNER>
ReplyDeleteBoy, did I open up a can of worms or what? Well, I guess a can of worms means trouble and that isn't the case here. Just a lot of frustration and mind-bending. But fun. I'm like Milton. I miss my mother at times like this. Of course my mother's body is still here, but her memory is fading fast. I took the picture to her today and asked her to identify the ladies, but she couldn't come up with one single name. She worked with these women. I wish she had written the names on the back of the picture. If you have old pictures, label them!!! New ones too.
ReplyDeleteCan anyone find what the name of the factory was for sure, before it became Blue Bell? I have heard Baldwyn Garment Factory and at least one other. Thanks if you can.
ReplyDeleteBB
I remember the Stidham brothers, Butch especially. I think he and the other would spend some summer days in Baldwyn years ago. Good to hear they are still living.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous I had to do some digging but finally found an old article from the July 25, 1963 Baldwyn News that gives the names of the Shirt Factory.
ReplyDeleteAt least by 1933 it was called "Tupelo Garment Co." later known as "Mid-South Manufacturing Co." and finally "Blue Bell". Or maybe I should have said "Red Cap".
I am sending Carl a copy of the article observing the 30 year retirement of my grandmother. mc
Glo--i am gona be bad put out if the lady--top row-far right hand isnt Mauvaline Gentry from out Marietta way--she was Dennis & Kenneth Gentrys mom & one Verdies Blue Bell friends/haha--Wayne
ReplyDeleteThanks, Milton. I can rest better tonight since you got that information about the factory name. I guess that I saw Tupelo Garment Company instead of Baldwyn.
ReplyDeleteMid-South Manufacturing does sound familiar. If I mention it to Mother, maybe she will remember.
ReplyDeleteWayne, I bet you are right about Mauveline...I was so sure it was not Martha Kate. I don't really remember, but her face looks so familiar. What about the one I thought was Geraldine Heavener Garrett? I still "think" that is correct.
ReplyDeleteThe lady standing right is Maureen Hughes from Marietta. Brother Max Hughes (also basketball star) married Maggie Sue Boren of Pratts who also was star at BHS. J Patton Wilroy
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jo Ann. We'll take that as a positive ID! I also had a feeling that was someone I had known but could not remember the name.
ReplyDeleteBB
Sorry about my error on Pauline Murphy but Gail calls her sister Pat. Tim Duncan was born in 1960 he is the same age as my son Eddie. Betty Massengill
ReplyDeleteBetty, it is my understanding that Pauline was called Pat.
ReplyDeleteGlo-i dont know a Geraldine "Heavener" Garrett--the Geraldine Garrett i knew was a Tyra before marrying Ray Garrett--other Geraldine Heavener that i know was Geraldine Boren that married Wayne Heavener--enlighten me!!! also Joan Patton---could the Maureen Hughes lady married a Gentry & i am getting the name Maureen & Mauveline mixed up?? Wayne
ReplyDeleteJo Carolyn--yep u may have open up a "can of worms" but really what u did was brought up a subject that is CLOSE to the hearts of the MOST Baldwyn folks-for many years-probably 50 yrs-Blue Bell & Lucky Star gave LIFE to the Town of Baldwyn--we shirt & pants factory folks were happy & felt like we were all family & HECK--still do--too bad the POWERS That BE saw fit to send our jobs overseas--i worked at Blue Bell for a while as did MOST of us country & town kids as well--AND am PROUD OF IT!! Wayne
ReplyDeletehey Glo-the only people i know who might be able to identify everyone in the pic might be Merle Chisholm-Loyce Harbor-Sue Nell Grisham-Esther Duncan Hutchinson-or maybe Larry Roberts
ReplyDeleteSO-did me putting my 2cents worth in end the conversation on this subject-lots of unanswered ??s--if i offended "sorry"-let me know & next time ill just quiet/wayne
ReplyDeleteWayne, I think we just reached an impasse on this one, at least until someone jumps in with a fresh perspective.
ReplyDeletePlease feel free to add your two cents worth anytime. And I agree with your comments on Blue Bell. mc
No Wayne, I don't believe you offended anyone, I have just not had time to get anyone to look at the picture and I was just waiting for that to answer you. You are right about Geraldine Tyra Garret.
ReplyDeleteCall that a senior moment on my part. I don't know how I came up with the other name. What you wrote about the 2 factories was very true and good. Many people depended on those jobs, and many businesses( like ours) depended on the wonderful people who worked. John took another look at the one he thought was M. Kate Whitehead and changed his mind, too. Please don't stop writing on this blog. We all love to stir up memories. I enjoyed this whole thing because I didn't even know they had a ball team. And I was very upset when they sent the jobs to foreign countries, in '86 they wanted me to go to cental America to train! No way in Halifx would I do that. I was retired.
Hey, friend, don't just add 2 cents next time, go for 2 bits, 4 bits or a dollar. I jump in here and add stuff all the time and I am not even a "native".
Nellie Jo Ford and Marjean Stiles ( M.S. played on the team) have identified the other players for us. Bottom right is Era Dale Pettigo. Top row 4th from left is Juanita Kennedy, and the lady standing beside Esther Duncan is, indeed, Speed Adams. Now does that put a name on all the faces?
ReplyDeleteIf I can sort all this out, I will add names to the girls in the photo and repost it. Thanks all!
ReplyDeletehaha--well maybe that answers the questions concerning the picture--but my question is " where the heck is Mauvaline Gentry at this time"-she was one of the teams best players/wayne
ReplyDeleteto Joe Cunningham--apprciate ur msg & have tried to respond but my bad computer knowledge is keeping me from saying "good to hear from you"-would love to connect & chat about the last 50 yrs-haha/Wayne
ReplyDeleteOne more question: Who did this team play against???
ReplyDeleteWere there other manufacturing teams in a league or something??
Did they work up to a yearly final or something for a trophy series?
BB
I think I have the mystery solved. Maureen's married name was Young. (Maureen Young, Marietta). Baldwyn BB played only other BB teams, Ripley and Tupelo always had good teams. My aunt Sue Herring in the picture remembers it all.
ReplyDeleteJoann-ask Iva Sue (tell her that i am Verdie Hill's son) she will remember mother & daddy-they were good BB friends---if she can remember anything about Mauveline Gentry?? or am i just loony?haha/wayne
ReplyDeleteWhen I visited Mother today, I asked her (again) what the name of the shirt factory was before it was Blue Bell. She said, "Old MidSouth."
ReplyDeleteI think this completes this project. Front row, l to r: Sara Bell Prather Jordan, Hazel Murley, Margene Lewis, Jean Garret Ratliff, Louise Davis, Era Del Pettigrew; Back row, l to r: Annie Lee Davis Prather, Jean Prather Williams, Iva Sue Herring, Jaunita Taylor, Pauline Duncan Murphy, Esther Foster Duncan, Frances (Speedy) Adams, Maureen Hughes Young. Sara Bell and Jean Williams are sisters to Googe Prather married to Annie Lee. l952-53
ReplyDeleteI wrote the above note and I am not anonymous.....
ReplyDeleteWayne, Iva Sue says she remembers all of you. You were neighbors during the B. B. days. She remembers a Mauvelene Gentry but she was not on this team.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the names, Jo Ann. Now we can rest our brains--until the next picture.
ReplyDeleteJo Ann,
ReplyDeleteI always heard that Mr. Sam was undefeated in the Saturday boxing matches that were held on Main St., I think before the war. I have never seen any pictures of that activity but surely some exist some place. That would be interesting photos.
Joe Cunningham
Yes, Joe, Sam was quite a boxer. I have been asked about his matches many times. We dont't have any records, pictures, etc. My nephew has been searching the libraries, talked to Simon an others. This period was 70 plus years ago...If anyone has any info I would love to get a copy. Thanks for asking.
ReplyDeleteJo Ann, maybe I can persuade Jimmy to post his recollections of Main St boxing. I know he remembers it and lots of the participants.
ReplyDeleteJoe C.
Thanks Joe for your interest. If Jimmy would do that, I would just love it and I am sure there are others who would also.
ReplyDelete