Depression mill ball inspired

Leaksville Ballpark bleachers

oozed pine sap,

grassless infield created pebbles;

outfield birthed charleyhorses.

Class D Bi State wars were waged

for bragging rights up to 50 miles away.

Bare bones ballclubs

mostly full of ex farmers

daytime roasting weaving fabric,

nitetime swatting bugs and baseballs

owned the town but

didn't earn a hundred bucks a month.

World War 2 ends;

Johnny marches back to a new field,

Tri-City Baseball Park

across from the lumber yard.

Stands with  roof to stay dry

if one knows where not to sit.

Big time class C Carolina League

16 man limit clubs with

pitching staffs so rested

Frank Paulin only gets 40 decisions a year.

Paul Pryor takes his 8 plus era,

enters Show as an umpire

only slightly better than he pitched.

Teapot Fry's positive polarity

attracts baseballs in the field;

pitches elude his negative bat.

Today, no sign of parks either place

except driveway notches on curbing.

No trace of Scooter Rizzuto

Country Slaughter, Ray Poat,

Clyde Sukeforth, Wes Ferrell

Bootsie Poffenberger or hundreds more

who hit cotton looms better than curveballs.

Dust returned to dust.