Note: The following is one of a series of columns looking at places and events of interest in Bulloch County history.
In 1946 the Statesboro Athletic Association was formed to bring a semi-pro baseball team to Statesboro. C.B. McAllister became president of the SAA, which built a stadium that cost $30,000 and could seat 1,500 baseball fans.
The name selected was the Statesboro Pilots, which made sense, as the stadium was next to Statesboro's airport. The team then joined the fledgling Ogeechee Baseball League.
The Ogeechee league had eight teams: Glennville, Metter, Millen, Statesboro, Swainsboro, Sylvania, Waynesboro and Wrightsville.
In 1947, Statesboro High's athletic coach Ernest Teel served as the Pilot's head coach. In their first year, they did very well, with a record of 32 wins and 23 losses.
That put them in second place, one game behind league-leader Metter. By 1951, the Pilots were invited to join the Georgia State League (which operated from 1948-1956).
The GSL was one of 16 Class D Minor League organizations. There were eight teams in this league: Douglas, Dublin, Eastman, Fitzgerald, Hazlehurst-Baxley, Jesup, Statesboro and Vidalia-Lyons.
In 1954, the Pilots signed an agreement with the Atlanta Crackers to act as their farm league. When the 1955 season began, prospects from the New York Yankees, New York Giants and the Detroit Tigers showed up for tryouts.
What happened during (and after) an extra-innings game with Hazlehurst on June 26, 1955 changed everything.
Hazlehurst's player-manager Goody slid into the third baseman very roughly in an effort to break up a possible double play. Goody was warned by the umpire about spiking.
In the 13th inning, Goody tried to reach home from second. Statesboro's player-manager Peters’ throw beat him home by at least 20 feet. Goody rammed into the catcher, Russell McCleneghan, feet first.
McCleneghan required 10 stitches to sew up his wound. After Hazlehurst won in the next inning, their team owner, Mr. Cook, visited the Statesboro clubhouse along with two or three unidentified men.
When he asked how the catcher was doing, a Pilot player named Wolfman replied, "What does it matter." He was immediately hit in the head with a blackjack by one of Cook's men.
Therefore, the team demanded police protection before they would play Hazlehurst again. Georgia State League President A.O. Hadden said the Pilots must play or leave the league. Pilots President McAllister and the team decided to quit the GSL.
Roger Allen is a local lover of history. Allen provides a brief look each week at the area's past. E-mail Roger at rwasr1953@gmail.com.