Atlanta Crackers; The ‘all-time’ question

The 1950 Atlanta Crackers

Before there was the Atlanta Braves, there was the Atlanta Crackers. Even in saying that I realize the fact won’t mean much to the modern baseball fan. That is a sad misfortune. The Atlanta Crackers wrote one of the great stories of minor league baseball.

In my study, on a shelf to my left is a book by Tim Darnell with the simple title “The Crackers,” with the sub-title “Early Days of Atlanta Baseball.” Anyone can talk – even rave – about the Braves, but their comments and observations are less than illuminating if they can’t preface their remarks with an acknowledgement that decades ago the Atlanta Crackers provided Georgia and surrounding areas with a storied team rich in accomplishments by players and teams which still live in the memory of aged old rascals who trekked to the Old Ponce de Leon Park to watch the greatest show in the South.

Those Crackers are discussed in this column today because I have on my desk in front of me a great picture of the 1950 Atlanta Crackers. Only one thing wrong with the picture: While every face is very plain, no names were assigned to the picture where I found it on the internet. Pete Lewis and I speak of those teams and players quite often. I am going to get with him because he is the only person I know who can come close to identifying the players.

The only Brave to play in all three cities of the Braves existence, Eddie Matthews, was on that team: Eddie Matthews played for the Braves in Boston, Milwaukee and Atlanta; Matthews is the reason I became a Braves fan long before anyone dreamed of a team called Atlanta Braves. Cracker owner, Earl Mann, and his Cracker team were not a farm team of any major league organization. He did sign a working agreement with the Boston Braves for 1950.

Those Milwaukee years were the highlight of my excitement over sports during the decade of my 20s. But those Cracker years of 1950 were a magical time for this now old man. That year all home games of the Crackers were televised by WAGA-TV. The quality of television wasn’t nearly as good as the play of the Crackers during 1950.

A favorite of the fans and an outstanding Cracker player was Ralph “Country” Brown for his many years with the Crackers. Brown was from nearby Summerville. It was my privilege to meet Country Brown at Jim’s Restaurant in Summerville the year before he died in 1997.

In closing, let me say that I should never have mentioned the book “The Crackers.” Every page brings back memories and sets forth facts to warm the heart of this old fan. Once I pulled it off the shelf I began to wonder if I could finish this column. I couldn’t put the book down. The book belongs to Harold Stamey whose dad took us to Cracker games often in 1950. His interest in the Crackers led Claude Stamey to purchase the first TV in our neighborhood. Now, I need to meet up with Pete Lewis.

A question which doesn’t have an answer

Someone is sure to say there surely isn’t a question with no answer at all. Yes, there is and you will understand why in just a moment.

I hold in my hands a book titled “For the love of baseball.” The cover promotes the book as the A-to-Z primer for baseball fans of all ages. And surely it is. With emphasis given to some person or phase of the game which begins with each letter of the alphabet, a reader will come to the letter “Q.” The page states “Q” is for the question: Who is the greatest, all-time best?”

Then we read “There is really no answer, so you can’t flunk the test.” This is truly a case where “beauty is in the eyes of the beholder.” Most of us have heard or read where someone declared So-and-So is the greatest baseball player of all times. Without exception, everyone set forth as that greatest player is one who would be among the greatest.

At least one time each month, I will meet someone who will ask me “Coach Smith, who is the best football player you ever coached?” As already noted, this is a question with no answer. Of all sports, it is suspected football would be the most difficult to rate anyone as best. The positions on a team differ so much in demands of skill it becomes impossible to compare players. For instance, there are great running backs, great defensive players, great offensive lineman, great kickers (place kickers and punters), quarterbacks who pass and run the ball and those who catch the thrown passes.

Even in dividing up the various required functions on a team I would hate to rate any player at the top of the list in any area. Just let it be noted I can name a multitude of outstanding players from over the years. Here is one who has felt and always will feel the great reward is simply in playing and competing.

Let me stray from this issue to one mentioned often before: Football is really cranking up and it is the feeling here that football is not a hot-weather sport and baseball is not a cold- weather sport. Ironically, both these activities begin and end in both extremes of weather.

Coaches hard at work

School days have begun in our city and county. Teachers will be faced with their charges for 180 instructional days. Coaches of the two team sports of softball and football have, in various degrees, been getting their youngsters ready for a season which is right on top of us. For instance scrimmage games are being played this week and the official season begins next week.

I wish our coaches great reward for their long hours and dedicated efforts in putting their product on display before the public during their fall schedules.