(Editor’s Note: Today’s space is allocated to a long-time friend, and former partner in a newspaper, Dr. Lanier Harrell of Jesup, Ga. A medical doctor and radiologist now retired, he recently spoke to the Jesup Kiwanis club about the Jesup Bees, a minor league baseball team from the 1950s. While teaching in Wayne County, he was also the business manager of the baseball team. Part of his talk appeared in the Jesup Press-Sentinel. Here’s one memorable story.—eeb)
By Dr. Lanier Harrell | For the Jesup Bees professional Class D baseball team after World War II, attendance was never very good. (Other teams in the league were Douglas, Fitzgerald, Tifton, Baxley, Eastman, Dublin and Vidalia.) Many special nights were tried to boost attendance, Ladies’ Night, various giveaways and lucky drawings. The Bees’ most unusual attraction in 1950 was a real wedding at home plate, and it would be long remembered. It happened this way.
Harrell
The team was in need of an experienced outfielder. One afternoon, during batting practice, a player who said his name was William Holt showed up, asking for a tryout. He said he had played the year before in the Florida State League. Manager Herb Stein checked his book. William Holt’s name was there. He had only a mediocre year in 1949 in Palatka, Fla., but he was signed anyway.
In short time, he made friends with Nat Haber, another outfielder. Haber had saved his pennies and just made a small down payment on a 1937 Ford Sports Roadster, with a rumble seat. It was his pride and joy. During the first week on the team, Holt got the word out that he and his fiancée were to be married soon. From there, a home-plate wedding began taking shape.
The players were paid on Saturday mornings. Holt opened an account in the American National Bank. He and his bride-to-be then went to the Ordinary’s (Probate Judge’s) office and purchased their marriage licenses. Gordon Bishop was the ordinary. They pre-paid Bishop his fee for marrying them and the fee for the license, all in one check.
Next, they went to Jack Belmer’s Jewelry Store on Cherry Street and purchased a nice engagement–and-wedding set. After showing Belmer the deposit slip from the bank, Holt gave him a check for the down payment on the set.
Sunday was a beautiful day. The Bees were playing the Douglas Trojans. The players from each team lined up from the pitcher’s mound to home plate, facing each other with an arch made by their bats. Bishop was at home plate, and the couple came to him under the arch as the public announcement system blared with the bridal march.
Stein gave the bride away, and Haber was his good friend’s best man. After the marriage vows were said, a wedding collection was taken up in the stands for the bride and groom. Then the game was played.
Stein had given Holt Monday off, and he was to be back for Tuesday night’s game. Haber had loaned his 1937 Ford Roadster with a rumble seat to his buddy for his fast honeymoon. It was loaded with presents from fans and merchants.
Holt and his bride hopped into Haber’s 1937 Ford Sports Roadster with a rumble seat … and were never seen or heard of again in Jesup.
Holt had gone by the American National Bank just at closing time Saturday and drawn out all his money except for one dollar. Both Bishop’s and Belmer’s checks were of course worthless. A warrant for Holt was issued by the sheriff and he was reported to the office of the commissioner of minor league baseball, George Trautman, all to no avail. No one every knew just who William Holt was or how many times he and his female friend had pulled this same stunt before.
But everyone felt very sorry for Haber over the loss of his 1937 Ford Sports Roadster with a rumble seat.
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