The Owingsville Giants, circa 1920
Nathan Redmond is on the back row, third from the left.
My father-in-law, William Burl Kincaid, Jr., was a huge baseball fan. Well . . . he was more like a fanatic. Some of my fondest memories are of going with him to watch his beloved St. Louis Cardinals play their exhibition games in Louisville and of watching them play their championship games on TV in his living room.
This was back in the 1980's when they boasted such players as Willie McGee and the outstanding Ozzie Smith. There was one hometown player from the 1920's that he thought ranked right up with these greats.
~ Ginger
~ Ginger
From his journals:
Ty Cobb, Walter Johnson, Jackie Robinson, Babe Ruth, Ted Williams, Stan Musial, and Willie Mays. If you love baseball, you have heard of the exploits of these baseball players, but have you heard the name Nathan Redmond? This man was legend around Owingsville. To begin with, he was endowed with a fine physique. He stood about six-two and was well proportioned.
Nathan, in his younger days, was noted as a pitcher with a blazing, screaming fast ball. Today, baseball fans would say that he threw “heat.” Many batters – good hitters – were caught with their bats on their shoulders. Of some that did swing, it was too late because of the velocity of his pitch.
Nathan, like many pitchers today, unfortunately developed arm trouble and that blaze he had thrown was slowed down. Being a great hitter (especially of the long ball), Nathan began to play first base and was a standout there.
The author saw him play many times and on occasions remembers the left-handed batter hitting one that rolled across U.S. 60 from Kimbrough Park.*
Had Nathan Redmond lived now or in recent years, those who remember him feel that he would have starred as a big leaguer. In his day, Nathan could not have been a National League or American League player because of his color.
Some of you remember the men who played with Nathan. To name a few – Jim Reid, Jerry Lacy, Bob Foley, Dusty Stewart, Diner Gray, and Lawrence Berry. **
* Kimbrough Park was located in the vicinity where the Southern States lot is and where Barber’s Grocery used to be on U.S. 60 East.
**I’m not completely sure the names Dusty and Diner are correct as those words are difficult to make out in the text. If they are wrong, please make a comment or drop me a note.