Collection:LPB

Genre: Documentary

Place Covered: Lafayette, Lafayette Parish, Louisiana, Thibodaux, Lafourche Parish, Louisiana, Monroe, Ouachita Parish, Louisiana, Baton Rouge, East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana

Copyright Holder: Louisiana Educational Television Authority

Date Issued: 2011-03-16

Duration: 00:28:17

Subjects: Sports | BASEBALL | History | Baseball players | Evangeline Baseball League | Morris, Warren | LSU Tigers (Baseball team) | Negro leagues | Guidry, Ron, 1950-

Contributors:

• Whinham, Charlie Host
• Guidry, Ron Interviewee
• Leslie, J. Paul Interviewee
• Aiello, Tom Interviewee
• Letlow, Paul Interviewee
• Morris, Warren Interviewee
• Wilson, Brad Interviewee
• Rollins, Lyn Interviewee

This program from March 16, 2011, features host Charlie Whinham exploring Louisiana’s baseball history. He first interviews Lafayette native Ron Guidry, a pitcher for the New York Yankees from 1975-1988 and the winner of the 1978 American League Cy Young Award. He discusses: playing little league baseball in Lafayette, his struggles in making it to the big leagues, learning how to throw a slider from Sparky Lyle, winning the 1977 World Series, and having his number retired by the Yankees. Next, Whinham looks back at the history of the Evangeline League, a minor league baseball league in rural Louisiana from 1934-1942 and 1946-1957, which included the Alexandria Aces, Abbeville Athletics, Crowley Millers, Hammond Berries, and Houma Indians. He interviews Dr. J. Paul Leslie, a history professor at Nicholls State University, who discusses the history of the Evangeline League, the death of Crowley Millers player Andy Strong after he was struck by lightning in the outfield during a game, the rampant gambling in the league, and the 1946 Houma Indians betting scandal. They also view artifacts from the Evangeline League that are being preserved at the Ellender Memorial Library at Nicholls. Then, Whinham visits an abandoned lot in Monroe that was once the site of Casino Park, the host stadium for the 1932 Negro League World Series between the Monroe Monarchs and the Pittsburgh Crawfords. He interviews two Monroe natives, historian Tom Aiello and former sportswriter Paul Letlow, who discuss the little known history of the Monroe Monarchs and the nine future Hall of Famers who participated in the World Series, including Satchel Paige and Josh Gibson for the Crawfords and Hilton Smith for the Monarchs. Lastly, Whinham interviews former LSU baseball player Warren Morris, who is best known for hitting the game-winning home run in the bottom of the ninth inning during the championship game of the 1996 College World Series. He discusses his surprise at hitting the homerun, the aftermath of the homerun, being remembered for hitting the homerun, winning a bronze medal at the 1996 Summer Olympics, and playing Major League Baseball for four years. Whinham also interviews former LSU baseball player Brad Wilson and sportscaster Lyn Rollins, who discuss the significance of Morris’ iconic homerun.