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Page 4A - Pike County Journal Reporter - Wednesday, January 27, 2021
Opinions
Hammerin’ Hank heads home
L ike all the boys
from my era, 1
grew up a base
ball fan. In fact, we were
fans of all sports.
We played baseball in
summer, football in the
fall and basketball in the
winter time.
We never saw soccer
except on the fabulous
‘Wide World of Sports’
TV show on Saturday
evenings.
If futbol had been
played in the South, we
would have played it,
too.
I hate missing out on
lacrosse by a half cen
tury. Running around and
hitting each other with
sticks would have been
right up our ally.
But, in my early youth,
baseball was the thing.
My brothers and 1 hurled
rubber balls against the
side of the house until
Mama and Daddy bought
us a Pitchback net which
we promptly destroyed.
We lugged a bat, a ball
and our gloves around
the neighborhood until
we found playmates and
then it was on.
We had countless
baseball cards that 1
fervently wish I could
find now.
We destroyed thou
sands of dollars of cur
rent value by clothes pin
ning old or surplus cards
to our bicycle spokes in
order to pretend we were
riding motorcycles.
We loved baseball
but we never really had
a team to root
for. We watched
the Game of the
Week every Sat
urday on NBC.
It was aptly
named because
it was the only
televised game
of the week
and we had
only three TV
channels to
choose from,
so, we tended
to root for play
ers rather than
teams.
Then, lo and behold,
the Milwaukee Braves
moved to Atlanta and
later established a farm
team that played at Gray
son Stadium in Savannah
less than a mile from our
grandparents’
home.
Suddenly we
had a team. Felipe
Alou, Eddie Mat
thews, Rico Carty,
Joe Torre, Denis
Menke and pitch
ers Tony Clon-
inger, Pat Jarvis,
Phil Neikro, Cecil
Upshaw and, my
favorite, Denny
Lemaster.
My first ever
trip to Atlanta
was on a bus
full of Cub Scouts and
chaperones. We went
to old Atlanta-Fulton
County Stadium to see
the Braves.
We saw our heroes
in person. We saw Chief
Noc-A-Homa and his tee
pee. It was magical.
But the main man on
the Braves and every
body’s hero was Henry
Aaron, Hammerin’ Hank.
Many nights 1 laid in bed
with a transistor radio
under my pillow clan
destinely listening to
late games. The Braves
announcer was Milo
Hamilton and he was the
best. Nobody since has
equalled him. His home
run call was always the
same.
“There’s a drive.
Waaaaay back. That ball
is outta here!”
More often than not,
the long ball was hit by
Hammerin’ Hank who
was chasing Babe Ruth’s
record of 714 homers.
He eventually caught
the Babe and sealed his
status as a human legend
who transcended all
sports.
When the game was
on the line and you need
ed someone to drive in a
run to win it or hit a solo
homer to tie up a game
in the ninth, Hank Aaron
usually came through.
Last week Hammerin’
Hank headed for home
- his eternal, heavenly
home - one last time.
I’m sure he slid in
safely just under the
catcher’s mitt. He was
always clutch!
Walter Geiger is editor and
publisher of the Pike County Journal
Reporter and The Herald Gazette in
Barnesville. He can be reached at
news @ pikecountygeorgia.com.
GEIGER’S
COUNTER
Walter Geiger
Editor & Publisher
Perfect defiance:
make it happen
THINKING FOR A CHANGE
Everybody wants to rule the world
KAY S. PEDROTTI
kayspedrotti@gmail.com
If we - aver
age citizens of a
wonderful coun
try - are ever to
achieve the kind
of togetherness
that will set us on
a new path, we
first have to defy those
who want to divide us -
one group vs. another;
“us” and “them;” vi
cious quarreling even in
the national governing
bodies.
1 see “defiance” not
as a take-up-arms-and-
fight, nor as a temper
tantrum by the “losers”
(of whatever, from the
Presidency to the oust
ed occupiers). My kind
of defiance is just to do
what 1 can, where 1 am,
to benefit my commu
nity, unify its residents,
hold its governing bod
ies accountable, and
speak out for liberty,
equality and justice. Not
to mention mercy.
This kind of defiance
is hard to understand
- and even harder to
stop - for most people
in high places. It has
nothing to do with
money: not how much
you make or don’t
make, how you practice
charity or consumer
ism, how your daily life
affects so many others.
Plain and simply, it is
just being fair in every
thing, and insisting that
those who are visibly
unfair change their at
titudes and actions.
1 will admit that it’s a
tall order to start taking
steps to restore peace
- no, sanity - to this
country. Not a one of us
has not been damaged
by the COV1D virus
rampage, or by a po
litical atmosphere that
has not been seen in
decades, even
centuries. The
“founding fa
thers” did not
agree on all
subjects, but
at least they
sat and de
bated as calm
and rational
people (usual
ly). Their findings in the
Declaration of Indepen
dence and the Consti
tution have real value.
If they are not perfect
for “today’s world,” no
one would question
that reconsideration for
some points would be
not only allowable, but
also enlightening.
After all, those Na
tive Americans who
were not mentioned
in the portion about
who would be allowed
to vote - even though
20 or more Iroquois
chieftains assisted in
the formation of the
country’s law and order
- and the descendants
of those who were
described as “three-
fifths of a person,” are
now voting along with
the rich, poor, powerful
and struggling.
Why not make it hap
pen, my friends? How
could patience, kind
ness, consideration of
others, help to those in
real need, active par
ticipation in community
groups, active churches,
excellent schools and
unquestionably honest
and capable governing
bodies be damaging to
anyone? We can make it
happen - but only if we
really care.
Kay S. Pedrotti has spent some
50 years writing for newspapers.
She is active in the Lamar County
community and currently serves as
the president of Lamar Arts. She
lives in Milner with her husband
Bob Pedrotti.
BY ANTHONY VINS0N0
advkdv@att.net
Pop
quiz, hot-
shot: Who
is your
county
commis
sioner?
Who rep
resents you on the coun
ty school board? What is
the name of the county
tax commissioner? Or
the county manager?
How about the sheriff? If
you know the answers,
congratulations, you
are likely an informed,
responsible citizen. If you
don’t know... well, we
need to talk.
I occasionally peruse
the social media pages
dedicated to the goings
on here in Pike County,
and many of the posters’
comments disturb me. It
is evident that they are
willfully ignorant of local
politics while all fired up
about the goings on up in
Washington. Some are vo
cally prepared to partici
pate in civil war or insur
rection yet have no grasp
of basic civics. They rail
on about the unfairness
of it all while oblivious
to what is happening in
their county, their com
munities, or even their
own neighborhoods. This
is intolerable. It is also
dangerous.
While a healthy,
informed electorate is
necessary to a strong
democracy, the focus
should be from the bot
tom up rather than the
top down. The officials
elected locally are in the
best position to help
erect and maintain the
foundations and social
contracts upon which
we rely for our safety
and well-being. They are
also in the best positions
to make our lives miser
able. Even so, I doubt
that even a fraction of
those angrily calling for
violence and mobs are
aware of their county
and city representatives.
I would be shocked and
surprised if any of them
had attended a city coun
cil or county commis
sioners meeting, much
less spoken up to voice
their concerns.
It would also amaze
me to learn that more
than a handful are
involved in local initia
tives or serve on local
boards. It is far easier to
gripe than to get to work.
It is much more satisfy
ing to cast blame than
to assume responsibil
ity. Last year when the
school board held two
public forums to answer
questions about the pro
posed tax increase, I was
shocked to find myself
the only citizen in at
tendance at one of them.
What with all the snip
ing on social media you
would think the room
would be packed. Nah, it
is easier to post com
plaints on social media.
Thing is, there is so
much that can be done
locally that will have
an immediate, positive
impact on our county,
our communities, and our
citizenry. Here are a few
ways to make a difference.
Pay attention to local poli
tics as much as you do
national and get involved.
Support local businesses.
Support your local news
papers. Consider serving
on a county or city board
or authority. Pick up and
properly dispose of road
side trash. Smile and say
hello to passersby. Go out
and speak with a neighbor
about something besides
national politics. Volun
teer. Sure, the pandemic
makes it more difficult to
volunteer, but there are
still plenty of opportuni
ties. Donate old clothing
and items directly to
those in need. Find an
unfilled need and fill it. Be
kind.
And here are a couple
of things you can stop
doing that will also have
an immediate, positive im
pact. Step away from your
screens. Stop supporting
negative, divisive posts
on social media. Stop
making negative, divisive
posts on social media. Get
your facts straight before
sharing your opinion. Stop
identifying anyone with
opinions and philosophies
divergent from your own
as the enemy. Stop being
a jerk.
I get it. You are angry,
but frankly your anger
is not helping. It is only
making things worse.
Instead of wasting your
precious time and energy
on anger, instead chan
nel your emotions into
positive actions. Not
only will you feel better,
but you will make such
a tremendous difference
in the lives of others that
you will find your anger
receding as your happi
ness expands. And the
world, or at least your
little corner of it, will be a
better place.
Think about it!
Anthony Vinson is a freelance
writer, speaker and humorist for hire.
He lives in Williamson, GA, and can be
reached at advkdv@att.net.
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Pike County
Journal
Reporter
www.pikecountygeorgia.com
P.O. Box 789
16026 Barnesville St.
Zebulon, Ga. 30295
770.567.3446
The Pike County Journal
Reporter is the official
organ of Pike County, the
cities of Zebulon, Moiena,
Meansville, Williamson
and Concord. It is
published weekly by
Hometown Newspapers
Inc. Second class
postage is paid at the
Zebulon, Ga Post Office.
Publishers: Walter and
Laura Geiger; staff:
Jennifer Taylor,
Brenda Sanchez and
Rachel McDaniel.
AT PIKE
BY BWAIN W. PENN
100 YEARS AGO
Jan. 28,1921: For two years Georgia peach growers
battled leaf curl, a fungus that reduced growth of fruit.
The disease was controlled by spraying the tree with
copper or sulfur solutions prior to buds appearing.
75 YEARS AGO
Jan. 31, 1946: C. Richter Smith Jr. of Concord
was elected as charter president of the Lions Club
organized in Zebulon with 22 charter members on
January 23. Others elected were: 1st - 3rd vice presi
dents W.J. Barrett Jr., F.L. Fackler, Holloway Norris;
and secretary-treasurer Roger A. Strickland Jr.
50 YEARS AGO
Jan. 28,1971: Ann Yearwood and her daughter, El
len, received honors at Pike County High School. Ann
was nominated as Teacher of the Year and Ellen was
a semi-finalist in the Governor’s Honor Program and,
as a junior, received the highest grade on the SAT.
25 YEARS AGO
Jan. 31,1996: Pike officials investigated the pos
sibility of purchasing 200 acres of Baptist Children’s
Home land for use in developing an agribusiness
center, to be built under the auspices of the Pike Agri
business Authority. Thirty acres would be retained
for the center and the remainder resold.