PRIMARY
SATURDAY, O
JUNE
VOL. X—NO. 34
forest City Wins State Championship Bv 2-1 Score
'WHITEVILLE, CHAMPIONS OF
THE EAST, DROP TITLE GAME
Several Hundred Fans See Forest City Win Over White-
If \ ville at Chapel Hill Saturday—McKeithan Makes
* "J Homer in Tenth.
The champs of the East and the
champs of the West clashed Satur
day at Chapel Hill and Forest City
High, Western champions, nosed out
Whiteville, champions of the East, in
a ten inning battle, 2 to 1, to win
/the State championship.
fhe game was a pitcher's battle
from the start to the finish, with J.
Berry striking out ten men and al-j
lowing eight hits while T» McKeith-i
an was sending eleven men back by
the strike out route and allowing ]
seven bingles.
Whiteville scored in the first in
king on three singles off T. McKeith
iß, after which he settled down to al- |
low only four hits for the remaining |
1 nine innings.
J. Berry held Forest City scoreless j
ur.nl the seventh inning when they)
tYod the score with an error and two j
singles.
T. McKeithan won his. own ball j
game in the tenth inning when he
hit a sharp single through third that
eot away from the left fielder and
circled the bases to
score the winning run.
Efeamer and Gunganus led the hit
ting for the Easterners with two hits
out of four times up while T. Mc-
Keithan led for Forest City with two
out of four and Blanton was second
with two hits out of five times up.
One of the amusing features of
the game was the rooting of "Step On
It Carolina" Brown, who proudly car
ried the Old Gold and Black through
out the game.
Here's how it was: First inning—
Whiteville—Greer hit the first ball
- for a single and Gurganus did like
wise. Heath forced Greer at third
t lot the first out. Schwartz singled
W scf, ring Gurganus. J. Berry flew out
to Whitlock and Kramer struck out.
Forest City—Biggerstaff flew out
to right field and Blanton doubled.
McKeithan struck out and T'. Mc-
drew a base on balls. Laugh
ridge singled and Blanton was call
ed out at the plate in an effort to
score.
Second inning—Whiteville B.
Berry was out T. McKeithan to
Keeter. Harrison was safe on an er
.rqr by D. McKeithan and Tucker
and Greer struck out.
Forest City—Keeter was out, Gur
ganus to Greer. Watkins and Lik
ens were safe on errors by B. Berry.
Whiftlock and Biggerstaff fanned.-
I ) Third inning—Whiteville— Gur
ganus opened with a two base hit.
Heath and Schwartz were both out
'T. McKeithan to Keeter. J. Berry
fanned for the third out.
► Forest City—Blanton was out
third! to first. D. McKeithan fanned
and T. McKeithan singled. Laugh
ridge was out pitcher to first,
j p Fourth inning—Whiteville—Kram-
er singled to left and was safe on
an error by Whitlock. Kramer was
thrown out at third by Watkins
trying to steal. B. Berry was out
Blanton to Keeter and Harrison was
out D. McKeithan to Keeter.
i Forest City—Keeter was out Gur
'ganus to Greer. Watkins flied out
to Kramer. Likens drew a free pass
to first and Whitlock struck out.
Fifth Inning— Whiteville —Tuck-
er popped up to T. McKeithan, Greer
was out D. McKeithan to Keeter.
Gurganus struck out.
Forest City Biggerstaff opened
with a two base hit to left. Blanton
popped out to J. Berry. D. McKeith
an and T. McKeitlian-both flied out
to Kramer.
f -Sixth Inning Whiteville—Heath
fanned, Schwartz was out pitcher to
first and J. Berry was out Bigger
staff to Keeter.
Forest City—Laughridge flied out
to Kramer, Keeter fanned and Wat
kins fouled out to Schwartz.
Seventh inning Whiteville
Kramer was out Blanton to Keeter,
B. Berry was out D. McKeithan to
Keeter, Harrison singled and Tucker
fanned. _ . (
Forest City—Likens was safe on
FOREST CITY COURIER
an error by Greer. Moss, batting for
Whitlock, flied out to Berry. Big
gerstaff struck out. Blantoii singled.
D. McKeithan singled scoring Likens
with the tying run. T. McKeithan
grounded out pitcher to first.
F-ighth inning—Whiteville—Greer
grounded out Blanton to Keeter,
Gurganus fanned, Heath wa£ safe at
first on a third strike. Schwartz fan
ned.
Forest City Laughridge struck
out, Keeter hit for two sacks, Wat
kins grounded out J. Berry to Greer.
Likens was out Gurganus to Greer.
Ninth inning—Whiteville—J. Ber
ry struck out, Kramer singled, B.
Berry hit into a double play, D. Mc-
Keithan to Biggerstaff to Keeter.
Forest City—Moss and Biggerstaff
fanned. Blanton was safe on an er
ror. D. McKeithan popped out to B.
Berry.
Tenth inning—Whiteville Har
rison was out, T. McKeithan to Keet
er and Rooks, batting for Tucker was
out in like manner. Greer grounded
out Blanton to Keeter.
Forest City—T. McKeithan singl
ed to left. Heath errored the ball
and McKeithan circled the bases to
win his own game.
Box Score:
Whiteville AB. R H PO A
Greer, lb. .5 0 17 0
Gurganus, ss 4 12 0 2
Heath, If 4 0 0 0 1
Schwartz, c 4 0 I 12 0
J. Berry, p .4 0 0 1 3
Kramer,cf 4 0 2 4 0
B. Berry, 2b 4 0 0 2 0
Harrison, 3b. —.4 0 10 2
Tucker, rf. 3 0 0 1 0
Rooks, rf 1 0 0 0 0
TOTALS 37 1 7 27 8
Forest City AB R H PO A
Biggerstaff, 2b. 5 0 1 1/ 2
Blanton, 3b. —5 0 2 3 4
D. McK'han, ss. 5 0 1 0 4
T. McKeithan, p. 4 1 2 1 7
Laughridge, cf. 4 0 1 0.0
Keeter, lb. 4 0 1 14 0
Watkins, c. 4 0 0 10 1
Likens, rf. 3 10 0 0
Whitlock, If. .2 0 0 1 0
Moss, If. 2 0 0 0 0
TOTALS 38 2 8 30 18
x—none out when winning run scor
ed.
R H E
Whiteville 100-000-000-o—l ,7 6
Forest City 000-000-100-1 —2 8 3
Summary: Errors Heath,
Schwartz, B. Berry (2), Harrison,
Rooks, D. McKeithan, Watkins, Whit
lock. Stolen bases—Harrison, base
on balls, off J. Berry 2. Struck out
by J. Berry 10, by T. McKeithan 11.
Home runs,/\one. Three base hits,
none. Two base hits, Blanton, Gur
ganus, Biggerstaff, Keeter. Sacrifice
hits, none. Passed balls, Watkins 2.
Double plays, D. McKeithan to Big
gerstaff to Keeter. Umpires—Sharp
and Sapp (Carolina).
ATTEND BALL GAME
Five Forest City boys, Messrs.
Asa Hamrick, James Hamrick,
Charles Ford, Charles. Huntley and
Rudolph Blanton, attended the For
est City- Whiteville game in Chapel
Hill Saturday in grand style.' During
last week they rigged up Charles Har
rill's '97 model Ford touring and after
painting it in choice colors they
spread "Forest City High" on it in
prominent letters. They left Forest
City Thursday afternoon at 6 o'clock,
and arrived in Chapel Hill Friday
morning at 6 a. m. After seeing the
'championship game they left Chapel
Hill at 6 p. m. and arrived in Forest
City eleven o'clock Sunday morning.
POWER OFF SUNDAY
It is announced by city officials
that electric power will be off Sun
day from 7 a. m. to 6 p. m. Repairs
will be under way at the substation.
Please bear this notice in mind.
PUBLISHED IN THE INTEREST OF FOREST CITY AND RUTHERFORD COUNTY
FOREST CITY, NORTH CAROLINA THURSDAY, MAY 31, 1928
**********
I FOR THE TEAM I
* *
* The Forest City Courier is *
* proud of our high school champ- *
* ion team. We feel that our read- *
* ers will be glad to contribute to *
* the boys who have brought sig- *
■* nal honor to our city and coun- *
* ty. Therefore, we have circulat- *
* ed the following subscription *
* blank. All who wish to add their *
* bit will please have their con- *
* tribution in by Wednesday, *
* 10 a. m., June 6. Leave your *
* subscriptions at this office or at *
* Peoples Drug Store. All sub- *
* scriptions will be acknowledged *
* in our next issue. *
. i
* Following is the petition, and *
* sums subscribed to date: *
* We, the undersigned,, sub- *
* scribe the amounts opposite our *
* names to the Fdrest City Hi *
* School team, who have brought *
* honor and glory to the city and *
* county at large: *
* Forest City Courier . $5.00 *
* Lee Stien ..., i... 1.51.00 *
* Jack Michalove . SI.OO *
* R. E. Biggerstaff \ $2.00 *
* J. O. Dewees i—. ... SI.OO *
* M. W. Harriss SI.OO *
* P. B. Price SI.OO *
* Cash „50c *
* Cash SI.OO *
* Cash _soc *
* W. Marshall Giles „ $5.00 *
*** *******
HUSTLING FOREST CITY
BASEBALL TEAM
Harry Griffin, Sports editor of The
Charlotte Observer, had this to say
about the Forest City High lads in
Saturday's Observer:
Forest City, thriving little city nest
ling in the hills of North Carolina, is
proud of its team—and well it has a
right to be.
The best western North Carolina
high schools have to offer has been
defeated by the classy, scrappy hust
ling youngsters who compose the
team.
Today the usually busy streets will
be deserted. Stores are closed, shades
on bank windows have been pulled
down and drug store idlers will be
absent.
The team is at Chapel Hill to meet
Whiteville in the east-western finals
for the title of champions of North
Carolina. If the team wins the town
will be theirs.
Coach E. V. (Babe) Seitz, has
made an enviable record.The former
coach of Spencer's fast stepping
teams has been in Forest City just
one year. In football he won seven
games and lost three. He went to
western semi-finals in basketball and
now he is in a fair way to win a state
title. HE MUST BE GOOD.
As the result of pur recent victory
at Chapel Hill Forest City is rapidly
attaining the enviable reputation as
a town that gets what it goes after.
If a town wants a thing bad enough
and goes out and works fpr it with
all its might and main it will nearly
always get it. Three weeks ago at the
Norwood game our boys had their
first real test of the season. They
had! met a team that was giving them
the battle of their lives and for six
innings they were trailing behind two
runs with Norwood's mighty pitcher
showing them more stuff than they
had ever faced before. But those boys
never gave up. They kept fighting
that pitcher every minute; they made
him pitch his arm off to hold them.
The strain told and they finally got
to him in the seventh and won the
game. ,
These boys/ had stood up under
their first real baptism of fire against
a most worthy opponent and proven
to every citizen of Forest City that
they had the stuff of which champ
ions are made. After that game there
was not a man, woman, boy or girl
FOREST CITY GETS
WHAT IT GOES AFTER
♦ '
W. MARSHALL GILES.
■l .
.. \. -i i y
EFIRD CHAIN
SALE STARTS
FRIDAY MORNING
Local Store in Competition
With Shelby—Forty-Two
Managers Plan Great
Sale
An annual event, eagerly awaited
by the residents of forty-two towns
and cities, is the Efird annual chain
sale. This year the evert begins Fri
day, June 1, and continues through
the entire month. To plan this great
sale, the Efird managers, including
Mr. Chas. R. Curlee, of the Forest
City store, met in executive session
with Efird Bros. Charlotte office.
General routine of business was
discussed by the different store man
agers, wifljh practically every man
claiming that this year's business
was showing a good gain over last.
While farming conditions were un
favorable on 'account of so much
most managers stated that the
farmers have mad*? great speed
catching up during the past two
weeks, some claiming to work
ing by moonlight. The Efird an
nual chain sale was discussed with
much interest and it was decided to
commence this annual event at all
Efird stores on Friday morning, June
Ist and as usual continue the entire
month of June.
A contest was decided on between
the different store managers, each
manager picking him cut another
manager to beat. Forest City is team
ed up with Shelby, and Mr. Curlee's
friends have promised to work hard
to win from our hustling neighbor
city. After which all stores we>re
about equally divided up into two
sides, each side selecting a captain
and a lieutenant, great enthusiasm
was worked up and this promises to
be the best of all the Efird chain
sales. In addition to the contest be
tween managers, it was decided that
each store should divide up fts sales
people into two divisions and offer
a prize to the winning side.
Efird Brothers explained that more
merchandise has been bought at spec
ial prices for this sale than ever be
fore and on account of so much ov
er-production by manufacturers they
were able to buy the best merchan
dise at almost their own prices and
that twenty-one car loads have al
ready been assembled in the Char
lotte warehouse and divided up and
is now on its way to the different
Efird's stores, in addition to the
hundreds of direct shipments.
Mr. Curlee, manager of the Forest
City Efird store, knowing the value
of The Courier as an advertising
medium, has been generous in con
tracting for space to cover the great
in this town who doubted -for One
moment but that our boys would go
through to the finals and bring the
championship back to Forest City.
We knew our boys had the goods, we
believed in them, we sensed victory
and we got back of them and stood
by them to the last ditch. No one
ever thought they would lose, we had
confidence in their playing and ad
mired their courage and fighting
qualities under fire. We followed
them in large numbers to Chapel
Hill to see them do what we had
learned to believe they would do.
They now hold the championship of
North Carolina and they have put
this thing over in such a clean
sportsmanlike manner that there is
not a word of criticism or complaint
to be heard from any town in the
State. Coach Seitz and his boys de
serve some real token of apprecia
tion from every citizen of Forest
City. It is a genuine pleasure for
me to subscribe my small bit to the
fund that is being raised for the
Champion High School Baseball team
of North Carolina.
Wins Own Game
%
EMMET (TIM) McKEITHAN
NOTES OF THE GAME
The two pep meetings, Wednesday
and Friday nights, were largely at
tended and enthusiasm ran high. The
many expressions of confidence cer
tainly heartened the coach and team.
Many were called upon to make
short talks, even the society editor
of The Courier. All responded with
vigor. The vigorous talk of Supt.
Clyde A. Erwin fired all with de
termination to win—win fairly—
but win the game,
Much praise is due those who work
ed so hard to get the special train.
Mayor Flack, F. I. Barber, "Micky"
Hewitt, Doc Duncan, Doc Reinhardt,
Mesdames Hewitt and Alcock and
others worked hard and faithfully
1 and soon had the special assured.
' Many others did their part. The whole
effort well shows what can be done
•by co-operation and concerted ac
' tion. • » «M m -*
A i"» rl rlnn fVt a Qni nrlola
And don't forget the Spindale
Band. This noble band of good fel
lows contributed largely to the pleas
ure of the occasion and did manful
work in pepping up the enthusiastic
fans during the game.
Now, see: What prizes do
the boys get for winning? First, the
silver cup from the University. This
is a permanent trophy. Also a silver
cup and gold baseballs, new sweat-
ers and a big banquet.
Enthusiastic fans took up a col
lection for "Big Tim" on the return
from the "hill." The Courier has
started a collection for the team, and
if we do not miss our guess, it will
amount to handsome proportions be
fore the subscription is closed. Let
us add here: Please don't forget to
get on the "honor roll." All sub
scriptions will be acknowledged next
week.
The team was guest of honor at the
Kiwanis Club Monday evening. It
was a great occasion and high honor
was accorded the valiant heroes who
have brought signal honor to the
city and county. A big public ban
quet was proposed for the team. A
committee, composed of President
Reinhardt, Mayor Flack and C. E.
Alcock, was named to work out the
details. It is for the public at large
and we want all to be there. Come
out and do honor to our heroes.
It was a happy, hilarious crowd on
the speciaL Going, all were confident.
On the return, bedlam broke loose.
One enthusiastic fan let out a war
whoop and lost his false teeth, it is
said. The great crowd of supporters
at the station to greet the returning
train was an inspiration.
Don't fail to get on the honor roll.
Drop into this office or the Peoples
Drug Store and add your name to
the subscription list for the team.
HOME COMING DAY
Sunday, June 10, will be observed
at the First Baptist Church as Home
Coming Day, in celebration of the
beginning of the sixth year of the
pastorate of Dr. W. A. Ayers. A
cordial invitation is extended to all
former pastors, residents, former
members of the church and others
to be present on that day. The serv
ice will continue throughout the day.
sale. This-week he presents an at
tractive t&o-page ad, and will fol
low with liberal space in each suc
ceeding issue during the entire
month. Our readers may keep well
informed on the sale by watching the
columns of this newspaper.
18 PAGES
108 COLUMNS
SI.OO Per Year in Advance
SUMMARY OF THE
STATE CHAMPIONS'
PLAYING FOR YEAR
Statistics, Batting and Pitching
Averages and Summary
of Local High School
Baseball Team
"Babe" Seitz and* his state high
school baseball champions arrived in.
Forest City late Sunday afternoon
from Chapel Hill where on Satur
day they defeated Whiteville High 2
to 1 for the state title. They received
one of the greatest ovations ever ac
corded returning heroes from the
field of battle.
The whole town was out to greet
the boys. Baseball was the sole topic
of conversation on the streets and
one celebration followed another far
into the night. Bells tolled, automo-.
bile -horns by the hundreds sent up
shrill shrieks of joy while the base
ball team composed of boys of their
early 'teens, were amazed at the
joyous reception and could only smile
and nod their thanks.
Headed by Mayor Charles Z. Flack
and other city officials, a special
train was chartered for the home
town folk to attend the game at} the
"hill" on Saturday. All along the
route the train was greeted by town
officials and many persons joined the
local aggregation to cheer the west
ern champions.
To "Wis" Keeter, star first base
man, goes the individual honors of
the 1928 season, the lanky youth
hanging up a record seldom equall
ed in high school baseball. Keeter
played in 21 games, madle 190 put
outs and nine assists without an er
ror, and had a season's batting av
erage of .300 while Laughridge came
second with eighteen putouts with
out an error.
The following table will show why
the locals are champions of the state.
Batting averages for the team for
21 games.
Player AB R H PCT.
Big'staff, 2b. .88 26 24 .273
F. Blanton, 3b. 88 30 .386
D. McKt'hn ss 82 29 . 34 ..414
T. McK., p-rf. 86 29 41 .476
Laughridge, cf.7o 16 17 .243
Likens, -rf 57 10 17 .298
Keeter, lb. -80 14 24 ' .300
Horton, If 18 2 2 .111
Whitlock, If. ... 53 15 13 .245
jWatkins, c 75 17 28 .374
Moss, c-cf 77 0 1 .143
Moore, p 17 4 4 .235
T. Blanton, p. -20 5 8 .400
Thomas, If 2 1 J. .500
i :
I TOTALS .. 746 198 247 .333
Pitching Records: W L Pet.
Moore 5 0 .1000
T. Blanton ... 5 0 .1000
T. McKeithan 10 1 .909
Results of ths season: Won 20;
lost 1.
Cliffside 3; Forest City 2.
(11 innings.)
Cliffside 0; Forest City 9.
Boiling Springs 0; Forest City 2.
Boiling Springs 1; Forest City 14.
Shelby 2; Forest City 9.
Kings Mountain 5; Forest City 10.
Ellenboro 7; Forest City 32.
Candler 8; "Forest City 10.
Shelby 0; Forest City 3. '
Hendersonville 2; Forest City 13.
Ellenboro Textile 5; Forest City 8.
Candler 2; Forest City 6.
Asheville 2; Forest City 17.
Hendersonville. 4; Forest City 9.
Central High 1; Forest City 6.
State Series
Lowell 4; Forest City 20.
Shelby 4; Forest City 11.
Biltmore 3; Forest City 6.
Norwood 2; Forest City 4.
Winston-Salem 4; Forest City 6.
"Whiteville 1; Forest City 2.
***********
♦ ELECTION RETURNS *
* . *
* Mr. J. R. Anderson, Chairman *
* of the Board of Elections, re- *
* quests Precinct Registrars to get *
* returns in to him at Rutherford- *
* ton at their earliest convenience *
* Saturday night. Please bear this *
* in mind, so that complete returns *
* Will be available by 9 o'clock. *
***********