A4 I APRIL 24,2019
BERTIE LEDGER-ADVANCE
Opinion
The fabric of Bertie Countysince 1832
Remembering
Frank Ballance...
To the Editor:
An Open Letter to Bernadine Ballance,
her children, to 94-year-old mother Alice
Ballance, and to all young leaders on the
horizon:
It is with sobering dismay the invisibility
with which the lack of media commentary
has treated the life and recent death of for
mer N.C. State and Senatorial Representa
tive and U.S. Congressman Frank Ballance,
Jr. (February 15, 1942 - February 22, 2019),
elected historically in 2004 as the second
African American to N.C.’s 1st congres
sional district. His political service spans
from 1983 to 2004.
Frank served with public distinction, “in
an otherwise blameless life,” until he fell
victim to America’s notorious two systems
of justice: one for black and poor, another
for white privilege and wealth. As recently
evidenced in the controversial sentencing
in Paul Manafort, Jr.’s court case for mil
lions of dollars in tax and bank fraud for
which Manafort pled guilty on several
counts.
During Frank’s political tenure, he was
an impassioned leader for the poor and
downtrodden assessing in the most per
sonal way the economic needs, dreams
and goals of his constituents.
His unrelenting activism in confronting
the ever-polluting dehumanizing racial
conditions and pressures concerning the
loss of voting rights, environmental and
health care rights, and an increasing prison
pipeline ultimately cost him his freedom.
He served nearly a four-year federal im
prisonment for “misuse of charitable dol
lars,” which ultimately led to pursuing ill
nesses and his untimely death.
My highest hope for future young lead
ers, the bar is set for you as an invisible
person, but Ralph Ellison said, “There is
strength and ingenuity in invisibility.”
Know the incarceration traps are laid.
Be an urgent and political thinker, a pas
sionate reader, a consummate writer; be
a person of vision in the “light of truth.”
Recognize and give honor to the ances
tors whose shoulders we stand on. We are
counting on you.
Bernadine, no matter the unfair perse
cution you and your family have suffered
or how wounded your enormous heart,
Frank’s enduring eulogy, of which you are
most familiar, will be as a a gatekeeper, a
legal scholar, and a visionary and a philos
opher for change.
Ending here as Frank so often did with
a mighty selection of poetry from an out
standing black poet when closing a speech/
lecture:
“And God stepped out on space...and
said I’m lonely still...I’ll make me a man...”
- The Creation by James Weldon Johnson
(1871-1938)
Frank was God’s man. He was our man.
Always our, “Congressman-at-large.”
Rest in peace dear friend. We won’t for
get. Our children and their children won’t
forget.
Your true character will be judged by
the generations of family and friends left
behind.
Gary R. Grant
Tillery
Doing good
work at school...
To the Editor:
I had the distinct privilege to visit two
elementary schools in Bertie County ear
lier this month - West Bertie and Aulander,
respectively.
At both schools, the students were well-
disciplined and attentive.
At West Bertie Elementary, I read to two
first grade classes during Read Across
America Week. The students were focused
as well as good listeners.
Both schools were clean; the faculty, staff
and students were respectful and exempli
fied love and concern for each other.
Continue to do the good work you are
doing. Congratulations to you and the Ber
tie County Board of Education.
Coleen McGlone
Lewiston Woodville
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Perseverance, class and courage
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Sarah H.
Stalls
Wandering But
Not Lost
I have had the privilege of meet
ing a handful of celebrities dur
ing my life. Some were actors, a
writer or two.
There was Mr.
Jimmy Hunter and
there was this guy
named Michael Jor
dan also.
However, few
will ever stick in
my heart and mind
like the gentleman
baseball player
from Perr3down in
Bertie County, El-
der Layfette White.
I met Mr. Elder
and his wife, Mrs. Elaine, in their
Ahoskie home nearly a decade
ago. I still remember arriving that
day. It was as is they were wel
coming an old friend. Mr. Elder
dismissed the importance of his
story, but I was already intrigued.
Being a lifelong baseball fan and
movie geek, it did not take me
long to realize I was sitting down
with a real-life Crash Davis.
Davis was the character por
trayed by Kevin Costner in the
baseball cult classic “Bull Dur
ham.” The character was inspired
by the real-life story of Lawrence
Columbus “Crash” Davis.
Born Dec. 23, 1933 in the Col-
erain suburb of Perrytown, Mr.
Elder polished his skills while in
school and in Eastern North Caro
lina’s county leagues.
“Every crossroads had a ball
team around here,” he told me.
“Come Saturday and Sundays, ev
erybody played ball.”
Straight out of high school he
was awarded a contract to play
for the Coastal Plain League’s
Edenton Colonials. He cautioned
me not to get too excited. The
contract was for a $150 a month.
This was 1952, the only year there
was a professional team in place
in Edenton, according to Mr. El
der.
After his military service, he
returned home to Bertie County
and ready to play ball. He went
back to the County League circuit
where a Cleveland scout paid him
a visit. From that a contract was
signed and he headed to C ball
in Fargo, North Dakota. Days be
fore his bonus was due, he was
released.
Perseverance had to be his su
perpower. He maneuvered the mi
nors with a willingness to work.
Timing was not on his side on a
number of occasions. He played
shortstop for the Pittsburgh club
but who was playing at the major
league level? MVP and Lou Gehrig
Award Winner Dick Groat.
“I was traded to Chicago and
who was playing shortstop?” I
still remember Mr. Elder laughing
when he asked me.
“Ernie Banks. (One of three
shortstops to be voted to Major
League Baseball’s All-Century
Team in 1999). Yes. You gotta wait
your turn,” he said with a smile.
Mr. Elder got his “call to the
show” in 1962. He recalled a plane
trip to Houston when he got the
nod as starting short stop that
opening day.
One of his teammates was a guy
you may have heard more about
- Lou Brock.
With Pittsburgh, Mr. Elder be
came known for his pop-up slide.
Apparently, a future hall of famer
was watching.
“1 taught Lou Brock how to
slide,” Mr. Elder told me that day,
as if it were no big deal.
His career won’t be mentioned
in a rundown of the greatest play
ers ever, but he will always be
on my list of the best to play the
game, probably because of what
it meant to him.
When asked what his greatest
career accomplishment was, he
said meeting his wife.
Sarah Hodges Stalls is a Staff
Writer for the Martin County En
terprise 6 Weekly Herald and the
Bertie Ledger-Advance. She can
be reached via email at shstalls®
ncweeklies.com.
Everything hurts and I'm dying,
Jim
Green
Around
Here
I was browsing the internet re
cently when one of many irritat
ing pop-ups showed a T-shirt with
the saying, “Ever54;hing Hurts and
I’m Dying” on it.
It was pretty
funny, and I almost
bought it - being I
am at the advanced
age where... you
guessed it - every
thing hurts and I
am dying.
Let me clarify my
position.
I’m one day closer
to dying, like every
one else is. I am not
trying to be morbid, just trying to
point out the obvious, though I
really try not to think about it.
The first part - Everything
Hurts - is certainly true.
First of all, I do not like going to
the doctor. I will battle through
colds, sinus issues, hearing prob
lems, even bronchitis and pneu
monia, for as long as possible and
won’t go to the doctor until its
gets unbearable.
Those ailments can usually be^“
cured within a few days, but my
latest issue has me a bit more
concerned.
My right arm has been sore,
particularly around the elbow
joint, for months now.
When I hold my arm straight
out, it hurts.
When I try to rotate it, it hurts.
When I try to extend it - mean
ing, I attempt to reach for some
thing on a higher plane - it really
hurts.
It first started during the fall
sports season, but I thought noth
ing of it.
It has continued through winter
and the early part of this spring.
One day at a track meet, I ex
plained my situation to a special
ist, who suggested I make an ap
pointment with her company.
1 had planned to do so, but then
I got busy. Here it is three weeks
later and I still haven’t gone to a
doctor.
Some colleagues suggested I
wear a copper bracelet on my
right arm to see if it helps.
I did some research, and these
things supposedly alleviate pain
caused by tennis elbow, carpal
tunnel and arthritis, among oth
ers.
This is the same pain I experi
enced about 15 years ago in the
same arm. Back then, a doctor
friend of mine did some adjust
ments, and a few minutes later, I
was fine.
It hurt, but I was fine.
I’m sure the pain is caused by
two things: holding my camera
with my right arm at an awkward
angle for many years, and carry
ing around a heavy camera back
pack (about 20 pounds) over my
right shoulder certainly doesn’t
do that arm or shoulder any fa
vors.
I want to try a copper bracket
to see if it works. It may take a
couple of weeks, but some who
use them say they do.
The worst thing is they don’t
work and I am out a few dollars.
It’s not I do not want to go to
the doctor. Wait, yes it is.
I just would like to exhaust any
other viable alternatives before I
go run up some huge medical bill
for them to tell me what I already
know: Everything hurts, and I am
dying.
Jim Green is Sports Editor for
the Bertie Ledger-Advance. He can
be reached via email at jgreen®
ncweeklies.com.
Bertie
Ledger-Advance
The fabric of Bertie County since 1832
The Bertie Ledser-Advance was-estabushed in 1928 through the
HERITAGE OF ThE WINDSOR LEDGER AND ThE AuUNDEH ADVANCE.
The newspaper traces its history to 1832 when it was first pubushed
AS THE Windsor Herald and Bertie County Register
Kyle Stephens
Publisher
kstephens@>ncweekl ics.com
'Ihadd White
Editor
tW'hite(gincweeklies.com ■
Jim Green
Sports Editor
jgreeri^ncweeklie.s,com
Michelle Leicester
Creative Services Director
mleicesterfgincwcekiies.com
Jessica Mobley
Advertising Manager
jmobley(®ncweeklies.com
Sarah Hodges Stalls
Stajf Writer
shstallsigincweeidies.com
Deborah Griffin
Staff Writer
dgrifHndmcweeklies.com
J.W."Rus8" Russell
Sports Editor Emeritus
bertienew8(®ncweeklies.com
V
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