Fats and Leans Play Exhibition Ballgame, Randolph, Alabama

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December 2001, Updated December 2003


FATS AND LEANS TO PLAY
----------------------------

Here is fun for you! At 3:30 tomorrow afternoon in MANLEY Park there will be a game 
of [base]ball between the fat men of Roanoke and the leans. What the players lack in skill 
will be made up in grace of motion.

The following is the list of players furnished The Leader:

Fats --

C. M. RADNEY,
W. S. GREEN,
B. B. BRANNAN,
J. F. HESTER,
R. P. PRICE,
W. B. ANGLIN, 
B. JONES, 
J. A. JEFFERS,
W. T. A. HUEY.

Leans --

W. L. WILSON,
D. R. OZLEY, 
E. R. TAYLOR, 
E. BRADSHAW, 
G. N. COFIELD, 
Sid EAST,
W. OWENS,
Bart GOODWYN,
G. BRADSHAW.

An admission fee of 10 cents will be charged everyone, to help out the Ball Club. But it 
will be worth it. Better than a monkey show. Come out!

[From The Roanoke Leader (Randolph County, Alabama), 26 May 1915, p.1]

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LEAN MEN BEAT HEAVY WEIGHTS
----------------------------
   A good sized crowd gathered at the ball park Thursday afternoon to witness the 
performance of the long, lean representatives of Roanoke in their successful efforts to 
“put one over” on the heavy weight champions of the town. Not a spectator but got his 
dime’s worth—and more. It was a farce comedy of the 18-carat character.
   R. M. CAUSEY, Roanoke’s former first baseman, umpired the game, and, 
notwithstanding his decided physical leaning toward one side of the fight, he held the 
scales of justice evenly balanced. There was no rag-chewing, but plenty of good natured 
ragging. Some of the spectators laughed till they were sore and called for a truce.
   The weather man was partial to the beefy athletes and sent a friendly cloud to shade 
them and a breeze to fan their ruddy cheeks. The sympathy of the rooters was also freely 
given them, and they really made a good showing. But their opponents nevertheless won 
out, under the working of that unerring rule of philosophy, “A lean dog for a long race.” 
The score was 21 to 23 at the end of nine innings.
   It might be unjust to refer to any bright particular stars on either side without making 
mention of all, for every player proved himself a hero. However, the favorites among the 
leans seemed to be Lawyer WILSON, Policemen OZLEY and COFIELD, while Electrician GREEN 
represented the municipality in great style for the fats. The honors were divided with him 
on this side by J. A. JEFFERS and C. M. RADNEY. The latter had a proneness for being caught 
in a “juggle” between bases, and was both times outrun by a “lean dog,” the push resulting 
in RADNEY’s falling and rolling in the dust.
   But when the dust and the smoke had finally cleared away there were no dead ones on 
hand and none seriously wounded, while the treasury of the ball club was relieved to the 
extent of about twelve dollars.

[From The Roanoke Leader (Randolph County, Alabama), 2 June 1915, p.1]