Pike-Spalding County GaArchives News.....Barefoot Hammond to Play Softball for Pomona Team June 17, 1938 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Lynn Ballard Cunningham http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00011.html#0002535 February 8, 2013, 11:53 pm The Pike County Journal June 17, 1938 The Pike County Journal Friday, June 17, 1938 Barefoot Hammond to Play Softball for Pomona Team Durward Hammond, known in his hometown Zebulon as “the shoeless wonder” and “the barefoot wonder,” has signed a contract to play softball this summer with the Pomona Products softball team. Hammond was expected to pitch his first game – barefooted – Monday night at Lightfoot Park. Pitching for Zebulon this season, he has won all four games in which he has worked. Those who have seen him pitch report that he has lots of speed and unusual control. Most Griffinites will remember Hammond as the barefoot boy who made such a fine record as a forward on the Zebulon High School basketball squad last winter. In the Fourth District tournament he virtually alone eliminated LaGrange, one of the tourney favorites in the opening round. He played basketball, just as he does other sports, barefooted. Hammond told Griffinites who signed him up to play with Pomona that he has worn shoes only twice in [his] life. The first occasion was when he “graduated” from grammar school into high school. On that occasion he placed sand in his shoes so he would “feel at home.” The second occasion was when he was forced to wear shoes in a school play. And even then he “came out” of the shoes before the play was over. Only recently, when he received his diploma from Zebulon High School, he led his classmates on to the school platform on graduation night all decked out in cap and gown but – barefooted. He has refused a scholarship to Oglethorpe University because he was told he would have to wear shoes there. – Griffin News Additional Comments: Durward Travis Hammond, b. 27 January 1920, d. 27 September 2011. Mr. Hammond was one of "the greatest generation," serving his country during WWII, including time spent on Iwo Jima. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ga/pike/newspapers/barefoot457nnw.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/gafiles/ File size: 2.5 Kb