that French Lick had
to offer was Glenn Putnam. Leo Plummer, Wayne Wilson, Roger Harned, Mannie
Thacker, and Walter Robbins from West Baden also played a pretty good game.
Roger and Glenn were
bosom buddies but Roger could not keep up with Glenn in any thing they did but
he sure tried. The last time I saw Roger I asked him if he had ever beaten
Glenn in a game of tennis and he said he did one time and Glenn went off and
laid down in the weeds and cried! Several girls used the court including Betty
Ann and Laura Lou Hancock, Alice Harrison, Betty Simmons, Janice Pope, Hollis
Wilson, Peach Ballard, Helen Wilson, and others whose names I have forgotten.
Another highlight of
the park was the Horseshoe pegs. They were equipped with lights and they
stayed open until nine o’clock. These pegs were set in clay which was kept
moist all the time. There were benches for the spectators and my dad liked
watching the play under the lights. That was when the good players showed up.
The one who was by far the best thrower was Clarence Radcliff from West Baden.
No one could beat him. Others that I remember were Henry Archer, Jim Springer,
Scott Weaver, Johnsie Main Gardener Flick, and others whose names I have
forgotten.
The park also
had a large covered bandstand with open air benches located directly in
front. Now and then “Dutch” Drabing would
resurrect his band
and put on a free show for the public.
The caretaker of the
park was Tom Gregory who lived next to “Piggy” Newlin. He did a super job and
he put in a lot of hours. The horseshoe pits and the tennis court were always
in superb condition.
I remember once the
town fathers let the annual carnival set up in the park. The high dive artist
set his rig up on the tennis court much to Tom’s chagrin. His platform rose to
seventy five feet and this is where he jumped. There was another platform
thirty feet high and his wife would dive from there. The pool was about six
feet in diameter and three feet deep. He jumped four times a day and I don’t
think I missed a single jump. Before he would jump he would pass through the
crowd and take up a collection. I recall one time he only took in $1.75. He
liked to never quit crying about it but he and his wife made the jump.
I have not been up
to the old park in years so I don’t know if it is still there or not. I know
one thing, it sure did provide Don and I with a lot of fun filled days.
***
Alifair
Anderson 94 Sept. 8
Thelma
Page 90 Aug. 13
Nora
Qualkinbush 90 Aug 18
Coen
Beaty
88 Aug 5
Delphene Beaty 87 Aug 22