[jingram058]

I collect Memphis Chicks (Chickasaws) of the old Southern Association, also known way back as Turtles and Egyptians. Played at Russwood Park until the main part of the stands burned down spectacularly in April of 1960. Rocky Colavito of the Indians hit the last home run at Russwood that day, in an exhibition against the White Sox, and sadly the old ballpark burned down that night. It's believed a smoldering cigarette started the fire. The league folded up after the following season. I have a 1952-53 scrapbook of newspaper clippings and other memorabilia. It has their Chickasaw Chief profile embossed on the cover, so I believe it was bought at the ballpark. I have several tickets, schedules, photos, and other things in it that came with it. The clippings primarily focus on their 1952 Dixie Series championship, and are from the Commercial Appeal and Press-Scimitar newspapers. I have two t206 cards (Carey and Cranston), and one Red Sun cigarettes card (Babb). I have two baseballs, one generic ball signed by Luke Appling, who managed the Chicks to their Dixie Series title, and one game used official Southern Association ball, from a game versus the Birmingham Barons. Last, I have the special program from 1952, I think, entitled "50 Years With The Chicks", which is their official team history. Waite Hoyt, Hank Leiber, Lou Chiozza, Ted Kluszewski, Louis Aparicio and many, many others played for the Chicks at one time or other, and Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, and Joe DiMaggio and their Yankees teams played numerous exhibition games at Russwood in the 1920s, 30s, 40s and 50s, as did the New York Giants, Brooklyn Dodgers, Philadelphia Athletics, Boston Red Sox (Ted Williams hit a colossal home run out of Russwood!), St. Louis Cardinals (including the Gas House Gang) and these are just the ones that I know of, off hand. I also have a recent copy of John J. Guinnozzo's "Memphis Baseball Encyclopedia".