Smith Drug Co. Celebrates 1st Anniversary with Generations Strong: Let’s Play Ball! Exhibit and Announces Upcoming Special Events

The game of baseball is known as America’s Pastime and for Hattiesburg it has always been an important sport for both players and fans alike.  Pharmacists and owners of Smith Drug Co., Hammond Smith and James Cohen were longtime supporters of youth baseball.  Their business sponsored local teams for many years, and the two men served as mentors to many of the young baseball players.  In honor of Smith Drug Company’s first anniversary of being opened as a museum, the Sixth Street Museum District is unveiling a three-month long exhibit titled Generations Strong: Let’s Play Ball!  
 
The kickoff for the exhibit will be held Saturday, March 25^th from 12:00 noon to 4:00 p.m. Guests to the museum will be able to view a special baseball collection, which will feature photographs, baseball bats, caps, cards and other treasured memorabilia highlighting African American ball players representing and celebrating local African American youth and professional baseball players, some of which went on to national acclaim. 
 
“We believe this exhibit will appeal to both the young ball players of today and those who played the game thirty or forty years ago,” said Latoya Norman, Director of Museums for the Hattiesburg Convention Commission.  “This exhibit showcases African American players and their contributions to the game of baseball.”
 
During the event, former players from the 1977 Hub City Little Leaguers team (Hattiesburg), the only Mississippi team ever to advance to the Little League World Series, will speak and share some of their baseball memories.  Museum guests will also enjoy iconic baseball game food favorites including hot dogs, popcorn, soft drinks and a special “Home Run” Smith Drug Co. malt.
 
All current youth baseball players who wear their team jersey to the opening day of the exhibit will receive a special treat.
 
On April 1^st Smith Drug Co. will hold two events to highlight the Let’s Play Ball! exhibit.  From 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m., Joey Renard Gathright, a former Major League Baseball outfielder for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Kansas City Royals, Chicago Cubs, and Boston Red Sox will be sharing his story and signing baseballs while supplies last. Gathright was born in Hattiesburg and grew up in Columbia, MS.
 
At 2:00 p.m. there will be a special showing of the movie, Don’t Look Back: The Story of Leroy ‘Satchel’ Paige featuring Louis Gossett, Jr. as Paige. The TV movie, which aired in 1981 was partially filmed in Hattiesburg at Smokey Herrington Park. Hattiesburg High School students who were juniors and seniors in 1980 and 1981 sat in the stands during the filming of some of the baseball game scenes.  Felicia Fairley was one of those students.  “It was exciting…we were going to be in a movie,” said Fairley. “We were a part of making history.” An advertisement also appeared in the Hattiesburg American Newspaper calling for extras for the movie, with a preference for “men with short haircuts”, to serve as fans in the baseball stands.  As an added incentive to participate, the production team gave away one 25” color TV to “a lucky winner”.  “In recognition of the movie production team’s gesture, we will have a few $25 gift cards that movie attendees will have a chance to win,” said Norman. “Watching this movie will be a real throw-back for some people, but for others who know nothing about ‘Satchel’ Paige, the movie will be educational as Paige was a trail blazer for African American baseball players.”
 
There is no charge to participate in any of the events at Smith Drug Co. during these two special weekends.  The Let’s Play Ball Exhibit can be seen every Saturday from March 25^th through June 24^th from 12:00 noon until 4:00 p.m. at Smith Drug Co., which is located at 606 Mobile Street. 
 
For more information or to schedule a group visit at Smith Drug Co. visit www.historicsmithdrug.com (Book an Event) or call 601-450-1942.  Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for updates, special events and happenings at Smith Drug Co.
 
Photo attached:
The Hub City Little League team of 1977, the only Mississippi team to ever make it to the Little League World Series, poses for a picture at the site of the 1977 Little League World Series.
 
From Left to Right: Back row- Coach Robert Boot Walker, Brian Benton, Robbie Gilbert, Bobby Lee, Craig Walker, Ellis Paige, Tracy Godbolt, Mitch Williams, Coach Kenneth Fairley. Front row- Donnie Newsome, Charlie Hayes, Andrew Mott, Earnest Walker, Stan Mcfarland, Keith Young, and Rodney Bourne.