Community Heroes Series
From the June 2003 issue of Alabama Living magazine

Story by Kay Marshall

Immediately upon meeting Roy Baird, Jr. I could tell that he was an unending source of stories for which our short time together could not do justice. The interview began with a friendly intimacy, due to the fact that I am the daughter of long-time friend, B. G. Rudisell, who often played pranks on him as he vended his array of snacks to local businesses and schools. After being captivated by stories of their friendship the subject veered its way back to baseball, and his smile broadened in memory.

Sitting across the table in his sports shirt Roy looked all the part of a baseball old-timer. You could tell the moment the topic turned to the sport, and by the smile on his face, that Roy Baird, Jr. has a love for the game that defies brief description. There’s no mistaking the light that comes over a person when they are about to share a deep conviction or passion. After discussing the recent dedication ceremony for the Roy Baird, Jr. Baseball Field, in Guin, we settled into his past and how this passion for baseball began in his life.

In 1918 Roy Baird, Sr. built a pharmacy in Guin. This same year Roy Baird, Jr. was born to Roy, Sr. and his wife, Hattie Dupree Paul. Although named Jr., he was actually the third son in a family of five children. When compared to the historical timeline of the sport that Roy grew up to cherish, it's amazing that professional baseball was a mere 47 years old the year he was born. So, in a way, they both grew up together.
Baseball's origins are unknown but most historians agree that it is based on the English game of rounders which became known as "townball" and eventually "baseball".
Alexander Cartwright created a list of rules in 1845 and much of that original code is still used today. Although the invention of the game is credited to Abner Doubleday, baseball's true father was Cartwright.
The first recorded baseball contest took place a year later, in 1846, and by 1857 the National Association of Base Ball Players, the first organized baseball league, was formed.
During the Civil War era of the 1860's the number of baseball clubs dropped drastically. But Union soldiers carried interest in baseball throughout the country which spawned a revival in the sport. In 1869, the Cincinnati Red Stockings became a professional paid team that recruited the best players from around the country and in 1871, the National Association became the first professional baseball league. Quickly following, in 1876, was the formation of the National League.

Baseball really took off during the 1920's and 40's, decades that forced Americans to dig deep to live and living was oftentimes meager. During the days of the Great Depression not many young boys had baseballs, bats and gloves, but Roy's brothers, Paul and Stanley, always made sure that he had the implements of the sport and that his love of baseball went unabated. The passion was in place at an early age as his heroes were the greats of the day, James "Ripper" Collins, the great Babe Ruth, and "The Yankee Clipper", Joe DiMaggio. Roy determined then that baseball would always be a part of his life.

Throughout his youth in Guin he played baseball and upon graduating from Marion County High School with the class of '37, he headed to Louisiana State University for college. Roy pitched for the purple and gold from 1938 to 1939 and while at LSU he pursued a degree in forestry. "I started out in forestry then changed to accounting. Forestry was more complicated than I realized and since I was better in math I decided to switch over," said Baird. "My roommate used to say that my daddy told me to take Pharmacy but I misunderstood and took Forestry instead. Come to think of it, he was probably right!"
Roy remained at LSU until 1940, when he developed a chronic sickness that forced him to withdraw from university. A few months later World War II broke out and his direction changed once again.
With his health restored Roy moved to Birmingham, Alabama and worked at the Stockham Pipe & Fittings Company where Herbert Clark Stockham served as president. During World War II the company provided the Army and Navy with needed supplies and Roy's duties included manufacturing 75 mm shells and hand grenades. Herbert Stockham made it a priority to install facilities for recreational activities, including a company baseball team. A home-run stroke of luck for a man, like Baird, who was in love with the game.

When the US entered the war in '41 Americans then, as now, turned to sports and entertainment as an outlet to the turmoil. Playing on the Stockham team Roy was spotted by a scout and in 1942 he was offered a try-out in Florida with the Detroit Tigers. Unable to raise the funds necessary for the trip he decided not to go but later that same year another opportunity emerged that he didn’t pass up. On Christmas day he married the love of his life, Carolyn Akers.

Roy joined the Navy in April of 1943 and taught aerial photography. The camera's weighed 40 pounds each and the method of teaching hinged on the medieval as they'd sit on the edge of the open door of the plane and when the plane banked, they would shoot at their target. He trained them in dive bombers, and sea-planes, SNJ's, a two-seater propeller plane, and Vultee SNV's. While the trainees were trying not to fall out of the plane Roy enjoyed ribbing them by suggesting that if they dropped the expensive cameras they might as well plan to go with them.

"It was just meant to be that my life would follow baseball, even while in the Navy" said Baird. Out of the blue he was summoned to the Navy's athletic department by "a couple of gold braids". When he arrived he was surprised to find out that he had been recruited to play for the Pennsecola Naval Air Station Baseball Team. Navy Baseball coaches, Red Sanders and Bernie Sikes personally asked Baird to play on their team. "That was quite an honor", said Baird.
Roy shared what he called an incredible moment he experienced while playing on the Naval Team.

“We played our most memorable game for some boys at a military hospital. There in the stands was none other than George Poschner, All-SEC end for the University of Georgia from 1939 to 1942. Poschner, recovering from losing both of his legs in battle, was sitting down right field and giving Baird a real hard time. "I caught a long drive ball right in front of him and walked over and handed it to him, which made him laugh. After that he was on my side. It was quite a moment for me", recalled Roy.
Baird also played alongside another legend, Ted Williams, who was on the Bronson Field Baseball Team and was one of the Red Sox' greatest hitters. Although on opposite teams it was a privilege he never forgot.

After the war Roy helped start Guin Wholesale Company and stayed in it for several years. But in 1955 3M came into Guin and as a result it changed the direction of his life. "Those 3M boys liked baseball and knew I did too. They followed our local baseball team and I got to know them and from there it led to my change of career. 3M asked me to put in coffee vending machines, which I didn't carry, but I put one in and eventually got into full-line vending and greater profit. I changed my business to Baird Vending and stayed in vending for over 42 years. That tells you one of two things; I was pretty dumb or I could have retired long before that. I was 68 when I retired," Baird said laughing.
With his business well underway Roy turned his attention, in 1956, back to another sincere passion, one that had been a steady companion since his own youth. "I had a burning desire to have a place for the kids to play and a friend encouraged me to set my passion to life…and I did", he stated proudly.
“I procured some land and started on building a baseball field in 1956. Carolyn and I formed the recreation organization and sold memberships for $5.00,” he explained as his wife nodded in silent agreement. “A sign committee was formed and together we all raised $2600.00 within a week and then we were underway!” he said.
“So many people helped get the field built, it was a great showing of community effort.”
All in all, it took about two years to complete the baseball field and it was eventually deeded to the city of Guin. What it accomplished then, and now, was to give kids a place to play and be noticed.
“I was what they called a Bird Dog Scout” said Baird, “I would travel to high schools and find 10th-12th graders and bring them back to our field to play. Three Major League scouts watched our boys. Gerald Gann from the Houston 45 Colts, Jack O’Connor from the Chicago White Sox, and Bobby Marshall from the San Francisco Giants. They would send scouts to attend the games and our kids had an opportunity to play a higher level of baseball, or to earn a chance to try their hand at the pro’s or the semi’s. The White Sox even furnished all of our supplies just to let them scout our boys here in Guin. I’d never heard of a major league team doing that before!”, he stated with a grin.

The cumulation of a lifetime of caring for youth coupled with a unaltering passion for the game of baseball has brought joy and honor to Roy Baird, Jr.
The contributions to his community are numerous and varied but the ones he made for the sport he loved are the ones for which he will be most remembered.
Take into consideration the recent re-dedication of the Roy Baird, Jr. Baseball Field - the same field of dreams that began those long years ago, the same homeplate that was eye-balled and marked off by Roy himself, and the same man today as he was in his own youth. A man dedicated to his lifelong love of an American pastime...Baseball.

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