Virginia
The first documented baseball game in Virginia may have been played near Dinwiddie-Sussex line
OLD HICKORY, Va. — The national pastime may no longer be our country’s most popular sport, but baseball can still draw a crowd. And in one part of Virginia, that crowd has gathered for the last 135 years.
Near the Dinwiddie-Sussex County line, you’ll find farmland that locals say was the setting for a significant event back in May 1888.
“The first documented game of baseball [in Virginia] was played right here in Old Hickory,” Chris Everett, whose family owns the land, said. “This is sacred ground; this is where it all started.”
The name of this community was derived from a towering timber that once cast a shadow over that first ball field.
“Everybody would assemble and congregate under that tree for shade and share stories and watch good old-fashioned baseball,” said Everett.
Gear and equipment were hard to find.
“The very first game, I can imagine, most of those players didn’t have shoes on,” Everett said. “Probably a twig off the hickory tree as their bats and most of them did not play with a glove, they used their bare hands.”
The birthplace of the Old Hickory Ball Club, which would become one of the best in the South.
Both Chris and his brother, Randy, have deep roots here.
“A lot of stories when I was growing up,” Randy Everett said. “My great-great-grandfather was there the first day playing what was a new game.”
Now they’re speaking out to keep the team and this place from becoming a piece of forgotten history.
That starts with keeping those traditions alive for the next generation.
“I think it’s really cool that baseball kind of started right here and I get to kind of grow up in it,” Randy’s son Jake Everett said.
Betty Cooke Harrison also grew up in it.
Cooke Harrison. 75, recalls watching her father – Monk Rideout – play for Old Hickory.
“He was good, people told us he was good, and I could see for myself,” said Cooke Harrison. “That was my special time with my dad.”
And it made her a lifelong fan of the game.
“Us kids would get together and play, go up to Holloway’s store and play on the ball field on our off days,” Cooke Harrison said.
Clint Holloway still owns that country store, which his dad built in the 1940s.
The diamond that used to sit out back is gone now. But in the middle part of the 20th Century, it was the place the Old Hickory team called home.
“I remember the Fourth of July celebrations, they’d always have a doubleheader,” said Holloway. “The yards were full, the cars were here lined up on both sides of the road, it was just the place to be.”
Marshall Owen recalls spending many a Saturday and Sunday there.
“The stands would be packed,” said Owen. “It was something that brought the community together.”
Holloway’s store now serves as a sort of shrine for the Old Hickory legacy, and a gathering place for living legends.
“It really brings back a lot of nostalgia,” David Poole, who grew up about a mile from the store, said. “We would work on the farm Saturday morning and close up shop and drive up here to Old Hickory to see the baseball game Saturday afternoon.”
Poole became a good enough ballplayer to make the team when he was in high school, playing alongside 30-year-old men.
Now 98, he can still remember playing in an old-timers’ game.
That was in 1972.
“Yeah, that’s a great, great memory,” Poole said.
The team stopped playing baseball in the early 70s, then made a comeback as an adult softball club that also achieved great success. But it would disband shortly after Old Hickory’s 100th-anniversary celebration in 1988.
A few years ago, the Everett brothers decided to put on their rally caps and get the next generation on deck.
They brought back the Old Hickory name, creating a new boys’ travel team. And the brothers learned how to coach softball, so they could pass on their love of the game to their daughters as well.
“It’s really been inspirational to watch them grow and be competitive,” said Randy Everett. “The Southside Fury girls’ teams, we’ve won World Series championships, and the boys have won Commonwealth Game championships, so they just bought into the system, wanting to get better and do things the right way.”
“And those are just things that we’ve been taught from our parents and grandparents and the members of this community.”
A community that, for well over a century, has worked the farm during the week, so that weekends could be spent at the ballpark.
“We’ve been blessed to play this game,” said Randy Everett.
Watch for CBS 6 Senior Reporter Wayne Covil’s “Wayne’s World” features on CBS 6 News and WTVR.com. If you know someone Wayne should profile, email him wayne.covil@wtvr.com.
Find unique, award-winning stories every day on CBS 6 News:
📁CBS 6 Problem Solvers Investigations
🚸 Building Better Minds with Rob Cardwell
👔 Wayne’s World with senior reporter Wayne Covil
🙋♀️Heroes Among Us with Greg McQuade
🏅Beyond the Roster with Lane Casadonte
✋I Have a Story with Greg McQaude
Do you know about a good news story happening in your community? Click hereto email WTVR.com and the CBS 6 News team.
EAT IT, VIRGINIA restaurant news and interviews
It’s the final day of the Battle 4 Atlantis and the West Virginia Mountaineers are hoping to leave the Bahamas with a third-place finish in the event. Winning the whole thing would have been extremely impressive considering the field, but Darian DeVries’ squad has already notched a key resume-building win over Gonzaga and can do so again today against No. 24 Arizona.
Here are my picks for today’s game. Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook.
1 Star – Not very confident
2 Star – A little confident
3 Star – Fairly confident
4 Star – Very confident
5 Star – Should be a lock to happen
3-star play on Arizona (-6.5): This is a really tough matchup for the Mountaineers playing its third game in three days. When these two meet later in the year, I believe WVU will put together a much stronger showing and potentially even win the game. Not there, though.
The Wildcats have a nine-man rotation, which occasionally will be a ten-man. WVU’s key players have logged a ton of minutes over the last two days, with both games going to overtime. As evidenced in yesterday’s game, if the Mountaineers face serious foul trouble, it impacts them more than most teams due to a lack of depth. Amani Hansberry should be able to produce a third straight big game, but if he starts picking up fouls left and right, WVU will be in trouble. Arizona’s guard-heavy lineup will attack and finish around the rim with ease.
I’ve got the Wildcats pulling away with a strong second half.
1-star play on the under: Arizona is a high-scoring team that likes to push the tempo. They’ve averaged 67 field goal attempts in this tournament, whereas WVU has attempted 59 and 63 in games that went to overtime. For West Virginia to win, they’re going to have to slow things down when they have the ball, much like they did in the opening-round game against Gonzaga.
I mentioned fatigue setting in as a possibility in the WVU-Louisville game yesterday, and although Darian DeVries isn’t using that as an excuse, you can tell it played a factor for both teams, especially in the first half. Both squads looked sloppy, slow, and disjointed. I seriously doubt WVU and Arizona will have an extra bounce in their step today, playing for the third time in three days and in a game deciding who takes home third place.
ATS: 3-3 (50%)
O/U: 4-2 (66%)
Overall: 7-5 (58%)
Odds Disclaimer
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.
MORE STORIES FROM WEST VIRGINIA ON SI
Everything Darian DeVries Said Following West Virginia’s Overtime Loss to Louisville
How to Watch & Listen to West Virginia vs. No. 24 Arizona
Big 12 Score Predictions for the Final Week of the Regular Season
Can West Virginia Finish Strong? ESPN FPI Reveals Chances to Beat Texas Tech
A Virginia woman has been arrested and charged in connection with a murder-for-hire plot, according to the Henry County Sheriff’s office.
Gennevieve McGhee, 44, was allegedly captured via audio and video evidence in the meticulous planning of a murder for hire, the sheriff’s office said.
McGhee is accused of meeting with a confidential source at her residence in Ridgeway, Virginia. The source was acting under law enforcement direction and utilizing a recording device to capture evidence.
TEXAS INFLUENCER SENTENCED TO 10 YEARS IN PRISON FOR MURDER-FOR-HIRE PLOT
Henry County Sheriff’s Office charged Gennevieve McGhee, 44, with criminal solicitation of murder following an investigation that revealed her alleged involvement in planning a murder for hire. (Henry County Sheriff’s Office)
She allegedly discussed detailed instructions on payment arrangements and instructions for carrying out a robbery and murder.
McGhee is charged with criminal solicitation of murder and conspiracy to commit a felony.
INDIAN INTELLIGENCE OFFICIAL CHARGED IN MURDER-FOR-HIRE PLOT ON SIKH SEPARATIST LEADER IN NEW YORK CITY
Gennevieve McGhee, 44, is charged with criminal solicitation of murder and conspiracy to commit a felony. (iStock)
McGhee was taken into custody by deputies from the Henry County Sheriff’s Office on Wednesday and is being held at the Henry County Adult Detention Center with no bond.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
The case remains under review by the Henry County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office.
Additional information on the case is not available at this time, officials said.
The West Virginia Mountaineers (4-2) will meet the No. 24 Arizona Wildcats in the third place game of the Battle 4 Atlantis midseason tournament for the sixth meeting between the two programs.
West Virginia vs. Arizona Series History
Arizona leads 2-3
Last Meeting: March 28, 2008 (NCAA Tournament) WVU 75-65
When: Friday, November 29
Location: Paradise Island, Bahamas, Imperial Arena (3,900)
Tip-off: 3:00 p.m. EST
Stream: ESPN2
Announcers: Beth Mowins and Debbie Antonelli
Radio: Tony Caridi (PBP), Brad Howe (analyst) Mountaineer Sports Network from Learfield IMG College(Radio affiliates)
WVU Game Notes
– West Virginia was scheduled to play in the 2020 Battle 4 Atlantis. The tournament was moved to Sioux Falls, S.D., due to COVID, and the Mountaineers won the renamed Bad Boy Mowers Crossover Classic.
– WVU is 45-16 in in-season tournaments since 2007.
– With a win over No. 3 Gonzaga, WVU defeated a Top 5 AP team for the second consecutive season. Last season, the Mountaineers downed No. 3 Kansas in Morgantown, 91-85.
– Prior to the overtime win over No. 3 Gonzaga, WVU had lost six straight overtime games.
– This is WVU’s fourth trip outside the United States and Puerto Rico to play a regular season game. WVU played in Cancun in 2013 and 2019 and opened the season in Germany in the 2017 Armed Forces Classic.
– West Virginia is the only team in the country that has two players on the same team who averaged more than 20 points per game from last season — Tucker DeVries (21.6 ppg) and Jayden Stone (20.8 ppg)
– West Virginia is 201-55 against nonconference teams in regular season games in the last 21 seasons.
– The Mountaineers have posted a winning nonconference record in 31 of the last 32 seasons.
– WVU is 265-99 in its last 362 games against unranked teams, including winners of 148 of its last 180 at the WVU Coliseum.
– This is the 116th season and 122nd year overall for WVU basketball, which began in 1903.
– Darian DeVries, who led Drake to six consecutive 20-win seasons and has a career .731 winning percentage as a head coach, was named the 23rd head men’s basketball coach at West Virginia University on March 24, 2024.
– DeVries has a record of 154-57 (.731) in seven seasons as a head coach, including a 59-16 (.787) mark in the last two-plus seasons.
– This past August, the men’s basketball team went to Italy for a 10-day tour and won all three of its games against international competition.
– West Virginia returns just 2.8 percent of its scoring from last season’s team (Ofri Naveh).
– The Mountaineers are led by a pair of transfers in Tucker DeVries (Drake) and Javon Small (Oklahoma State). Last season, DeVries was named an Associated Press All-American Honorable Mention selection, while Small earned All-Big 12 Honorable Mention honors.
– In addition, Eduardo Andre (Fresno State), Joseph Yesufu (Washington State), Sencire Harris (Illinois), Amani Hansberry (Illinois) and Jayden Stone (Detroit Mercy) will all see considerable action this season.
– Tucker DeVries was named to the 20-member Julius Erving Preseason Watch List, giving annually to the nation’s top small forward.
– Tucker DeVries was named to the preseason Naismith Trophy Men’s College Player of the Year Watch List.
– Tucker DeVries was named to the John R. Wooden Award Top 50 Preseason Watch List.
“Is it OK to ask about salary on the first date?” How to marry romance and finance : It's Been a Minute
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25640463/DSC_0139.jpg "The best Black Friday headphone and earbud deals")
The best Black Friday headphone and earbud deals
Enraged passenger unloads flurry of punches on airport worker, wild video shows
Present and Accounted For: House Republicans' small majority could make attendance a priority
‘I’m a dentist – here’s why you should never keep your toothbrush near the toilet’
Colorado Rockies game no. 116 thread: Zac Gallen vs José Ureña
See it: Tesla crashes into Columbus convention center at 70 mph
Why Marjorie Taylor Greene was ‘kicked out’ of the Freedom Caucus according to Rep. Buck
Fox News Politics: Georgia the whole day through
Death of missing Oregon girl found in stream ruled homicide
Present and Accounted For: House Republicans' small majority could make attendance a priority
Zelenskyy: NATO membership must be based on Ukraine's legal borders
Trudeau meets Trump to talk trade amid tariff threat – DW – 11/30/2024
Dem leader condemns Thanksgiving bomb threats against liberal lawmakers after Team Trump targeted
At least 42 Palestinians killed as Israel ramps up Gaza attacks
-
Health7 days agoHoliday gatherings can lead to stress eating: Try these 5 tips to control it
-
Science4 days agoDespite warnings from bird flu experts, it's business as usual in California dairy country
-
Health4 days agoCheekyMD Offers Needle-Free GLP-1s | Woman's World
-
Science1 week agoAlameda County child believed to be latest case of bird flu; source unknown
-
Technology3 days agoLost access? Here’s how to reclaim your Facebook account
-
Sports1 week agoBehind Comcast's big TV deal: a bleak picture for once mighty cable industry
-
Entertainment2 days agoReview: A tense household becomes a metaphor for Iran's divisions in 'The Seed of the Sacred Fig'
-
Science1 week agoVideo: SpaceX Unable to Recover Booster Stage During Sixth Test Flight