A staple of Redwood History during the late 1940s and 1950s was the Oakes Auto Parts Baseball team. Fred Oakes started the team around 1945-46. He provided uniforms, catcher’s equipment, bats, balls, coaching and transportation. The charter members of the team ranged in age between 10 and 14. The team consisted of students from Redwood school, mostly living in Waltersville, Kings and the Head, Hoop and Stave Mill company housing between Kings and Redwood, near Chickasaw Bayou.
Over the years players on the team were pitchers: Lamar Thomas, James Porter, Johnny Griffin, Floyd Oakes, Norman Oakes and Carl Shiers. When not pitching they usually played outfield. The catchers were Todd Huskey, Bill Porter, Billy Wright, Coach Dorman. First base: Billy Bishop as he could do a major league split on close calls. Second base: Phares Griffin and Johnny Griffin. Shortstop: Earl Martin, Johnny Griffin. Third base: Melvin Oakes (he played first base at the beginning of the team's formation.) Outfielders were Harold Barker, Ted Porter, Orvis Hart, Billy James, Bruce James, Donald Oakes, J. C. Trusty. Other players were Jimmy Allison, Jerry Davidson, Robert Burton, Billy Maddox, John "Worm" Gray. Floyd Oakes has a Score Book which lists additional players; Billy Joe Jones, Jackie Hintson, Bobby Adams, Christler Fuller, Pedro O'Connor and Norton Slayton. Fred Oakes' pitching philosophy was to throw strikes, "make them hit it"
Every Sunday during the summer, the players would assemble at the Oakes’ home in Kings, next door to Oakes Auto Parts. They would pile in the back of a pickup truck, if you were lucky you got to ride in front and listen to the real and fabricated stories of Fred Oakes. The team played most of the games on the baseball diamond next to the large pecan tree near the football field. The opposition would have been arranged the previous week by Mr. Oakes. In the beginning, these would be teams from the Vicksburg area such as the Highlanders from Roseland Drive area, coached by Luke Mobley and his dad, Luther. This team was distinguished by having a girl, Jean Meade, playing an outstanding third base and a dog trained to retrieve foul balls.
Another team from Vicksburg was Dixie Paint Shop coached by Gary McKay’s father, Albert. Jackie Hinson’s father, Robert Hinson, also had a team. As word about the team spread, other more distant communities contacted Mr. Oakes and arranged for games.
Often these teams had adults as members. It was always a festive occasion; the Oakes team would arrive never knowing the condition of the playing field. Usually it was at a nearby school, however, sometimes simply a flat area in a pasture. People would be gathered around the field picnicking on a blanket or sheet, an early form of the now popular “tailgating”. The games were played in a spirit of goodwill, fans applauding both teams. The home team provided the balls and the umpires. Also Floyd Oakes remembers buying 25 lb blocks of ice for the water coolers for home and visiting teams. the coolers were part of a purchase by Fred Oakes of war surplus equipment. They had long handle dippers that hung from the cooler. Benton, Midway, Bentonia, Satartia, Phoenix, Cary, Delhi, Rolling Fork, Lorman, Terry, Edwards, Utica and Yazoo City were a few of the communities fielding teams. Luther Warnock coached the Satartia team even after he moved to Vicksburg. Bud Allison and Jimmy Harrison also had teams. Coming home after these games, Fred Oakes would usually have three or four customers waiting for part for their cars or trucks, needing to get them repaired so they could work the next day. Old players would drive players home.
Yazoo City was one of the favorite teams to play since they had an excellent field with lights and lots of fans. They were a strong competitor since they would often have college players and adult players.
The Redwood community was very supportive and large crowds showed up throughout the summer, regardless of the temperature. After the games, the players would pile back into the pickup, and Mr. Oakes would find a general store e.g. Vernell's or Bud Allison's, to provide the team with drinks and snacks at his expense. This was a high point for all. The team often won its games. During the week, the players would regularly go to Redwood and practice after 5 o’clock when Mr. Oakes could be there. There was also a piece of land behind the railroad tracks in Kings that was owned by Mr. Oakes, and he leveled it and laid out a practice field. Pick-up games with kids from the Black community were often held there. Players would come to the Oakes home during the week to workout in the back yard. Many abestos shingles on the back of the house were destroyed by wayward balls. Eventually Vicksburg got a professional team, The Vicksburg Hillbillies. They were in the Southeastern league with Pensacola Fliers, Meridian Millers, Montgomery Rebels, Jackson Senators, Vicksburg Billies, Selma Cloverleafs, Gadsden Pilots and Anniston Rams. Fred Oakes took his kids and others regularly to the games. The league folded in 1950.
When the Babe Ruth league started in Vicksburg, Floyd Oakes remembers Fred Oakes commiting his team for one year.
The Oakes team provided a healthy and wholesome summer activity for boys in the community, long before Little League. Many boys considered it a second family. Margie Oakes would often provide snacks to the team before it departed to play their game. She also held parties for the team. When Fred Oakes died, his pallbearers consisted of many members of his team. When Donald Oakes retired as Warren County Superintendent of Schools, he requested that any gifts in recognition of his service be made to the Fred and Margie Oakes Scholarship for a Warren County High School Baseball Player enrolling in Hinds Community College. (HCC Development Foundation at P.O. Box 1100, Raymond, MS, 39154-1100 accepts donations and administers the scholarship fund.)
Oakes Auto Parts Team Members
Back Row: Donald Oakes, Phares Griffin, Billy Wayne Bishop, Melvin Oakes, Norman Oakes, Billy Wright
Front Row: Floyd Oakes, Bobby Jernigan, Harold Barker, Lamar Thomas, Earl Martin, Johnny Griffin
Back Row: Melvin Oakes, Billy Wayne Bishop, Bobby Jernigan, Harold Barker, Billy Wright, Norman Oakes, Floyd Oakes
Front Row: Earl Martin, Donald Oakes, Phares Griffin, Lamar Thomas, Johnny Griffin
Back Row: Billy James, Harold Barker, Norman Oakes, Billy Wayne Bishop
Front Row: Earl Martin, Donald Oakes, Phares Griffin, Johnny Griffin,
Kneeling: Lamar Thomas, Melvin Oakes
Back Row: Carl Edward Shiers, Todd Huskey, Harold Barker, Floyd Oakes, Billy Wayne Bishop
Front Row: Earl Martin, Phares Griffin, Johnny Griffin, Lamar Thomas, Willie Maddox, Donald Oakes
Back Row: Harold Barker, Todd Huskey, Everett Burton, Johnny Griffin
Middle Row: Lamar Thomas, Billy Wayne Bishop, Carl Edwards Shiers, Orvis Hart
Kneeling, Earl Martin, Phares Griffin, Melvin Oakes, Floyd Oakes
Standing: Lamar Thomas, Floyd Oakes, Carl Edwards Schiers, Johnny Griffin
Squatting: Todd Huskey,
Left: Phares Griffin. Right: Johnny Griffin
Oakes Auto Parts Baseball Uniform worn by Johnny Griffin. (Contributed by Johnny Griffin)
Dixie Paint Shop Ball Team, Great Competitors, 1951. L to R.
Back Row: Owner & Manager Albert McKay, Allan Bliss, William Reed (deceased 2005), Freddie Groome
Middle Row: Bobby Jernigan, John Wood, Gary McKay, Buster Warren
Front Row: Jimmy Stabler, Jimmy Peacock (Contributed by Jane Griffin)
Roseland Drive “Highlanders”, about 1950. Team Coach was Gene Mobley, L to R.
Back Row: Lafair Doyle, Holt Whatley, George Morris, Harold Whatley, Gilbert Rowe, Edward Rowe, Earl Langford Front Row: Lonnie Breihaupt, Luke Mobley, John W. Loviza, Jimmy Mead, Miller Matthews, Tully Beaughman (Contributed by Joe Loviza)
Oakes Auto Parts Baseball Scorebook-1951 (Contributed by Floyd Oakes)
Oakes Auto Parts Baseball Scorebook-1951 (Contributed by Floyd Oakes)
Oakes Auto Parts Team Members 10/20/12
Back Row: James Coley, Raymond Sanderson, Johnny Griffin, Billy Joe Jones, Billy Bishop, Ted Porter, Sonny Keen, Donald Oakes; Front Row, L to R: Lamar Thomas, Floyd Oakes, Bobby Jernigan, Billy Wright, Norman Oakes
Missing: Mel Oakes, Selby Parker, Billy Carl Irwin, W. C. Alderman, J. C. Dorman, Raymond Hunt, Billy James, Bruce James, John “Worm” Gray, Bob Hardy.
Deceased: Earl Martin, Todd Huskey, Harold Barker, James Porter, Bill Porter, JC Trusty, Carl Edward Shiers, Willie Maddox, Orvis Hart, Everett Burton
Compare with picture below taken at Oakes Auto Parts about 62 years earlier.
Oakes Auto Parts Team Members ca. 1948-49
Back Row: Donald Oakes, Phares Griffin, Billy Wayne Bishop, Melvin Oakes, Norman Oakes, Billy Wright
Front Row: Floyd Oakes, Bobby Jernigan, Harold Barker, Lamar Thomas, Earl Martin, Johnny Griffin
Johnny Griffin and Mel Oakes, 1952
Oakes Auto Parts Team Members
Back Row: Bill McDuff
Front Row: Phares Griffin, Harold Barker, Lamar Thomas
Photo in front of Oakes Auto Parts at Kings. ca. 1948-49
Front Row: Lamar Thomas, Floyd Oakes, Phares Griffin, Donald Oakes
Back Row: Earl Martin, Johnny Griffin, Mel Oakes
Old shop and frame of new building behind us. May 1947-48
