Genealogy: Something Other Than The Routine

I spend a lot of HOURS pouring over census reports, birth/death certificates and marriage records all in the hopes of being able to tie my ancestors together with a neat little factual line drawn from one to another. I love having proof and I am a genealogy nerd when it comes to impactful finds within my tree. However, when I come across pictures or stories in a person’s tree about people who are linked to me, I am genuinely happy. Obituaries, although they communicate sadness to most, can sometimes offer a glimpse into what made up their lives, at least in the eyes of those loved ones who care enough to put the obituary in the paper. I want to write my own obituary. Who knows me better than me? The other stuff: the certificates and official paperwork – those are the necessary statistics required for proof of ancestry but not a snapshot of their true lives. Stories, pictures and other documents outside of those routine factual ones…those give us a glimpse into how they LIVED.

Daddy loved to keep things (yes, an entire family of pack rats, and I am thankful for it). I found his old Basketball Score Books when we were cleaning out his house and preparing to sell. I found one of his original basket ball uniforms. Daddy loved to watch local sports but, in the day, he also loved to play them. He once told me that he had aspirations to play professional baseball and even received a letter regarding a potential opportunity to try out for the Orioles. Immediate obligations to support his family won out and Daddy never saw that opportunity come to fruition. (Side note: I would love to find baseball pictures of him. I have never come across those in all of the tubs, folders and binders. But, I hold out hope that someone might post a yearbook photo or something of the sort and I will find it. Keep your fingers crossed for me please.)

During the services at his wake, a number of men told me how Daddy went out of his way to coach them as a basketball team and worked diligently to keep them on the straight and narrow. He gathered them up, determined he would be their coach and worked to get them games (and rides to said games). They (off the record) affectionately called themselves the Carlisle Crunch Bunch. It did not come as a surprise to me, hearing these stories. Dad had a heart that was beautifully genuine. He helped people when he could. He was a kind soul and was not afraid to share that kindness with others. He loved to make people smile and laugh. I like to think this was a trait he instilled in me, the love of all things funny.

Speaking of funny: I found an old photo of him in his uniform. Can we discuss this? The hair, the healthy appearance he had (stands out to me after so many later years of being not so healthy) and those shorts! Satin?

In an attempt to give other people some genuine happiness with an out of the routine set of documents, I offer those in the Fayette County WV area these Basketball Score Books in hopes that maybe they can offer glimpses of loved ones and how they enjoyed being a part of “the game”.

January 1972: These scores were kept in an old cash ledger. There are notations for four games. Carlisle team was 1 and 3 for this series.

9 Jan 1972: Calvary Baptist 52, Carlisle 48

15 Jan 1972: Carlisle 60, Explorer Troop (Oak Hill) 68

23 Jan 1972: Carlisle 63, Epp Post (?) 55

26 Jan 1972: Carlisle 74, National Guard 100

Names I recognize: Walter Webb, Tommy Seletyn, Sam Seletyn, Paul Seletyn, Paul Blankenship, Butch Dowdy, Roger Blankenship and Jerry Massie. I had second party confirmation on Wyatt Jennings and Bobby Malay. I do not know specifics on: J. Davis, D. Webb or D. Rinehart.

1973: Inserted into this score book, I found a roster, three plays drawn out and directions to (maybe?) an away game. Names I recognize from this book: Paul Seletyn, Butch Dowdy, Walter Webb, Paul Blankenship, Bobby Malay, Ed Lucas, Danny Sumpter, Tommy Seletyn, Sammy Seletyn, Jerry Massie, Bill Snuffer, Terry Treadway, Roger Blankenship. There are others I can make out the names but I do not know who they are (mainly opposing team).

According to the inside cover of the 1973 score book, they won 8, lost 6. However, the list that they have noted there is not the same match up as noted in the more descriptive pages. I do not know why. Note the pencil is still in the spiral.

18 Feb 1973: Coal Miners vs Fayetteville at Fayetteville

Coal Miners vs Scarbro

21 Mar 1973: Coal Miners vs White Sulphur at Sophia

Mark Hundley kept score on this one. Called them the Coal Diggers, which is awesome. The opposing team I BELIEVE is Page but they have no data recorded on their page.

I am score book illiterate. Either Dad switched teams mid game or these pages cover two games? Sorry guys for the confusion, I will defer to someone who is more knowledgeable…. At Fayetteville.

Coal Miners vs Long Airdox at Fayetteville

18 Feb 1973 Coal Miners vs Clear Fork at Fayetteville

25 Feb 1973 Coal Miners vs Fayetteville at Fayetteville

4 Mar 1973 Coal Miners vs Long Airdox at Fayetteville

Coal Miners vs Prosperity

21 Feb 1976: Carlisle vs Oceana NAPA at Glen Rogers High School for the Glen Rogers Tournament

1976: The team’s home base was Kingston. They played (I believe) in the old High School where Dad attended school. Names I recognize from this score book: Paul Blankenship, Tommy Seletyn, Jerry Massie, Paul Seletyn, Roger Blankenship, Terry Treadway, Jody Seletyn, Mark Hundley, Bobby Manning.