COLUMN: A Look Back

Jimmy Ballard
Published: November 30, 2008

50 years ago

Gala Christmas
parade set
Sparkling decorations are being hoisted high above Hartsville’s business section this week in preparation for the annual Christmas Festival and Parade next Tuesday, Dec. 2. The big attraction on that magic day, eagerly awaited by the young in heart of all ages, will be Santa Claus.
The merry old gent is due to make a brief stop in Hartsville on his pre-Christmas good will tour. Santa will arrive at the airport at 3:45 p.m. and Chief of Police Fred Watson will escort him to his sleigh-float, the crowning piece in a star-studded cavalcade of scenes from Dreamland.
Paced by a police cruiser, the big parade will leave the Hartsville High School area promptly at 4 p.m. and will roll eastward on Carolina Avenue. In the vanguard will be a color guard from Service Company, 118th Infantry.
Next will come several cars of officials and dignitaries, followed by Patty Furr, Miss Hartsville of 1958, who will reign as queen over the festivities. The queen will ride on a float entered by the Hartsville Junior Chamber of Commerce.
The next unit will be the colorful, fast-stepping Hartsville High School Band, giving out spine-tingling march music.
Six more bands, spaced out among the majestic floats, will make it an afternoon of music. Scheduled to appear are the bands from Hartsville Junior High, Butler High, Lamar High, Bennettsville High and Darlington High.
Scores of pretty girls will smile their prettiest for the crowds. They will include at least two queens, in addition to Miss Hartsville are Pat Register, Miss Hartsville Speedway, and Jo Ann Parker, Miss Red Fox.
Among the magnificent floats already booked for the Christmas Festival and Parade are creations sponsored by Pet Milk Company, Southern Bell Telephone and Telegraph Company, Florence Chamber of Commerce, Carolina Power & Light Company, Coker College, Darling International Raceway, Old Timers Club of Sonoco Products Co. and E.J. Dixon.

Thanksgiving service
The annual Community Thanksgiving Service will be held in the First Baptist Church Thursday morning at 10 o’clock. Ministers of different churches will take part in the service.
The sermon will be preached by Rev. W. Wayne Ballentine, pastor of St. Luke Methodist Church, whose subject will be “The Tragedy of Thanksgiving.”
As usual, a Thanksgiving offering will be made for the important work of Fairview, a rehabilitation center for alcoholics at Ridgeway.
Dr. Davis M. Sanders, head pastor and president of the Hartsville Ministers’ Association, extends a cordial welcome to the community to share in this service.

Blue Devils eke out
6-0 score
Hartsville High’s Red Foxes ran roughshod over Darlington’s Blue Devils in everything but touchdowns and passing, in losing a 6-0 heartbreaker last Friday night, Nov. 21.
The Red Foxes did not win this game in the scoring, but they certainly whipped them in the statistics and in spite of penalties. They came back in the second half, full of fire, although behind 6-0, and outfought the Devils in racking up 10 first downs to their meager one yards gained in the first half, but at the end they wound up with a total of 220.
The whole team played such an outstanding game that a lineman and back was not named by coach Bill Seigler. It was the best effort of the year for each player, and the plays were executed smoothly like clockwork. The defense and offense were both up to par, especially in the second half.
In the second quarter, the Foxes drove to the Devils’ 35, with Jim Garland grounding out most of the yardage. They gambled on a fake punt and lost it on fourth down.
The fourth quarter began with the exciting drive that was to end in vain. Dalton Keith carried twice to the 49 for a first down. Barfield and Garland went to the Devils’ 39 in two plays, for another first down. They were set back by an offsides penalty, to the 43. Barfield carried to the 39, and the Devils then got a dose of the Foxes’ own medicine with a five yard penalty. Two plays later, Garland went to the 26 for a first down. A few plays later, Garland bullied to the 15 for another first down. Barfield carried twice to the five.
Then the big play, the turning point came. On a pitchout from Bell to Keith, the ball went rolling down toward the sideline. Darlington’s Steve Ballard pounced on it to slay the Hartsville hopes for victory.

Births: Thomas Malcolm Fagan, 11/27; Sallie Bromley King, 11/21; Melinda Christine Lackey, 11/18; Pamela Kay Weatherford, 11/19; Debbie Ann Watson, 11/21; and James Edward Pettigow, 11/23.

Engaged: Katherine Alice King to Smitty Soles.

Wed: Ann Calfy to Joe L. Woods, 11/25; Vivian Elizabeth Stephens to Ronson Jay Hicks, 9/6; and Barbara Janice Gaskins to Maurice Gray Rains, 11/15.

25 years ago
(Nov. 30, 1983)

Overtime jinx
strikes again
If the Hartsville Red Fox football team played the role of Dracula, then overtime would be the wooden stake through the team’s collective heart.
On three occasions in the last two years, the Foxes have had to go to overtime, and in all three instances, they have come up empty.
For the second straight year, Hartsville has been eliminated from the Division II-AAAA playoffs in an extra period. Richland Northeast did the deed last year in round two. This year, the culprit was Walterboro.
The host Bulldogs saw a 10-0 first quarter lead evaporate, but would up taking an 18-17 overtime victory in front of 6,200 fans at antiquated Walterboro Stadium.
The win gave the Bulldogs their first lower state title, and a berth in Saturday’s Division II-AAAA finals at Columbia against Laurens, a 14-0 victor over Easley.
Hartsville ends the season at 10-3, while Walterboro goes into the finals at 10-3 against a 12-1 Laurens team.

Furman elects Mason
Gaines H. Mason Jr. of Hartsville has been elected to serve on the Board of Trustees of Furman University for a five-year term beginning Jan. 1, 1984. He is a 1962 graduate of Furman.
Mason is a senior vice-president with First National Bank of South Carolina with responsibility for the offices in Hartsville, McBee, Chesterfield and Pageland. He began his employment with First National Bank in June of 1962 and has worked in positions in Charleston, Columbia and Bamberg with the bank.

Births: Benjamin Rush, 11/20 and Tyler Austin Huggins, 10/27.

Engaged: Victoria Faye Crowley to Lt. Phillip Lyn McCluskey; Mary Jean Freshley to Rev. Samuel J. Young; Robyn Nanette Mims to William Andrew Veronee Jr.; Barbara Lynn Hunnings to Robert King Bass Jr.; and Melanie Lee Malock to James Timothy Skipper.

Wed: Sandra Maria Gainey to Early A. Morrison Jr., 11/25; and Ginger Ann King to Steven Bruce Sylvester, 11/25.