Chapter 5, “Hey Mom, wanna have a catch?”

George Gmelch and the story of “Southern Exposure” A career-ending encounter with Jim Crow.”

59 years doesn’t seem like a very long time when looking at the bigger picture. But, that’s how long ago it was when the Jim Crow laws were in effect. For those that are short on their history lessons, these were a collection of state and local statutes that legalized racial segregation. Those that defied these laws faced arrests, fines, jail sentences, violence, and death. Why is this important to know? Because chapter 5 of “Hey Mom, wanna have a catch?” opens the door to this time and how it affected people in ways that aren’t as common now as they were back then.

Without giving away too many spoilers (as I would hope you take the time to read these stories for yourself) I would like to discuss one of my favorite stories from the book. This story features a young George Gmelch, who finds himself in Rocky Mount North Carolina during his baseball career. In his recollections of the time he spoke about something that really stuck out to him, “seeing Blacks and whites sitting in different sections, ordering food from different concessions, drinking from separate fountains, and relieving themselves in separate restrooms.”

Growing up with several struggles of my own, I could really connect to this story in a way that is best put “I’m not crying, you’re crying.” Reading about someone that experienced these events firsthand put something into perspective for me, although things were harder then, they all still had one thing in common, love and respect for the sport. With everything else going on in the world, baseball brought them together and kept them together. I have nothing but admiration for these men and an appreciation that even after all these years he stepped out of his comfort zone and told the story again so that we all could understand a different time and place.

Submitted by,

Heather Fleischman