Category: From atmore magazine

by BONNIE BARTEL LATINO    WILLIAM BLACKBURN or Willie, as he was known when he played catcher for the ’61 All Stars, described going to the World Series as “ . . . a grand adventure,” despite suffering that summer from a bad reaction to penicillin.    “I only weighed 100 pounds,” he said via email, “LOL, I looked pitiful.”                          Willie’s self-proclaimed negative image was short lived. His junior year, the…

by BONNIE BARTEL LATINO LARRY TROUTMAN    Even before Larry played catcher for the 1961All Stars, he  made time for Scouting. Along with John Wingard, he was presented the coveted rank of Eagle from their Scout Masters, Wesley Pruett and Buster Joyner. Like John, Larry was only 14 years old.    At Escambia County High School, Larry distinguished himself as a class officer and Student Council representative. Senior year, the…

by BONNIE BARTEL LATINO    ELBERT PRESTON BARNETT played catcher on Atmore’s 1961 All Star Baseball Team that went to the Sr. Little League World Series in Williamsport, Penn. During his Escambia County High School days, Preston was a popular athlete. He played baseball and football for three years and basketball, two. Senior year, his teammates elected him Blue Devil Football co-captain. His classmates elected him their Sophomore and Junior…

Dr. Wil Baker Atmore native Wilmer E. Baker, PhD, is a 1953 graduate of Escambia County High School. He has served as Associate Dean of Clinical Resources for Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine (ACOM) in Dothan. Dr. Baker received his Ed.D. in Research and Psychology from the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary in 1973. He also holds an Ed.S. Specialist in Education from the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary (1971), an…

by DON FLETCHER   When Alex Jones and Turner Brooks parted company a year ago after working out together for the last time at Atmore Area YMCA, neither had any idea when their paths might cross again. The local servicemen certainly didn’t expect to bump into each other at a remote, multi-national military outpost more than 8,000 miles from home. But, as Alex (U.S. Navy CDR Alexander L. Jones) prepared…