Home > Furman Bisher > Archives > 2008 > March > 28 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USBraves’ AAA team should honor history
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
FOR WHAT IT’S WORTH: (Value to be determined by you, one item at a time.)
• Don’t say I’m not persistent, or even annoying. But it was suggested here awhile ago that, to do honor to the old denizens of Ponce de Leon Park, it might be a good marketing ploy to call our new Braves AAA team the Gwinnett Crackers. How now?
• Now here is one you rarely ever hear of, if ever: When LSU loses its projected QB-to-be, Ryan Perrilloux, he might be succeeded by a transfer from Harvard. A transfer from Harvard! Now that really reshuffles the academics world.
• All right, Dogwood Farm’s two Kentucky Derby candidates go back to work shortly. Atoned, second by a neck in the Tampa Bay Derby, takes his race to the Illinois Derby, and Blackberry Road goes to the gate in the Arkansas Derby. Both could use a bump in earnings to be assured of a place in the gate in Louisville, but Atoned would appear to be safely in.
• And speaking of the “Kentucky Derby, presented by Yum Brands,” that’s the preferred name, as ridiculous as it sounds. Offhand, I’d say the Kentucky Derby is able to travel on without any boost from “Yum.”
• Joe West, the umpire who sings and strums, may have hit it big in his country-music career. He’s out with a new CD, “Diamond Dreams,” and they say that “Cowboy Joe” may have turned up the sound of his second career with this one. He’s always got balls and strikes to fall back on.
• How do they get off calling these imported Japanese players “rookies”? They all have several seasons’ experience in their major league. The Red Sox rage, Daisuke Matsuzaka, for instance, is 27 years old, was a 17-game winner with a 2.13 earned-run average with Seibu the season before landing here, hardly the numbers of a “rookie.”
• Just a wild guess or three about some Braves: Scott Thorman is being put on display for marketing; Jordan Schafer, “center fielder of the future,” was sent down early to get his cockiness in hand; and you might not go too far wrong guessing that Gregor Blanco, the Venezuelan, would get as much playing time as Mark Kotsay down the road.
• When Jake Peavy got the start in the baseball All-Star Game last July, half the population of his hometown, Semmes, Ala., flew out for the show. They got to see one inning of him.
• One editor I’ve just read says that there will be no more “Tiger Lurking” headlines in his paper, unless it’s a real tiger. “I can’t take another 20 years of ‘Tiger Lurking’ headlines in my paper.”
• Let’s see, “Dim-uh-troff,” “DIM-uh-troff,” or “Duh-ME-troff,” which would you prefer for the Falcons’ new GM? I’d say “Duh-ME-troff,” sounds truer Slavic. … Selah.
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By Bill
March 28, 2008 1:01 PM | Link to this
I am 100 % with you on anming the Gwinnett team for the Crackers.
By richbrave
March 28, 2008 1:02 PM | Link to this
Furman:
Crackers carries a demeaning and divisive message in today’s American culture. P-L-u-e-e-z-e!! Dude, humor right?
By AGTfan
March 28, 2008 1:10 PM | Link to this
Richbrave it did back then too. So what? A number of people think Braves and Indians and Redskins carry a demeaning message. I’m all for the Crackers. They could do tributes to the old Atlanta Crackers and to the old Negro League team, The Atlanta Black Crackers.
By A Real Fan
March 28, 2008 1:19 PM | Link to this
Before the Milwaukee Braves baseball team moved to Atlanta, Georgia, the Atlanta minor league baseball team was known as the “Atlanta Crackers”. The team existed under this name from 1901 until 1965. They were members of the Southern Association from their inception until 1961, and members of the International League from 1961 until they were moved to Richmond, Virginia in 1965. However, it is suggested the name was derived from players “cracking” the baseball bat and this origin makes sense when considering the Atlanta Negro League Baseball team was known as the “Atlanta Black Crackers”.
“Cracker” may also have been used as a jocular self-description. With the huge influx of new residents from the North, “cracker” was used informally by some white residents of Florida and Georgia (“Florida cracker” or “Georgia cracker”) to indicate that their family had lived there for many generations. However, the term “white cracker” is not always used self-referentially and remains a racist term to many in the region.
The Florida Cracker Trail is a route which cuts across southern Florida, following the historic trail of the old cattle drives.
By AGTfan
March 28, 2008 1:53 PM | Link to this
I seem to remember reading somewhere that at one time the Crackers were sponsored by a flour company that sold Crackers and that’s where the name came from. I was merely pointing out that even way back in the old days the term Cracker was considered demeaning by some. Of course in the old days, we didn’t have to spend as much energy being politically correct.
By Najeh Davenpoop
March 28, 2008 1:58 PM | Link to this
Yeah, I’m sure the Atlanta Crackers will be a great marketing ploy… it will convince some of the black folks who think the Braves are intentionally freezing out minorities that they actually hate white people, and will get them to buy tickets.
I wonder how many Braves fans today even know who the Atlanta Crackers are? Maybe 5% of them?
By ken
March 28, 2008 3:19 PM | Link to this
Crackers? No chance!
By Grandpa Simpson
March 28, 2008 3:50 PM | Link to this
They should rename Ponce de Leon Park. Ponce de Leon is from, guess where? Spain. That Spain, the guys who gave us The Maine. Some people don’t like you to bring that up, trade with Spain is so hot. But I’ve got a long memory. I saw what a few tons of powder charge can do to our property.
By Gil in Mechanicsville
March 28, 2008 3:55 PM | Link to this
There are a lot of things that might have been considered acceptable in 1965 that won’t pass the smell test today. You might as well call the team the Georgia Rednecks as call them the Crackers. To many people, the terms are one in the same.
By AGTfan
March 28, 2008 4:11 PM | Link to this
The Georgia Rednecks….hmm. I like it. I resemble that remark.
Oh well. I like Crackers better. Mostly because I have these memories of a very small child being taken by his father to Ponce de Leon Park to watch the Crackers. Maybe we could even plant a tree in the outfield.
By Chris
March 28, 2008 4:30 PM | Link to this
Please don’t call them the Atlanta Rednecks… We already have to deal with annoying UGA fans enough as it is without naming a baseball team after them!
By AGTfan
March 28, 2008 4:42 PM | Link to this
Good one Chris.
By Magman
March 28, 2008 5:09 PM | Link to this
I remember in my Georgia History book when I was in the 8th grade(many years ago) reading that the term Cracker came into being when wagon or stage coach drivers from GA were asked where they were from, they would crack their whip and say”I’m a cracker from Georgia”. True or not it was in the history books. I was a fan of the Atlanta Crackers in general and Gene Mauch,Frank Torre,Dick Donavan, and Bob Montag in particular.
By BUSHWACKER
March 28, 2008 5:28 PM | Link to this
A lesson for the sensitive out there,I bet 99% of all white dudes have no problem being called a cracker!
By richbrave
March 28, 2008 6:08 PM | Link to this
Redskins fan here. And yes its demeaning. So why add to the stink? CRACKERS - NO.!!!
By Drago
March 28, 2008 7:03 PM | Link to this
Per Merriam Webster, “Cracker” is a disparaging term toward whites and describes poor whites from Ga and/or Fl. Being white, I am not insulted in the least. Why any black person would be insulted is beyond me.
Crackers would be fine with me—-as would “PseudoSoutherners” or Wombats.
By Bill ladd Smith
March 28, 2008 7:34 PM | Link to this
My first baseball memories revolve around ol’ “Poncey.” I personally would love to see the Crackers again. I once got Chuck Tanner’s autograph on a Cracker’s scorecard. I would love to see the Crackers have a reunion. So many old familiar faces.
By hop
March 29, 2008 5:09 AM | Link to this
I don’t think many whites would be concern with the naming of the gwinnett team as crackers. this political correctness crap is for the birds!
we have far greater issues to be concern about e.g. the breakdown of the family with so many homes with only one parent.
By JJ
March 29, 2008 8:06 AM | Link to this
I’m a native of Atlanta and my dad took me to see the Crackers in the early 60’s. If the AAA team were playing IN Atlanta then maybe Crackers would work. But they are in Gwinnett which as far as I’m concerned is as far away as Nashville, or Jacksonville.
By richbrave
March 29, 2008 8:24 AM | Link to this
GRANDPA SIMPSON:
Uhh, grandpa. What do we do about the U.S. Navy’s official announcement that the “Maine” had an accidental explosion caused by water and coal gas mixing in a collier bin.
Oh, and by the way, did you read Furman’s take on “Orientals” and not forgetting who bombed Pearl Harbor? And that Cincinnati should be home-base when the Oakland Athletics and the Boston Red Sox open the season? Whew! He’s the laughingstock of the national media.
By Big Dawg
March 29, 2008 10:22 AM | Link to this
I was a big Cracker fan and Bob Montag was my star. Sounds good but the Gwinnett tax payers should have a voice in picking a name.
By JSS
March 29, 2008 10:56 AM | Link to this
Be A Real Fan
“Cracker” was a word used to describe a boostful or prideful person. It the term had only a little to do with describing geographic location. It evolved into that…
The earliest reference to them is from a letter dated June 27, 1766 from Gavin Cochrane to the Earl of Dartmouth in which Cochrane writes “I should explain to your Lordship what is meant by Crackers; a name they have got from being great boasters; they are a lawless set of rascalls on the frontiers of Virginia, Maryland, the Carolinas, and Georgia, who often change their places of abode”. [5]
I’m all for naming the team the Atlanta Black Crackers, two birds killed, one stone used..
By richbrave
March 29, 2008 4:45 PM | Link to this
JSS:
And no stone unturned.
By Najeh Davenpoop
March 29, 2008 6:30 PM | Link to this
As long as we are discussing offensive nicknames, I think “Gwinnett Honkeys” has a much more catchy ring to it.
By richbrave
March 29, 2008 6:38 PM | Link to this
ND:
Good. Good. Now we’re cookin’.
By Gene
March 29, 2008 8:02 PM | Link to this
I recall Eddie Matthews with the Crackers—I think in 1951 and part of 52. I was pretty young then, but I had an older brother who was nuts over Matthews. Being from Atlanta, I always thought that “Cracker” meant a very clever person in the mule-driver sense. Of course, it won’t fly in Gwinnett, and maybe it shouldn’t. In spite of all the criticism of Ryan Perriloux, his crimes are relatively minor compared to those taking place regularly in Athens. Perriloux had missed class and didn’t attend a team meeting. If Richt suspended players for missing class, he wouldn’t have much of a team, but maybe his graduation rate would improve from the bottom in the SEC. I am pretty sure that Perriloux will play, and the UGA problem children will collectively miss the first game of the season.
By mike
March 29, 2008 9:41 PM | Link to this
you cant’t please everybody
By richbrave
March 29, 2008 9:48 PM | Link to this
Eddie Mathews. The reason I became a Braves fan in “52. Same year I saw Slingin’ Sammy Baugh’s last football game, December 1952. Football’s most versi’tal player-Q-back, half-back, D-back, punter.
By snakesup
March 29, 2008 10:36 PM | Link to this
Would love to honor the “crackers” of old Ponce de Leon park…and the old magnolia tree. Where is Bob Montag anyway? And old Contry Brown? Bring on the Memphis Chicks, Birmingham Barons, and the Chattanooga Lookouts too!!!
By snakesup
March 29, 2008 10:44 PM | Link to this
Origin of Crackers belong to wagon masters who drove wagons pulled by oxen through Georgia around the southern tip of the mountains to get to the west before Cumberland Gap was discoverd. They used long whips and cracked them over the heads of the oxen. I think it was the most unique name for any sports team in history. My father took me down on the field to meet Eddie Matthews, telling him he thought he (Eddie) might make a prety good player someday….Eddie thanked him and raked his hand over my head and hair.
By BB
March 29, 2008 11:00 PM | Link to this
I always agree with Furman, but now I have to hijack this thread.
http://www.ajc.com/news/content/news/stories/2008/03/28/marines_0329.html
Welcome home, devil dogs. I do not have ANY idea why the ajc would not allow us to publish comments welcoming you back.
Well done, Marines. I do not agree with you having been there, but I am very happy that you did your job and that you ALL came home safely.
Well done.
You did your job with honor and dignity. You have done the job ordered and expected of you to the best of your ability. I would like to offer my personal thanks to you for carrying out your mission, I appreciate the sacrifices that you and your family have made on my behalf. I offer my personal prayers of thanks for your safe return.
To paraphrase from my time in the Corps, “I have served my time in hell”. You can now wear this badge proudly. You have been there.
Thank you.
By steve
March 30, 2008 8:38 AM | Link to this
great minds think alike. just the other day I was saying the Gwinnett team should be called the Crackers. I hope it is.
By Ken Stallings
March 30, 2008 12:57 PM | Link to this
When I was growing up in Rocky Mount, NC the high school mascot was the Blackbirds. Anyone who has lived in Rocky Mount will tell you the reason was the huge number of black birds who live in the area.
During the start of the migratory season, the skies are literally flooded with millions of these birds. During the sunset it can be a very impressive sight.
Obviously this is why the teams called themselves the Rocky Mount Blackbirds.
Well, rear its ugly head the racial agenda!
The team was pressured by PC to change the name to Gryphons.
It’s a name that has zero connection with the city.
The lesson learned is a valuable one. I am sick and tired of people working overtime to read racial issues into a name that has nothing to do with race.
The name Crackers had nothing to do with race and it’s about time we got past applying racial contexts to things that aren’t racial.
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May 3, 2008 3:05 AM | Link to this
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May 11, 2008 7:02 AM | Link to this
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