The 1936 Valdese Textiles

The 1936 Valdese Textiles, Carolina League  Playoff Champions 
Front row, sitting, left to right:  Selby Keller (CF), Tolar Ransome (3B), Julius Parise (batboy), Chuck Nalbock (2B), Cline Lee (2B). Second row, kneeling:  Louis “Babe” Viau (SS), Bob Hall (P), Coyt “Red” Murray (C), Woodrow “Woody” Rich (P). Back row, standing:  “Buzz” Phillips (P),Ory Brannon (OF), “Pick” Biggerstaff (OF, MGR), Claude Crapps (1B), Mack Arnette (3B),  Ernest “Red” Evans (P), Jim Lyle (P).
The 1936 championship game between the Valdese Textiles and the Charlotte Hornets became a show down between Valdese pitcher "Red" Evans and Bud Shaney, pitcher for the Hornets. Most of the league players were sure that Bud Shaney tampered with the balls by inserting them with phonograph needles. The Valdese Textiles took no chances in this final game and purchased their own baseballs. "Red" Evans presented two dozen of them to the umpire, C.T. Skidmore along with some strong profanity. Apparently, Evans had no worries about being thrown out of the game for swearing at the umpire and told him as much. "I've been paid already," Evans said. "This could be our last game, and you can't fine me because I have received my final paycheck. And when I get through with this ball game, if you miss one decision on calling balls and strikes on me, I'm going to break your neck." Reportedly, Evans used some more choice words to emphasize his point. Oddly enough, Bud Shaney did not pitch in this final game. The Valdese Textiles took the 1936 Carolina "Outlaw" League Championship in a 10-5 decision.