A mock funeral for the Towelers, the Kannapolis franchise, held in 1938 by Concord Weavers pitchers Ken Chitwood, Bud Voight and Witt Guise. Chitwood and Guise jumped organized baseball contracts to play in the "Outlaw League." The tombstone reads “Here lies Kannapolis - Died of growing pains.”
In 1992, Marvin Watts explained that the reason behind the small number of players appearing in this photograph was that the Outlaw League was beginning to collapse, and the professionals did not want their picture taken for fear of being banned from the major leagues.
Front row, left to right: Mickey O’Neil, Wilbur McGill, Davis (bat boy), “Buck” Redfern (3B, MGR), "Chick" Suggs (OF), “Ginger” Watts (C).
Back row: Jake Daniel, Chief Daney, Jim White (P), Marvin Watts and Terry Terhune.
The 1936 Kannapolis Towelers
Front row, kneeling, left to right: Batboy, George Barley (P), Grey Clarke (3B), “Razz” Miller (OF), Reynolds (INF), Beams (INF), Ginger Watts (C-MGR); Back row, standing: Vince Barton (OF), Fletcher Heath (2B), Marvin Watts (SS), Frank Hopkins (1B), Wilson (P), Horne (P), Gillespie (P), “Lefty” Archer (P), Rhem (P). Not Shown: Virgil “Coddle Creek” Taylor (P), "Chick" Suggs (OF).
The 1937 Kannapolis Towelers. Kneeling, left to right: Dunbar, Fletcher, Heath, “Coddle Creek” Taylor, Hayes (P), Bill Parker (P), Parks, Herman “Ginger” Watts (C), Harris. Back row, standing: Ellis Taylor, Tracey Hart (P), Marvin Watts (SS), Jim White (P), “Razz” Miller (OF), Eric Tipton, "Chick" Suggs (OF), Vince Barton (OF), Morris Wilson (P).
List of Teams in 1936
List of Teams 1937
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).