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Thanks Charles East
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The Georgia Alabama League was a sister league to the AFL, not only sharing many
of the AFL’s players, but a team too: The Tallassee franchise spent time in both leagues. Opelika is a town in Alabama near the Georgia border, next to Auburn, home of Auburn Univerisity. 1947 was the second season for the Owls. The three autographs below the team name are Bob Denanny, Cleo Jeter, and Bill Kallaher, all pitchers. Kallaher pitched with Andalusia in 1940. |
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The ball used for these autographs was an Spaulding Official National League ball
with Ford Frick’s signature. |
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Autographs of Bill Godwin, Jimmy Riddle, Earl Vinson, Bubba Ball, Claude Glaze, and
an individual whose name appears to be Keller, but is not listed on the rosters. Bubba Ball went on from Opelika to play for Andalusia in 1950, and manage the 1951 Headland team that featured Jack Clifton. |
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Autographs of Tommy Jones, Roy Sinquefield, league president [Art Decatur], and Don
Bailey. Jones played with Brewton in 1946, Sinquefield with Andalusia in 1953, and Fort Walton Beach and Panama City in 1954. |
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The autographs of Jim Nelson and Jim Vickers. Vickers played for Opelika in 1946,
and was not on the 1947 roster. Lots of players in the AFL and GAL had short stints with teams to help fill in temporary roster gaps and that may have been the case with Vickers. |
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Autograph of Ed Burnett. Like Jim Vickers, Burnett was on the 46 team, but not on
the 47 roster. He very well may have pitched a couple innings here and there, or was just present with former teamates when the ball was signed. |
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The autograph of [Luke Gunnels], who played in the first AFL season with Enterprise,
and with Andalusia in 1938, Dothan in 1941. |
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AFL Hall Of Fame: 1947 Opelika Owls Ball
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