Wooten, others honored by K-Tribe

By Steve Roush
Published in Sports on May 11, 2006 2:12 PM

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Goldsboro native Hubert Wooten will be one of many great black baseball players from the past honored at the Kinston Indians' "Salute to the Negro Leagues" on Friday night.

Wooten, who played with the Indianapolis Clowns from 1965-68, along with a number of the members of numerous teams in the Negro League, will sign autographs and talk with the fans at Friday's 7 p.m. contest.

"I can't wait," Wooten said. "I can't believe it's been more than 40 years since I began playing with the Clowns -- it was a great time, a time I cherish and will never forget, and it will be wonderful to be around some of those I played with and against, and to be with some of the great players who played before me."

Kinston resident Carl Long, who played for the Birmingham Black Barons and is one of the organizers of the event, will also be in attendance, along with other players from the Black Barons, the Clowns, the Kansas City Monarchs, the Memphis Redsocks and more.

"We are excited to have this many players participating this year," said K-Tribe General Manager Shari Massengill. "We think this will be a great experience for many of our younger fans to meet them."

Players will be set up inside the gates for autographs and questions starting at 6 p.m. Special Negro League merchandise will also be available to purchase during the game.

Other Negro League greats expected are: Sam Allen, Kansas City Monarchs; Willie Lee, Kansas City Monarchs; Dennis Biddle, Chicago American Giants; Carl Holden, Birmingham Black Barons; Charlie Davis, Memphis Redsocks; Eugene Scruggs, Detroit Stars; Johnny Washington, Houston Eagles; Art Hamilton, Indianapolis Clowns; Jake Sanders, Kansas City Monarchs; Jimmie Robinson, Indianapolis Clowns; Larry LeGrand, Detroit Stars; Frank Marks, Birmingham Black Barons; Cliff Layton, New York Black Yankees; Don Johnson; Mamie "Peanut" Johnson, Indianapolis Clowns; Otha Bailey, Birmingham Black Barons; Willie Shetlor, Birmingham Black Barons; Robert Williams, Black Barons; John "Mule" Miles, Chicago American Giants; Henry Elmore, Birmingham Black Barons; Chin Davis, Memphis Redsocks; and Hank Mason, Kansas City Monarchs.

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Look for much more on Hubert Wooten and his career with the Clowns in the New-Argus.