At the annual Beeck Creek Reunion Saturday night, however, they'll be talking a lot more about the man who got the big hit, not Blackwell, the man who threw the pitch.
In the book "Baseball in World War II Europe," author Gary Bedingfield writes these special words.
"But OISE took the ETO crown in Game Five when semi-pro catcher Lew Richardson, from Kentucky, drove in the winning run in a 2-1 game against Ewell Blackwell."
Blackwell was the star pitcher for the team that was supposed to win the European baseball championship at the end of World War II.
Soldiers were still in Europe after winning the war, and baseball kept them busy and entertained. By mid-summer in 1945, 200,000 soldiers were playing baseball and a tournament began to reduce the field to two teams.
On Sept. 2, almost 60 years ago, the ETO World Series open at Solider Field in Nuremberg, Germany.
"An enormous crowed of 50,000 gathered to see the two best teams in all of Europe, and the 71st Infantry Division offered a formidable lineup, including former Pirates outfielders Johnny Wynostek and Maurice Van Robays, Cardinals outfield Harry (the Hat) Walker, Pirates pitcher Kne Heintzelman, Reds pitcher Ewell Blackwell and Reds second baseman Benny Zientara.
"Their opponents, the Overseas Invasion Services Expedition (OISE) all-stars had to rely on the determination and guilde of minor leaguers and semi-pros, who joined Negro leaguers Leon Day and Willard Brown, and wily manager Sam Nahem, a former Phillies hurler."
The catcher on that team was Lewis Hines 'Shine' Richardson, who was a talented sign painter in Russellville and the godfather of Logan County baseball.
BaseballLibrary.com has this to say about Blackwell, who began his major league career a year after losing the overseas battle to Shine Richardson:
"A 6'6" stringbean with a wicked sidearm delivery, Blackwell was virtually unhittable for righthanded batters as the ball seemed to explode at them from third base.
"As a Reds rookie in 1946 he had only a 9-13 record but a NL-leading six shutouts, and he started a record streak of six straight All-Star Game pitching appearances.
"In 1947 he was dubbed The Whip, as he led the NL in wins (22-8), complete games (23), and strikeouts (193) for the fifth-place Reds. His 16 consecutive wins set a NL mark for righthanders.
"He came very close to tying teammate Johnny Vander Meer's 1939 feat of back-to-back no-hitters. On the night of June 18, he no-hit the Braves; in his next outing he held the Dodgers hitless into the ninth before Eddie Stanky's one-out, broken-bat single.
"Arm miseries the next couple of years took the snap out of "The Whip." In 1950 (when he won the All-Star Game) and '51, he came back part way with 17 and 16 wins."
Blackwell's career was cut short because of his military service, as was the case for many patriotic Americans. Some of them, like Richardson, never got to play in the majors.
Shine Richardson died early this year. Tributes to him abound at the Logan County baseball field.
They'll also honor him in Powerdly tomorrow night. He was also the godfather of the Beech Creek Reunion for over 20 years. Recently it has been held at Russellville's Stevenson Elementary School.
Last year it wasn't even held because Shine wasn't able to plan it, but this year its returning to Muhlenberg County.
Barry Silvey, who has both Logan and Muhlenberg County ties, and his fellow Sawmill Band members will provide the entertainment.
Shine has a brother and two sisters. One of them, Sue Geisler, is taking a copy of Bedingfield's book with her. Those gathered will get to look at Shine's picture as part of the European championship baseball team, one of the greatest sports accomplishments ever by a Logan Countain.
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