Paul Green Festival 2012: Ball Tournament

April 21st Opening Day – Play Ball!

Lillington Parks and Recreation

9 A.M. - 2 P.M. Stewart & Lewis Fields – Dixie Youth Baseball and Softball Season

For details

Adult Men’s League

9 A.M. - 3 P.O. Chamber Field

All fields are located at 405 S. 1st St., Lillington

Paul Green's Love of Baseball

Paul Green, Harnett County’s Native Son, was a powerful pitcher – AND he could pitch with either hand and DID, without declaring which one – back in the good old days of baseball!

"In addition to working the farm, Paul and [brother] Hugh hunted together and played semiprofessional baseball in towns up and down the river.  Paul became such a fine ambidextrous pitcher that he supported himself a couple of summers with his baseball earnings." -- from A Southern Life: Letters of Paul Green, 1916-1981 (Laurence Avery, editor).

“Yesterday I received an offer from Benson to play with the team there…Friday I pitched for Lillington, and yesterday for Coats – and last night, after going to bed, I tried to think about writing poetry and plays.  But I was artistically dead.  Every thought would be shot through with the zizzing white ball.  Figures racing around the diamond, slapping of gloves, people yelling in the grand stand – all kept me awake and when I did sleep, it was only to play it all over through the night and to get up this morning tired and haggard.  ” -- Letter to Elizabeth Lay, Lillington, NC June 1921 (from A Southern Life: Letters of Paul Green, 1916-1981.)