TRANSCRIPT

HH - Harry Harper, interviewee / LR - Lyn Royce, interviewer

LR: AH! Very good... So how did you guys wind up playing baseball?

HH: Well we all, we played for different leagues.

LR: Okay.

HH: We didn't play, but see we formed our own group; was the Coloured All Stars we called it.

LR: Okay.

HH: So when it was time go out of town, play a double header, well, we would get together and, lot of times, uh, we just barely made 9.

LR: Okay...

HH: And there was a few times we only went up with 8. Then the other 1 would show up later. And then 1 time, his [George Bell's] sister, uh, June, she played baseball and, uh, my 2nd oldest daughter, they played, she played baseball. But June [(Bell) Anderson] happened to be with us this time. So there's only 8 there. So they was gonna put 1 of their men, make up the 9th. 'Course, you know me, I said, 'Well, wait a minute!' I said, 'How's it gonna be the Coloured All Stars if he's playin'?' He killed himself laughin'. So then, uh, we said, 'Isn't somebody got an extra sweater?' ' Yeah.' 'June!' Called her, 'You're on 2nd base.' 'What?!' So anyway, she played 2nd base. So this here, um, pitcher; guy was doin' the pitchin'; 'Oh,' he says, 'I'll fix her.' He said, 'Wait till she gets up to bat.' Well, she got up to bat, and he threw a fast 1, she swung and missed. 'See there! She can't even see 'em!' He threw another 1. She hit it and got 2 base hit out of it. He was so mad, he says, 'Wait till I get up to bat! I'll fix you!' He said, 'I'll burn 1 down there to 2nd base.' He burned 1 down to 2nd base; well, I'm left handed, same as you [to LR], so she picked up the ball in her right hand and she was about 5 feet from the 2nd base, she threw it to the short stop and he caught it, spun around, and threw it to 1st base, we got 3 out! [laughs]