Last
week, The Press-Sentinel published a
photo of the uncovering of Cracker Williams Recreation Center’s original
pool. That unearthed this thought: How many current Wayne County residents know
who Cracker Williams was?
Many people
consider Arthur Gurvaze “Cracker” Williams to be the grandfather of Jesup’s organized
recreation. The World War I veteran and one-time postmaster was a “cracker jack”
catalyst for making things happen. He
was a driving force in getting the tiny American Legion Hut built on Cherry
Street, but recreation was his passion.
There are so
many Cracker stories. As I was making a
list, I called Dr. Lanier Harrell. He is
my “Google” on a variety of subjects. We
realized that we couldn’t recall every person who was involved in these
stories, so slights were not intended.
§ In
the 1930s, Cracker helped organize a fundraiser to build the Community House,
on property formerly known as the Woman’s Club Park, bounded by Orange,
Brunswick, Bay and Wayne streets. Cracker was behind the infamous “dogfight”
that included a purported wolverine.
Jesup High’s gym—the old red barn—was packed. The money-making prank wasn’t funny to some
patrons, but the money was for a good cause. In my early youth, I remember Tom Howard was
the log-cabin Community House’s chaperone.
§ Cracker
was a practical joker. James Harper once told me how Cracker helped spoof his
friend, E.T. Youngblood, a prominent wholesale grocer. Both were avid quail hunters. When Cracker heard E.T. was spending big
bucks on a fancy birddog, he contacted his buddy, Eddie Joe Nix, at the freight
depot. When the high-priced dog arrived
on the train, they switched it out with a mutt from the pound. When E.T. saw what he bought sight-unseen, he
pitched a hissy fit. After friends
worked the hijinks for about a week, they brought the high-dollar dog out of
hiding. I imagine bridge partners Cracker, Ben Park, Kinky Fender and E.T. talked
about that one for a long time.
§ Cracker’s
wife, Lucille, taught social studies at Jesup High. She was a “legend,” too, especially as it
related to her driving. The story goes
that she never looked back. She just
honked her Buick’s horn and shifted into reverse.
§ After
World War II, Cracker organized a men’s fast-pitch softball league. They played
near today’s farmers’ market on the Savannah Highway. Doc rattled off these names: Jimmy Sullivan,
Buck Murphy, Jack Davis, Jim Sosebee, James Warren, John Wolfe, Bob Miller and
John Donaldson. I never saw Coach
Donaldson pitch, but I remember seeing Dr. Miller hurl blurs from the mound.
§ Cracker,
Randall Walker and Ben Park were instrumental in Jesup’s first-ever bond
referendum for recreation. In the
segregated days, the new tax dollars funded Hall-Richardson Recreation Center
for the African-American community. The
buildings and a pool were constructed at Cracker Williams Recreation Park.
§ As
a teenager, I learned to dance on the terrazzo floors of the Cracker Williams Center. King David and the Slaves were cranking out
the tunes. Band members Randall
Bramblett and Lee Riggins were in our Class of 1966. “King” David Harris was a year ahead of us at
Jesup High.
§ Uncle
Billy Vines taught me how to keep from drowning in Ichauway-Nochaway Creek at
Hoggard’s Mill in Baker County. I got formal swimming lessons in the original
pool, the one pictured in the newspaper.
One summer, I had a brief lifeguard stint at the new Cracker Williams
pool. Leroy Dukes was my boss, until
Jimmy Sullivan offered me a 16-year-old boy’s dream job at S&R Men’s Store.
§ After
the University of Georgia and Army training, I came home to the Wayne County Press. To introduce me to business leaders, Doc took
me to Kiwanis Club meetings on Friday.
It was there I last saw the namesake of the recreation center. Lindsay Grace, Gene Ammons and Cracker were
enjoying a shuffleboard game.
That’s
what I know about Cracker Williams, but how did he get his nickname?
dnesmith@cninewspapers.com
