OAK RIDGE, Tenn. — At Friday night's baseball game, Oak Ridge High School students honored the Oak Ridge Bombers, a minor league baseball team made up of Black players who played during the 1940s and the 1960s.
"Friday, Saturday and Sunday, it was all day," said Larry Gipson.
Gipson said the Bombers was how the community spent their weekends because there wasn't much else to do.
"You were not confined to the community, but you were not welcome outside of the community," Gipson said.
Gipson said it would cost 25 cents for fans to watch the Oak Ridge Commanders. But, if you caught a foul ball and brought it back, you could get into the game for free.
Robert Lee and William Capshaw started the Commanders and served as their coaches. The pair scheduled the games, took care of their players, paid for the uniforms and arranged transportation to different cities.
Shephard said the team would sometimes be able to get a bus, but sometimes they would pile into cars. They would put as many people into a car as would fit, he said.
Gipson, Rufus Shephard and Ronald Graham are three living Oak Ridge Bombers players who were invited back to Oak Ridge by baseball coach Travis Free. Shephard and Graham said Free asked them to throw out first pitches later this season.
Both Shephard and Graham played for their high school teams and the Commanders during the 1960s. For most of their high school career, they were the only Black players on the team.
Shephard recalled going to a steakhouse with his high school teammates. When the steakhouse wouldn't let the team in, Shephard said all of his teammates had his back.
"[One teammate] was so mad, bless his heart, he wanted to steal all of the salt shakers," said Shephard.
Graham said he got called every nasty thing you could think of while he played for his high school. Shephard and Graham said that was the difference between the Commanders and playing for their high school teams.
The Commanders allowed them to play with Black teammates and against Black players, even though it wasn't under the best circumstances.
"Some of the fields had potholes," Shephard said. "You might get your ankle broke if you don't watch for the potholes."
The Oak Ridge baseball team plans to honor the Bombers and the Oak Ridge 85 on April 7, 21, 22, 28 and May 2.