Baseball Hall of Famer Ted Amar Lyons and his sister Miss Pearl Lyons lived in the next block on the same street as my grandparents in Vinton, Louisiana. My mom tells a great story of how a teacher in town once tried to get this lifelong bachelor to take interest in her.

The Teacher Tries to Catch the Pitcher

Ted Lyons, White Sox, sitting in a dugout in a ballpark during spring training. SDN-067969, Chicago Daily News negatives collection, Chicago History Museum.

When my mother was young, my grandparents had several female  boarders living with them at one time or another. Many of them were teachers in Vinton.

One of the teachers had a friend, also a teacher, who decided that Ted Lyons was a “good catch.” Since Lyons lived with his older unmarried sister, the teacher decided that the best way to get to him was by becoming best friends with Miss Pearl. And that’s exactly what she did. The teacher would invite Miss Pearl to go to dinner with her every week, suggesting that she bring her brother Ted along. This went on for quite awhile, until one day Miss Pearl arrived alone. Ted Lyons never joined them again.

Discouraged, the teacher decided that she would not be able to “catch” Ted Lyons, so she quit going to dinner with Miss Pearl.

Obituary

VINTON — Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Ted Lyons, 85, died Friday after a lengthy illness.

Funeral services for the former manager of the Chicago White Sox of the American League will be at 2 p.m. Sunday, July 27, in the Vinton First Baptist Church.

The Revs. Lee Perkins and James Rivers will officiate and burial will be in Big Woods Cemetery under direction of Hixson Funeral Home.

Visitation at the funeral home here will be from 5-9 p.m. today, July 26.

Lyons died at 12:35 p.m. in a Sulphur nursing home.

Obituary - Ted Lyons

Elected to Baseball’s Hall of Fame in Coopertown, N.Y. in 1955, Lyons was the first player to ever go straight from the college campus to the major leagues as he was signed by the White Sox in 1923 after receiving a B.A. degree from Baylor University.

He pitched for Chicago from 1923 to 1946, except for three years during World War II when he served as a Marine Corps major.

About one month into the 1946 season, Lyons ended his active pitching career as he was named to succeed Jimmy Dykes as Chicago’s manager. He served as manager through 1948. He served as a coach of the Detroit Tigers from 1949 to 1953.

Lyons was named to the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame in 1960. After leaving baseball, Lyons returned to his Vinton home and spent much of his time in his favorite hobbies, golfing and hunting.

The Baseball Writers of America elected him to the hall of fame in 1955. He compiled a pitching record of 260 wins against 230 losses while toiling for a club that was in the second division most of his carer. He pitched a no-hit game against the Boston Red Sox on Aug. 21, 1926. He was the winningest pitcher in the American League in 1925 with 21 victories and in 1927 with 22.

He also won 22 games in 1930. In 1929, Lyons pitched a 21-inning game against the Detroit Tigers. In his last full year as a pitcher in 1942 at the age of 39, Lyons compiled the best earned run average among American League pitchers and completed all f his 20 starting assignments.

A better than average hitter for a pitcher, Lyons tied a major league record by hitting two doubles in one inning in a July 28, 1935, game.

Lyons was a member of the American Legion Post 208 in Vinton, and an active member of the First Baptist Church.

He is survived by nieces and nephews.

Lake Charles American Press, Saturday, July 26, 1986.

Headstone - Ted Amar Lyons

Ted Lyons’ House in 2010

Ted Lyons house in 2010

Sadly, the home of Ted and Miss Pearl Lyons today sits empty and abandoned. The roof is covered with the blue tarps left over from Hurricane Rita in 2005. The furniture and household items were sold in a 1993 estate sale.

Estate Sale at Ted Lyons house, 1993

More Information about Ted Lyons

• Ted Lyons on Wikipedia
• Ted Lyons at the Baseball Hall of Fame
• Ted Lyons at Baseball in Wartime

Sunday’s Obituary

Sunday’s Obituary is a daily blogging theme used by many genealogy bloggers to help them post content on their sites. Find out more about daily themes at Geneabloggers.com (opens in new window).

The two story “old Lyons house” at 1335 Horridge Street in Vinton—built in 1900 by Luvicy Jane and Samuel Richard Lyons—was the first home in Calcasieu Parish to be placed on the National Register of Historic Places. Lyons, a member of one of the oldest pioneer families in the parish, was a retired cattleman and prominent Vinton citizen.

About the “Old Lyons House”

The Old Lyons House, 2011

The house is painted blue today, but was originally painted white, with all trim and gingerbread painted “old Rose.”

The house has four upstairs bedrooms and three closets—an exception to the buildings of that era. Two fireplaces downstairs and one in the upstairs master bedroom share a central chimney. Downstairs, the Lyons built a lady’s parlor, gentleman’s parlor, dining room, kitchen, ariel bay window and a large foyer with an elaborate Eastlake staircase. Two bathrooms were added in the early 1940s.

The home was used as as bed and breakfast in the 1980s and is currently privately owned.

Sam Lyons and Electricity

About the year 1916, Sam Lyons and Dr. Ford together bought a Fairbanks-Morse generator, and installed a small electricity plant in the alley behind the house to produce electricity for Lyons, Dr. Ford and a couple of businesses in town. When they turned on the electricity, Lyons left his lights on for the first 24-36 hours so that people in the surrounding areas would have a chance to come into town and see for themselves what electric lights were like.

Obituary – Sam R. Lyons, Aged Citizen of Calcasieu, Dies

Sam R Lyons

Vinton, La. Aug 26, 1934. Sam R. Lyons , 82, member of one of the oldest pioneer families of Calcasieu parish, died at his home here Saturday night after a six month illness. Both his father and grandfather were residents of Calcasieu Parish. His father, the late David H. Lyons was sheriff of Imperial Calcasieu for 18 years.

Services will be held at the home Monday afternoon at 2:30, with the Rev. L.W. Rogers of the Baptist church and the Rev. A.D. George pf the Methodist church officiating. Burial will be in the family cemetery at Big Woods, with Burke and Trotti in charge.

Pallbearers wil be Arthur Simmons, D. J. Moreau, John Welsh, Foster Ford, E. J. Fairchild, J.E. Johnson, Joe Romero, and J.H. Wetheril.

Former Cattleman. Mr. Lyons was Born 2 April 1852 in Edgerly and had lived in Vinton the last 43 years. He owned an extensive amount of real estate in this parish and retired from the cattle business 15 years ago. He was a member of the W.O.W. and the Baptist church and was quite active in political life, but never ran for an office. He was one of the first school board members of this ward.

On Sept 29, 1870, he married Miss Tabitha E. Lyons, who died January 30, 1896. There were four children, all living except one. They are Mrs. Ona Ecker, of Vinton. Mrs. Jane Hampton of Carthage, Texas, and Dave C. Lyons of Lake Charles, and Mrs. Daisy Puckett, deceased.

On July 14, 1896 he married Miss Luvicy Jane Lyons, (who died in 1909), sister of his first wife. There were no children. He then married on July 8, 1910, Emma Garret, who survives.

He was a brother of the late Dr. Gus Lyons of Lake Charles and has one living sister, Mrs. Ella M. Carruthers, formerly of Lake Charles, now of Beaumont. Besides his wife and three children he is survived by 15 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.

Photos of the Lyons House

Lyons House

The Old Lyons House, 2005

My grandmother was a talented seamstress and artist. As long as I can remember, she was always sewing, knitting, painting or crocheting. And the finished project was always something beautiful. I’m very lucky to have some of the things she made, including a 1910 piano that she decoupaged green in the 1960s.

My grandmother, Lucy Courrege Benoit. The sofa was a wedding present when she married my grandfather in 1923.

Samples of Lucy Benoit’s Talent

My grandmother made this baby blanket in 1926.

This beautiful and intricate throw was made in the 1980s.

My grandmother made this embroidered picture to hang in her living room.

About Talented Tuesday

Talented Tuesday is a daily blogging prompt. Got ancestors who had a special talent? Be it musical, comical, or any manner of skill, post at your genealogy blog through words and pictures. This series has been suggested by Terri at Southwest Arkie.

1844 Marriage Bond - Jean Adolphe Rodrigue and Marie Donatile Naquin.

Transcription: State of Louisiana, Parish of LaFourche

Know all men by those present that the Jean Adolphe Rodrigue of the Parish of St. Jean Baptiste as principal and Bazile Dugas of said interior parish are indebted to Sam McAllister Parish Judge of said interior parish in the sum of three hundred dollars which the promise will and truly to pay to him and his successors in office. Dated and signed this 10th January 1844 (Note: all records say 1844, however, the writing looks like 1845).

Now the condition of this obligation is such that whereas the said Rodrigue has this day procured from said McAllister one license of matrimony with Marie Donatilde Naquin daughter of Joseph Naquin of said interior parish and his wife Celeste Prejean. Therefore if in two years after said marriage no legal objection shall be made thereto then this obligation to be null otherwise to remain in full force and effect.

Signed:

James Frost
Jean Adolphe Rodrigue
Bazile Dugas

What is a Marriage Bond?

When a couple was planning to marry, the prospective groom took out a bond from the clerk of the court in the bride’s county of residence. This was done as surety that there was no legal obstacle to the proposed marriage, such as another living spouse for either party, for example. These bond marriage records can be helpful in determining the approximate or exact date of the marriage in the event that marriage books and/or church records cannot be found. (Source: Ancestry.com)

Marriage Certificate

Marriage Certificate - Jean Adolphe Rodrigue and Marie Donatile Naquin

Transcription: “This is to certify that Jean Adolphe Rodrigue and Marie Donatilde Naquin were lawfully married on the 1st day of February, 1845. According to the Rite of the Holy Catholic Church and in conformity with the laws of the State of Louisiana. Rev. F. C. B. de St. Aubin officiated in the presence of Henry Tregle, Theodule Morion and Neuville Ayot. A true extract from the Marriage Register of the Church. Vol 1845. No. 948.”

Relation to Me

Jean Adolphe Rodrigue and Marie Donatile Naquin were my great-great grandparents on my mother’s side.

About Amanuensis Monday

An Amanuensis is a person employed to write what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another. Amanuensis Monday is a daily blogging theme which encourages the family historian to transcribe family letters, journals, audiotapes, and other historical artifacts. Not only do the documents contain genealogical information, the words breathe life into kin – some we never met – others we see a time in their life before we knew them. A fuller explanation can be found here.

Amanuensis Monday is a popular ongoing series created by John Newmark at Transylvanian Dutch.