Related Records

1. Carved Walking Stick - Wooden walking stick. In some places, the bark has been carved away to make a ring around the cane, showing the underneath wood of the shaft. There are two carved critters (alligators?) on the sides of the shaft. They have glass-bead eyes. Made by Ray Fisher, local hermit.

   1998.08.31

   Record Type: Object

   
2. "Chamber-Backed Midgets Captured National Title" - January 27, 1952

   Newspaper clipping from the Roanoke Times about the Roanoke Midget football team and its championship win at the Santa Claus Bowl in Lakeland, Florida

   Record Type: Archive

   
3. "Champs" - December 8, 2001

   A continuation of the article listed in 2013.09.34.1, regarding the Roanoke Champions of the 1951 Santa Claus Bowl

   Record Type: Archive

   
4. Curved Wooden Stick Cane - Wooden cane in the natural shape of the original tree-branch. Three faces are painted where smaller branches were removed. A brown and white mollusk shell covers the end of the handle. Words written in cursive on one side of the shaft say: "Ray Fisher / G. S. [Glade Springs], VA / Nov. 1, '72". Made by Ray Fisher, local hermit.

   1998.08.48

   Record Type: Object

   
5. Front: "Meet Roanoke's Santa Claus Bowl Players", "All-Star Coaches Ready to Roll" Back: "Rules Governing Lakeland Bowl Game Outlined by Sandlot Grid Director", "Roanoke's 28 Midget All-Stars Board Train for Florida Trip", "Off to Florida" - November 21 - December 20, 1951

   Six newspaper clippings regarding the Roanoke Santa Claus Bowl team and their coaches. The Santa Claus Bowl of 1951 was held in Lakeland Florida

   Record Type: Archive

   
6. Front: "Roanoke Santa Claus Bowl Squad", "Santa Claus Sandlot Boys Drill Indoors" Back: "Meet Roanoke's Santa Claus Bowl Players" (two part clipping) - Decembere 24-26, 1951

   Four newspaper clippings about the Roanoke Sandlot team and the Santa Claus Bowl in Lakeland, Florida in 1951

   Record Type: Archive

   
7. Hollow Wooden Cane, Handle Missing - Hollow wooden cane with two brass rings. Handle is missing. Made by Ray Fisher, local hermit. Painted in block letters: "Always remember this. You have got it all. What you don't have in your head you have it in your heels, AEM." "Weather -- Cloudy & Raining, Signed by Ray Fisher, Oct. 31, 1972, At His Cane Factory No. 1 on the Sweet Waters of Rush Creek." "All is peaceful where she f ...."

   1998.08.40

   Record Type: Object

   
8. Members of the Champion Midget League Football Team of 1951 having physical exams. - A black and white photograph of the members of the 1951 National Champion Midget League Football Team from Roanoke,Virginia, having a physical examination and weigh in following their trip to Lakeland, Florida to play in the Santa Claus Bowl. Participation was limited to boys weighing not over 109 pounds. The age limit was 13. The players are from right to left Donald Rucker, Don Moody, Dean Young, Ray Fisher, and Ronald Hylton. Other players are Billy Seddon, with his left hand on his waistband, John Matthews wearing glasses, and Paul Dotson with a patch over his eye.

   1998.24.500

   Record Type: Photo

   
9. "Merry Christmas Happy New Year" - December 1951

   Vol. IV No., 11 of the Roanoke Record, December 1951, published monthly by the Roanoke Chamber of Commerce. The holiday edition showcases the Santa Claus Bowl and the players

   Record Type: Archive

   
10. National Champion Midget League Football Team of 1951 just prior the game - A black and white photograph of some of the members of the 1951 National Champion Midget League Football Team from Roanoke,Virginia, in the dressing room prior to their championship victory over their Omaha, Nebraska opponent. The game was played to a 13-13 tie with the victory awarded to Roanoke based on a prearranged formula regarding the number of first downs. In one of the more exciting moments in the team's earlier 13-0 semifinal victory over New Orleans, Louisiana, Marion Costello blocked a punt into the end zone and John Matthews jumped on the football for a touchdown according to the Roanoke Times. The players shown on the bench in the photograph are from right to left Ray Fisher, Albert Peverall, John Matthews, Don Moody, Bert Tabor, and Nelson Showalter. Walter Howard, who is standing in the background, later played for Georgia Tech and thereafter the Boston Patriots.

    1998.24.496

    Record Type: Photo

    
11. Natural Wood Cane - Wooden walking stick. Two "critters" are carved from the overlying bark, surrounded by the lighter-colored wood underneath. along with the words "Hand Made by / Ray Fisher of / Glade Spring, VA." [Written as "Spring" with no "s".] 20th-century, American. Made by Ray Fisher, local hermit.

    1998.08.14

    Record Type: Object

    
12. Roanoke's Victorious Midgets Due at 5:30; Players Win 4 of 5 Places for Best Essays - December 1951

    Newspaper clippings from the Santa Claus Bowl in Lakeland Florida, with the focus on the Roanoke team

    Record Type: Archive

    
13. "Sandlot Boys Ready for Invasion of Florida" - December 23, 1951

    Newspaper clipping from the Roanoke Times with the team photograph of the Sandlot Team. The midget football team played in the 1951 Santa Claus Bowl in Lakeland, Florida

    Record Type: Archive

    
14. Wooden Cane - Square-shafted wooden cane with a round handle with a face carved into it, and a brass ring. The face has blue, glass, donut-shaped eyes. Made by Ray Fisher, local hermit. The back side of the shaft has cursive handrwiting" "Hand made by / Ray Fisher / on the 8th day of March 1976 ." Also: "Serial No. 161". On the front side of the shaft: "Aunt G..................." The collector assigned #419.

    1998.08.07

    Record Type: Object

    
15. Wooden Cane - Square wooden cane with a round face carved on the ball-handle, with blue, glass, donut-shaped beads for eyes, and a brass ring around the neck. Made by Ray Fisher, local hermit. 20th-century, American. Three sides of the square shaft have cursive writing by the maker. On one side: "<<< Aunt Trudy Ketchum / born on the 13th of March 1801 / on Ketchums Branch / Died on the 5th of July 1861 / May her body rest in peace, / for she sure had no peace while here on earth >> signed Joel Ketchum" On another side: "Ain't it hell to be poor?" On the same side, near the ball-head, "Made by Ray Fisher / on the 4th of March 1976 Serial No 160." On another side: "I would rather be a big _____ / than to be a _____ bigger dog." The accession book calls it #422, "May 13, 1976". The collector assigned #422.

    1998.08.05

    Record Type: Object

    
16. Wooden Cane - Square wooden cane with a round head with a face carved into it, and a brass ring around the neck. The eyes on the face may be glass. Made by Ray Fisher, local hermit. Cursive handwriting on the shaft: "Hand made by Ray Fisher / on the 5th day of March 1976." On another side of the shaft: "Serial No 155". The collector assigned #420.

    1998.08.06

    Record Type: Object

    
17. Wooden Cane - Wooden cane. The handle is straight, rounded at the end like a ball, with a brass ring dividing the handle from the shaft. Writing on the shaft says: "Serial No. 133 / Hand made by / [the rest is not legible from the photograph]." Made by Ray Fisher, local hermit. May 13, 1976.

    1998.08.26

    Record Type: Object

    
18. Wooden Cane - Wooden cane with an egg-shaped wooden handle and a brass ring. The protruding remnant of a small branch is carved into a snake head with glass eyes. There is some cursive handwriting on the shaft beneath the snake head. By Ray Fisher, local hermit. The collector assigned #38.

    1998.08.08

    Record Type: Object

    
19. Wooden Cane - Wooden cane with ball-head and brass ring. Made by Ray Fisher, local hermit. Painted in cursive script on the cane: "Serial No. 113" / "Ain't it hell to be poor?" The collector assigned #34.

    1998.08.03

    Record Type: Object

    
20. Wooden Cane - Wooden cane with round handle and square shaft. A round face is carved on the ball-head of the cane, with blue, glass, donut-shaped eyes, and a brass ring circles the shaft. By Ray Fisher, local hermit, 1976. Handwritten in cursive on one side of the square shaft is: "Hand made by / Ray Fisher on 5th day of March 1976". On another side is "I would rather be a / big eyed frog than to be / a three legged dog." On a third side are several writings: "Serial No 159" (?); "Don't ever steal anything / when someone is watching you."; "Ain't it hell to be poor?"; "It is better to remain / silent and be thought of / as a fool than to open / your mouth and prove it." "The Lord is my shepherd / I shall not want." The collector assigned #424.

    1998.08.04

    Record Type: Object