Waddell Epps bats against Chicken Shack, a team located just out of Sumter

521 All-Stars

A year in the life of a semi-professional black baseball team, the 521st All-Stars of Rembert, South Carolina, is documented in photographs and an essay originally published in book form. The 521 All-Stars, A Championship Story of Baseball and Community, written by Frye Gaillard with photographs by Byron Baldwin, is a portrait of a group of men who are leaders and role models having a remarkable impact in their community in ways that often transcend the celebrity and wealth of major league stars. In his preface, Baldwin notes: "Among those who remained and played in this tiny community of Rembert, there was a sense of togetherness that has clearly been lost in much of our culture....They obviously play for the love of the game, and they have a lot of fun -- more in an afternoon, I suspect, that most of us manage to have in a month."

The All-Stars won their league championship during the second year Baldwin and Gaillard were chronicling their story. The win was sweet yet tinged with regret at the untimely death earlier in the year of Harvey Skinner, one of their teammates.

Originally submitted by: James E. Clyburn, Representative (6th District).

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The Local Legacies project provides a "snapshot" of American Culture as it was expressed in spring of 2000. Consequently, it is not being updated with new or revised information with the exception of "Related Website" links.

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