We had so many special times growing up, I am grateful for the money and time that the Hunter's invested in me and so many others:  the summer sports teams, the trips, the playground and swimming pool, the Playhouse.   The things the Hunter's did made special memories.  Many of my happiest moments are centered around their generosity.  So much has been written on your site about them and I feel they received their rewards in the faces of the youngsters who were fortunate to grow up in Minden.  I noticed that Steve Cole wrote about the Hunters in his memory.  I will always remember Steve and his wife at the Playhouse dances many nights as chaperons. 

Mr. Hunter would recruit for the Red Birds and the players would be lifeguards and have various other duties around the park.  I remember an LSU pitcher Benny McCardle(may be a t) who was there many days as life guard.  He may have played in big leagues.  I can never forget the 18 year-old from Nashville, Marvin Thornberry who could hit the ball the farthest out of Minden's old park at the playground of anyone I had ever seen.  Jim McCabe and I were the scorekeepers in centerfield and saw many of them go overhead, probably our 7th grade summer.  Marvin became somewhat of a joke with the early Mets because they were such a poor team in the beginning and made lots of errors, but he could hit a baseball.  The Mets became champs when they got the great pitchers a few years later, Ryan, Seaver, Koosman and the others.

I can see Mitchell Torok sitting in the Playhouse picking his guitar and singing.  A couple of years later he recorded "Caribbean" on Abbott records and it became a classic.  I don't remember his baseball role.  I only remember him singing and  picking.  Pardon my rambling, but The Hunter's were the Champions. Did you ever go to the park at dusk and watch the cartoon movies outside on the grass near the swimming pool?  What a treat in late 40's for us kids.  No charge of course.