Billy Fetzer of Concord Hero in Baseball Game With Danville, 1907

“Concord Player a Base Ball Hero” from the Watauga Democrat, Thursday, July 25, 1907

Roanoke, Va. Special, 15^th, to the Charlotte Observer

Billy Fetzer, the Concord baseball player who is doing things with the Danville team in Virginia State League this season, won a big bunch of applause here this afternoon in the game with Roanoke when he batted the longest hit ever seen on the local grounds and one of the longest hits ever made in the South. The drive was more than 700 feet from the home plate where it hit a church steeple and was thus stopped in its flight which no doubt would have gone over 1,100 feet. The grand stand yelled for fully five minutes and the play had to be stopped by the umpire until the fans and players on both teams regained their equilibrium.

Billy was carried off the field on the shoulders of his brother players from both teams and handsome women tore their bouquets from their breasts and threw them at the Tar Heel’s feet. It was with the greatest difficulty that the Concord lad worked his way to the street car, so eager were the spectators to shake his hands. It was a great ovation for the Cabarrus country boy.