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A proposal has now been made by the town of Forest City to have a statue erected in his honor. It would forever project the acknowledgment and pride Rutherford County has for its’ native son. Funds are now being solicited to bring this to a reality. Anybody and everybody can contribute to make this a “dream come true”. To include yourself as a supporter you may do so by mailing your contribution - big or small - to: The Smoky Burgess Memorial, Forest City Town Hall, 128 North Powell Street, Forest City. N. C. 28043 or P.O. Box 728, Forest City, N. C. 28043. Finally, the time has come to honor, forever, one of our own. Anyone who loves baseball or Rutherford County should want to be included and be able to say: “I was one of the many who helped make this tribute to Smoky happen.” Yes, it’s time for us to never forget and “tell the world”.
I’d like to share with you a great time I had with Smoky’s wife, Margaret. She is a very private person, but after two years of trying to interview her, my request was granted. She did prefer that there would be no photos. For me, that was no problem. She was wonderful. The time I spent with her and her son Larry was most interesting and enjoyable. Margaret told me, she never called him Smoky, but always Forrest. When I asked her how she met him, she said it was at Roses Dime Store where she worked in Forest City. Smoky had just received a bonus and with it bought a brand new Mercury. He was in Roses talking to three girls who worked there and asked them if they would like a “ride around the block in my new car.” Their supervisor was Margaret Head. After she directed the girls to get back to work, Smokey asked her the same thing. As it turned out, he found out where she lived. The following Sunday when she got home from church, Smoky was waiting in front of her house in that “brand new car”. It was 1 p.m. Margaret, who was 17 at the time, was getting ready to go out on a date and with another boy. She finally decided to honor his request to go with Smoky for a “ride around the block”. That ride turned out to be five hours long! She got home at 6 p.m.! That started it all. After about a year and a half, she and Smokey went to Gaffney and got married.
Margaret Burgess is a very active lady. She still teaches Sunday School at Holly Springs Baptist Church where she has been a member for 73 years! She proudly told me she just got her license renewed for five years. She volunteers at Rutherford Hospital, works out at a gym three or four days a week and enjoys reading. It is the only time she wears glasses. She’s a youthful 86 years old! If you met her, you’d never believe it.
When I asked her about her husband, she said “He loved baseball and just liked making a living.” She also added that: “He was always a good person, a good husband and a good provider.” He ate whatever was put in front of him and really loved “my mother’s peach cobbler.” He also loved dishes with gravy. His favorite room mate in baseball was Vernon Law, the Pittsburgh Pirate pitcher. Ironically, Smoky was a Baptist, Vernon was a Mormon. The answer to those who often ask, yes, the high school coach, Forest Hunt did play part in Smokey being discovered.
Margaret Burgess was most gracious and told me many stories about her husband. Some of those I am now sharing with you. However, the main purpose of this story is to help get the funds needed to permanently salute a great man. He loved getting together with the guys at Smith’s Drug Store. He also, when home, had time for a 10 year old little boy who admired him and would often bicycle to his house. Smoky would come out and they would sit on the porch and talk baseball. Smoky Burgess loved people, especially the kids.
It is so wonderful to see that the town of Forest City is going to acknowledge its’ most famous major league baseball player. He is legendary and truly deserves a place of honor. I want to be a part of this and now you can too.
