By RON HIGGINS, Journal Sports

BATON ROUGE – Malik Nabers woke up at 5 a.m. on Wednesday, five hours before the official start of LSU’s Pro Day in the Charles McClendon Practice Facility.

“I’ve been ready to go at it,” said the former Tigers’ wide receiver who’s projected to be among the top 10 players selected in= the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft on April 25-27 in Detroit. “My legs were shaking a little bit I was so ready to get out here.”

As he has done in his entire LSU career, Nabers performed flawlessly under pressure. This time, it was provided by the watchful eyes of six NFL head coaches and more than 100 NFL assistants, scouts and other personnel on hand to put 13 draft-eligible Tigers through the paces.

His vertical jump measured 42 inches, which would have tied for second at February’s NFL combine if he had chosen to participate.

And then after one false start and shifting his feet back and forth until he settled into a comfortable starting position, Nabers blazed the 40 in 4.35 seconds. It would have been the eighth fastest 40 at February’s NFL draft combine.

“I was thinking about the 40 (yard dash),” said Nabers, a consensus first-team All-American last season when he led the nation in receiving yards per game (120.7). “I haven’t run it since high school. I started working on it two weeks ago.

“I’d seen a lot of things in the media saying that I ran 4.5, 4.6 (in the 40). I wanted to come here and showcase I’m not even close to that, to showcase my dog mentality.”

LSU head coach Brian Kelly, who was like a proud parent watching Wednesday’s proceedings, said Nabers’ 40 time and vertical number proves what makes him so great.

“It validates what you see on film and that it’s backed up by great physical traits,” Kelly said of Nabers. “What it does more than anything else is that it shows he can separate with the ball in his hands, he can be explosive after the catch. Now it comes down to ‘who is the kind of guy who you want to get the ball in their hands’. I don’t think there’s a better receiver in the country.”

Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback and possible No. 1 overall draft pick Jayden Daniels and likely top 15 draft choice wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. chose not to test in any of the six standard measurables (40-yard dash, 20-yard shuttle, 3-cone, vertical jump, broad jump and bench press.

Thomas tested at the NFL combine where he ran a 4.33 40, had 11 bench reps at 225 pounds and a 38½ inch vertical and leapt 10 feet, 6 inches in the standing broad jump.

He shined, as did Daniels and Nabers along with wide receiver/return specialist Greg Clayton and current Tigers wide receiver Kyren Lacy and tight Mason Taylor participated in a 58-play scripted passing drill.

Daniels completed all but a handful of passes, most of incompletions on deep throws of which he also completed several.

“The main thing I was trying to show was my consistency in the pocket,” Daniels said, “my footwork moving off the platform and getting my feet back under me, progressions coming back to the third read and putting the deep ball out there to showcase my guys (Nabers and Thomas Jr.) speed.”

Daniels is projected to be drafted No. 1 overall by the Chicago Bears or No. 2 by the Washington Commanders.

“It’s the same vibe for everybody,” said Daniels of any team wanting to draft him. “Who’s going to invest in me, who’s going believe in me – kind of LSU did – on and off the field.

“It will be a blessing wherever I go, just hearing my name called.”

If drafted No. 1 by the Bears, Daniels is already slotted to sign a 4-year deal (with a team option for a fifth year) for a projected $38.5 million with a $24.8 million signing bonus. If drafted No. 2 by the Commanders, the length of the contract is the same, but he’ll be paid a projected $36.8 million with a $23.8 million signing bonus.

Seven players participating in LSU’s Pro Day – Daniels, Nabers, Thomas Jr., center Charles Turner and defensive linemen Maason Smith, Mehki Wingo and Jordan Jefferson – have consistently shown up in seven-round mock drafts.

One player not projected to be drafted – linebacker Omar Speights – had a solid showing on Tuesday. He led all Tigers in the bench press with 30 reps, ran a 4.62 40 and had a 31½-inch vertical and a 10-foot standing broad jump.

Contact Ron at ronhigginsmedia@gmail.com

This is a special time of year, for many reasons. For the outdoorsman and woman, fishing is on the verge of getting white-hot and it’s about time to start chasing gobblers.

There is one thing that more and more outdoor enthusiasts have taken an interest in over the past few years. Seed and feed stores will bear this out. Bird watching has grown into a sport that is attracting not only the Jane Hathaway types but good ole boys and girls as well. Birdseed, feeders and bird books are hot items today.

This is the time of year when a plethora of species make the unbelievable trek from South and Central America to move into our woods, some to nest and some to make brief stops on their way north. The best way to know just which wild bird species are paying you a visit is to get yourself prepared to view them. Here are a few essentials to make this sport more enjoyable.

BIRD FEEDERS – These come in a variety of shapes and styles. You can buy them, or you can make them yourself. My personal favorite is one I once constructed that was squirrel-proof. I nailed a 3-foot square of plywood on top of a length of old power pole that extends some five feet above the ground. Before securing the plywood, I slipped a length of sheet metal pipe, something like a stovepipe, over the pole, making it difficult for squirrels and raccoons to climb.

BIRDSEED – I use two types; a black oil sunflower and wild bird mix. Others use thistle for finches or suet for woodpeckers and nuthatches.  Be sure you replenish the supply regularly, especially after a rain since birdseed will spoil if left wet and unattended too long.

WATER – Birds, like humans, need water. A birdbath located somewhere in the yard will attract birds that come to water and bathe. A pump in the bath that circulates water will often attract warblers and other species that are not seed-eaters.

BINOCULARS – Leave a good pair of binoculars near your easy chair or wherever you can sit and watch what goes on around your feeder. Good viewing glasses makes bird identification so much simpler.

BIRD BOOKS – I have several and these are invaluable in helping me determine which species I’m viewing. I also keep a log of new sightings to help me build a list of birds I’ve identified.

Another type of bird will be here any day now, but you won’t find it feeding on sunflower seeds. It’s hummingbird time and they’re easy to attract. All you need to do is hang a couple of hummingbird feeders outside your window for a colorful aerial display.

Here are some facts about these tiny creatures you might find interesting.

• Hummingbirds wings beat about 55 times per second in normal flight, and up to 200 beats per second during courtship and territorial displays.

• Top speed for the hummingbird is about 60 miles per hour.

• During migration, hummingbirds may travel 500 miles non-stop across the Gulf of Mexico.

• Their nests are no bigger than a half dollar and their eggs the size of an English pea.

FEEDER TIPS

• Make your own hummingbird food by mixing one part granulated white sugar to four parts water; never substitute honey for sugar.

• Hang feeders in the open but shaded areas, especially under eaves next to hanging flower baskets.

• Clean your feeders every two to three days so the liquid does not ferment. Feeders should be cleaned with vinegar or bleach (not soap) and then rinsed with scalding water.

• Don’t worry about when to take your feeders down. Hummingbirds know when to leave. Late season feeding of northern migrants often occurs after your resident birds have already gone. They won’t stay behind and freeze.

While hummingbirds need nectar for energy, they also rely on insect protein for body and feather growth. When insect levels fall, the birds begin to leave.

Bird watching…it’s inexpensive, it’s rewarding and it’s fun. And I’m glad that even good ole boys can enjoy it.

Contact Glynn at glynnharris37@gmail.com

Arrests are accusations, not convictions.

March 26

Alexander Edison, 34, Alexandria — battery of dating partner, control of vicious dogs, contempt, $41,750 bail;

Daniell Winslow, 38, Alexandria — aggravated assault dating partner, $5,000 bail.

This date: 20 arrests, 12 of which included at least one contempt of court charge.

Arrests are accusations, not convictions.

March 26

Robert Means, 39, Pineville — possession 2 counts, $3,000 bail;

Shonna Murray, 46, Deville — possession, paraphernalia, possession CDS in school zone, disturbing the peace/violent and tumultuous behavior, theft, contempt 7 counts, $18,000 bail.

These M&M Marshmallow Creme Sugar Cookie Bars are the sweetest and most colorful Easter treat! I love a sugar cookie bar, and Easter M&M’s make these and many other desserts so pretty. You can even sub the homemade dough with storebought dough if you like!

Ingredients:

2 2/3 cups flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla
Easter M&M’s
Sprinkles
1 jar marshmallow crème
Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9×13 baking dish with crumpled parchment paper. Lightly grease the paper. Whisk the first 3 dry ingredients. Set aside.

Beat the butter and sugars. Once combined mix in the eggs and vanilla. Add the flour and stir until no white streaks remain. Set aside 1 heaping cup of the dough and press the rest (I had to flour my hands to do this because the dough was sticky) into the pan. Sprinkle with some of the M&M’s and press them lightly into the dough. Drop large spoonfuls of the marshmallow crème over but do not spread. Then drop chunks of the leftover dough around.

Bake 25-30 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes and then scatter more M&M’s around the top and lightly press into the crust. Shake sprinkles over. Let bars cool completely before removing the parchment and cutting into small squares.

Ashley Madden Rowton is a wife, mom and published cookbook author who lives in Minden, La.

The Alexandria Police Department recently hosted a Citizens’ Weapon Familiarization Class at the APD range. The citizen participants learned basic firearms safety, proper firearm storage and security, and received education on Louisiana concealed carry laws.

By DOUG IRELAND, Journal Sports

NATCHITOCHES – At first glance, Tuesday Natchitoches Central High School hired a recently deposed college football head coach to be the Chiefs’ third head coach in as many seasons.

Look again, says Jarrod Baugh, head coach of the state champion Ruston High Bearcats. His longtime friend Brad Laird has a long series of involvement with powerful high school programs (Ouachita, West Monroe, Nashville, Ark., and Longview, Texas) led by legendary head coaches, and was himself a great player on a state championship team for Ruston and later a successful head coach who helped set the foundation for the Bearcats’ return among Louisiana’s best.

Natchitoches Central principal Micah Coleman and athletic director Dean Johnson announced Laird’s hiring Tuesday morning, just over a week following the departure of Jess Curtis to the Lafayette area’s Southside High. Curtis, who guided his hometown Many High School to three small school state titles and three more state finals appearances in his last nine seasons there, admittedly relocated not because he was disenchanted with NCHS, but because of the opportunity in football down south along with nurturing a developing romance.

For Laird, taking over at NCHS continues his affection for his adopted hometown.

“The city of Natchitoches has been great to me. For 28 of my 50 years have been in Natchitoches in some form or fashion, and now I have the opportunity to stay in this community and be a part of Natchitoches Central Chiefs football and a great high school,” he said.

The Chiefs were 2-8 last season under Curtis and had their only winning record in many years, 7-4, in 2021 under second-year coach James Wilkerson, now an assistant at state champion Calvary Baptist.

Laird was considering opportunities outside of football when the NCHS job opened. He was also mulling an offer from Curtis to join the Chiefs’ staff as offensive coordinator.

When Curtis moved on, Laird immediately surfaced as the leading candidate for the post. He had resigned last October as head coach at Northwestern State, and while his 16-41 record in 5 ½ seasons was unimpressive and the Demons’ season was cancelled after six games by NSU president Marcus Jones in the wake of the off-campus shooting death of a player, Laird was hardly a pariah in the community. His hiring was widely hailed by locals on social media Tuesday.

Ruston’s Baugh joined the chorus.

“I know he’ll do a great job at Natchitoches Central. They’ve got a helluva football coach,” said Baugh, who landed in Ruston from Texas as an assistant on Laird’s staff over a decade ago.

“Brad’s done a lot of things in coaching, and was raised by a great coach (his late father Billy Laird). He’s coached on both sides of the ball and when he was here as head coach, he handled our special teams and we were always very good there,” said Baugh. “He’s a well-rounded coach, extremely knowledgeable, and does whatever he can to help kids. It’s going to be a very good situation for those folks.

“He has a lot of experience at several really good high school programs. It won’t be like he’s going to be feeling his way through. He’s going to be at the top of the scale as far as coaching high school football.”

Laird’s interest and that of the school system’s administration was mutual. As discussions proceeded last week, they agreed giving the new coach oversight of the feeder junior high school programs for NCHS was vital to developing the program – something Laird helped facilitate in his three years as Ruston’s head coach.

“The administration has been great. Their vision and mine aligned, and I’m so excited about the future,” said Laird.

“It starts at the top, in whatever business you’re in. With superintendent Dr. (Grant) Eloi, principal Micah Coleman, athletic director Dean Johnson, we have great leadership, and it feeds into the dynamics of the school. You’ve seen success in boys and girls basketball, in baseball and softball, in volleyball, and more throughout the year.  So you can forsee the success that will happen in the future in football.”

Contact Doug at sbjdoug@gmail.com

By JIM BUTLER

One of the most-anticipated Spring events in the area is rapidly approaching.

The free-admission annual Kent House Spring Herb Day/Arts & Crafts Festival/Yard Sale is scheduled from 8 a.m. through 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 6. It’s an annual opportunity to get expert advice on what herbs and bedding plants will likely do best on a particular site and then make selections from the variety available.

The grounds at 3691 Bayou Rapides Road (just west of MacArthur Drive) will also feature local arts, crafts and food vendors.

Then there is the indoor yard sale, featuring items donated (no clothing) for the fundraising event that helps provide Kent Plantation House programs.

Deadline for donating items for the sale is Wednesday, April 3.

Guided tours of the main house that is essentially living history will also be available.

As Pierre Baillio II might have said as he began building the house before the Louisiana purchase, “haz tus planes.”

By JASON PUGH, Northwestern State Sports Information

NATCHITOCHES – Faced with a spate of midweek adversity, the Northwestern State baseball team answered affirmatively both as a group and individually Tuesday night.

The Demons shook off a slow start offensively and defensively and rallied late for a 5-4 victory against visiting Louisiana Christian at Brown-Stroud Field.

“It’s very obvious we didn’t play the best brand of baseball tonight, and we didn’t play the cleanest,” said first-year head coach Chris Bertrand, who played years ago  for longtime LCU skipper Mike Byrnes with the Wildcats. “You learn from those things. What you take away is our guys stared down adversity. We got (closer) Tyler Bryan back on the horse. Everyone who took the mound competed very well.

“We stared adversity in the face, and we didn’t let failure in the final four innings of the game continue from the first five.”

Through five innings, the Demons (7-18) had mustered only two hits and trailed 2-1 with their lone run coming when Reese Lipoma was hit by a pitch, stole second and scored when a pickoff throw glanced off second baseman Hunter Gotreaux’s glove and caromed into right-center field.

Northwestern also had played the role of generous host on the defensive side, committing errors on back-to-back sacrifice bunts in the third inning that helped the Wildcats build a 2-0 lead.

Once LCU (22-7) added its third run on a Gotreaux RBI single in the sixth, the Demons awakened from their offensive doldrums with some assistance from the visitors.

Daniel Burroway reached on a two-base error to start the sixth, setting up a two-run inning in which Colin Rains (single) and Balin Valentine (double) delivered back-to-back, run-scoring hits to tie the game at 3.

“We didn’t come out as focused as we needed to, but we showed some toughness that I think we’ll be able to take with us this weekend against McNeese,” Valentine said. “We really bore down and got us some momentum.”

After the Wildcats regained the lead on Tyler McKenna’s two-out double in the seventh, the Demons quickly answered back and took their first lead of the game on Rocco Gump’s sacrifice fly in the seventh.

Gump’s go-ahead sac fly followed Burroway’s game-tying RBI single, which came three batters after Reese Lipoma’s leadoff double eluded a lunging Logan Bertucci in left field.

“I went up there with a plan to get my swing off and got a pitch over the plate,” Gump said. “Once we had one good thing happen, it all got rolling in the right direction.”

It ended in the right direction as Bryan recovered from a tough ninth inning against Southeastern on Saturday afternoon – and it took a defensive play from him to do so.

With two on and two outs after Noah Gaspard’s slow grounder settled on the third-base line, Bryan got more weak contact from Harrison Waxley and was able to field the ball barehanded and nip Waxley with a strong throw to notch his second save of the season.

Northwestern State 5, Louisiana Christian 4
LCU      002 001 100 – 4 12 3
NSU      00 002 20x – 5 7 2

W – Bryce Leonard (1-2). L – Coleman Haltom. S – Tyler Bryan (2). 2B – LC, Tyler McKenna, Gabe Spedale, Hunter Gotreaux. NSU, Reese Lipoma, Balin Valentine. 3B – NSU, Valentine. Highlights: LCU, Nicholas Brunet 2-4; McKenna 2-4, 2B, RBI; Gotreaux 2-3, 2B, RBI. NSU, Lipoma 2-4, 2B; Valentine 2-4, 2B, 3B, RBI.

Records: Louisiana Christian 22-7; Northwestern State 7-18.

By RON HIGGINS, Journal Sports

BATON ROUGE — LSU redshirt junior wide receiver Chris Hilton Jr. has been excited during the current spring practice since play calls for tunnel screen passes have become more frequent.

“It has the potential to be a game-changer,” Hilton said. “I ran one in high school that won the state championship game.”

Yes, it’s a play that will forever live in Zachary High football lore.

In the 2018 Class 5 state championship game in the Superdome, No. 1 seed West Monroe leads No. 6 seed Zachary by four points. First-and-10 for Zachary at its 20-yard line with about 2 minutes left in the game.

Broncos senior quarterback Keilon Brown bobbles the shotgun snap, then throws a wobbly to speedy sophomore Hilton who catches the ball behind two of his offensive linemen.

Instead of squeezing between his blockers, Hilton correctly reads the defense, bounces outside to his right, jets around the West Monroe containment and sails 80 yards for the game-winning TD with 1:51 left, glancing at the Jumbotron to check out the position of defenders chasing him.

“I didn’t realize he (Brown) bobbled the ball,” Hilton said. “I remember coming back to the ball. But he got it to me, I caught it. Hit the crease. Gone.

“I don’t know what made me look up the big Jumbotron in the Superdome while running. That was the first time I’ve ever done that.”

This season will be the sixth anniversary of the play. It seems like a lifetime ago for Hilton, who’s showing this spring he’s ready to ascend to become LSU’s next breakout wide receiver and a potential NFL Draft first-round choice.

Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas, Jr. are projected as first-round picks in the April draft, as is LSU Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Jayden Daniels. That duo will be on display along with 12 other ex-Tigers when LSU holds Pro Day today in its indoor practice facility.

Six NFL head coaches and 100 assistant coaches/scouts/other personnel will be on hand. So will Hilton, who wants to familiarize himself with the process and cheer on his former teammates.

After the first 8 of 15 spring practices, there has been a palpable buzz about the 6-foot, 190-pound Hilton.

“At times (in the past), maybe you could argue that he lacked consistency, whether it was hurt or whether he would drop a ball,” LSU head coach Brian Kelly said. “He’s had a really good spring, he’s been consistent. He’s out there daily practicing at a high level.”

Following two injury-riddled seasons and a slight breakthrough in 2023 with 13 catches for 225 yards and two TDs, Hilton is now flashing 4.31 seconds 40-yard dash speed and showing the vertical that made a three-time high school high jump champion with a best of just over 7 feet.

“I feel what I bring to the table is I’m a game changer,” Hilton said. “Like it’s just like all it takes is one play to be a game changer.”

Hilton played that way in high school, catching 73 passes for 1,388 yards and 18 TDs combined in his junior and senior seasons.

He was one of five receivers signed in previous LSU head coach Ed Orgeron’s final recruiting class in 2021. The others were Nabers, Thomas, Deion Smith (who had grade problems at LSU, transferred to a junior college and signed with Ole Miss last December) and Jack Bech (who started 11 games for LSU in two seasons before transferring to TCU a year ago).

Hilton was the only signee who didn’t come roaring out of the game as a freshman. He tore the meniscus in both knees, returned at the end of the year and caught an 89-yard TD on the final play in the Texas Bowl vs. Kansas State.

His 2022 season started with 7 catches for 109 yards combined in two early non-conference games before missing the last 10 games after surgery for a torn labrum in his shoulder.

The second injury mentally blindsided Hilton.

“I found myself in the dark hole,” he said. “There were points in time when I was wondering what I was really doing because I got hurt three times in two years. So, you get to questioning yourself like, `What are you doing with your life?’”

Hilton’s strong religious faith, his teammates urging him to stay the course and counseling from LSU’s assistant director of football player development and engagement Dr. D.F. Arnold all flipped him to a positive mental path.

Last season, Hilton began sitting in on early morning meetings with Daniels, the other quarterbacks and assorted personnel. It proved to be enormously beneficial.

“I learned to pay attention to the small details,” Hilton said. “When you play in this conference (the SEC), the competition is way better. Everybody’s on an equal playing field. So, you’ve got to the small stuff to separate yourself.”

Hilton started his march toward the upcoming season on Jan. 1 when he had 3 catches for 56 yards and a game-tying 14-yard TD in LSU’s 35-31 ReliaQuest Bowl win over Wisconsin.

Once back in school for the spring semester, he turned it up a notch.

“I’ve seen Chris go up and get balls, his vert is crazy,” projected starting LSU center DJ Chester said. “He can really run fast and he has great hands.”

Kelly sees a different Hilton who’s aware all the eyes in the receiving room are looking at him because he’s now a veteran.

“He knows that the mantle has been passed to him,” Kelly said. “And it’s his time. He’s really done an outstanding job being the next wide receiver up at LSU.”

Contact Ron at ronhigginsmedia@gmail.com

Arrests are accusations, not convictions.

March 25

Patrick Newman, 28, Deville — illegal use of weapon in commission of crime, criminal trespass, resisting, $3,500 bail.

Arrests are accusations, not convictions. 

March 25

Tavaras Booze, 33, Alexandria — possession, littering, disturbing peace/language, disorderly behavior, $3,500 bail;

Roderick Sanders, 35, Glenmora — possession, paraphernalia, disturbing peace/language, disorderly behavior, $3,500 bail. 

This date: 11 total arrests, 2 involving at least count of contempt of court. 

Rapides Academy’s 8th Grade Mathletes recently competed in Natchitoches at the NSU Demon Math Classic and the team made it to the semifinals. Special Congratulations to Tripp and Beau, who were recognized as team all-stars for their performance in quiz bowl and to Tripp, again, who was recognized for his performance on the individual test. Shoutout to Mathlete sponsors Gotreaux and Penfield for their support and dedication to the students.

By JIM BUTLER

Shifting post-Census election district boundaries to benefit incumbents or one party or another is a time-honored practice in the halls of government. Shifting them after revision and adoption is another matter.

That’s where the Alexandria City Council finds itself with District 4 member Lizzie Felter’s proposal to amend and reenact the boundaries of Districts 2, 3 and 4.

A special council meeting will hear the matter at 4 p.m. Wednesday.

The Rapides Area Planning Commission recommendation on redrawing and reapportioning the districts is shown in maps on display at City Hall.

Districts reapportioned on the basis of the 2020 Census were adopted by ordinance in the Fall of 2022, to take effect with the regularly scheduled 2024 election.

Felter’s revised 4 as well as 1, 2 and 3 at the time had about 9,000 residents. District 5 was drawn with about 700 fewer to allow for expected growth in West Alexandria.

Adopting a new election map a year following the Census has been standard practice since 1981. Problems posed by the COVID pandemic contributed to the delay after the 2020 count. 

What prompts the proposed revisions has yet to be aired.

An aside: Catherine Davidson, who held the District 4 seat at the time, would have resided in District 3 under the new boundaries.

She gave up the seat to run for mayor in 2022, with Felter elected to succeed her. Davidson had defeated Felter in the 2021 council elections.

District 4 stretches from Bolton Avenue to Horseshoe Drive, Coliseum Boulevard to Masonic Drive, dipping and turning as districts are wont to do to garner proper population counts.

Felter has denied assertions by some that she does not live within the current district. (The Rapides Parish Journal chooses not to list her street and house number). The city charter requires such residency.

However, it also requires two-year residency in a district before taking office.

Clearly a council member with a residence shifted to a redrawn district cannot do both. How that Gordian knot is untied, if at all, could be decided Wednesday.

Jodie Carlton White, Alexandria’s “Mr. Baseball,” got called up to the “majors” the other day, at age 84. His departure comes less than a week after the Alexandria City Council announced it will soon consider putting the shriveled Bringhurst Field out of its misery.

White was practically born at Bringhurst Field, the fabled baseball ballpark that his father, Fred, helped build in 1933, and he helped redesign four times. He treated it as if it was his baby. It was the home field for various iterations of the Alexandria Aces minor league ball team for most of the 20^th century and the early part of this century, not to mention countless youth league and high school and occasional college baseball games over the same span.

Even after he retired in 2007 as the longtime director of parks and recreation for Alexandria, White continued for several years to nurture and maintain the grounds at the ballpark. He was tireless and ever cheerful when it came to the ballpark or anything or anyone related to baseball. It was in his DNA. He was born in the same neighborhood and his mom told him he drank his first Coca-Cola from a bottle “with a nipple on it” while he sat on the second row.

His uncle, Les Mueller, pitched professionally for the Detroit Tigers in the 1940s, and his wife, Doris, used to tell him of Bringhurst, “This is your house, and your home is down the street.” He said his dad had a homestead across the street and pitched batting practice for the Evangeline League Aces. His mom ran the concession stand.

Jodie once boasted that he saw Luscious “Luke” Easter, a strapping 6-foot-4, 240-pounder former Negro League star who was then with the Cleveland Indians, hit a monster home run during an exhibition game at Bringhurst Field in the 1950s. He claimed it sailed over the 7-Up Bottling Company, which sat across Masonic Drive beyond the right field fence.

Jodie and Doris White were married for almost 62 years until Doris died in 2020. They had five children, including son Chad who died of a brain aneurism in 2019, and 16 grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Jodie was like a father to many young ballplayers over the years, not the least of whom is former major league star and Louisiana Sports Hall of Famer Juan Pierre. He coached him in T-Ball and later in Dixie Boys Baseball (ages 13 and 14).

“He was very good for our city, especially the kids,” said 70-year-old Alfred Rachal, the foreman for the Pineville Recreation Department and recent inductee into the Louisiana USSSA Hall of Fame for his softball officiating career. “Some kids were discouraged, and he had a way of putting them at ease. He was pure. He represented the spirit of himself.  He was straightforward with you. He could do everything well, and he did it loudly. He never met a stranger. No sir. He’d talk to a stop sign.”

Rachal recalled White often set up youngsters for a punch line by asking, “How do you feel?”  And when they’d usually answer that they felt good, he’d correct them, saying, “No, you feel with your hands.”

Stan Cliburn managed the Aces for five years when they played in the Texas-Louisiana League, and he’s on target to achieve a long-held goal of 2,0000 career victories in 35 years as a minor league manager in this, his sixth season with the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs.

Cliburn recalled Monday when he first took the Aces job, Jack Lazorko, then the player personnel director for the league, told him of Jodie White. “He said he was the No. 1 Aces fan and very respected in the community, and he said, ‘If you become friends with him, he’ll do anything in the world for you,’ and that’s who he was.

“Whatever we got done there (including back-to-back Texas-Louisiana League championships in 1997 and ‘98),” Cliburn continued, “he was at the top of the pole. He made it happen.”

Warren Morris, and Alexandria native who went on to LSU and big-league baseball fame, remembers from his time in the big leagues that White cashed in on his many connections in baseball. 

“It seems every time we’d play in Houston or Dallas,” he said, “I’d look around and Jodie White was on the field during batting practice. That shows how he found a way to be in the middle of everything. To his credit, he lived a full life.”

White’s daughter, Cyndi, said Jodie broke his back in a fall in November and endured various health problems since. She said he had been receiving hospice care since the end of December. She knew his time was short when he didn’t give his usual answer to “how do you feel?” 

Funeral plans include a Monday evening visitation at Hixson Brothers Funeral Home in Alexandria and a Tuesday 11 a.m. service at Calvary Baptist. For details check hixsonbrothers.com.

NATCHITOCHES – Another game, another set of reunions for the Northwestern State baseball team.

When the Demons host Louisiana Christian at 6 p.m. tonight at Brown-Stroud Field (game telecast available on ESPN+), it marks another in a long line of March reunions for either the NSU program, players or coaches.

For first-year head coach Chris Bertrand, the first meeting between the Demons (6-18) and Wildcats (22-6) since 2006 offers a chance for him to say thank you to his former coach – LCU skipper Mike Byrnes.

“That’s the beautiful part about what the game of baseball does for us,” Bertrand said. “That’s the beautiful part about what the game in Louisiana has done for us. That’s one of the beautiful parts of the job. We know how lucky and how grateful we are to be in the position to lead this program. Aside from just what the game has given us, we have to be grateful, and we have to pay it forward.

“Mike’s going to come in here with a great baseball team. Not only is there a storyline and not only is he a mentor, he’s going to come in here with a great baseball team that will push us to get better. That’s why we do those things and why the game is on the schedule.”

Byrnes recently notched his 500^th career win guiding the Wildcats, and has added a couple more since.

The first meeting between the teams since a 10-7 NSU win in Pineville on March 7, 2006, also links together Northwestern starting pitcher Kevin Robinson (0-1, 4.50) with another family member.

Robinson’s older brother, Andrew, went 21-5 in five seasons at Louisiana Christian while pitching for Byrnes.

Two weeks ago, Kevin Robinson started the Demons’ game against Louisiana Tech where his father, Daniel, played collegiately.

“The biggest part of that story is the way Kevin has handled every part of it,” Bertrand said. “Not only has he earned everything he has gotten to this point and earned the right for us to hand him the baseball, but at the same time, Kevin’s the type of guy to take those storylines and use them as motivation. He doesn’t run from them. He stares them down and uses them as motivation. He pitches with an intent and an attack that says he is using everything at his disposal as motivation.”

Kevin Robinson worked three innings against Sam Houston in NSU’s last midweek game, scattering five hits and two runs against a hot-hitting Bearkat offense.

He will start his fourth straight midweek game against a Wildcat team that is hitting .353 on the season and averaging more than nine runs per game.

Fortunately for the Demons, they will carry some momentum with them into the finale of their four-game homestand after compiling 16 hits in an 11-8 win against Southeastern on Sunday that notched the first Southland Conference win of the Bertrand era.

The 16 hits were the second most for the Demons in a single game this season and their first double-digit hit performance since a March 15 loss at Louisiana Tech.

“We look to build off the momentum from the weekend and the things we did well,” Bertrand said. “We look forward to playing well (Tuesday) night and using those experiences going through the weekend. It’s the same approach of stacking bricks every week – it’s just this week we get to do it with some cool stories.”