Pages past — Aug. 6

On this date ...

1973: A car reported stolen crashed into a Clovis house at 713 E. 11th, penetrating a bedroom wall, police said. The runaway car also hit a parked car. The teenage driver attempted to walk away from the scene but was captured and faced multiple criminal charges.

1959: Officials were drawing up an ordinance to prohibit “the carrying and firing of BB guns, pellet guns and 22’s in the Texico limits,” the Clovis News-Journal reported. The action was in response to complaints about broken street lights and windows. Otis Huggins, manager of the Texico-Farwell Southwestern Public Service office, said more than $40 worth of light bulbs had been broken since the beginning of summer.

1943: Two young women accused of “suspicious actions in suspicious places,” were arrested by Clovis police and railroad officers and sent to a venereal disease clinic for examinations. “This brings the total number arrested since July 23 to 32 and of this number at least 10 were found to be infected … according to the Sheriff’s office,” the Clovis News-Journal reported. City and Army officials spurred the “war on social diseases.” When soldiers were involved, they were taken to their commanding officers, who ensured the men also received testing for VD, the paper reported.

Price check …

1954: The B.F. Goodrich tire store at 202 Main in Clovis advertised “brand new whitewall tires” for $14.59 each. The tires had “over 1,700 gripping edges,” the company claimed in promoting its sixth anniversary in Clovis.

Little guy, big winner …

Carroll “Red” Dial won 183 minor league baseball games in 11 seasons, from 1947 to 1957, according to baseballreference.com. His best years were 1952 to 1954 with the Clovis Pioneers when he compiled an 80-33 record. The 160-pound right-hander from Altus, Oklahoma, never made it to the Major Leagues.

Pages Past is compiled by Editor David Stevens. Contact him at:

[email protected]