Author Robert G. “Hank” Utley passed away Wednesday, March 19. Hank was a gifted storyteller with an incredible heart, and was very passionate about his community. McFarland has been a big fan of Hank’s ever since he and coauthor Scott Verner first shared their manuscript about the independent Carolina League. Through his own books and his research contributions to others, Hank introduced us to the mill town institution of outlaw ball. Well, Hank Utley is also a mill town institution. Hank’s books were not just about baseball; they were about the people. Whether he was covering intense rivalries like that of the Kannapolis Towelers and the Concord Weavers, or relating the many facets of mill town life, Hank did an incredible job with his research and preservation. Thanks to Hank, we will always remember this fascinating slice of history. Hank, too, will always be remembered.
Links:
Obituary in the Independent-Tribune
Article about his work with the Boys & Girls Club
The Independent Carolina Baseball League, 1936–1938: Baseball Outlaws by R.G. (Hank) Utley and Scott Verner
Outlaw Ballplayers: Interviews and Profiles from the Independent Carolina Baseball League by R.G. (Hank) Utley , and Tim Peeler with Aaron Peeler
The Easter Monday Baseball Game: North Carolina State and Wake Forest on the Diamond, 1899–1956 by Tim Peeler
Baseball in the Carolinas: 25 Essays on the States’ Hardball Heritage edited by Chris Holaday
