Arkansas’ own king of swings, Bill Valentine, died on Sunday at the age of 82.
William Terry “Bill” Valentine Jr. held the title of general manager of the Arkansas Travelers for 33 years. After umpiring for 18, he took the Little Rock position in 1976 when the Travs were hardly what they are today. Attendance leapt over 150,000 after only his first five years.
Valentine oversaw big changes for the Travs, including the move to end a 35-year relationship with the St. Louis Cardinals to become the Texas League affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels, as well as the construction and transition into the Travs’ current home, Dickey-Stephens Park.
He was a true character who put his whole being into his passions, once telling Soirée exactly where he planned to be on opening night of Dickey-Stephens: “They will have two attendants holding me in my office chair and giving me a Valium every hour.”
Valentine acquired many titles and awards throughout his career including the George Troutman Award in 1994, member of the Board of Trustees of Minor League Baseball, member of the Texas League and Arkansas Sports Halls of Fame, Texas League Executive of the Year six times over and, according to his family, was one of two umpires to ever throw Mickey Mantle out of a game.
When Soirée sat down with Valentine in 2007 before the new park opening, this was our favorite takeaway.
Name three to five people who are somewhat responsible for your success, and why.
(1) My mother, who taught me how to dance. She said if you know how to dance you can talk to any girl at the party; most of the guys will be sitting around while the girls dance with each other.
(2) My grandmother, who paid my way to umpire school in Daytona Beach, Fla., in 1951.
(3) American League umpire Bill McGowan, who ran the school and made sure this 18-year-old kid got a job in professional baseball. I am the youngest person to ever umpire professional baseball.
(4) Joe Cronin! He was the president of the American League and he fired both umpire Alex Salerno and myself when we organized the American League umpires into a union. I returned to Little Rock in 1969, worked with Jim Elder on Traveler baseball broadcasts, did radio at KARK and sports at KARK-TV, became general manager in 1976 and here I am. People say I was born for this job, and I love it.
(5) My wife Ellouise, who I lost. She stayed at home for 18 years while I left in March and returned in September or October. Then she spent most of the winter refereeing major college and high school basketball. My wife Nena, who is my conscience, my sounding board and my second true love.
(6) At least a dozen other people who have been there when I needed them, backed me in my decisions and gave me that helping hand when I needed it.