Long before his name became famous in song, Tom Dula was already a notorious figure in North Carolina’s foothills. Raised in Wilkes County and admired for his charm and fiddle playing, Tom’s life took a dark turn after the Civil War. He rekindled an affair with Ann Melton, now married, while also courting her cousin,…
Babe Ruth’s North Carolina Connection
Many may not be aware, but the city of Fayetteville, North Carolina, played a pivotal role in the beginning of George Herman “Babe” Ruth Jr. It was here that Ruth hammered his first home run as a professional against the then-minor league Baltimore Orioles on March 7, 1914. The blast traveled 350 to 400 feet…