Story 1: Softball at Allen University
On a sunny afternoon on Saturday, March 23, 2019, the Allen University softball team played a doubleheader against Bryan College. Allen University is a historically black school and their home field resides in Martin Luther King Park. The Allen University Yellow Jackets consist of twelve players while the opposing team had almost double their numbers. The Yellow Jackets put up a good fight during the first game, leading the score board for most of the game until running out of steam towards the final innings. The first game ended with Bryan College climbing to the top of the scoreboard, 8-5. The second game picked up quickly after the first, however, it became evident that Allen University had become very tired and this was reflected in the final score with Bryan College winning 7-0. Despite losing two games in a row, the Allen University softball team’s spirt never wavered. The girls’ energy was ecstatic as they cheered their teammates on from the dugout and danced to music, it was evident that the team was extremely close. At the end of the day, both teams joined hands in a circle to come together and pray. This unique post-game act was a beautiful scene and embodied the meaning of true sportsmanship. The softball teams wished each other the best of luck in the rest of their season and planned to part ways until discovering the showers in the locker rooms were broken. In a giant act of kindness, the Allen University coach, Tatjana Matthews, invited Bryan College back to their personal locker rooms to share. This gesture further showed the kind spirits and camaraderie of the Allen University softball team and not only their love for one another, but for their competitor as well.
Story 2: The Chicken Man
Ernest Lee, local artist known as The Chicken Man, sells his artwork out of a trailer he sets up all over Columbia and the state of South Carolina, typically found on Gervais Street and Huger Street. He is nicknamed after the paintings of his that he is best known for – long, skinny boards painted with unique chickens.
