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At age 24, Solly Hemus of the 1947 Houston Buffs was there at Buff Stadium, just playing baseball for the Houston Buffs with a pepper spark that made him over into the first hero of the game that many of us kids in the knothole game would ever know. Last night, a few of us 70-year survivors were there at the Memorial Oaks Funeral Home on the Houston west side to say goodbye to the late 94-year old super human being that Solly became over the course of his well-lived and blessed long life span.
Betty Hemus, Solly’s gracious widow, was there to greet all of us personally – and to express her appreciation for our acknowledgement and respect for her late husband and true life partner by being there with him, for at least one of these two special days, in spite of the ironic circumstances that both the Friday visitation and today’s Saturday funeral conflicted directly with Games 1 and 2 of the Yankees @ Astros ALCS at Minute Maid Park. It was a cruel irony that escaped none of us of the so-called Houston baseball community who had any contact with Solly Hemus and his preferences in life.
Had Solly had not died, and had he been sufficiently healthy this weekend, he would have been at MMP for both games – no question about it.
It simply wasn’t meant to be.
In another irony, a contemporary little “pepper pot” of a second baseman named Jose Altuve sparked just enough offense behind the great pitching of Dallas Keuchel to make the Astros’ 2-1 win over the New York Yankees in Game 1 a nice send off for the spirit and soul of another little guy who long ago trademarked that phrase for his “give-it-all-you’ve-got-from-the-gut” playing state of mind.
Farewell, Solly Hemus. And Godspeed.
There will never be another you, but the memory of you – shall live on ’til the end of time.
Forever in our hearts.
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Please use this link to review the obituary for Solly Hemus – 0r to personally leave your own offering or personal message of goodbye to one of the great baseball and community stewardship figures in Houston history:
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Bill McCurdy
Principal Writer, Editor, Publisher
The Pecan Park Eagle
The Pecan Park Eagle 
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