I believe you are right about Willie and Cleon. For some reason south Ala is a hotbed for baseball. I also remember a guy named Chuck Conners played for the Mobile Bears in the 40’s
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Chuck_Connors_Brooklyn_Dodgers.JPG
That guy used to be a Boston Celtic basketball player, roo.
In South West PA we would feel the same way about quarterbacks, such as being the birth region of Johnny Unitas, Johnny Lujack, Joe Namath, Dan Marino, Jim Kelly, Joe Montana (my homeboy), and George Blanda.
