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Journey Story: Frank Moran, Texas

As told by Rayford
Marshall, Texas

Story Narrative:

Screenshot of a website that features a field at dawn.

Seventh grade students in Marshall, Texas, worked in coordination with the Texas State Historical Association and National History to create multimedia websites that includes interviews with family, friends, and local residents. The work was supported by Museum on Main Street's Youth Access Grants in 2013-2014. In this project, a student interviews a local baseball player and created a companion website to host his work.

Rayford writes of the project, "I hope to learn more about [Frank's] life because he is a close friend and I want to know more about his baseball career. He has two sons: Dylan and Nico. Dylan goes to Baylor and Nico goes to Tarleton State University. Nico plays baseball like his dad but he recently tore his rotator cuff really bad so he got red shirted for a year. Now he is getting better everyday and he is ready to start playing baseball again." 

Rayford (00:00): Where did you grow up?

Frank Moran (00:02): San Diego, California.

Rayford (00:05): What was it like there growing up?

Frank Moran (00:09): California's fun. Always something to do. The weather's beautiful and I went to the beach a lot, so I loved that, and I do miss the beach. So that's what I miss most about California.

Rayford (00:25): What did you do when you were playing for the St. Louis Cardinals?

Frank Moran (00:29): Well, I got out of [inaudible 00:00:31]. My senior in college, I got drafted by St. Louis Cardinals and I traveled a lot, which was one of the funnest times of my life. I traveled to Canada, Pennsylvania, New York, Florida, all over the south, places I probably would've never went, and that's how I met my first wife, actually. But when I played and played for three and a half years and it was one of the best times of my life. First of all, I'm a baseball player, so I love coaching and that's what got me there.

Rayford (01:09): What position did you play?

Frank Moran (01:09): I was a shortstop and a second baseman. Mostly shortstop though.

Rayford (01:15): What team did you play for? AA, AAA? Did you make it to the majors?

Frank Moran (01:20): My first year I started out in ... After I got out of college, I went to Summer League, short summer season, I guess it's called. And that was in Erie, Pennsylvania. And then my second year, I was in Canada. My third year I was in Florida, and then the following year was for the Arkansas Travelers, which is AA, and that's as far as I made it, which was very hard to make it. All those guys that I play with in AA are just as good as in the pros. But I play with a lot of professional guys that made it to the big league, and it was one of the best times of my life that year.

Rayford (01:58): What were your first impressions of Longview?

Frank Moran (02:02): It was a culture shock.

Rayford (02:05): What do you mean by culture shock?

Frank Moran (02:11): The pace is very fast in San Diego and it was real slow pace here, but nice. I'm very used to it now and I like it.

Rayford (02:23): What do you do in Longview? What is your work here?

Frank Moran (02:25): I started working for Anheuser-Busch when I moved here and now I have been with them for 21 years and I am in management now and love it. It's a great job and it's taken care of my family for all these years.

Rayford (02:42): What is Anheuser?

Frank Moran (02:45): We sell Budweiser products and it's a good company, good benefits, and I love the job very much.

Rayford (02:56): Awesome. How did you end up in Gregg County?

Frank Moran (03:04): When I was playing baseball, in the Minor Leagues for the St. Louis Cardinals, I met my first wife and she was from this area and that's how I ended up in this area ...


Asset ID: 2022.32.05
Themes: Baseball, travel, work, industry, jobs, minor league baseball
Date recorded: 2013-14
Length of recording: 03:14
File Type: Website/Audio
Related traveling exhibition: Journey Stories
Sponsor or affiliated organization: Texas Historical Association in conjunction with National History Day
More informationhttps://www.marshallnewsmessenger.com/news/journey-stories/article_d2114c08-8e5d-5416-9d4a-d7652498bc08.html

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