Some things are gone forever but not memories. In my mind, it is just like it happened last Wednesday. Why Wednesday? Well, you never grew up in a small town like Lexington.

Not today’s version of Lexington. I need a GPS to get around the town today. But in the days of my youth in the 1950s, it was different.

Wednesday’s were special. All the Main Street merchants closed on Wednesday afternoon and most of the community would drop by the ballpark to watch Mack’s Meat Heads, the Mack’s Cash & Carry grocery store team, take on their rivals. Later, most would come by my grandfather’s house for a cookout. He passed away later the summer of 1959 when I was only 10 years old.

Other teams were Harmon’s Pill Rollers, sponsored by RB Harmon’s Drug Store, the Dispatch-News Makers sponsored by the Bruner publishing family, Berley’s Bruisers sponsored by Berley Kyzer’s beer joint to name a few of the Pee Wee teams.

My uncles Arthur and Eli Mack, Jr., ran Mack’s Cash & Carry, founded by their father, Eli Mack, Sr., affectionately known as “Jew Mack.” No, he was not Jewish. He was Lebanese and Lutheran by faith. Still, everyone thought he was Jewish.

In the early years, I was one of the Meat Heads along with Grover Ray Revels and Ralph “Pete” Steel. When I had advanced to Little League, Pony League and Colt League, I became the manager of the Meat Heads. I coached lots of kids named Dooley, Gunter and Corley.

My favorite memories were the snacks provided by moms like Connie Dooley and her mother, Grandma Cip Spoon. They were the biggest Meat Heads’ fans. Grandma could out-holler all 200 people who came every Wednesday in the summer.

Every time I address an audience, I speak of my Lexington roots. I suspect 90% of my material is about the lessons I learned growing up here, not just from my parents, siblings, uncles, grandfather and other mentors but other community members.

I fondly recall the 1959 championship of Lexington. Folks would come to the baseball diamond behind what was then the old Lexington High School on North Lake Drive to watch us play.

We were undefeated and heading into the championship game. Mack’s Meat Heads were playing Harmon’s Pill Rollers for the Pee Wee League Championship… the World Series of Lexington.

RB Harmon’s drug store was on Main Street next to the old Lexington Courthouse. Another rival, The Dispatch-Newsmakers, were next to his store.

Many of the town’s finest showed up for the championship game. I was pitching and Grover Ray Revels was behind the plate. I don’t recall the final score but to have 200 of our fellow Lexingtonians looking on as we won was a thrill for a 10-year old kid.

My granddaddy, Elias Mack, Sr. hosted the barbecue behind his home next to our house on South Lake Drive, the current site of Lexington Town Hall. It was the last time my Jiddy (Arabic for grandfather) would cook for us. He died later that summer.

I remember how proud he was of the Meat Heads. Most of the 200 people who watched the game came to have grilled burgers and hot dogs, including all the Harmon’s Pill Rollers players.

Such are my happiest memories.

Michael Aun is author of “The Great Communicators” about his grandfather Elias Mack, Sr. (Royal Publishing).