By Greg Parrott
The Pike County Pirates baseball team have proven they are steady and strong for the past four years. From 2008 through 2011, the Pirates won 51 straight region games. This season they are 19-4 overall and 14-0 in region 4-AA play.
The Pirates 2011 baseball starters pose for a photograph before the start of the season. Back row (l-r) Kody Adams, Lance Shelton, Nate Ferrell, Wade Palmer, Edward Folker, Chris Long, Chad Kirkse and Dustin Jordan. Front row, Brett Butler, Blake Edwards, Jonathan Norton, Delvin Jordan, Drew Watkins, Zack Woods and Jereid Woods. Not pictured is DeAndre Holmes.
The pirate flags were designed to threaten, intimidate and spread fear & dread amongst all that encountered the pirate ships. The black pirate flags were further embellished by other graphic symbols of death and destruction:
The Skull
Crossed bones - crossbones
A Skeleton
Spears
Swords
Cutlass
An Hourglass ( indicating the enemies time was up)
Clothing or Apparel associated with pirates and the initials of the Pirate captain
Pirates believed to be those flying the "skull and crossbones" were Edward England and Edward Teach - Blackbeard. A skull and crossbones is still a modern symbol used as a warning for something that is dangerous or deadly, usually poison.