Our History: Living Your Dream

By Lisa Cooper

Have you ever heard of Oliver Clinton Hill?

What about Johnny Hill?

In a way he’s Douglasville’s answer to Moonlight Graham whose career was used as a focus in the movie “Field of Dreams.”

If you were growing up in Douglasville during the 1950s and 1960s I’m told that you might have known Mr. Hill. Most people called him Johnny, and many considered him a real sports icon because he had a professional sports career before returning here to Douglasville to lead a quiet life. It was a very quiet life because he didn't wear his former career on his sleeve.

Mr. Hill was born Oliver Clinton Hill in 1909 in Powder Springs, Georgia. I’m not sure at what point he became known as “Johnny” or why, but I do know the Winn Family  genealogy indicates a Johnny Hill who played for the Atlanta Crackers  married Verda Smith, but does not give the year.

I began searching through the Atlanta Cracker rosters from 1916 forward looking for the last name Hill. Finally, I hit the name Oliver Hill around 1938 and discovered an Oliver Hill playing for the Crackers had been born in Powder Springs. I felt I was getting closer, but once I mentioned something on Facebook a dear reader mentioned a Find a Grave site for Oliver Clinton Hill here. At that point, I had to admit there were too many coincidences NOT to think Oliver Clinton Hill and Johnny Hill were one and the same.

From there it was very easy to find this site where I found the most information available for Johnny Hill including the picture I’m posting here.

Mr. Hill’s baseball career certainly appears to be one where he didn’t know what the words “give-up” meant.  During his eleven seasons playing professional ball he spent the most time with the Atlanta Crackers helping them win the league pennant, play-off titles as well as the Dixie Series.  

He was sold to the Boston Bees in September, 1938, and made his debut with them in April the next year. As the site states he only lasted three or four days with the Bees before he was sold again to the Milwaukee Brewers. He had worked his way up to the big leagues, and spent less than a week there.

There are several American League teams after that prior to a three year stint in the Army during World War II followed by twelve years as a player-manager for various minor league teams.   

He left the game for good in 1948 and moved to Douglasville. I’ve been told he worked for Thad and Patsy Smith at their furniture store loading and delivering furniture for a few years.

Hill passed away from cancer in 1970.

Johnny Hill didn’t give up. Season after season he kept plugging away in order to do something he loved. He didn’t exactly get to spend a lot of time playing in the big leagues, but he got there. 

He saw the course through to his goal, even though his goal might have been short-lived.

Sometimes that’s all that matters.