Growing Up in Advance

Brack Bailey was a native of Advance in Davie County, NC and a graduate of Shady Grove High School. He was an outstanding athlete, catching the attention of Coach Joe Ferebee who offered Brack a baseball scholarship to attend Pfeiffer College. Brack served as Student Body President and earned All-State merit. He played with the Canadian-American Baseball League in 1959 and signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1960 upon college graduation. Brack played professionally with the Dodgers and Cincinnati organizations, retiring in 1966 from the Dodgers AAA affiliate. Brack was Minor League Player of the Year in 1961 and 1964, a Sally League All-Star in 1962 and member of the 1963 National Championship Team in Nicaragua.After baseball, he began a career in Winston-Salem at Wachovia Bank and later with Pony Express. Upon retirement, Brack returned to Davie County where he was inspired to author Growing Up in Advance while researching his ancestry from 1750 at the "Forks of the Yadkin." Brack is a member of the Davie County High School Hall of Fame, Pfeiffer College Hall of Fame, and Winston-Salem Baseball Hall of Fame. He continued to play ball to age 80, winning several NC state titles with his senior softball teams. Although traveling to over 80 countries during his lifetime, he said the most beautiful view was of the Yadkin River from the back deck of his home. Called a hometown hero by many, Brack loved baseball, friends and family, the Yadkin River and Advance.