Dolly Lambert

 

 

O'Delle "Dolly" Lambert graduated from Freed-Hardeman College in 1934. A left-handed pitcher, he worked the Class D and C professional circuit for several years before advancing to Triple-A. He pitched for Lexington, Tennessee and for Owensboro, Kentucky, in Kitty League, for Evansville, Idaho, in the Western Association, and Greeneville, Mississippi, in the Cotton States League. During the winter months, he played basketball with Ford V-8, "one of Memphis' best basketball teams," according to newspaper accounts.

 

After World War II, Lambert returned to baseball. He joined the Montreal Royals in the International League in 1945 and finished the season with Trenton, New Jersey, in the Tri-States League. The next year, he was the Montgomery, Alabama Rebels. In 1947 he was player-manager of the Ozark Rebels in the Alabama State League and in 1948 he held the same position with the Enterprise Boll Weevils.

Beginning in 1950 he umpired in the Alabama-Florida League where he served as umpire-in-chief. He had, in 1947, accepted a position as director of the physical education program for Ozark, Alabama city schools.

In his later years, Lambert served six years as Dale County Tax Collector. He died September 2, 1981. The Dolly Lambert Trophy is given annually in Ozark to the graduating senior athlete with the highest grade point average.