Irvin Shaw Edwards
November 11, 1913 – August 23, 1998
2004 Effingham County Sports Hall of Fame Inductee
Irvin Shaw Edwards was born November 11, 1913 to Christopher Washington Edwards and Ora Pace Edwards. They lived on Green Morgan School Road, but soon moved to the old Bethel parsonage on Springfield Egypt Road. From a young boy, Irvin helped on the farm. He graduated from Effingham Academy in Springfield which was located where the Truetlen Building is now. He went to Draughns Business School and received a business degree. He also worked in turpentine, from the tree to the delivery of the turpentine. He also loved sports and his favorite was the national pastime baseball. The three Edwards boys, Leon, Irvin and Spurgeon played with the six Weitman boys, Freddie, Milton, Herman, Paul, Ravenel and Elbert comprising a complete baseball team. Both families were from the Bethel Community and they were the team to beat.
Irvin began helping his brother Leon co-owner of a grocery dry goods store in Springfield. When Leon went into the ministry, Irvin purchased the store from Leon and his partner. He ran Springfield Trading Company which later became Edwards Supermarket for 35 years. The slogan of the company was “where our customers send their friends”. That slogan was used many times on ads for sporting events. After selling the store he became Effingham Tax Commissioner for eight years and then he retired. During these years he also sang bass with the original Effingham County Quartet for 30 years and music was an integral part of his entire life. He was song leader at Turkey Branch Methodist Church leasing the singing at many area churches for revival as well as singing at weddings and hundreds of funerals.
He married the former Muriel (Merle) Loper in 1934 and they had four children, Corley, Martha, Sandra and Dean. They lived in the house on the corner of Madison and Maple Streets in Springfield since 1947. His wife died in 1994, just three weeks shy of their 60th wedding anniversary. Irvin lived in that house 51 years until his death on August 23, 1998.
When the church leagues began forming teams he got to play ball again. He was the pitcher for the Turkey Branch Methodist Men’s Softball team and he enjoyed being a team player. He played until he was in his sixties. Irvin was a supporter for the baseball team at Moed Stadium and never missed a game. He had an advertisement on the outfield fence (daughter Martha thinks it was the scoreboard). He also was an avid supporter of his children’s sports teams as well as the school teams and he always sponsored a little league team. Any time he could get away from work he would stop by the ball park or go to the gym to catch a game. He was an avid fan of the Atlanta Braves and many times he told Manager Bobby Cox (via the TV) when he’d made a bad decision. Daughter Sandra recalls when she was in grammar school in the 1950’s he let her get out of school early to attend a game with him in Savannah between the New York Yankees and the Savannah Crackers. He attended many games at Grayson Stadium to watch the Savannah Crackers.
Irvin Edwards never shirked his civic duties. He was a charter member and past