1117 Neighborhood Association dedicates Jouett Meekin Memorial Keg Box.

The 1117 East Spring Street Neighborhood Association (New Albany, IN) will celebrate National Preservation Month by renaming its garage keg box in honor of local sporting legend Jouett Meekin.

“Our Jouett Meekin Memorial Keg Box perfectly reflects the ideals of historic preservation,” says Roger A. Baylor, coordinator of the 1117 Coalition to Reduce Sobriety. “Not only are we adaptively reusing an otherwise abandoned beer holder, but we’re using it to educate abut the city’s history even as it pours delicious Progressive Pints of NABC Soldarity, which I'll now be conveying in a -- yes -- reusable growler to my living room seat for the Lakers-Thunder playoff game tonight.”

Meekin (1867-1944), a New Albany native, was a successful big league pitcher from 1891 to 1900, peaking dramatically as a professional in 1894 when he won 33 games for the New York Giants. After leaving baseball, Meekin returned to New Albany and joined the fire department. During leisure hours, Meekin was known to enjoy an occasional adult libation. His home still stands on the southwest corner of 13th and East Market, just two blocks from the keg box that now bears his name.

Interestingly, the 1117 Minister of Culture is Nero Baylor, one of the association’s four resident felines, recently celebrated his 21st birthday. Nero points out that in cat’s years, he is old enough to have known Meekin personally.

After Solidarity, either Beak's Best or Elector will occupy a slot in the Jouett Meekin Memorial Keg Box.