These stories appeared 44 years ago on this date in the suffolk News-Herald:

Japs may sign military pact with the axis

Talk about the possibility of Japan forming an outright military alliance with Germany and Italy gained fresh impetus today as Britain and France prepared for military staff talks with Russia.

After a meeting of high army officers last month, informed Tokyo quarters said the army and ultra-nationalistic elements had gained new ammunition in the campaign for such a military link to the Rome-Berlin axis.

Their hand was strengthened by two recent developments – the United States abrogation of their 1911 trade treaty with Japan and announcement that a British-French military mission would soon leave for Moscow.

In Japan army circles, there is a growing conviction that Britain and the United States are cooperating to hinder Japan’s far eastern politics.

Mattsons leave today for N’News

Adjunct and Mrs. Albert Mattson of the Salvation Army left early this morning for Newport News to take up their official duties in that city. The Mattsons were transferred to the peninsula several weeks ago.

Captain Flowers Reese of Newport News arrived in Suffolk today to take up her duties in the local post. Lieutenant Beatrice Robey of Charleston, W.Va., will come to Suffolk to assist Capt. Reese in conducting the post.

Over 200 attend seafood supper

Over 200 people attended the crab feast sponsored by the Suffolk Lodge 685, B.P.O. Elks, last night at Planters Club on the Nansemond River.

Long tables were prepared in the main auditorium and on the screened-in porches. Supper was served from 6:30 to 9 o’clock.

A number of guests enjoyed a dip in the Planters Club pool.

Frank Patrick was chairman of the committee on arrangements and the seafood supper was prepared by Frank Krize and served by members of the Elks Club.

Roy Richardson, exalted ruler of the lodge, said there would not be a regular meeting of the Suffolk lodge on Friday night.

Around town

After a half holiday, here we are back on the job. It was so hot that we couldn’t go around the town much. Suffolk people sure did pack Ocean Breeze Beach yesterday. The Trojan Club gave their annual outing there yesterday and they say everyone had a good time.

Now if you want to have fun, go to the lawn party tomorrow night at Mr. J.W. Holland Corp., Spruce and Johnson Ave., for the benefit of Miss Rebecca Vaughan for &uot;Miss Progressive.&uot;

And we go to Booker T. in Norfolk tomorrow for Suffolk night.

The stork left a cute little stranger with Mr. and Mrs. Charlie Freeman of Norfolk Road, it’s a girl. Mother and daughter are doing nicely.

Charlie Lawrence hurls a 1-hitter as Blair tops Plumbers

Charlie Lawrence, the former Suffolk High hardball pitcher who made his mound debut in local softball circles last week, came within an ace of flinging a no-hit, no-run game against the Plumbers last night.

The new Blair sensation who stopped Planters Office last week on seven hits, really bent to his task last night and after it was all over, he had chalked up a one-hit, 2-1 triumph over the league-leading Plumbers.

Ham Morgan, the Pipe Fixers’s first baseman, got the lone hit off Lawrence in the sixth inning, an unorthodox single between third base and short – unorthodox because Morgan is a left-handed hitter. He later stole second and third and scored on Wombie’s wild throw to third base.

No other Plumber even got as far as first base.

…Blair, taking advantage of two of the Plumber’s six errors, tallied both their runs on the opposition’s misplays. Jack Harry singled, went second on error, and raced into home when Willis threw wild on first on an attempted double play.

The winning run came when Rudy Mehalko took first on Sanford’s error and raced all the way home on Happy Davidson’s long single into left centerfield. Arthur Owens had Mehalko caught in home but Clyde Taylor dropped the ball.

– Compiled by Allison T. Williams