This post is more evidence that the character of Millie Bannon in DEVIL MAKE A THIRD is modeled after the author's mother, Willie Baker Bailey. Mrs. Bailey's husband, Whack Bailey, was a noted baseball player in both Dothan and in his hometown of Opelika. (clippings from the July 19, 1905 MONTGOMERY ADVERTISER and the July 8, 1911 DOTHAN EAGLE)

 Chapter 30, page 330:

"Bah!" his mother said, then she moved her eyes sharply straight ahead at Millie.

 "That'n now. She'll never get a real man-ain't built for it." 

Millie stood up straight and put her hands on her hips. "I don't know," she said. She moved to the side so her mother could see her and pulled her long skirt up nearly to her knees."If skirts were this short, I'd be beating them off." 

 "Humph! All baseball players, too."

 Millie dropped her skirt and glared at her mother. She didn't say anything, and the room suddenly was very quiet. 

"Baseball players?" Buck's quick words cut deliberately into the quiet. Millie nodded and her hands went back onto her hips.

"What of it?" She looked back at her mother defiantly. Lota cleared her throat to speak, but Buck squeezed her hand and stopped her.

"I never could understand," he said, thoughtfully, "how come you girls don't marry better. You're all right pretty, and I never saw either one of you with a dirty neck."

"Now, you just wait." Millie said her words slowly with a space between each. Her head went from side to side as she spoke. "As long as you've been living in Aven and running around with senators and bankers and really big men, you never introduced either of us to a man." She stopped abruptly and clenched her teeth. "Why?"

Buck didn't answer, but he felt a flush coming up his face. He let her eyes hold his for a moment, then shifted them uneasily to his mother.

"Think that over," Millie said distinctly, and turned quickly and walked out, closing the door softly behind her.

The silence was heavy until Jeanie Bannon said, "Whew, boy, she laid it on heavy, didn't she?"