Emmett 'Mutt' Hughes: One of our favorite characters

Let’s talk about one of my favorite Webb City characters… Emmett “Mutt” Hughes.

Some folks who knew Mutt Hughes might immediately remember his artistic ability. His home on West Austin Street had a mural that Mutt had painted and shared with neighbors. Or they might remember his sign painting talent. He could paint lettering on business doors or larger signs as needed. He recalled that the Historical Society talked him into painting their sign on the door of the Y.M.C.A. for free. And how about his quick smile? He could light a room when he walked in grinning. He had a great sense of humor.

He related to me the story of how he met his wife, Nancy. He said he was working at the Webb City pool as a lifeguard. He said Mayor Lee Darby got him the job. It seems that one day, Mutt was sunning on the diving board when this pretty Carterville girl came up and tickled his feet. Mutt told her “You just made the biggest mistake of your life. You didn’t know what you were doing!” Not being shy, Mutt asked her out on a date for that night. They made it a double date. Being the spur of the moment, he didn’t give it too much thought and only had 20 cents in his pocket. The guy who was doubling with him didn’t have any money at all.

So Mutt took a chance on this date. They walked to Carterville, saving the money for the trolley ride home after the date. They all sat on the porch swinging. Mutt spent his 20 cents by buying all four of them 5-cent Cokes. Nancy made quite an impression on Mutt that night because she was happy with her 5-cent Coke, even though the guy that didn’t have any money asked the girls if they wanted anything else. After the date, Mutt walked home a happy man! He was even happier the day Nancy said “yes” to his proposal of marriage.

When summer time comes around, one of the favorite pastimes seems to be miniature golf. Mutt had a love of the game of miniature golf and an unusual game. Back in the ’20s and ’30s, there was a popular game called Duck Pin Bowling, located on a vacant lot north of the post office on Daugherty Street. Well, in the ’40s, Mutt had a chance to buy the Duck Pin Bowling Lanes. He set them up off Madison Street, behind the The Clubhouse, on some property owned by Chester Wyatt. There were eight lanes, not as long as regular bowling alleys. The ball fit into the hand, no finger holes, and the pins were smaller than regular bowling pins.

Mutt had a miniature golf course close to where he set up the Duck Pin Bowling Alley. When Mutt came back from California he was playing golf with some friends and he made the comment, “Fellas, I think it is time that Webb City had a miniature golf course.” None of the fellas seemed interested, but Mutt couldn’t seem to forget the notion. So he spent all of his money, took out a loan out on his car and built a portable miniature golf course. When he got the course finished, 18 holes, he put an ad in the Sentinel and opened his business. The first night he had two or three customers and thought, “Uh oh!  What have I done?” The second night was a little bit better, he said, “I had 15 to 20 customers, and I thought I just might be able to break even. Then the third night, the word had spread and we were so busy. I only allowed four people to go out at a time and I had all 18 holes busy with a waiting line. That was 72 people playing at one time.” He said he kept up this fast pace for two years.

Then he had the opportunity to manage the Webb City Golf Course, so he moved his miniature golf course and Duck Pin alley out to the driving range. He wound up selling the Duck Pin alley and just kept the miniature golf course.

The traveling miniature golf course made yet another move. This time he went down to the “Y” at Jefferson and Madison streets. But he decided he was tired of the business, so he let his friend, Sam Griffey, run the business for him.

Mutt then concentrated on his sign painting.

Emmett Hughes was involved in the community with other activities besides miniature golf and sign painting. He served on the Library Board and the School Board. He said he learned a very important lesson while serving on the School Board – never vote against a school bond because it is important for the students. He said being a member of the School Board was a very serious position to hold. He didn’t run for re-election to the school board because he had a chance to quit his job at a sign company and move to California (again) where he bought a house unseen. He did like to add a bit of adventure to his life!

It was fun listening to the 1991 tape-recorded interview with Emmett Hughes. It was like he was still with us, and he kept me laughing throughout the entire interview. I really admired this Webb City Character!