august 2010

August 2010 Vol. 4 No. 1

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The Line Up

Murf’s Turf...............................20

JALC Journal...........................33

In Focus...................................10

Faith on the Field....................26

Publisher’s Greeting..................6

So. Illinois Miners.....................46

Publisher/Editor Jim Muir

Account Executive Cheryl Hughey

PhotographersChristopher KaysCeasar Maragni

Contributing WritersTeri CampbellJohn D. HomanFred HuffRoger LipeCeasar MaragniJim MuirMike Murphy

Riley Swinford Joe Szynkowski

Nathan WheelerTom Wheeler

For more information regarding Southern Illinois Sports Connection call Jim at 618-525-4744. For advertising information, call Cheryl at 618-353-8515.

From Where I Sit .....................32

RLC Report......... .....................27

Coach Wheeler’s Garage ........34

Saluki Notes.............................22

24 l August 2010 l l August 2010 l 25

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Coach Wheeler’s Garage ........34

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14Cast your vote for the “Elite 60” top basket-ball players of the last 6 decades. . . see page

6 l August 2010 l

Greetings and welcome to the August issue of Southern Illinois Sports Connection.

Let me begin today by saying that it is with a lot of pride and humility that I say ‘Happy 3rd Anniversary to Us.”

And let me emphasize when I say ‘us’ I really mean ‘us’ because this venture (and sometimes adventure) has truly been a team effort. From every single aspect – writers, photographers, graphic design, circulation, distribution and most importantly the wonderful and loyal advertisers who believe in what we’re doing – the cooperation, helpfulness and professionalism is unmatched when compared to any other work environment I’ve experienced. I believe the success that SISC has enjoyed and the rave reviews we’ve received from our advertisers and loyal readers since day one is a great testament that hard work and a group of like-minded people pulling in the same direction adds up to terrific results.

Even for a guy who makes a living stringing words together it’s hard for me to express the outright joy that each issue brings and the admiration and respect I have for my SISC team.

I mentioned earlier that I look at the people who work to put SISC together each month as a team – a group working together for a common goal. For those of us who follow sports very closely on a day-to-day basis we’re very aware that any team is only as good as its last performance. If a team plays great today, a true fan knows to enjoy it and then move on because there are other games to play. The same can be said here at SISC where we certainly don’t plan to rest on our laurels. We know we’ve had a great three year run and we know that we have things rolling in a good direction but we also know that there are other games to play, other athletes to highlight, other stories to dig out (as only we can), other memories to make and other anniversaries to celebrate.

So, enough with the celebrating, high-fiving and the back-slapping, it’s time to roll up our sleeves and get to work on year four. As always, I hope you enjoy this issue.

All the best and God Bless!

Jim MuirPublisher

Publisher’s

greeting

l August 2010 l 7

8 l August 2010 l

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By Joe Szynkowski

Nerves are a good thing for Kel-ly Glass. He likes losing sleep. He loves the butterflies in his stomach. Why? Because that tells him he still belongs at the helm of Massac County’s football program.

“Even after being a coach for so long, the feeling before the season isn’t any different,” Glass said. “My stomach is a little jittery just because of the excitement of a new year and the challenge of working with a new bunch of kids. There’s the anticipation in town, too, and you’ve got people coming up to you ask-ing how the team’s going to be this year. It’s a total com-munity thing.”

Glass has been a part of Massac County coaching for 34 years. He worked with the basket-ball program before being hired as head coach of the football

More than Football

Kelly Glass has set the bar high for football success at Massac County and even higher as a role model for his athletes

10 l August 2010 l

team in 1986. Since then he has built the Patriots to new levels, rais-ing the bar of expectations for Me-tropolis’ fans.

“People just can’t wait to get to the game on Friday nights,” he said. “We’ll have 2,000 to 3,000 people at our home games. Some people even have their class reunions on Friday nights during our games. It’s just a really exciting time. I don’t sleep as much and my family is even consumed by it. My mom and dad are still around in their 80s, my wife and two boys, I’ve just got a lot of people I hope I don’t let down.”

Glass’ family encompasses more than his parents, wife and two sons.

“The thing that stands out to me is how he’s been able to build a real family atmosphere over there,” said longtime friend Kerry Martin, Mari-on’s football coach. “You play foot-ball for Kelly and you’re a member of that football family for the rest of your life. They’re just a real tight-knit group and I admire that. That comes directly from him. He’s al-ways got your back. You can go to him anytime for anything and he’s going to be there.”

Martin knows that from experi-ence.

He began coaching against Glass in 1994 - Martin’s first year of a successful run at Carterville. The two men developed a strong work-ing relationship that was based on mutual respect and common be-liefs. And when Martin needed some helpful advice after leaving Carterville for Marion, he knew who to call.

“We struggled my first three years at Marion,” Martin said. “We did not just jump in here and start winning. I leaned on him pretty heavily as someone I could talk to outside of the Marion element. I have great coaches on this staff, but sometimes you need to get that outside perspective. He probably doesn’t even realize how important his advice was to me. I knew that Kelly wasn’t going to just tell me what I wanted to hear. You need someone to be honest with you, that’s the kind of friend you need at a time like that.”

Glass’ advice and principles tran-scend the gridiron, according to his former players.

Steve Crim - Massac County’s all-time leading rusher – played for Glass from 1986-89. He was part of the first Patriots team to make the playoffs his junior year, and the first Patriots team to finish the regular season undefeated his senior sea-son.

But what does he remember more than all of the victories?

The biggest thing was just that he believed in all of us and made us believe we could win,” Crim said. “We really bought into the system because of how he coached.”

After Crim’s playing days, he came back to help coach the Pa-triots until his son – now a junior for the team – began high school. Crim says Glass’ personality and demeanor are what make him so relatable to so many of his players – current and former.

Besides just the coaching as-pect of it, he just really connects with his players,” Crim said. “He’s always trying to conduct himself as a strong, Christian man. Every kid has a different journey through high school and he just tries to be a fa-ther figure to all of them.”

l August 2010 l 11

Former standout running back and defensive end Michael Howett, who played from 1998-2001, still calls Glass his “father figure.” He served in the U.S. Navy for five years after high school and plans to walk on for McKendree College’s football team through one of Glass’ connections.

“Coach doesn’t just forget you when you leave Massac County,” Howett said. “And he’s always been a real family-oriented guy. On the field he makes sure that everybody gets along and there is not arguing among teammates.”

Howett says he owes a lot of his success and experiences to Glass.

“I never had a father around so he kind of took me under his wing and showed me the right path,” he said. “He taught me responsibil-ity. For a little while I was headed down the wrong path and he kind of shined a light in my face. He really just taught me how to be a man.

“One of the first things that comes to mind about him is that he’s a very Christian guy. He goes to church and is dedicated to making a difference in p e o p l e ’ s l i v e s .

H e will help

everybody and anybody he can.

He’s just a good Samaritan all the way around.”

Making an impact on players like Howett is what makes the job

worthwhile for Glass. “It’s great to be able to help a

kid become a man and learn how to handle adversity, help his bud-dies and all that corny stuff we say,” Glass said. “Here at Massac Coun-ty we win together and we lose together. We share our burdens and our successes. The thing with sports is you know some people are going to get aggravated. But I want people to know what they get with me as coach. I will do my best to take care of the kids, and the par-

ents and people in the com-

munity have done a great job of taking care of me.”

A n d Glass has

returned the

favor. Just last month, players and coaches spent many hours churn-ing ice cream for church socials. And whenever Metropolis is hit with a bad storm – whether it be ice, wind or rain – Glass and the Patri-ots make it a point to lend a hand to anyone who needs it.

“We try real hard to make this thing bigger than football,” Glass said. “We need to see each other and hang out in other places than

just on the football field. That’s the way to develop relationships.”

Glass hopes stronger bonds away from the game will help breed on-field suc-

cess, not that the Patriots need much help with

that. Massac County has won

s e v -

e n

g a m e s in each of the last three seasons and is a perennial challenger for the SIRR Ohio crown.

“They’ve always been one of the most well-coached teams you’ll

“Besides just the coaching aspect of it, he just really connects with his players. He’s always trying to conduct himself as a strong, Christian man. Every kid has a differ-ent journey through high school and he just tries to be a father figure to all of them.”

– Steve Crim, Massac County’s all-time leading rusher, 1986-89 –

12 l August 2010 l

find in Southern Illinois, and es-pecially in the SIRR,” said Benton coach Jeremy Clodfelder. “They’re one of those teams that kind of set the bar for us. We were excited to play them so close last year even though we lost in overtime and to us that hopefully means that we’re

win.“You judge yourself by what hap-

pens on Friday night,” Glass said. “It’s just like anything in life. When things are going good, it’s not hard to like what you’re doing. But when you go through the tough times, that’s when you find out whether or not you want to do this. Can I handle the adversity? Can I perse-vere? That’s what you have to ask yourself.”

Like any good coach, Glass has figured out ways to make the winning streaks outlast the losing streaks.

“When you’re losing and not hav-ing success, you try to develop little built-in victories within games,” he said. “Sometimes the other team is just flat-out better than you. I’ve been beaten before where I messed it up, whether it was a bad game plan or whatever. It’s a shared thing. We win together and we lose together.”

So, Massac County fans, if you’ve got a case of the Friday night butterflies, just remember the fact that your beloved coach is suffer-ing from the same symptoms. And if you listen close enough, you can probably hear them in Kelly Glass’ stomach. He sure can.

The football program is not about Kelly Glass,” he said. “We really are a bright spot in a small community that all pulls in the same direction on Friday nights. And I’ve truly been blessed. This is my home and my community. People have been very good to me.

“And coaching is still my pas-sion. I’m lucky enough to work with some good coaches and we’re all on the same page. It’s the job God gave us to do. I still want to win foot-ball games as much as I ever have, but I also want to build relationships with players and parents that will last a lifetime.”

Joe Szynkowski is a free-lance writer for SISC. He can be reached at [email protected].

closing the gap a little bit. We kind of put them on a shelf and consider them to be in a place that we would like to be.”

Herrin has become Massac County’s main competition for SIRR supremacy, and Tigers coach Ja-son Karnes knows exactly what to expect when the two teams square off.

“All of his teams are so well-pre-pared and they always play hard,” Karnes said. “He’s just one of those guys you look up to if you’re a young coach. It’s usually a great game when Massac County and Herrin play and I’m looking forward to many more of those.”

Clodfelder, in his fourth year with the Rangers, says Glass’ greatest attribute is his loyalty to a commu-nity that depends on Friday night success.

“He’s been able to sustain such longevity at home, which can be a difficult thing to do. That’s what makes his career even that much more impressive. He has conviction and believes in what he’s coach-ing and I think from that standpoint, that’s where he gains your respect.”

Glass’ advice to younger coach-es goes back to motivation, a ge-neric term that translates to getting the most out of your players. He says the way to inspire your team to greatness has changed over the years.

“Society and life seem to beat the kids down enough,” he said. “I think there are two ways to motivate people. Thirty years ago, old-school football taught motivation out of fear. You threatened to run the kids forever if they messed up. Today’s way of motivating is out of loyalty. If the kids know their coach is go-ing to try his very best to make them successful, then they will respond to what you’re teaching them.”

Glass’ teams haven’t always been successful. The Patriots have posted eight seasons with three wins or less under Glass, including two separate seasons with only one

“And coaching is still my passion. I’m lucky enough to work with some good coaches and we’re all on the same page. It’s the job God gave us to do. I still want to win football games as much as I ever have, but I also want to build relationships with players and parents that will last a life-time.”

– Kelly Glass, Massac County football coach –

l August 2010 l 13

14 l August 2010 l

SISC takes on the dubious task of picking the top high basketball players during the past six decades

be handled in three ways that include mailing in the ballot that will be in each magazine or on-line at our ‘new and improved’ (and regularly updated) website (sisportsconnection.com) or by email at [email protected]

As I mentioned earlier we will break down the other decades each month with the 1960s in Septem-ber, the 1970s in October, the 1980s in November the 1990s in December and the 2000s in January. Then in February we will list the top 10 players from each decade. And as an added bonus in February we will give you the opportunity to vote on the top 10 players from those six decades. That select group will be announced in the March issue of SISC just in time for the ‘Madness’ that will once again sweep through the region.

To say I’m excited about this endeavor would be an understatement. And I’m even more excited to have our loyal and knowl-edgeable SISC readers on board to help with the selection.

So, with that said … let the voting begin.

By Jim Muir

Who’s the greatest high school bas-ketball player from

Southern Illinois to ever lace up a pair of sneakers?

From coal mines to church gatherings and from local res-taurants to the corner watering hole that question has been cussed and discussed for decades. And while everybody has an opinion – including me – there’s no correct answer to that question. In fact, through the years I’ve found that the two biggest factors that play into that question will depend largely on the person’s age and the area where they grew up.

I mention that somewhat loaded question today be-cause SISC writer and bas-ketball guru Tom Wheeler recently asked me what I thought about tackling the task of picking some of the great-est basketball standouts in past years. I immediately liked the idea and a ‘Basketball Summit’ was quickly called in Buckner where we planned to draw up the ground rules. We invited basketball junkies Dave Lee and Norman Carlile, two guys who have forgotten more about basketball than most of us will ever know, to draw off

their expertise.First, we had to decide what

geographic area our player se-lection would encompass and quickly decided to basically use the same coverage area where SISC is distributed. Perhaps the easiest way to describe this would be to draw a line from Carmi to Okawville and then include everything south.

Next, we determined that we would include the years 1950 through 2010 and break our selections down by decade (1950-59, 1960-69 etc). An-other stipulation is that this has nothing to do with collegiate career, professional career or coaching career and is based only on the success each player had in high school.

As we poured over names we quickly realized that select-ing a 10-man team from each decade would be a nearly impossible task for the four of us and decided to give SISC readers a vote on the greatest players.

So, here’s how our “SISC Elite 60 Basketball Standouts” will work.

Beginning this month we will list 50-plus players from the 1950s and you (our faith-ful and loyal readers) will be allowed to vote on 10 players. You can vote as often as you like but only for 10. Voting can

l August 2010 l 15

Vern Maddox – Sesser

Ron Maddox – Sesser

Ted Farmer – Valier

Richard Tidwell – Herrin

Chico Vaughn – Tamms

Joe Aden – Dongola

Max Hooper – Mt. Vernon

Walt Moore – Mt. Vernon

Al Avant – Mt. Vernon

Dick Jones – West Frankfort

Jack Williams – Johnston City

John Riley – Mt. Vernon

Howard Dodds – West Frankfort

Don Stanton – Pinckneyville

John Kent – Marion

Jim Stokes – Mt. Vernon

Mose Stokes – Mt. Vernon

Ron Pursell – Pinckneyville

Bob Quillman – Pinckneyville

Bobby Joe Mason – Centralia

Gene Pursell – Pinckneyville

Arlen Hill – Pinckneyville

Don Dingwerth – Okawville

Bill Lawrence – Herrin

Jim Lazenby – Pinckneyville

Don Merchildon – Cairo

Jim Dorris – Centralia

Oliver “Big Cat” Rollins – Carrier Mills

Ivan Jefferson – Herrin

Don Morganthaler – Pinckneyville

Russ Martin – Carbondale

Richard Box – Herrin

Dave Luechtefeld – Okawville

Dean Millenbine – McLeansboro

Stan Luechtefeld – Okawville

Jay Lovelace – Carbondale

Ken Doughty – Herrin

Dave Harris – Pinckneyville

Rod Lindner – Centralia

Roger Suttner – Ridgway

Larry Swope – Marion

Gene Turni – Herrin

Richard “Itchy” Jones – Herrin

Jim Gualdoni – Herrin

Rick Talley – Pinckneyville

Kim Lavender – Murphysboro

Arlen Bockhorn – Trico

Harold Bardo – Sparta

Jim Lock – Centralia

Butch Steigman – Nashville

Jerry Ritchie – McLeansboro

1950’s SISC Elite 60

Name ____________________________

Address __________________________

Town ____________________________

Phone No. ________________________

Cell No. __________________________

Email: ____________________________

Or

You can also vote online at sisportsconnection.com

or email:[email protected]

Cast your vote today!Mark your favorite ten players on this page, clip it and mail the page to:

SISCPO Box 174Sesser, IL 62884

16 l August 2010 l

When the 2009 Saluki foot-ball season came to an end in the playoffs, it marked the last ever time that most of the team’s seniors would ever suit up for a game.

For at least two players, the dream of playing at the next level still lives on.

Former Saluki running back Deji Karim and former standout punter Scott Ravanesi are both pursuing careers at the profes-sional level, meaning that they will most likely get a chance to suit up for another game again in the future.

The next time, however, it won’t be in the Saluki maroon and white, but rather in their new teams’ colors and in front of thou-sands of fans at the stadium and across the country.

The journey to playing on Sunday afternoon isn’t going to be a quick one for the two former

Saluki standouts, though. Each player will have to earn a highly coveted roster spot with a pro team, which isn’t an easy task.

Scott Ravanesi Scott Ravanesi’s road to the

NFL has been about as up and down as some of his punts were during his time as a Saluki. Ac-cording to the former all-confer-ence punter, he has had a “whirl-wind journey” thus far.

After the Salukis’ season ended, the all-conference punter returned home for winter break. While he was enjoying his time off, he found out that he was in-vited to the prestigious NFL Draft Combine in Indianapolis.

“Only about 350 players or so were invited, and coming from SIU, it was a big opportunity to not only show off my skills to coaches, general managers, presidents and scouts, but also represent what Saluki football is all about,” the 22 year-old Rava-nesi said.

Heading into the event, he was nervous but well-prepared. He worked with a personal trainer in Nashville, Illinois to improve his strength and flexibility and to stay in shape. He wasn’t prepared for the big names he would be sur-rounded by, though.

“The combine was a sur-real experience,” he said. “I met and talked with some big-name players such as (former Florida star and current Denver Broncos quarterback) Tim Tebow at break-fast, (St. Louis Rams’ number one overall pick) Sam Bradford in

Two Salukis, One DreamBy Riley Swinford

Ravanesi, Karim, hope to continue careers in NFL

l August 2010 l 17

the elevator and some coaches such as Lovie Smith, Norv Turner, Charlie Weiss and Jack Del Rio.”

More importantly, he was able to meet with NFL teams and showcase what he can do.

“On the last day, we finally punted and I thought I performed fairly well. I would place myself third out of the five punters that attended the combine.”

His performance caught the eye of several teams, who re-mained in touch with the hopeful punter.

“After the combine, I was able to continue to stay in contact with teams such as the Bears, Jets, Packers, and Texans. I also went to the Northwestern, Northern Illinois and SIU pro-days to show off my skills for even more scouts. Overall, it was a very hectic ex-perience, but one that I will never forget.”

Unfortunately, he did not get selected in the NFL Draft because not too many punter spots were open on teams’ rosters.

“Punter is probably the hardest position to break into as an NFL player because punters can stick around forever. In addition, they only carry one punter per team, so that means there are only 32 punters total that make it. With 40 or so punters trying to fill about four openings, it is pretty tough.”

Just because the NFL didn’t call this year, it doesn’t mean his football career is over necessarily.

“A lot of scouts told me that I have the biggest and strongest leg they have seen and they would like me to play a year in the Canadian League or the UFL so that I could get hands-on teaching to try to improve my chances.”

If he doesn’t pursue that route, he has a career to fall back on.

“If the whole NFL thing doesn’t work out, I am currently looking for a job right now in marketing,

which was my major. I have had a few job offers. However, I am still weighing the options playing foot-ball in another league. Or, I might just start my life as a normal busi-ness person.”

Whether he joins the business world or continues on his foot-ball career, he is certain that he couldn’t have done it without SIU.

“Without SIU, and the things this school has done for me, there is no doubt that I wouldn’t be in the situation I am in today. The combination of both coaching staffs (former coach Jerry Kill and current Saluki coach Dale Len-non) has been nothing but help-ful.

“SIU prepared me to be a great person in the community, in the classroom and on the field, and there is no doubt in my mind that I made the correct choice of com-ing to join the Saluki family.”

Hopefully, the NFL makes the correct choice as well and lets Ravanesi and Karim join their family.

Deji Karim At birth, Deji Karim was given

six names: Abdul-Gafar Olato-kumbo Ayodeji Lamar Karim. Growing up, his name was short-ened to just “Deji” which means “pure happiness.”

And ever since the end of last season, Karim’s life has been basically “pure happiness.”

In April, Karim had a lifelong dream come true when he was drafted by the Jacksonville Jag-uars in the sixth round of the NFL Draft. When he was selected, Karim became just the 21st Saluki to ever be drafted and the first since current New York Giants running back Brandon Jacobs was taken in 2004.

The former Walter Payton

award candidate, who rushed for 2,080 yards and 26 touch-downs on 316 attempts in just two seasons with Southern, was the only offensive player taken by the Jaguars during the draft.

“Getting drafted has been my dream since I was a little kid,” Karim said following the draft. “This is a stepping stone to what I want to get accomplished.”

Since the conclusion of the 2009 season, Karim has been busy. After somewhat riding under the radar during his career as a Saluki, due to injuries and other setbacks, he has done everything

18 l August 2010 l

possible to make his mark in the NFL.By using his extraordinary vertical jump and

explosive speed during pre-draft workouts, he was able to edge his way onto scout’s lists. The Jaguars obviously liked what they saw out of Karim and now expect big things out of their rookie halfback.

The Jaguars gave Karim a vote of confidence on July 23rd when they signed him to a four-year contract worth $1.9 million, including a $110,000 signing bonus. Karim is considered to be the team’s leading candidate at punt return while also serving as a backup to veteran running back Maurice Jones-Drew.

With a spot all but wrapped up, don’t expect Karim to quit working now.

“I will give the team everything they ask out of me and even more,” Karim said. “There always will be hurdles but it’s just how you get through them and what you do to respond to it.”

Riley Swinford is a free lance writer for SISC. He may be contacted by emailing him at [email protected].

l August 2010 l 19

InFocus

By Ceasar Maragni

It’s called the “hot corner” with good reason. Anyone who has ever played third

base knows why. The best I ever saw play that position may be the best third baseman the ma-jor leagues has ever had.

Mike Schmidt was born in Dayton, Ohio where he grew up playing baseball with his buddies on the sandlots of the town. He played the game well enough in high school to earn a scholarship to Ohio University, which also produced actor Paul Newman, who like Schmidt, de-fined ‘cool’ or ‘grace under fire’ in his chosen profession.

After putting up impressive numbers in college, Schmidt was drafted in the second round by the Philadelphia Phillies in 1971. The next pick that year was by the Kansas City Royals and they selected another third base prospect named George Brett. The two of them were destined to define the position in their respective leagues over the next two decades.

It didn’t take long for the Phil-lies’ new prospect to make an impression at the minor league level, and Schmidt was moved up to the parent club toward the end of the following season. Al-though he only appeared in a baker’s dozen big league games

in 1972, Phillies management saw that their young rookie had poten-tial. It’s unlikely however that they could have predicted his eventual impact on their franchise, and the game itself.

In 1973, his first full season in the big leagues, Schmidt hit a tepid .196, with 52 RBI’s and hit 18 home runs. But he quickly blossomed the following year with a .282 batting average, driving in 116 runs, hitting 36 home runs, all the while playing superb defense, thus securing his future both in a Phillies uniform and at the hot corner in Veteran’s Stadium. For the next 16 seasons Mike Schmidt was the quintessential third baseman in the National League, while his American League counterpart Brett was doing much the same in that league.

By the time he retired at the end of the 1989 season Schmidt had established him-self as a sure bet, first ballot, Hall of Fame player. He fin-ished his stellar career with three National League MVP Awards. He was voted an All Star a dozen times. He led the league in home runs eight times. His near flaw-less defensive play at third base earned him 10 Gold Glove Awards. In 1990 the Phillies retired his uniform, No. 20. Schmidt was vot-ed into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1995, his first year of eligibility.

Schmidt was one of the finest athletes of his

time. He was built for baseball. Former Phillies teammate Pete Rose once said of Schmidt, “To have his body, I’d trade him mine and my wife’s and I’d throw in some cash.”

No one ever accused Pete Rose of being subtle.

20 l August 2010 l

Can’t believe we are so close to the start of the football season and what

a season we are looking at.A new SIU Football Stadium

will now be the centerpiece of Dale Lennon’s efforts to bring a National Championship back to Southern. Oh sure, there might be a few glitches and it will take some getting used to but think of how many chances you get to go into something brand new. There will be some that will miss the old stadium just as there are those that pine for old Busch Stadium in St. Louis.

Well “The Mac” is still there and when you glance upon it, your memories can flood back. Then take a seat in the new stadium and suck in that feeling that the

players and coaches have about the new digs.By now, it has probably been decided if Terrell Owens has become a

St. Louis Ram or a Cincinnati Bengal or maybe some other club swooped in at the last minute and grabbed the aging wide receiver that is usually the center of controversy. If the Rams got TO I hope he can help new QB Sam Bradford stay healthy and get the Rams some wins. I know there were many that said grabbing TO would be a huge step backward but at some point you have to take some chances, especially coming off a 1-15 season. The arguments were made that the Rams were getting rid of problem players like Richie Incognito. That is true but last time I checked Incognito was going downfield and giving people cheap shots not running a deep post and scoring a touchdown or even making a cut of seven yards on third and six and getting that critical first down to keep a drive alive late in a game. TO seemed to mind his manners during his exile in Buffalo, so maybe just maybe. At least The Rams made headlines in late July and attempted to make things better.

We also have the Cardinals to keep us interested as the pigskin starts to fly. Just when you think this outfit is ready to leave the rest in a cloud of dust then they stumble. By now, the Cardinals have made any big moves so as I write this, Roy Oswalt may be warming up for today’s start for the Red Birds, but I doubt it.

The Jeff Suppan experiment failed to work out so it appears St. Louis will have to continue to rely on the big three of Chris Carpenter, Adam Wainwright and Jamie Garcia. There still seems to be something missing from this Cards’ club and it’s anoth-er example of how important team chemis-try is to a team. Hopefully this up and down unit will be up at the right time and ride a crest into the playoffs. If there is an ugly ending to the season or a quick exit from the playoffs then the speculation will start to rage about LaRussa’s return and/or the Al-bert Pujols contract negotiations. LaRussa to the Cubs? Pujols to the Yankees?

Let’s Meet Here Next Time

It’s All Downhill From Here

Murf’s

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l August 2010 l 21

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By Fred Huff

It’s been a long time since we were first convinced that “noth-ing is forever” or “never to say

never”.And a perfect example is the fact

that when the Du Quoin State Fair opens its gates Friday, Aug. 27, for this year’s happening it’ll be for the 88th time and first time since 1957 without a nationally-known harness race like the Hambletonian or the World Trotting Derby.

For 53 years the Du Quoin fair has enjoyed the kicker line, “Home of the Hambletonian” or “Home of the World Trotting Derby.” It’s been a good ride and an enjoyable one. And, yes, there’s disappointment, but it’s hardly the end of the world and the Du Quoin State Fair will survive. In fact, this year’s exposition is shap-

ing up as one of the finest overall in many years.

As for harness racing . . . you bet it’ll still be a major happening at this year’s fair although only for three days instead of the usual five. And, too, the three sessions are scheduled for the first three days (Friday, Aug. 27, through Sunday, 29) rather than closing on the final Saturday.

Although the overall purse total has been vastly reduced, four races will offer $40,000 purses. The big difference is rather than attracting top entries from stables located in eastern states, Illinois horses will dominate the fields.

One of the most frequently-asked questions since it was first an-nounced that the WTD was be-ing discontinued has pertained to whether or not pari-mutuel betting would be avail-

able for those interested in adding a little excitement to the races. And, the answer is “yes.”

We remember well the first year betting machines were installed in the grandstand. It was 1975, our fourth year as fair manager. There were several other innovations that year as well. Some, like beer being sold on the grounds for the first time, are still intact.

To help in promoting the betting operation, we booked “Jimmy the Greek, ”a nationally-known oddsmak-er who was a well-known Las Vegas personality at the time and later became a prominent NFL personality on television. Jimmy (Snyder was his last name) arrived several days prior to the Hambletonian and visited area radio stations and newspapers for us in an attempt to explain the betting procedures to many southern Illinois-ans unfamiliar with how to place a $2 bet.

He did his job well, the stands were jammed on Hambletonian Day and the betting windows were so crowded that it was difficult to place a bet on any of the races.

So, the Hambletonian is now a race of the past as far as southern Illinois is concerned. The World Trot-ting Derby is deceased.

Those happenings join a list of other unpleasant memories we have regarding the Du Quoin State Fair.

The first was in 1945 when being the only writer available at mid-day while working at the Du Quoin Eve-ning Call as a kid learning the ropes of becoming a writer/printer we were forced into producing a deadline

Du Quoin State Fair Continues To Roll With-out Hambletonian or World Trotting Derby

saluki

NotesBy Fred Huff

l August 2010 l 23

story on a fire which had destroyed the old grandstand at the fairgrounds. Despite extreme nervousness as we had never written a news story, only those pertaining to sports, we did meet the 2 p.m. deadline. The story itself was NOT nominated for any, not even county, awards.

Then some 25 years later we watched while a late-night fire destroyed the signature horse stables that so magnificently was located on the south edge of fair-grounds.

While the two fires were major happenings, neither compared to the untimely deaths which seemed to stalk the Hayes family. W. R. Hayes, the gentleman who basi-cally created and designed the Du Quoin State Fair in 1923, died suddenly in 1952. He at least had enjoyed somewhat of a long life, having been born in 1877.

However, Gene, the older of two sons who had taken over as president of the Hayes holdings, died suddenly in 1964 when only 54. W. R.’s youngest son, Don, was killed just three years later when a plane he was piloting, with his wife, Ruby, as the only passenger, crashed dur-ing a rain storm in southern Indiana.

Then just three years later – 1970 – the big horse barn/stables, as well as the Fair’s offices and records, burned to the ground. It offered validity to the “three theory” . . . Gene dying in 1964, Don and Ruby being killed in 1967 and the major fire in 1970.

Fortunately that fire ended the Fair’s mishaps and the Fair actually prospered for the next few years.

Bill Hayes, W.R.’s grandson and Gene’s only son, had taken over following Uncle Don’s death. He, just as Don had so professionally replaced brother Gene with the major horsemen on the Hambletonian board, was able to gain and maintain top-level respect from his far more experienced associates. Bill, in fact, was even named “Horseman of the Year” in 1971.

Du Quoin continued to gain new contract after new contract with the Hambletonian Society group which controlled the event.

However, in 1979 Bill grew tired of the constant battle of making ends meet and sold everything, lock, stock and barrel, to Saad Jabr, a wealthy Carbondale busi-nessman. Saad’s sons, just like W. R.’s, basically ran the operation but also ran into financial problems after first losing the Hambletonian in 1980 and then being un-able to meet entertainer’s payroll in 1984.

Thankfully the State of Illinois was there and in almost an overnight transaction “loaned” the Fair $350,000 with the understanding that the Jabrs would sell the Fair and all property to the state.

The transaction wasn’t necessarily a simple matter as one might expect, but finally took place several months after the 1985 Fair had closed.

It’s been a wonderful run ever since. Yes, there have been a few bumps in the road, but

the 2010 Fair – the 25th under State of Illinois’ owner-ship – is shaping up as being one of the finest yet . . . with or without either the Hambletonian or World Trotting Derby.

24 l August 2010 l

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26 l August 2010 l

The world of sport often finds itself conflicted be-tween its two broadest di-

visions and standards of ethics. In the USA we see it most clearly when contrasting NCAA basket-ball during March Madness and the National Basketball Associa-tion during its playoffs. We see it when we compare college football (American Football) at any level and the National Football League. The whole world is seeing it in the comparisons made between World Cup Football (Soccer) and that of professional football played in the Premier League, the Bundesliga or any other system around the globe. The contrast between ama-teur sport and professional sport is often striking and very important for us who serve those who live in these various systems.

Many people speak sentimen-tally (and may I say naively) about amateur sport and pretend that all its players, coaches and adminis-trations have the purest of motives and intentions in everything. This is certainly not a consistently true perspective. In much of amateur sport there is plenty of ambition, drive, cheating, envy and pride to sully the sport’s image. Possibly the major difference between am-ateurism and professionalism is that in pro sports, there is not even an illusion of such nobility. In many cases the “win at all costs” ethic is not only obvious, but openly stat-ed. Much of professional sport’s value is measured in terms of the

Faith on theField

By Roger Lipe

Amateurism vs. Professionalismsum of salaries paid, the econom-ic impact on a local community or the influence of the club on the lo-cal culture.

Sadly, the longer one competes and the more one achieves in sport, the more likely he or she is to experience the worst ethics in sporting life. At each incrementally higher level of sport one normally begins to see more and more deg-radation of the experience while at the same time finding that the system increasingly rewards self-ishness, arrogance and individual-ism.

At its best amateur sport values these things:

· Teamwork

· Personal development

· Honor among competitors

· Fair play

· Respect for team leaders, coaches, officials, etc.

At its best professional sport values these things:

· Excellence in preparation and performance

· Acquisition of the best players for one’s team

· Accountability

· Individual achievement

At their worst both amateur and professional sport value these things:

· Individual achievement over one’s team goals

· Winning as the highest value

· “It’s not cheating if you don’t get caught.”

· Selfish attitudes

· Star players over coaches

We who represent Christ Je-sus in the world of sport must be stewards of its culture. We can work to shape attitudes, to inform the ethics of sport with scriptural truth, to openly discuss these is-sues with the coaches, players, administrators and others who are the opinion leaders and decision makers for our sport communities. We must be willing to take respon-sibility for those whom we serve and to redeem the world of sport by carrying Christ’s presence into it. Whether we work at the most obscure levels of amateur sport or under the most glaring spotlight of professional sport, let’s honor our Lord by our faithful application of the Bible to the daily sporting life.

l August 2010 l 27

Less than a week after re-turning to the role of Rend Lake College’s director of

athletics, Tim Wills announced a new head men’s basketball coach.

Benton resident Randy House officially took the Warrior basket-ball reigns July 14. House’s coach-ing background includes two years at Johnston City High School, with Matt Wynn at Benton Consolidated High School and last year as an assistant under Seth Tate in the girls’ high school basketball pro-gram at Benton.

House, a Benton native, played high school basketball under former Rangers Coach Rich Herrin and then played for Her-rin at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale from 1986 to 1989 where he was named to the MVC All-Freshman Team. The former Saluki cager ranks No. 28 on the team’s all-time scoring list with 1,121 points in 105 games, was the fifth player to log five or more steals in a single game (Nov. 27, 1988 vs. South Carolina State), and is listed No. 22 in points scored at SIU Arena, according to the 2009-10 men’s basketball media guide. House’s name also appears among Saluki leaders in career and season three point percentage, free-throw percentage and steals.

Presently, House is owner of

RKH Insurance in Benton. Wills said RLC is fortunate to get him.

“We needed somebody who could afford to do it on a part-time basis,” Wills said. “I’ve known him for a long time. He was a really good player. He has coaching experience and his schedule allows him to work this job into it.”

“I’m looking forward to it,” House said. “I think my demeanor might be a little more suited for the col-lege atmosphere. I’ve played in college and been around basket-ball all my life. It’s been a huge part of my life. I think some of the knowledge I’ve learned about what it takes to get to the next level and play at a division one school I can bring to the kids who are looking to make that step.”

House said he and Wills talked about the head coaching position in June. Their conversations didn’t in-clude an offer until Wills called him two days before he was named the college’s eighth head coach. After House expressed his interest, Wills’ recommendation was approved by RLC President Charley D. Holstein and his Cabinet.

“[Wills] called a couple of days ago and said, ‘Hey, if you’re inter-ested, I’d like to have you and I think you would do a good job.’ So, I talked it over with my kids, my family and my work staff,” House explained.

House said his coaching style will stress hustle, solid defense, and “whatever it takes to try and win basketball games and play to our strengths.”

He will have to move fast to fill a roster, which he said is his first prior-ity. His second step will be estab-lishing his assis-tant coaching staff, he added. The 2009-10 as-sistant coaching staff under Wills included Mt. Vernon residents Dave Jackson and Brian Gamber. Five players have signed so far. They are returning sophomores Dustin Winter (Pinckneyville), Isa-iah Cunningham (Eldorado), Kyle Martin (Mt. Vernon), James Pope (Gainesville, Fla.) and Edrie Brodie Jr. (Newark, N.J.).

“It’s late getting started, but he will hit the ground running,” Wills added. “And after this year, he will have a full year of recruiting.”

Wills said there are still scholar-ships to give and House will have a couple of area prospects to con-sider, not including walk-on pos-sibilities.

“There are still players out there,” Wills said. “It’s just a matter of finding those that fit the pro-gram.”

RLC Report

By Nathan Wheeler

Coach House calls RLC Home

28 l August 2010 l

“I’ve got the luxury of having the coach of the last 18 years ... in the office right next door to mine,” House said. “[Wills] is going to be a wealth of knowledge and he al-ready knows I’m going to be leaning heavily on him at the beginning.”

Wills resigned as AD in March of 2007 and as basket-ball coach in May. He was offered the athletic director position last month and it was made official last week. He will continue to be a tenured professor in the health and physical education program at the college. RLC soccer coach Jim Duncan of Mt. Vernon had served as AD on a part-time, interim basis since December after taking over for former AD and men’s track and field/cross country coach Brent McLain, who resigned in October.

“I think he’s excited about it and I know I am,” Wills said about House. “I think he will do a really good job.”

“I’m excited and looking forward to it,” House added. “It’s a new challenge. It’s a new level. I’ve coached at the high school level, both boys and girls, but this is kind of the next step. I’m looking forward to the challenge and the x’s and the o’s, getting out and recruiting locally and seeing if we can find some of the local talent ... and put a competitive team on the floor.”

For all things athletic at RLC, visit the college online at www.rlc.edu/warriors.

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30 l August 2010 l

By John D. Homan

Southern Illinois’ best male prep golfer last year is hoping he can make an

impact with perhaps the nation’s top junior college program.

Bryce Doughty of Benton is getting geared up for what should be exciting fall and spring sea-sons at John A. Logan College. The Volunteers, under the guid-ance of head coach Tom Ferris, placed second at the national competition in Arizona last May after winning the national champi-onship the year before in Ala-bama.

The 18-year-old Doughty said he has been working hard this summer on the links in an ef-fort to make his mark at Logan.

“I’m starting to gain some dis-tance off the tees and have improved my short game a lot from inside 100 yards. My wedge is really coming around. I feel I am ready for college-level golf and have high expectations of myself.”

– Bryce Doughty, JALC freshman –

He knows the competition will be stiff with six other incoming freshmen (Colin Hendrickson of Loveland, Colo., Derek Rohlf-ing of Effingham, Jered Bogan of East Alton, Drew Hrvatin of Evansville, Ind., Colin Robinson of Skelmorlie Ayrshire, Scotland and John Carter of Benton, Ky.) all battling for starting positions alongside last year’s “Freshman of the Year,” Filip Timmerman, a native of Chile.

Only five players’ scores are counted at college meets.

“I’m really excited about the upcoming season,” Doughty said. “Bryson Potts (former Rangers teammate and now member of the Fontbonne Uni-versity team in St. Louis) and I play all the time and I head down to Paducah at least a couple times a month to meet with my personal instructor, Todd Trim-ble, to refine my swing.”

Doughty said he can already see the results.

“I’m starting to gain some distance off the tees and have improved my short game a lot from inside 100 yards. My

wedge is really coming around. I feel I am ready for college-level golf and have high expectations of myself.”

Doughty said his best round of 18 in high school was a 69 and an average round was 72 to 75. This summer, he said, he has hit 70 or better several times and that is from longer distances.

“I would say most high school courses average about 6,500 yards. Kokopelli (the Vols’ home course in Marion) is 7,200 yards. The other day there, I shot a 71 and that included one triple bogey and one double bogey. It helped that I had seven birdies.”

Doughty said he has proved to himself that he can be successful at Logan.

“The way I have been playing of late is a big confidence booster for me,” he said. “I can’t wait to get over there and meet my team-mates. I know we’re going to be a young team with all the freshmen we have, but as the season pro-gresses, I am confident that we will come together and be every bit as successful as other Logan teams.”

Hoping to Make After a standout golf career at Benton High School Bryce Doughty takes his considerable talent to John A. Logan College

l August 2010 l 31

Ferris said he’s pleased to have landed such a fine student-athlete as Doughty, who said he will eventually seek a pharmaceu-tical degree.

“I expect Bryce to be one of our top five golfers and be a solid contributor for us beginning this fall and continuing next spring when the tournaments count the most,” Ferris said. “He is very dedicated to the game and knows how to win. The competition will be good for him here and I think he will raise his level of play to meet that competition.”

Ferris added that Doughty’s familiarity with the region will be a plus in helping him get the other players acquainted with their sur-

roundings.“I expect all of our players to

strive to be the No. 1 golfer on the team and I have no doubt that Bryce will make that effort be-cause he has a good work ethic.”

Doughty credits his father, Dan, for introducing him to the game and teaching him the ropes as a youngster.

“Dad and I still get out some and play,” he said. “I always enjoy it when we can. And I’m still learn-ing from him.”

Ferris said the Benton Rangers

golf program is a sound one and helped prepare him for his college experience.

“Benton has produced some good golfers and Bryce is as consistent as any of them. I think he has a very good golf swing. He could improve his short game some more and get a little longer off the tee, but that is true of any of our players. There’s no doubt in my mind that Bryce was the best player in Southern Illinois last year. We’re glad to have him be a part of our program.”

an Impact“I expect Bryce to be one of our top

five golfers and be a solid contributor for us beginning this fall and continu-ing next spring when the tournaments count the most,” Ferris said. “He is very dedicated to the game and knows how to win. The competition will be good for him here

– Tom Ferris, JALC golf coach –

Hoping to Make

32 l August 2010 l

From where I SIT

By Tom Wheeler

Randy “Rambo’ House re-turned to the basketball coaching circle when he

was named men’s head basketball coach at Rend Lake College recently. Randy is no stranger to basketball being an all south player at Benton High school then completed an out-standing career at SIU. He was the varsity basketball coach for two years at Johnston City High School and then returned as a Ranger assistant to former boys Coach Matt Wynn. Showing his love for the game, last year he assisted Benton Rangerettes coach Seth Tate.

As a high school sophomore House was not one of the better players in the prestigious basketball program of legendary coach Rich

Herrin, but as Coach Herrin said “he just got better and better through hard work.”

As a ju-nior House was a vital part of the 83-84 team that made it to the Elite Eight where they were

defeated by Evan-ston at Assembly Hall in Champaign and as a senior, where he had a fabulous sectional, the Rangers lost to Carbondale (who they had beaten twice during the regular season) with a chance to return to the Sweet Six-

teen. An injury to point guard David Peters may have had something to do with this outcome.

As an assistant at Rend Lake in 1985 I watched Randy play many games, I also hit a couple practices to see how his relationship was with his teammates .I found him to be a great leader, a strong player but would tell head coach Mitch Haskins, “I’m not sure about his size, to small to play inside to big to play outside.” The trouble was, I didn’t realize I should have measured his heart, it was gigantic. Luckily for SIU, as-sistant coach Herm Williams signed Randy even before coach Herrin was named the Salukis head man.

Then, after four years of Coach Herrin at Benton, Randy had four more years with Herrin at SIU. Coach Herrin has told the story many times that House was one of the reasons the program improved every year. Almost daily Coach Herrin would rip into House; not always because Randy deserved it but because Her-rin knew Randy could take it and the message would get to the other play-ers. Many times Randy understood why Coach was irritable although some of the other players had no idea.

Not recruited as a scorer but as a tough rebounder and defensive play-er Randy had 16 at Wichita State as a freshman (11 double figure games). The next year his high was 27 in a win over Murray State but the giant game his sophomore year was when he scored 15 straight points in a win over Drake. His big game as a junior was 27 in a loss to Creighton (18 double figure games) and the next year he had 26 in a win over East-ern Illinois. The guy many thought was too small to play Division one basketball ended up scoring 1,121

points (28th on SIU’s scoring list).Rend Lake Athletic Director Tim

Wills, who put in 18 years as basket-ball coach of the Warriors is excited about getting Coach House to run the basketball program. Coach House is just as excited for the opportunity to work with Coach Wills of whom Ran-dy said, “I will be picking his brain on so many aspects of the job.”

What kind of players will Coach House recruit? I say guys whose heart size is the only size that mat-ters, guys that can’t stand to lose, guys that are overachievers, guys that will screen out their grandmother to get a rebound, guys that aren’t suppose to be in big games but somebody forgot to tell them, guys who the cheerleaders will want to take home to Sunday dinners, guys who have a certain “swagger’ but has the confidence to back it up, and guys that no one else thought could play college basketball. Yes, he will recruit guys like Randy House!

Good luck Rambo!!That’s the way it looks From

Where I Sit this month.

l August 2010 l 33

JALCJournal

By Teri Campbell

When the John A. Logan College men’s golf team opens

its fall season, it will do so with almost a completely new roster. Gone are All-Americans Marcelo Rozo and Matt Smith as well as solid contributors Jamie Stocks (Trico High School), Joe Goel-zhauser, and Adam Butler. These players formed the nucleus of the two most successful golf seasons in Logan’s history, including a national championship in 2009, a runner-up finish at nationals last spring, and a record number of wins.

The only returning member of the team is sophomore Filip Timmerman from Santiago, Chile. He had an excellent freshman year for the Volunteers, earn-ing NJCAA All-American honors last spring and receiving the Phil Mickelson Award as the top com-munity college freshman golfer in the country.

“We lost a lot of good, experi-enced players to graduation, and we’re glad to have Filip back,” said Tom Ferris, head coach of the Volunteers. “He’s a talented, aggressive player, and he played well for us last year. He was the medalist at our tournament last fall, and winning the Phil Mickel-son Award is a great honor and

shows how highly he’s thought of. He’ll probably be considered the best junior college player coming into the season, and I expect a lot out of him. His leadership and experience will be important to our success this year.”

The rest of the squad is made up of freshmen, including John Carter from Benton, Ky., Bryce Doughty of Benton, Ill., Colin Hendrickson of Loveland, Colo., Jered Hogan from East Alton, Ill., Drew Hrvatin from Evansville, Ind., Colin Robinson from Ayrshire, Scotland, and Derek Rohlfing of Effingham.

Despite having a young team, Ferris says he is optimis-tic about the season.

“Filip is definitely our leader, but I feel like this new group has a lot of talent,” Ferris said. “These guys are a mix of power players and finesse players, and they are all good ball strik-ers. Colin Robinson and Drew Hrvatin have very good cre-dentials, and Colin Hendrick-son is an outstanding player. Bryce Doughty is probably the best player in southern Illinois, and we feel fortunate to have a local player of his caliber. All of these players have had success, but they are all fresh-men so we’ll have to see how they mature and how well they adjust to college golf.”

The team will be tested right out of the gate. The Volun-teers will begin their campaign with the Region 24 Preview Tournament at Franklin County Country Club in West Frankfort on August 27-28. They will follow that tournament immediately by hosting the Logan Invitational at Kokopelli Golf Club in Marion.

“We’ll play two tournaments back to back to start the season, and that’s a good way to as-sess where we are competitively against good competition,” Ferris said. “It will also let us know what we need to work on for the rest of the fall.”

For more information on the JALC men’s golf team, visit the John A. Logan College athletics website at: www.jalc.edu/athlet-ics.

Ferris, Timmerman Lead Logan Golf into Fall Season

34 l August 2010 l

With the 2010 high school football season set to kick off let’s take a trek

down memory lane at some high-lights of years gone by.

1960-1961Champaign News Gazette list

there All State team which included Anna-Jonesboro’s quarterback Tom Henderson and his coach Gerry Hart. Other names on the list includes Art McCaskill of Centralia, coached by Jimmy Evers, Dick Butkus of Chicago Vocational and Fred Riddle of Col-linsville coached by Virgil Fletcher. West Frankfort sophomore Bobby Brown was a “honorable mention.”

1970-71Black Diamond’s Most

valuable offensive player was Christopher’s John Kretz while the most valuable defensive player was the Bearcats middle guard Alan Gunter. South Seven MVP was Mike Waller of Carbon-dale while honorary captain was Centralia’s Ed Royal. Southwest Egyptian’s MVP was Nashville’s Bob Habbe while honorary captain was DuQuoin’s Sam Lioacono. MVP of the All Independent team was Metropolis’s Carl Johnson. Leading scorers in the south was Johnston City’s Keith McKowan (132 pts.), Metropolis’s Johnson (121 pts), Christopher’s Brett Twitty (110 pts) and Sesser-Valier’s Ray Bates (90 pts). New coaches in South included Gary Glenzy, Pinckneyville, June Decker, Carterville and West Frank-fort’s Paul Grammer….

1980-1981Passing leaders included Steve

McCoy of Mt. Vernon and J.D. Tom-

linson. of Johnston City while leading rushers included Cameron Riley of Metropolis and Sesser-Valier’s Mark Petro. Top receivers were Carbon-dale’s Stewart Coleman and Mt. Vernons Ben Dogan. Christopher’s Darren Burnett and Harrisburg’s Bruce Cullers were two of the top scorers. Sesser-Valiers Mike Styve was the Player of the Year in the Black Dianmond while Elverado’s Greg Anderson was honorary cap-tain. West Frankfort’s Joe Eader was the South Seven’s Player of the year while Harrisburgs’ Joe Gholson was honorary captain. An interest-ing game this season was when Christopher opened the season with Marion, Elverado was on a teachers strike and so was Johnston City so the Bearcats and Wildcats

tangled in Marion. The Wildcats won 14-0 as a 6-feet-2-inch

Junior named Mark “Bubba” Palmer scored from 17 yards out for the clinching score; he then kicked an-other extra point for the final margin

1990-91Black Diamond fullback Talion Ed-

wards was the Most Valuable Player while Sesser-Valier’s Clark Lance was offensive captain while Chris-topher’s Jacob Ping was defensive captain. Lance also led the South in rushing. Herrin’s John Vaughn won the Jim Lovin award for the top lineman presented by the SICA, a fa-miliar football name on this all south team was linebacker Brett Deter-ing of Nashville. Top passers were Mike Davis of Elverado and Chad Altadona of Centralia. Top receivers was Jeremy Jackson of Elverado and Jermaine Gray of Carterville. Car-bondale quarterback Braden Gibbs was named Player of the Year in the south. At Benton Rob Rizor took his brother Scott’s place at quarterback following Scott’s injury

1970 leading scorer Keith McK-owan of Johnston city

New coach Gary Glenzy (center) of Pinckneyville (1970) joins veteran Southwest Egyptian coaches Bob Karnes of Du Quoin and Mike Taylor of Nashville

l August 2010 l 35

Mind Over

Matter

Kevin Stubblefield is living proof

that faith, family, friends and the

power of positive thinking

can overcome any obstacle

or setback

36 l August 2010 l

By Joe Szynkowski

Kevin Stubblefield’s story is more than broken bones, paralysis, heart-

break and lost loved ones. It rings of rejuvenation, rehabilitation, dedication and faith.

And strength. Lots and lots of strength.

The 40-year-old Benton na-tive power-lifted his way to the top of his weight class in the last two Superman Classic bench-press competitions in Metropolis. Stubblefield won trophies and set records in the wheelchair division by benching 330 pounds in 2008 and 375 pounds last year.

But a barbell full of weight is not the heaviest thing he has ever

lifted. Not even close. His mas-sive shoulders bear the brunt of bad breaks that he carries with him as he tries to rebuild a broken life.

That’s why he allows only posi-tive thoughts to enter his mind. He’s already been dealt enough drama.

“I just won’t have negative around me,” Stubblefield said. “I don’t like it. You have to look at the bright side of everything. That’s the only way you make it through.”

‘Fight to the Very End’Stubblefield stayed positive

even as a high school football player for Benton, which won only

four games during his time as a Ranger. His tenure on the gridiron got off to a shaky start when he broke his right fe-mur during his first game against Mount Vernon.

“I was a running back then and I took a handoff to the left,” he recalled. “I got to the sideline and tried to get some extra yardage instead of going out of bounds and they absolutely nailed me.”

But neither the injury nor the losing seasons could slow Stub-blefield’s resolve. He rehabbed his leg and went on to play football his sophomore and senior seasons, while also finding suc-cess on the wrestling squad.

“You just have to suck it up,” he

“I just won’t have negative around me. I don’t like it. You have to look at the bright side of everything. That’s the only way you make it through.”

– Kevin Stubblefield –

l August 2010 l 37

said. “We were never really good in football, but our coaches taught us to never quit. That was instilled in us and that’s kind of what I’ve leaned on to this day.”

Former teammate and long-time friend Barry Vaughn said Stubblefield’s commitment was contagious.

“He was always the guy on the field that whether we were win-ning or losing by three or four touchdowns, he would never give up,” Vaughn said. “He’d always fight to the very end. And that at-titude and drive has really helped him push through everything.”

‘The Worst Day of My Life’

The pain of a fractured femur was nothing compared to the heartbreak Stubblefield experi-enced on Nov. 19, 1994, when he and his girlfriend were involved in a car accident. He walked away. She passed away.

“That was the worst day of my life,” he said. “It was just horrible for everybody involved. That’s when I hit rock bottom.”

They say it’s darkest just before dawn. Stubblefield says

dawn came the next month on Dec. 11.

“I was saved that day and I received

Jesus Christ as my savior,” Stubblefield said. “I completely redirected my life. And I’ve been through a lot of things that I give him credit for.

“I used to drink and chew to-bacco. I’m proud to say I haven’t done any of that stuff since the day I was saved.”

Vaughn has known Stubblefield for nearly 30 years and has been impressed with the shift in his friend’s priorities.

“Out of anybody I know, he has the most integrity,” Vaughn said. “He is extremely principled and holds his friendships and his fam-ily very high … that’s why he’s got such a large number of friends. He’s just got this draw to him and people really are pulled in by his personality.”

Two Days of CryingStubblefield’s hardships con-

tinued on a Sunday morning in January of 1998.

“I woke up with about 20 min-utes of really sharp chest pains. I woke my mom up and she took me to the emergency room in Benton and I had some chest X-rays. What was weird was I felt totally fine pretty soon after that and thought it was just a one-time thing.”

But the doctor informed Stubblefield the next day that he had suffered an aneurysm in his descending aorta, the part of the heart that sends blood down to the lower extremities. He was rushed to Springfield for emer-gency surgery, during which he experienced serious complica-tions. Too much time on a heart-lung machine, which takes over the functions of the heart and lungs during open-heart surger-ies, left Stubblefield paralyzed from the waist down.

“That was devastating,” Stubblefield said. “Here I was a 28-year-old in the best shape of my life at that point. I was working out, playing basketball, running three times a week … and then, out of nowhere, I have no move-ment below the waist. I spent the first 48 hours crying.”

Stubblefield credits his mother with drying his tears and pushing him through yet another chal-lenge.

“Out of anybody I know, he has the most integrity. He is extremely principled and holds his friendships and his family very high … that’s why he’s got such a large number of friends. He’s just got this draw to him and people really are pulled in by his personality.”

– Barry Vaughn, former teammate and longtime friend –

38 l August 2010 l

“My mom has been a rock,” he said. “She is my role model. My grandma was also a big part of my life and she actually passed away while I was in rehab. I was very close to her and that was a devastating time. As soon as her funeral ended, I was back up at rehab. I had just lost someone I loved dearly and I had to focus on getting better. My mom just kept on me and we did what we had to do.”

‘Against All Odds’

Stubblefield has found comfort in the weight room since his eighth-grade year. It’s a place of peace for a man who certainly deserves a little tranquility.

“I don’t really think about rehab or draw off all the stuff that’s happened when I’m lifting weights,” he said. “I’m just built for the bench press. I’ve got short arms and a big chest. It’s

an explosive lift and I’ve always been pretty good at it.”

A November four-wheeler accident broke Stubblefield’s right femur for the second time, forc-ing the gym-rat to take a six-month layoff from hit-ting the bench at Benton Fitness Center.

“We modified his work-out to use cables to work his chest until the doctor cleared him to get back on the bench,” said Stub-blefield’s longtime friend and workout partner Ed Hungate. “Once he was able to lift again, I told him maybe we’d start small with 145 pounds, three sets of 10. He started laughing and did that 20 times … he just kept increasing the weight and ended up doing 315 pounds twice. It was phenomenal. That weight room was electric with en-

ergy. Ev-ery-body

was watching him. It’s just amazing to see him do what he’s doing

Benton Fitness Center employee CJ Easter helps Stubblefield back to his wheelchair.

l August 2010 l 39

against all odds.”

Stubblefield gradu-ated in 2008 from Southern Illinois Uni-versity Carbondale with a master’s de-gree in social work. He now works, fitting-ly, in the rehabilita-tion unit at St. Mary’s Good Samaritan Hospital in Mount Vernon. Negative is not allowed in the rehab unit.

“I think knowing that I went through

rehab myself, people there can relate to me and take my advice serious-ly,” Stubblefield said. “I feel like I can impact lives.

“I don’t feel bad for myself and I tell people not to feel sorry for me. So many people have it so much worse than me. After my aneurysm, there was a guy across from me in the hospital and he had to eat through a feeding tube and breathe with a machine. I watched him go through that and re-alized I was lucky … life isn’t over just because I’m paralyzed. There’s a lot to do out there.”

Joe Szynkowski is a freelance writer for SISC. He can be reached at [email protected]

40 l August 2010 l

By Jim Muir

Two longtime advocates and champions for un-derprivileged children in

Southern Illinois – Dale Fowler and Bill Bonan II – have joined forces.

Fowler, of Harrisburg, and Bonan, of Benton, formed the Fowler-Bonan Foundation, a not-for-profit organization that will focus on helping needy children throughout Southern Illinois.

While this is the first year the newly-formed foundation will be in charge of the golf outing, this is the sixth year overall for the event that has been spearheaded since its inception by Fowler and Bonan and sponsored through the Sa-line County United Way. Through those first five years the event has helped provide more than 1,000 underprivileged children in the area with new clothes and tennis shoes.

“This foundation gives us the opportunity to grow even more than we already have,” said Fowl-er. “Our original goal was to take

Clothes for Kids has record setting day benefitting Southern Illinois children

Giving Back

Top: Jacob Mills tees off on the first hole at Shawnee Hills C.C.

Middle: Patrick Bittle follows through his tee-shot on the sec-ond hole at Shawnee Hills C.C.

Bottom: Ben Fowler watches his drive on the second hole at Shawnee Hills C.C.

l August 2010 l 41

care of a few kids each year in Saline County but the community support has been overwhelming and the need is certainly there. We realized that if we can do this in Saline County we can also do it in Pope and Hardin and Gallatin and Franklin and Williamson counties.

Through this foundation our vi-sion is now to help take care of kids all over Southern Illinois.”

Even the overly optimistic Fowl-er and Bonan couldn’t have imag-ined the success the annual junior

golf tournament would have in only five short years, noting that from a somewhat humble beginning in 2005 when $1,500 was raised the event raised more than $26,000 this year exceeding the 2009 mark by more than $11,000.

Fowler, who serves as presi-dent of the Saline County United Way and is a board member and

Kelsey Hobbs hits an approach shot at Shawnee Hills C.C.

Medals given to all the participants.

past president of the Southern Il-linois United Way, said People’s National Bank was first in line to lend financial support in the inau-gural event in 2005 and noted that Bonan has been involved every year. Bonan, president of the Har-risburg, Marion and Benton facili-ties owned by People’s National Bank, said he sees a double ben-

42 l August 2010 l

When the occasion calls for a gift. . . Give a Southern Illinois

Sports Connection subscription.

Just $34.95 per yearSend Check or Money Order to:

SISC,PO Box 174,

Sesser, IL 62884

or Visit our website:

sisportsconnection.com

l August 2010 l 43

efit in the junior golf tournament.“It gets kids involved in help-

ing to raise money for others who might not be as fortunate,” said Bonan. “If we can teach kids to give back at an early age like this we’ll all be better off. I think this is something we can do for kids throughout Southern Illinois. It’s just been a great experience for all of us involved.”

With a mission statement focus-ing on building confidence and self esteem in the youth of Southern Illinois the Fowler-Bonan Foun-dation officially kicked off July 15 with the “Clothes for Kids Junior Golf Day” that was held at Shaw-nee Hills Country Club in Harris-burg.

SISC photographer Christo-pher Kays attended the event and caught much of the action through his lens.

Noah Bowles participates in the put-ting contest. Hayden Gaskins works on her put-

ting game as her dad watches over her.

Workers update the pledge board during the telethon portion.

44 l August 2010 l

Richard Graceffa competes in the putting contest as Bill Bonan watches.

Come out Southern Illinois!Show your colors and salute your veterans at

our 6th annual

Veterans On Parade

September 11, 201011:00 a.m.

Main Street in Marion, IL

Thank you to our major sponsors: People’s National BankMarion Elks BP #800

Pepsi MidAmerica • Southern IllinoisanThe City of Marion • Lifeline EMRS

For more information call Ed Davis 993-3379

l August 2010 l 45

46 l August 2010 l

question and answer session with the 2010 All-Stars, followed by an autograph session and a pitching clinic. Jake McMurran and Jereme Milons were among the Southern Illinois All-Star reps, alongside the legendary mascot of the Miners, Big John.

“KFVS-12 interviewed Miners All-Star set-up man Jake McMur-ran as part of the festivities. The kids were all over Jake, he was a big hit. McMurran hung out with all the kids for a while and then signed some autographs,” Phelan said.

Terra Brenner visited the Light-house Shelter with a number of all-stars, including East Team Manager from the Oakland Coun-ty Cruisers, Gera Alvarez. The Lighthouse Shelter is an organiza-tion providing for the homeless of Marion, Illinois. It is a faith-based organization dedicated to pro-moting the general welfare of the homeless in Southern Illinois. The shelter has three wings, which, ideally, can serve up to 60 men, women and families. West division All-Star reps like Gateway’s Bran-don Peters and Southern Illinois’ very own Nate Hall made appear-ances.

“I spent time with the kids, along with Frontier League Commis-ioner Bill Lee, the Miners mascot Dyn-o-mite and some of the All-Stars who signed autographs and took pictures with the families,” Brenner said.

Sarah Chamness directed the operation as she visited the VA Hospital of Marion, which provides healthcare services to veterans of war from Southern Illinois. It’s a system that provides and reaches

out to the community bases out-patient clinics. Chamness was joined by a handful of 2010 All-Stars for the festivities, includ-ing Miners All-Stars Brendan Akashian, Stephen Head, Mike Damchuk and Brad Miller who met with vets and signed auto-graphs, as well as, taking photo-graphs and spending some qual-ity time with them.

All in all, the All-Star week hosted by the Southern Illinois Miners was more than just an athletic exhibition from the best and brightest of the Frontier League. It was an opportunity for all those involved to give back to the Southern Illinois community that has so lovingly embraced the Miners. Executive Vice Pres-ident of the Miners Erik Haag, alongside General Manager Tim Arseneau, planned out the week’s festivities, which ended up becoming an unprecedented week of exciting and interactive events. For many residents of Southern Illinois, it granted them an opportunity to sit down and get to know the baseball players they have come to appreciate along the way. In a society that sometimes fails to appreciate those who are less fortunate, the Miners organization made an ef-fort to give back to the countless supporters of Southern Illinois in a heartfelt manner. The 2010 All-Star week at Rent One Park sur-passed its expectations as just another exhibition game, and turned itself into a life-impacting experience for those involved.

The Southern Illinois Min-ers organization wanted to give back to the com-

munity over the All-Star break. The 2010 All-Stars from the East and West divisions paired up with Miners front office staff members Billy Richards, Sarah Chamness, Robyn Phelan and Terra Brenner to visit the Boys and Girls Club, Marion VA Medical Center, TLC Learning Center, and The Light-house Shelter. The Boys and Girls Club motto sums up the organiza-tion’s tireless efforts over the past week to reach out to those in need: “To inspire and enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to realize their full poten-tial as productive, responsible and caring citizens.”

Miners Assistant General Man-ager Billy Richards brought a group of all-stars to the TLC Learn-ing Center where they signed au-tographs and spent some quality time with the children. TLC works with healthcare professionals to help deliver the fastest and most flexible services by providing im-mediate and urgent support for children and their families in a hos-pital. 2008 Frontier League Train-er of the Year Chris Stone joined the festivities with Miners All-Stars Todd Martin, Joe Augustine and Dustin Brader in an effort to return the favor to their loyal supporters.

“After the kids were set up with autographed pictures of the play-ers, we had the players break off into six groups and actually read books to the kids,” said Richards.

Robyn Phelan went to the Boys and Girls Club of Carbondale, where the children got to act like a member of the media with a

All-Stars Shine Off DiamondBy: Tony Piraro

Southern Illinois Miners Media Relations Intern

l August 2010 l 47

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