I heard from Richard Hamlin last week. Richard is a long time Redhound supporter who has an excellent recall of Redhound history.

What prompted Richard’s call was last week’s Furman University win over South Carolina which had to bring a smile to the faces of such Furman alumni as Frank Selvy, Jerry Smith, Boyce Frederick, Edd Selvy, David Selvy, Charles “Curly” Selvy and Seth Hauser.

This list of athletes were Corbin High School graduates who found their way to Greenville, South Carolina and helped bring the Furman University athletic program to prominence.

Corbin High School’s connection with Furman began in the early 50’s when three or four Corbin kids decided to go to Furman’s beautiful campus and try out for a football scholarship and Frank Selvy was going along for the ride.

I am not sure exactly how it came about, but someone at Furman noticed that young Selvy had a talent for putting a basketball through a hook, and the rest as they say is history.

Frank and his Redhound teammate Robert Barton, who was also an outstanding basketball player headed to Greenville where Selvy was to put Furman on the national basketball map.

Selvy and later Jerry Smith of Corbin were Furman All-Americans.

Like Richard Hamlin, there are many strong Redhound fans out there, but there are few who live and die more with the ‘Hounds than Henry “Buddy” Martin.

Henry has been a faithful supporter of the Redhound athletics for as long as I can remember, and they are fortunate to have him.

Recreation Programs

As I look at our city recreation program and our City Recreational Manager, Marlon Sams, I cannot help but be proud. We have the Princess McBurney Center, the municipal swimming pool and Miller Park, all under the direction of Sams, which believe me, keeps his plate full.

This week is Cumberland Falls Invitational time, and this year’s field is led by Scott County, Clay County, Whitley County and of course the host Corbin Redhounds. Scott County is led by former Redhound coach Billy Hicks. It should be an exciting week.

Redhound of the past

This week’s Redhound from the past is Myrv Grigsby from the outstanding 1965 Redhound basketball team. Grigsby was a lightning quick forward who would take the ball to the basket with reckless abandon, and was an excellent defender. Myrv’s grandson, Grant Grigsby was a strong defensive lineman as a sophomore on this year’s football Redhounds.

Myrv Grigsby always a Redhound.

All-State blunders

I have been told that not one member of the Redhounds football team was mentioned in any respect to the Courier Journal All-State Football Team.

The Redhounds finished 11-3 and in the final four of 2A football, losing to this year’s state champion, Newport Central Catholic.

I can only conclude from the findings of whoever picked the all-state team, that surely Redhound Coach Steve Jewell was named Coach of the Year.

Final Thought

A final thought – As I reflect upon the assurances that my many Republican friends have given me that the tax cut to the wealthy will trickle down to us less fortunate. As I look out the window all I see trickling down are snowflakes.

 The Corbin Redhounds opened basketball season Friday night with a win over a pretty good Pendleton County team by a score of 64-46. Pendleton County played the next day at South Laurel and beat the Cardinals, 64-59.

The Redhounds followed that win with a 62-47 victory over Lexington Sayre Saturday. Clay County was at Gilliam Gym Tuesday night in what should have been a very interesting game.

The Redhounds play four seniors, Hunter Sizemore, Brody Freeman, Taylor Jones and Matthew Taylor, along with a very experienced and talented junior, Travis Smith and their big man in the middle, sophomore Robbie Igo.

The Redhounds also get help from the bench, freshmen Donnie Wilson, Andrew Johnson and Zack Farley.

Senior Bailey Pietrowski came in the game in the second quarter and hit a big three-point shot at the buzzer against Pendleton County.

This is a very scrappy Redhound team. They may be beaten, but they will never be out-scrapped.

Cats drop close game 

The Kentucky Wildcats of Coach John Calipari dropped a close one at North Carolina over the weekend. The ‘Cats played very hard, but came up a little short. This may be a problem for the remainder of the season should Enes Kanter not be ruled eligible and even if Kanter is ruled eligible, the ‘Cats are still playing with a short bench.

Foul trouble or injuries could plague the ‘Cats all year.

Someone, I don’t remember who made the statement a while back, said, “Darnell Dodson was better than Doron Lamb.”

Not so! Lamb showed his metal on a big stage in Chapel Hill.

The quality of the ‘Cats players is excellent, the quantity is where they suffer.

 Great bloodlines

Looking at the bloodlines of Redhound sophomore Robbie Igo, brings back fond memories from years gone by.

In 1954 as a young boy, I was listening to the “Sweet Sixteen’ on the radio and one of the team playing was the Hazard Bulldogs. As I listened intently to the championship game, I kept hearing “Igo to Cox” for the basket.

Igo was Robbie Igo’s grandfather Robert “BOB” Igo and Cox was Johnny Cox who was later an All-American and led the University of Kentucky to the 1958 National Championship.

Bob Igo went on to play football at Morehead State. When Bob came to Corbin, it was as head football coach at Lynn Camp.

Bob’s son Johnny was later an outstanding center on the Redhounds’ football team, and now young Robbie is the man in the middle for the running Redhounds.

 Redhound of the Past

This week’s Redhound from the past comes from the decade of the ‘90s. Nolan Vaughn was an All-State center for the Redhounds. He went on to play at the University of the Kentucky where Nolan was named to Farm Magazine’s Second Team All-America Team in 2000.

Nolan Devaughn always a Redhound.