Crabtree going for 60

It is mid summer and I have already got football fever. Normally, I do not begin my column until the first week of football season, but this year I have become anxious to get going.
Coach Steve Jewell and his staff are working hard in preparation for the upcoming season and as I await that first game, so does a Redhound fan who has attended every home Redhound game since 1946. That number of seasons will reach sixty with the coming season, that gentleman is George Crabtree.
My first memories of George were when he played softball for the first Methodist Church of Corbin in 1957, and I as a 16 year old youngster stepped into the batters box for the Sacred Heart Church team.
I looked down toward third base and saw this steely-eyed muscular figure who was playing in so close, I thought he was going to get in the batters box with me. I couldn’t bunt because he was so close, and I could not hit it by him because of his quick reflex, consequently George made a right field hitter of me.
I spoke with Mr. Crabtree last week and we talked of he and his family. When they moved to Corbin from Middlesboro, George was a sophomore. In those days, as it is now, the acceptance of George and his brother, Jack, was somewhat tentative.
It was at this time that a young mane who was among the best ever to play at Corbin High School, took young George under his wing, and that was Bobby Coleman.
Until today, George describes Bobby Coleman “as great a person as he was a ballplayer.”
George was an end on his team and his brother Jack a big strong tackle, on that 1941 team.
That team was led by Hall of Famer, Bobby Coleman and O’dell Byrley.
George served his country in World War II and returned to Corbin in 1946 and has attended every home game for 59 years.
I asked George which football team, in his opinion was the best he watched over all those years and he said there were a lot of good teams, but he would have to pick the ’55 state championship team as the best. He felt the Bird brothers were the best backs. George spoke of Calvin turning the corner with a pitchout and out running everybody and how Billy could yes everybody on the field, even the officials, as he used his great broken field running.
George spoke highly of Cam Jones, but said he felt that Walt Green was the best coach we ever had.
I enjoyed talking with Mr. Crabtree very much and I hope he attends Redhounds games for another sixty years.
I had the pleasure of playing golf with an old friend and teammate for many years ago a couple of weeks ago.
Frank Pietrowski, the youngest of the three basketball playing Pietrowski’s produced by Tony and Mae Pietrowski came in to visit his brother, Paul, and his mother, Mae, in Cincinnati. We took the opportunity to work in 18 holes and we had a great time.
Corbin has produced many brother acts in the field of athletics, the Birds, the Selvys, the Smiths, the Chandlers, the Howards were among many families whose brothers gained glory on the athletic fields and courts.
Charles Anthony Pietrowski was one of my first heros as I watched him play at St. Camillus when I was in grade school. Charlie was an outstanding player. I later was a teammate of Paul and Frank. I can tell first hand they too, were great players. It was really nice to see Frank after many years.
By the way, two other members of the golf outing were coach Tony Pietrowski, the son of Paul and future Redhound, Bailey, the grandson of Paul.
I have watched a lot of basketball this summer, and I really enjoy watching Coach Pietrowski and his staff work with the young group of kids they have coming up.
They are very young but I feel it is going to be a lot of fun watching them develop.