Looking Back

Finally, high school basketball will open full tilt on Tuesday, November 28 and the running Redhounds will host the Middlesboro Yellow Jackets at Gilliam Gym.
I have read all the preseason coverage of state and local newspapers in Kentucky and I have come to the conclusion that some of the coaches and some of the reporters have their radios on, but they are not on the right station.
I saw in one publication where coach Anthony Pennington of Lynn Camp mentioned numerous contenders for the 13th region title and several top players in the region without mentioning the Corbin Redhounds or Josh Crawford as a top player in the region. I guess coach Pennington rarely has an opportunity to see the Redhounds or Crawford in action.
I have peeked in a few times on Coach Tony Pietrowski and his squad and I have been very impressed. Coach “P” runs a very well organized practice session. As good as any high school coach I have ever seen.
The Hounds are very young and will have some tough moments at times this season, but they will get better with each practice and each game and at tournament time will definitely be a strong contender for the 13th region crown.
On Saturday November 21, a banquet was held at Pine Mountain State Park in honor of Walt Green, who served as football coach at Pineville High School, Bell County High School, Middlesboro High School, Corbin High School and Hazard High School in the 50s and 60s and left an indelible impression on each player he coached at each school. I do not have a complete list of all who attended, but I do know a few and I am sure coach Green must have been overwhelmed.
D.L. Lynch, Lowell Wyatt, Jesse Grant, Mel Chandler and Rodger Bird that I know of represented Corbin High School. And Calvin Bird who never played for Coach Green but made the coaches’ life miserable when Calvin played for the Hounds against coach Green’s Yellow Jackets of Middlesboro.
Middlesboro was also well represented with Paul Braden, Tom “Chalk” Stapleton, Uly’s Day being a few names I recall, along with John Brock from Bell High. A wonderful group of men honoring an individual that helped shape their lives.
I quickly think of players from Corbin who have passed away over the years that would have attended if given the opportunity such as Keith Hutson, Billy Bird, Fred Rader, C. S. Frederick, Ron Boone, E.R. Hopper and I am sure there are others who do not immediately come to mind and still others from the other teams.
I received an email from Judy Boone a week or so ago thanking me for remembering Ron in one of my earlier columns. Thank you Judy, Ron will always live in my memory as well.
Last week’s mystery team was the 1957-58 edition of the Woodbine Trojans. The Trojans beat Barbourville Rosenwald before losing to Knox Central in the 50th District Tournament that season. Ron Parker of Williamsburg called in the right answer.
There were 11 teams in the 50th District tournament that year, and my next mystery roster also played in the same district the same year. Can you identify the roster?
They were the Hornets and their coach was Glen Leger. Their cheerleaders were Carol Miller, Beulah Hudson, Cecilia Angel, Patsy Harp and Lynda White.
This team lost in the first-round of the 50th District to Williamsburg in the 1958 tournament.
One of the players on that year’s team has a son who is the news anchor on the CBS affiliate out of Lexington. Does anyone recognize this team?
Members of that team were Ova Brown, Joe Broyles, Bill Bryant, Jewell Cobb, Harold Jackson, Raymond McDonald, Bruce Rose, Johnny Terrell, Phillip Rollins, Darrell Mink, Charles Widner and Frank Alsip.