Sweet 16 always brings back good memories

When it comes to the boys high school “Sweet Sixteen” basketball tournament, I become a kid again.

I get almost as excited as Bill Crook does, and nobody gets more excited about it than him We are especially excited this year because the Corbin Redhounds are representing the 13th Region. Win, lose or draw, this is one of the best Corbin teams I have ever seen play. I’ve never seen a better coached team than this one. Tony Pietrowski has matured to be one of the best, if not the best, coach in the state. And what a great bunch of kids playing for him. If you mapped out your ideal team, this one would be it.

In addition to talent the young people have character and sportsmanship. What a grand time it is for our community to get behind this team. Sure, we are playing one of the best teams in the state, Louisville Eastern, but Corbin is also one of the best teams in the state. In my memory the Hounds have achieved the highest ranking, #4, of any Corbin team in the last 57 years.

My enthusiasm for the high school tournament goes back to my school days. I can remember listening to the radio in 1952 when Corbin was playing Cuba, the eventual state champion. I remember hearing Calvin Bird talk on the radio. His big brother Jerry was the star of the Corbin team. I had never been to the tournament and to hear a classmate as young as me talk on the radio blew my mind.

When I went to college I got my first opportunity to broadcast the tournament on WVLK in Lexington. The games were played at Memorial Coliseum. It was the year that the great Ashland team featuring Larry Conley and Harold Sergent won the tournament. The next year the big show was held at Freedom hall in Louisville and I was there with Ted Grizzard on WVLK. What a thrill to see Mike Silliman of St. Xavier play in the opening game.

The next year it was Wes Unseld and the list goes on and on. I’m pretty sure I sill hold the record for calling the most games in succession at the tournament, that being 450 games without missing one. I did come close to missing one though. I was sick, really sick, but I made it to halftime before I had to give it up.

Corbin Coach Bill Smith literally carried me out of Freedom Hall to my motel room. After a few hours of recovery I was back that night doing the evening session. When I finally gave up the microphone in 1991 I teamed up with my buddy Bill Crook and we have been attending ever since as spectators.

One of my biggest thrills came in 1991 when Coach Billy Hicks Redhounds broke a 39 year drought and won the region. I called that game and from time to time I watch the video. I’ve also had the thrill of broadcasting the Whitley County girls state championship from Bowling Green. I wouldn’t take anything for the excitment in my life created when I was a small boy slipping in the back door of the Edwards Gym to watch Roy Kidd, C.D. Vermillion, Zeke Perkins, Jerry Bird, Bob Cathers and others play for the Redhounds.

All the teams I’ve watched bring back special memories. This year’s team is very special. Led by Josh Crawford, it has produced some of the best moments I have had in following the Redhounds.

Our thanks to the many sponsors who advertised in our special section about the Redhounds this week. You really know which businesses are a part of and involved in our community when you do a project like this.

Please support these fine folks and tell them how you appreciate their support in making this extra section possible.

These are the people we can count on. And Good Luck Hounds!!!!