Sam thanks for sharing with me.I think maybe one of the sadder things
about celebrity is that you never really get to know the people you
found interesting and I am speaking from the viewpoint of the
celebrated. I had a Government finance class once in one of the old
quonset huts behind the commerce college at OSU Alex Grozas brother
,LOU was in the class. Heck of a nice guy, seemed to work hard at
being even nicer, but the strain was obvious.... You're right !! I do
consider you a GOOD,,,,YOUNG.....76.
Thank you, Dave.
Ernie Rigrish did play football at Eastern. I learned only when I interviewed Bill Berry and his son, Jeff, for my "Softball" book, that Bill was Ernie's step father and Ernie was raised in their family. Sarah Rapp also e-mailed me to remind us that Lawrence Daniels was a kicker for Eastern.
If one could check it out, it would be close between Ohio U and Eastern for the number of Portsmouth athletes who played for them. Marshall might be third, but I think only of Steve Duncan, but, of course, Dave Hamilton and Terry Gardner were on the first Marshall team after the fatal plane crash (We Are Marshall). Steve graduated Marshall the year before the crash. Miami of Ohio might well be first though and Cincinnati would be a consideration. I think only of Pat James at UK and no UK basketball players from our area. Adolph Rupp was definitely after Larry Hisle, but he chose professional baseball and Ohio state.
The old P'Town area has fond athletic memories, does it not.
Sam
----- Original Message -----
From: Dave Miller
To: Sam Kegley
Sent: Tuesday, May 26, 2009 10:40 PM
Subject: Re: =========MAYBE.
hey sam. I enjoy the contact between you and Jack. being an old mabert rd boy. I used to chase rays punts up and down the street. I seem to temember ernie rigerish went to eastern, While bruadcasting Marshall and we were at eastern, I thought I saw his picture on a wall.I was also trying to chase his sister Phyllis. LOL. dave miller
Jack,
You consider me young, but remember I am 76. Jones, Beard, Groza, Rollins, and ?. I had to go to one of my collection of UK Basketball Guides and reading glasses to get James Line. It was 1948 and they won everything but lost to Phillips Oilers, the AAU Champs. They were an important part of the 1948 USA Olympic Team. Adolph rupp helped coach the Olympians. The USA won eight games and the World Championship in London, England. I was sixteen then and highly into sandlot basketball at Highland School courts against the likes of my good friend, Dick Klitch and other fine players, many of whom did not make the highly touted Portsmouth Trojans. Dick only made the Trojans in his senior season and did an outstanding job.
The One UK fellow made AA one year and didn't start the next( perhaps that was sophomore Jim Line, due to the outstanding players returning from the big war in the late forties. The basketball history which has entertained jeanie and me throughout our years (we have been married fifty-seven years) melds together in my mind.
I might even put Issel and Pratt and Macy and Mashburn on the same team at times due to my melting pot of memory.
I have met Wah Wah a couple of times in Lexington. And Marvin Akers (UK43) and his wife became our friends while we served on the UK National Alumni Board together.
Most of the UK players I have met would probably not remember this Mound Park Urchin.
Thanks for the memories, Jack.
Go Cats!
Sam
There are great hopes among the wildcatnation fans www.wildcatnation.net for SamKat and all for John Calipari and the future of our Wil;dcats.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jack H Plymale"
To: "Sam Kegley"
Sent: Monday, May 25, 2009 9:24 PM
Subject: Re: =========MAYBE.
> Sam , of course Ray Pelfrey and Walt Green are old team mates of mine
> Walt was two years younger. Smokey was a few years older . I don't
> know how many. I had offers from Eastern. Rome Rankin called me twice
> and wrote me twice.I ,truely,was not that good but there weren't a
> lot of guys available then and I wasn't either for long. Ray went to
> Auburn first then back to Eastern. If Ray is not the best, all around
> athlete I ever knew, he is second or third. One of the reasons we had
> such a good football team in 1944 is that Jim Fout and Doc Yeagle
> could control Pelfrey. He had hugh respect for both of them, and was
> afraid Doc would kill him at any time.( Can you name UK's fabulus
> five(not fab five0 in2 minutes. You already have Wah Wah Jones and
> Ralph Beard
>
> On 5/25/09, Sam Kegley
>> I have been truly happy with the job Calipari is doing, Jack. His dribble,
>> drive, motion offense is much bertter to the likes of Adolph's style.
>>
>> Several old Trojans played football for Eastern Kentucky- Smokey Gibson,
>> Ray Pelfrey, Walt Green, etc. Most of them became UK Wildcat fans.
>>
>> Ralph Beard died fairly recently.
>>
>> Sam
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jack H Plymale"
>>
>> To: "Sam Kegley"
>> Sent: Monday, May 25, 2009 7:08 PM
>> Subject: =========MAYBE.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> > I expected, at least, a whoopee or two when the apparent,Leaning to
>> > Lexington, culminated in the coraling of the cream of the crop in high
>> > school basketball, but all I have had ,so far ,is overstated silence..
>> > I'll use that phrase in lieu of smugness.You are in touch with a
>> > fellow traveler Sam. Everybody in that geographic area longs for the
>> > return of the glory days of " The Col".That old bouncyball may not be
>> > my first love, but there is no lover of athletic events who was not
>> > thrilled by the way the Wildcats of old did it.The whole area kinda
>> > smiled in their reflection. When I read about the great point guard
>> > signing with UK. the first name that came to mind was Ralph Beard.
>> >
>> >
>> > --
>> > Jack P.
>> >
>>
>>
>
>
> --
> Jack P.
>
