Re-Our departed Portsmouth Ohio heroes.
Thanks Jack! I remember Red being on the Trojans. It seems that you, Jim Fout, and Doc Yeagle mentioned him at the OSU football game we attended together. Great story and you make me see that run! I also slightly remember Betty Justice. I did not personally know Sarah Watkins, but it must have been among the very greatest war reunions ever for Ed and the
Griffin family. Burl Justice and Watkins Buick are also familiar in P'Town. Red had excellent friends as you testify of. I am sure that my departed Mound Park friends, Gib Lakeman, Gus Thompson, and Clark Rapalee could tell some wonderful stories of him.
Sam
----- Original Message -----
From: Jack Plymale
To: Sam Kegley
Sent: Sunday, January 02, 2011 00:07
Sam, one of my old Portsmouth friends, now departed, you might have known. and could very easily fit that category.The most unforgettable guy I've ever met. If you check with Jim Fout, I think he'll support me in that opinion, He lived on High St. His name was Harold Marvin Griffin. You would know him as Red.All our teacher called him Marvin. He had an older brother, Ed who was reported missing in action twice in WW II. His Mom and Dad received two separate missing in action notices. He came home to marry, Betty Justice the daughter of long time Scioto County sherrif Burl Justice. Red, if you can believe it, was 128 lb tailback on our undeafeated Trojan team in1944. Second string to Dave Thomas who was 185 and the fastest guy on that team. There were three or four guys faster than Red, but two of them couldn't catch him in a phone booth. We were playing at Springfield and had the ball on our own thirty yard line and Red ran the ball off tackle and broke through the line to make one of the most amazing runs I have ever seen The records say he went 70 yards but he must have run 140. Some of their guys missed him twice. We roomed together for awhile at OSU but he couldn't stand being away from his girlfriend so he came home and married her. She was Sara Watkins whose father had the Buick dealership in Portsmouth. Red might be the only person I ever knew that somebody, at some time never said a bad thing about, He died in his 60s. I'm guessing.Red was a special person, not many like him,but I think there were enough people that were close and that is what made Portsmouth such a special place. Jack P.
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