Saturday, April 26, 2008
Scioto County History Charles Hammond
http://thehistoryofsciotocounty.com/
Thanks to Clay Vice and Charles Hammond for this interesting history of the Cultural Center of Our Universe.
Thanks to Clay Vice and Charles Hammond for this interesting history of the Cultural Center of Our Universe.
My Books- Excellence in Athletics in the Portsmouth Area- Interviewees
Excellence in Athletics in the Portsmouth Area by Sam Kegley ISBN: 1-932344-78-0 A tribute to the athletes of the Portsmouth, Ohio and surrounding areas.
ISBN: 1-932344-78-0
Dick Bendinelli Robin Hagen-Smith Arthur"Skinny" Preston Tom Blackburn Ed Hall Don Queen Jerry "Skip" Bower Erica Hayes-Zinn Bob Salyers Marvin Bowling George Heller Harry Shope Dr. Chester Corbitt Dick Hopkins, Jr. Ron Shumate Stan Doddridge Joe Jenkins Jim "Flip" Spriggs Chuck Ealy Dick Klitch Ron Sturgill Lamoin Elliott Frank Litteral Mike Swearingen Jim Fout Dave Miller Carol & Clay Vice Mark Frazie Ed Miller Clay High School Dr. Keith Gaspich Howard Nance Softball Girls- Curt Gentry Al Oliver Beth McCulloch Earl "Smokey" Gibson Ray Pelfrey Mindy Winters Danny Gilbert Homer Pellegrinon Teresa Ruby Bill Gundlah Glenn Presnell Kellie Vice Kris Vice $19.97
ISBN: 1-932344-78-0
Dick Bendinelli Robin Hagen-Smith Arthur"Skinny" Preston Tom Blackburn Ed Hall Don Queen Jerry "Skip" Bower Erica Hayes-Zinn Bob Salyers Marvin Bowling George Heller Harry Shope Dr. Chester Corbitt Dick Hopkins, Jr. Ron Shumate Stan Doddridge Joe Jenkins Jim "Flip" Spriggs Chuck Ealy Dick Klitch Ron Sturgill Lamoin Elliott Frank Litteral Mike Swearingen Jim Fout Dave Miller Carol & Clay Vice Mark Frazie Ed Miller Clay High School Dr. Keith Gaspich Howard Nance Softball Girls- Curt Gentry Al Oliver Beth McCulloch Earl "Smokey" Gibson Ray Pelfrey Mindy Winters Danny Gilbert Homer Pellegrinon Teresa Ruby Bill Gundlah Glenn Presnell Kellie Vice Kris Vice $19.97
My Books- I, God, & Country Intro
Introduction
I, God, & Country
My interview stories are an effort to emulate Studs Terkel. Mr. Terkel was ninety-five this past 16th of May. He has interviewed well over nine thousand people about a variety of topics and I have interviewed just under two hundred people about topics of my interest. I am a young seventy-four year old. Studs was interested in jazz and an early book of his was on jazz. My interests are more blue-collar in that I have played softball most of my life and still do. My third book was on softball in which I interviewed many players and managers who know the game better than me. I have also compiled posts on Kentucky basketball written by fans on internet forums.
I thought a long time before venturing into these interviews on I, God, & Country. My wife, Jeanie and I have always been Christians, although it has been several years since we have been members of a given church. She often goes with me, but her arthritis is such that she isn’t always up to the task of attending church. In my opinion, this country has wandered quite far from the Christian principles that have meant so much to it in our Constitution and our Bill of Rights. I am impressed that so many sincerely are continually worshipping God and showing that they believe in Jesus Christ.
I chose people who I respect in each instance and I knew that many of them would not have the same ideas as I do. In so far as I considered that they were honest and I was interested in their answers, I arranged the interviews. Now that I am wrapping up this my sixth book, I can honestly say that I have been blessed to learn the perspectives of the interviewees whose stories appear here. No, I have not been in complete agreement with many of them; however, I feel fortunate and very grateful that the individuals have consented to sharing their thoughts with me and you, the reader.
For my second book “Acquaintances With Integrity”, George Hyrmer, who was my sons’ mathematics teacher at Westerville South High School, was included. The boys respected Mr. Hyrmer and Jeanie and I knew him better for his work at the high school ball games. George did not disappoint me with his fine story but he did surprise me with a telephone call about a year after the book was published. He said:” You know that book makes such interesting review for me because I can just pick it up and review through any one of the questions or thoughts you posted to each of us and I get new perspectives. I think he is right. This book has only three separate areas for each interviewee, but one can look at the comments on God and Country and then look further into the backgrounds of the one who comments. The book can be read through completely, but it can also be a pick and choose adventure for the reader.
I have wanted very much to meet Studs Terkel, but his health is on the wane, and he is simply working on his memoirs from his home now. He has attended his office in the Chicago Historical Society until the last year. I faxed him several messages a few years ago, but I didn’t catch his eye among the many pieces of correspondence he continues to receive. Thanks to Ina Howard, , Director of communications for The New Press who arranged for his response to an e-mail from me this year, as follows:
My message- “I've been praying, and will continue to pray, that your life may continue to your complete satisfaction, Studs Terkel. Thanks for all of your good works. I'm just one of the many throughout this world, who have delighted in reading them.
With great respect,”
Sam Kegley
----- Original Message -----
To:
Sent: Tuesday, March 13, 2007 11:35 AM
Subject: not so hot
> Dear Sam,
>
> Even though how much I love to contribute to your project or share my
> ideas, I'm sorry that I can't do it anymore. I have been a little under
> the weather especially near-touching 95 and isn't really up for visitors,
> even over the phone. My mind only focus on my memoir that I'm writing.
>
> Thank you very much for your invitation and more power to your project.
>
> Yours truly,
>
> Studs Terkel
>
Believe it or not, that e-mail message from Studs means more to me than a signed home run ball from Babe Ruth would.
As a retiree, my books have not provided a profit to me, although I am fairly close to breaking even thanks to book signings in Portsmouth. I have met and continue to meet such fine people who consent to my inquiries.
Each of these stories is presented in alphabetical order of the last names of the respondents. Please credit me that I displayed honesty in writing my story here before I conducted the first interview for the book. I also sought diligently not to affect the comments of those I interviewed. I sought their perspectives.
I have asked each of these for the interview and made the following Intro available to them:
Intro for interviewees
I …, God …, and Country
I …,
Whatever you wish to say about parents, hometown, dwelling places, siblings, friends, etc.
God …,
Whatever you would like to say about God or your concept of God
Country
Whatever you want to say about the country you dwell in or were born in or both
I am so grateful for each interview and I believe the reader can enjoy these pages.
I, God, & Country
My interview stories are an effort to emulate Studs Terkel. Mr. Terkel was ninety-five this past 16th of May. He has interviewed well over nine thousand people about a variety of topics and I have interviewed just under two hundred people about topics of my interest. I am a young seventy-four year old. Studs was interested in jazz and an early book of his was on jazz. My interests are more blue-collar in that I have played softball most of my life and still do. My third book was on softball in which I interviewed many players and managers who know the game better than me. I have also compiled posts on Kentucky basketball written by fans on internet forums.
I thought a long time before venturing into these interviews on I, God, & Country. My wife, Jeanie and I have always been Christians, although it has been several years since we have been members of a given church. She often goes with me, but her arthritis is such that she isn’t always up to the task of attending church. In my opinion, this country has wandered quite far from the Christian principles that have meant so much to it in our Constitution and our Bill of Rights. I am impressed that so many sincerely are continually worshipping God and showing that they believe in Jesus Christ.
I chose people who I respect in each instance and I knew that many of them would not have the same ideas as I do. In so far as I considered that they were honest and I was interested in their answers, I arranged the interviews. Now that I am wrapping up this my sixth book, I can honestly say that I have been blessed to learn the perspectives of the interviewees whose stories appear here. No, I have not been in complete agreement with many of them; however, I feel fortunate and very grateful that the individuals have consented to sharing their thoughts with me and you, the reader.
For my second book “Acquaintances With Integrity”, George Hyrmer, who was my sons’ mathematics teacher at Westerville South High School, was included. The boys respected Mr. Hyrmer and Jeanie and I knew him better for his work at the high school ball games. George did not disappoint me with his fine story but he did surprise me with a telephone call about a year after the book was published. He said:” You know that book makes such interesting review for me because I can just pick it up and review through any one of the questions or thoughts you posted to each of us and I get new perspectives. I think he is right. This book has only three separate areas for each interviewee, but one can look at the comments on God and Country and then look further into the backgrounds of the one who comments. The book can be read through completely, but it can also be a pick and choose adventure for the reader.
I have wanted very much to meet Studs Terkel, but his health is on the wane, and he is simply working on his memoirs from his home now. He has attended his office in the Chicago Historical Society until the last year. I faxed him several messages a few years ago, but I didn’t catch his eye among the many pieces of correspondence he continues to receive. Thanks to Ina Howard, , Director of communications for The New Press who arranged for his response to an e-mail from me this year, as follows:
My message- “I've been praying, and will continue to pray, that your life may continue to your complete satisfaction, Studs Terkel. Thanks for all of your good works. I'm just one of the many throughout this world, who have delighted in reading them.
With great respect,”
Sam Kegley
----- Original Message -----
To:
Sent: Tuesday, March 13, 2007 11:35 AM
Subject: not so hot
> Dear Sam,
>
> Even though how much I love to contribute to your project or share my
> ideas, I'm sorry that I can't do it anymore. I have been a little under
> the weather especially near-touching 95 and isn't really up for visitors,
> even over the phone. My mind only focus on my memoir that I'm writing.
>
> Thank you very much for your invitation and more power to your project.
>
> Yours truly,
>
> Studs Terkel
>
Believe it or not, that e-mail message from Studs means more to me than a signed home run ball from Babe Ruth would.
As a retiree, my books have not provided a profit to me, although I am fairly close to breaking even thanks to book signings in Portsmouth. I have met and continue to meet such fine people who consent to my inquiries.
Each of these stories is presented in alphabetical order of the last names of the respondents. Please credit me that I displayed honesty in writing my story here before I conducted the first interview for the book. I also sought diligently not to affect the comments of those I interviewed. I sought their perspectives.
I have asked each of these for the interview and made the following Intro available to them:
Intro for interviewees
I …, God …, and Country
I …,
Whatever you wish to say about parents, hometown, dwelling places, siblings, friends, etc.
God …,
Whatever you would like to say about God or your concept of God
Country
Whatever you want to say about the country you dwell in or were born in or both
I am so grateful for each interview and I believe the reader can enjoy these pages.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Kentucky Basketball- Coach Billy Gillispie
Graford, TX is a small town about sixty miles west of Fort Worth/Dallas. At around five hundred population, the high school was too small to field a football team, so this small town in Texas, where everything is normally bigger, focused on high school basketball. Billy's dad and mother (Wimpy) divorced a few years ago. He has sisters. Dad is a truck driver.
Billy was point guard (he now calls the position lead guard) at Graford HS. Billy grew up tough and got tougher. After finishing college and coaching HS and JR, college and becoming an assistant to coach Bill Self at Tulsa and Illinois. Billy's first head coaching on the Division I level was at Texas El Paso. He brought that school success in three years, in fact they knocked off the Harlem Globetrotters 288 game win streak there, and moved to Texas A & M where he performed further miracle seasons for two years. Kentucky hired him last year after their season ended and coach Tubby Smith moved to Minnesota.
During the 2007-2008 season, it was nearly a miracle that they had enough players each game due to injuries. In spite of that, the Wildcats finished second in the SEC East ahead of FL (last two years NCAA Champions) and Vandy.
The Tornado Tourney (SEC) in Catlanta proved eventful for a Georgia team which had won only two games during the last seven weeks of the SEC season. The tournament was moved to GA. Tech's much smaller gym due to tornado damage to the Georgia Dome. Georgia beat UK , Miss. St. and the two other top seeded teams to win the SEC Tournament Championship in three days play.
We Kentucky basketball fans look forward to the 2008-2009 UK basketball season. Billy wants very much to bring NCAA Championships back to our university and we believe he will do it soon. We are certainly indebted to AD Mitch Barnhart and President Lee Todd for bringing coach Billy Gillispie to Kentucky.
Billy was point guard (he now calls the position lead guard) at Graford HS. Billy grew up tough and got tougher. After finishing college and coaching HS and JR, college and becoming an assistant to coach Bill Self at Tulsa and Illinois. Billy's first head coaching on the Division I level was at Texas El Paso. He brought that school success in three years, in fact they knocked off the Harlem Globetrotters 288 game win streak there, and moved to Texas A & M where he performed further miracle seasons for two years. Kentucky hired him last year after their season ended and coach Tubby Smith moved to Minnesota.
During the 2007-2008 season, it was nearly a miracle that they had enough players each game due to injuries. In spite of that, the Wildcats finished second in the SEC East ahead of FL (last two years NCAA Champions) and Vandy.
The Tornado Tourney (SEC) in Catlanta proved eventful for a Georgia team which had won only two games during the last seven weeks of the SEC season. The tournament was moved to GA. Tech's much smaller gym due to tornado damage to the Georgia Dome. Georgia beat UK , Miss. St. and the two other top seeded teams to win the SEC Tournament Championship in three days play.
We Kentucky basketball fans look forward to the 2008-2009 UK basketball season. Billy wants very much to bring NCAA Championships back to our university and we believe he will do it soon. We are certainly indebted to AD Mitch Barnhart and President Lee Todd for bringing coach Billy Gillispie to Kentucky.
Saturday, April 19, 2008
My Books-Cyber-Cat Fans
CYBER-CAT FANS
University of Kentucky Basketball Season
2005/2006
Preface:
This will be my fifth book since 2001. I’m a retired University of Kentucky
metallurgical engineer who started my books upon retirement in 1998. I’ve chosen
topics I know somewhat about, but, normally pick interviewees who know the
topics much better than I do. This will not be a team insiders’ view of the program,
rather it will be a copying and pasting of threads or posts onto my book site,
mainly, if not entirely, from the www.wildcatnation.net site.
I’ve been a fan of Kentucky basketball since my Highland schoolyard basketball playing
days (in Portsmouth, Ohio) around 1946, when Kentucky perennially led the nation in college basketball.
It is no secret that Kentucky is still a team to beat in college basketball.
Wildcat fan sites have proliferated in the nineties and the two thousands
because of UK’s continued success with a variety of coaches and players and the growth of the internet.
I’ve solicited the approval of a few UK friends whom my wife, Jeanie, and I have
met through the web sites and through attendance at Kentucky games at many
different venues. Jeanie and I were very fortunate to meet Mel McCane, the
originator of www.wildcatfaithful.com , who died in November 2005 at too young an age (in his
fifties). God, please rest our beloved benefactor.
My intent in beginning this current venture is to select pertinent and
interesting posts by the many different posters. I must apologize to those
journalists (I am not a journalist), who report every incident about a topic,
good or bad, so long as it is sensational. I am looking for the good and will
stop the project, rather than write anything which embarrasses the great
University of Kentucky or the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
I am a Portsmouth Ohio native whose dad migrated eastward about 30 miles to
from Vanceburg, Kentucky. Dad , Forest E. Kegley, Sr., was only ten years old then.
After attending Ohio University Portsmouth Branch for four years to obtain a year
and a half of credits for engineering, I transferred to UK to obtain my Bachelor of Science in Metallurg-
ical Engineering. After a thirty -seven year engineering career, I retired and began
by writing my unpublished memoirs for my then too-young -to-read grandchildren, with hopes
that they may read them with a little interest later on in their lives.
I have always enjoyed Studs Terkel’s writings. Studs became 93 years old on
May 16 , 2005 and has interviewed over 9,000 people to write their stories in his books.
Of course he is a Pulitzer Prize winner and a very well known Chicago author and
radio host. I’m sure that my mother must have listened to him because he was also an
actor on radio soap operas.
As a young reader, I read many sports hero’s books (such as those written by
Clair Bee and Matt Christopher) where the main character would
usually attend a small fictional college and excel to win the big game-with
small conflicts and resolutions along the way. I also enjoyed listening to
Friday night Bill Stern sports stories on the radio. My four previous books have been
interview stories of the people I have chosen, depending upon the topic I have chosen. I have interviewed just over 150 people to date.
I am 73 now, and young, relative to Studs.
The love of Kentucky basketball is, more or less, a sickness, which, when people
are inflicted with it, they are not likely to seek nor desire a cure during
their lifetime of sports entertainment. With no disrespect for the
great “esprit de corps” of the United States Marines (I was a draftee onto the
Army during the Korean conflict), I declare that Kentucky basketball fans, with their extreme loyalty
for Kentucky basketball teams, have the similar dedication I believe each marine has for our great free country.
The National Basketball Association (NBA) is attracting the most
exceptional athletes today with its big, big money, while
the college coaches must continue to swim in shark infested waters (scouts
seeking talent for the big leagues); however, college basketball always presents
better entertainment in my honest opinion. Coaching in the pros takes
special talent, but the players appear often to have condescending attitudes to their
professional coaches who are often paid a salary that is lower than themselves.
This will be a different book for me because the threads or posts by the individual posters on the
internet will actually be the story presented, rather than interview stories. If our glorious God in Heaven grants me
continued living and lets me be able, the book should not be completed and
published until the Spring of 2006 after the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) season Final Four. I know that
Jeanie and I will enjoy Kentucky basketball, but none of us knows what this season will bring the
University of Kentucky basketball team, or any other college team. We will see what occurs and how the
posters portray the events.
Sam Kegley aka SamKat -
Preface written in the spring of 2005- edited by Sam in the spring of 2006
University of Kentucky Basketball Season
2005/2006
Preface:
This will be my fifth book since 2001. I’m a retired University of Kentucky
metallurgical engineer who started my books upon retirement in 1998. I’ve chosen
topics I know somewhat about, but, normally pick interviewees who know the
topics much better than I do. This will not be a team insiders’ view of the program,
rather it will be a copying and pasting of threads or posts onto my book site,
mainly, if not entirely, from the www.wildcatnation.net site.
I’ve been a fan of Kentucky basketball since my Highland schoolyard basketball playing
days (in Portsmouth, Ohio) around 1946, when Kentucky perennially led the nation in college basketball.
It is no secret that Kentucky is still a team to beat in college basketball.
Wildcat fan sites have proliferated in the nineties and the two thousands
because of UK’s continued success with a variety of coaches and players and the growth of the internet.
I’ve solicited the approval of a few UK friends whom my wife, Jeanie, and I have
met through the web sites and through attendance at Kentucky games at many
different venues. Jeanie and I were very fortunate to meet Mel McCane, the
originator of www.wildcatfaithful.com , who died in November 2005 at too young an age (in his
fifties). God, please rest our beloved benefactor.
My intent in beginning this current venture is to select pertinent and
interesting posts by the many different posters. I must apologize to those
journalists (I am not a journalist), who report every incident about a topic,
good or bad, so long as it is sensational. I am looking for the good and will
stop the project, rather than write anything which embarrasses the great
University of Kentucky or the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
I am a Portsmouth Ohio native whose dad migrated eastward about 30 miles to
from Vanceburg, Kentucky. Dad , Forest E. Kegley, Sr., was only ten years old then.
After attending Ohio University Portsmouth Branch for four years to obtain a year
and a half of credits for engineering, I transferred to UK to obtain my Bachelor of Science in Metallurg-
ical Engineering. After a thirty -seven year engineering career, I retired and began
by writing my unpublished memoirs for my then too-young -to-read grandchildren, with hopes
that they may read them with a little interest later on in their lives.
I have always enjoyed Studs Terkel’s writings. Studs became 93 years old on
May 16 , 2005 and has interviewed over 9,000 people to write their stories in his books.
Of course he is a Pulitzer Prize winner and a very well known Chicago author and
radio host. I’m sure that my mother must have listened to him because he was also an
actor on radio soap operas.
As a young reader, I read many sports hero’s books (such as those written by
Clair Bee and Matt Christopher) where the main character would
usually attend a small fictional college and excel to win the big game-with
small conflicts and resolutions along the way. I also enjoyed listening to
Friday night Bill Stern sports stories on the radio. My four previous books have been
interview stories of the people I have chosen, depending upon the topic I have chosen. I have interviewed just over 150 people to date.
I am 73 now, and young, relative to Studs.
The love of Kentucky basketball is, more or less, a sickness, which, when people
are inflicted with it, they are not likely to seek nor desire a cure during
their lifetime of sports entertainment. With no disrespect for the
great “esprit de corps” of the United States Marines (I was a draftee onto the
Army during the Korean conflict), I declare that Kentucky basketball fans, with their extreme loyalty
for Kentucky basketball teams, have the similar dedication I believe each marine has for our great free country.
The National Basketball Association (NBA) is attracting the most
exceptional athletes today with its big, big money, while
the college coaches must continue to swim in shark infested waters (scouts
seeking talent for the big leagues); however, college basketball always presents
better entertainment in my honest opinion. Coaching in the pros takes
special talent, but the players appear often to have condescending attitudes to their
professional coaches who are often paid a salary that is lower than themselves.
This will be a different book for me because the threads or posts by the individual posters on the
internet will actually be the story presented, rather than interview stories. If our glorious God in Heaven grants me
continued living and lets me be able, the book should not be completed and
published until the Spring of 2006 after the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) season Final Four. I know that
Jeanie and I will enjoy Kentucky basketball, but none of us knows what this season will bring the
University of Kentucky basketball team, or any other college team. We will see what occurs and how the
posters portray the events.
Sam Kegley aka SamKat -
Preface written in the spring of 2005- edited by Sam in the spring of 2006
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