U.C. PRESIDENT’S TOUCHING BOOK
I know that Black History Month is past, but I saw a touching and very interesting piece in the UC alumni magazine about new University of Cincinnati President Gregory Williams.
Author of three books and a number of articles and book reviews, Williams is best known for his award-winning and best selling memoir, "Life on the Color Line: The True Story of a White Boy Who Discovered He Was Black."
A condensed account of Williams’ life can be found at the link below:
http://www.magazine.uc.edu/0310/president.htm
GAYS IN SPORTS
Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel made news recently when he exchanged emails with Outlook Columbus magazine, reported the first time a big-time college coach has done an interview with a publication that serves the gay community.
Here’s an article about the article:
After reading the story, I couldn’t help but think of the book I just read about Vince Lombardi. The author, Daniel Maraniss, points out that Lombardi respected players of all races and creeds, and didn’t have a problem with gays either. “When Pride Still Mattered – A Life of Vince Lombardi” reports that Lombardi had a gay brother, and that at least one of the Washington Redskins he coached was gay as well. “It so happened that (the player) was gay. All the players and coaches knew it; some felt uncomfortable about it and talked about him behind his back. Lombardi knew and did not care…. He had made it a point throughout his coaching career that he would not tolerate discrimination of any sort on his teams.”
And so, while their coaching styles are very different, Lombardi and Tressel share a common set of principles. Maybe that has something to do with the great success that both have enjoyed on the gridiron and in life.
THE AMAZING SKIDBOOT
This dog will amaze you!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2BfzUIBy9A
CURRENT EVENTS
Here’s a straightforward quiz forwarded by Jim Fenner that only takes a minute or less. I found that my current events skills could use some polishing, but apparently I still scored better than 73% of the general public. Give it a try, and see how you compare when you check the demographics at the end:
http://pewresearch.org/politicalquiz/quiz/index.php
WIT & WISDOM
The average man, who does not know what to do with his life, wants another one which will last forever. - Anatole France
A quarrel is like buttermilk, the more you stir it, the more sour it grows. - Bolivian Proverb
The income tax has made more liars out of the American people than golf has. - Will Rogers
TV STATIONS INVADE GREENFIELD
Lots of TV coverage for our fair city Monday in the aftermath of the fatal fire that killed two boys, ages 4 and 3. Three camera crews set up in the Highland County Court, and coverage of the tragedy is all over the print media, airwaves and Internet. Here are some links:
http://www.wlwt.com/index.html
http://www.10tv.com/live/content/index.html
HIGH SCHOOL HOOPS RECORDS
Several area basketball players have made their way into the Ohio high school record book down through the years. Only today did I become aware that the late Eldon Roberts is still listed among that group of high achievers. Roberts, who played for Fairfield High School during the 1950s, was an outstanding basketball player who once made 21 consecutive free throws in a game against Greenfield McClain (the date was Dec. 4, 1956). Eldon also scored 50 points in a game once, and reportedly did so while playing only three quarters. The Fairfield Lions of that era were so good that Eldon usually only played about half of each game, I was told.
The state hoops record book features many names associated with later stardom at Ohio State University, including Jerry Lucas, who will be in Hillsboro next week at the United Methodist Church.
Paul Turner, 1970s standout at Fairfield High School, is on the list, as is Paul Cluxton, Lynchburg-Clay cager from the late 1980s-early ‘90s.
McClain grad Dante Jackson’s name can be found four times on the state record list:
http://www.ohsaa.org/Sports/records/bbkrecrd.htm
More about Jerry Lucas and his visit to Hillsboro:
http://hillsboromethodist.org/news-and-events/news/jerry-lucas-to-speak-at-hillsboro-first/
For information about Forest Eldon Roberts’ accomplishments and funeral arrangements:
http://www.webfh.com/fh/home/home.cfm?&fh_id=11505&ck=1
WIT & WISDOM
It's not so important who starts the game but who finishes it. - John Wooden
Life is short…eat your dessert first. – Bill Adams
GOOD HOPE LIONS
I’ve been told that the Good Hope Lions Club is having one of its semi-annual pancake and sausage dinners Saturday, March 13 at the township house in Good Hope. Hours are approximately 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
WHEN PRIDE STILL MATTERED
I usually am in the process of reading a book or two. I try to mix up the stuff I think I should read with the stuff I know I will enjoy reading. “When Pride Still Mattered – A Life of Vince Lombardi” by David Maraniss falls into the latter category. Nearly everyone has heard of the legendary football coach, famous for saying “Winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing!” Very few know much about Lombardi the man, but I have been educated by this excellent, well-researched book that I found in a second-hand bookstore last summer and started reading during the NFL playoffs.
Lombardi was driven to win, and turned the failing Green Bay Packers into winners, NFL champions and winners of the first two Super Bowls. He was a hard taskmaster, insisting on repetition so that his players could run plays with precision. He was one of the first to really focus on film study, looking for tendencies or weaknesses to be exploited. He won everywhere he coached, and he died much too young, a victim of cancer.
One interesting facet of this book that struck a chord with me was the mention of a couple of Coffeys in the Lombardi story, almost serving as bookends in his coaching life.
Lombardi, a devout Catholic all his life, thought about becoming a priest but later changed his mind and played football at Fordham. After graduation he tried law school briefly but that wasn’t the answer either.
Lombardi didn’t seem to have any real career ambitions and might never have gone into coaching, had not Andy Palau, one of his former Fordham teammates, been hired to coach football at St. Cecilia High School in New Jersey. Palau needed an assistant coach but had trouble finding one, and in desperation called Jack Coffey, his old baseball coach at Fordham, in search of ideas. “Call Vinnie Lombardi,” Coffey told Palau, setting in motion one of the greatest coaching careers ever as Lombardi found his calling in life.
Lombardi worked his way up through the ranks to high school coach, freshman football coach and later assistant varsity coach at Fordham, and assistant coach at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. Later he was the offensive coordinator for the New York Giants, with a young Tom Landry coaching the defense. Eventually both of the young guns got their chance to be head coaches, Lombardi with Green Bay and Landry with the Dallas Cowboys.
From 1959-67 Lombardi enjoyed unprecedented success with the Packers, but following the 1967 season he resigned from coaching at Green Bay and stayed on as general manager. It may have been his biggest career mistake, for he found that it was difficult to walk away from coaching. In 1970 he finished his career with the Washington Redskins, once again turning perennial losers (14 straight losing seasons) into a winning unit before being diagnosed with cancer.
That’s where Coffey No. 2 comes in. Dr. Robert Coffey operated on Lombardi, but the cancer was too advanced; in a matter of months the coaching legend was gone at the age of 57.
If you like sports and remember some of the great Packers players like Paul Hornung, Jim Taylor and Forrest Gregg, or are curious about Lombardi’s coaching and life philosophy, check out this 504-page book by Pulitzer Prize winning author David Maraniss.
No doubt it can be acquired at the local library or at a bookseller like amazon.com. If you want to read some excerpts online, visit Google books and search for “When Pride Still Mattered”.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vince_Lombardi
WIT & WISDOM
I firmly believe that any man's finest hour, the greatest fulfillment of all that he holds dear, is that moment when he has worked his heart out in a good cause and lies exhausted on the field of battle - victorious. - Vince Lombardi
If winning isn't everything, why do they keep score? - Vince Lombardi
If you aren't fired with enthusiasm, you will be fired with enthusiasm. - Vince Lombardi
MURDER REVIEW
Attended “Murder They Note” at MHS Cafetorium Friday evening. The music and food were excellent, but a dastardly crime was committed! Fortunately, I assisted in the solving of said crime thanks to my random selection as Nigel Bruce, assistant to Inspector Basil Rathbone. I guess you had to be there, but it was a fun experience!
SOUP FOR THE SOUL
Channel 5 had a piece about Lynchburg, Ohio on its news report earlier this week. Friday I found it online at the WLWT website. To see "Soup for the Soul" click on the link below:
http://www.wlwt.com/video/22746149/index.html
NEW DIRECTIONS NEWS
Mike Anderson of New Directions reports that a refrigerator is needed for the new youth center:
If anyone has a gently used one that is 30 inches or less in width and would like to donate it, please let me know. We can give you a tax deduction for the value of the unit, if you would like. Thanks for any help you can offer.
P.S. The brand new youth center will be open to students in grades 7-12 on Thursday, March 11 from 7-9 p.m. and there will be dedication service at 3 p.m. on Sunday, March 21 with a community open house until 6 p.m. This event is open to the public! Come and see what God has done!
Thanks for all your support!
- Mike Anderson, Director
(937) 876-9868
LOCAL NATIVE SEEKS JUDGESHIP
Greenfield native Stephanie Pearce Burke is a candidate for district judge of Jefferson's County's District 14 in Kentucky. Here’s a link to a nice article about Stephanie:
http://www.highlandcountypress.com/main.asp?ArticleID=2310&SectionID=2&SubSectionID=20
WIT & WISDOM
It is the spirit and not the form of law that keeps justice alive. - Earl Warren
A celebrity is one who is known to many persons he is glad he doesn't know. - H. L. Mencken
MURDER THEY NOTE
I heard today that the murder mystery scheduled Friday at the McClain Cafetorium was written by Greenfield’s own Todd Ernst. Local musicians will be involved, and I understand that audience participation is part of the plan. I just hope I’m not the victim! Dinner starts at 6:30 p.m.
COUGAR IN AREA?
A Facebook friend reports that a full-grown cougar was seen this week along SR 28 near Ringer Lane. “You may want to watch your pets, and small children, till they check this sighting out.”
CHILEAN UPDATE
Jim Fenner sent me some more information and photos from earthquake ravaged Chile. These were taken 200 miles from the quake center, but still did a lot of damage. Jim’s brother reported:
Here are some pictures from Valdivia where Natacha lives. The two pictures with the boats are on the Valdivia River down by the fish and farm market. I have pictures of our mother standing (almost) on the spot where the land has collapsed. They are hoping that gasoline and food arrive by Friday.
According to reports I’ve seen, the massive quake (fifth strongest in recorded history) affected the earth’s axis, causing our days to be shorter.
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2010/03/100302-chile-earthquake-earth-axis-shortened-day/
BUY PBR?
Pabst Blue Ribbon beer, once a staple of beer drinkers around the country, has declined in popularity, but in some circles it’s still a hot commodity. And apparently the company that makes PBR is for sale. A grassroots effort is underway to buy the brewing company. I don’t know exactly how it works, as I do not plan on joining the ownership team, but if you’re interested in learning more, click below:
http://www.buyabeercompany.com/
EX-PRESIDENTS VISIT OBAMA!
A bunch of ex-Presidents, as portrayed by Saturday Night Live cast members, former cast members and Jim Carrey, pay a visit to Barack and Michelle Obama in a popular video that conjures up some images of “A Christmas Carol.” Chevy Chase and Dan Ackroyd look nothing like Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter, but that’s pretty much how they played ‘em back in the 1970s. Ron Howard directed the video for the Funny or Die website:
JIMI HENDRIX NEW RELEASE!
The guitar virtuoso left us long ago, but left behind some unreleased recordings from the late 1960s. It’s not his greatest work, and some of the songs sound more like song fragments, but after 40 years it’s nice to hear some new songs and some different versions of songs from the man who once sang, “and you’ll never hear surf music again.” In the ensuing decades, I’ve decided that I like surf music – but Jimi was a unique musician whose influence is still at work in nearly every great rock guitarist who’s come along since then. If you want to experience Hendrix in a new way, take a free listen at the link below:
http://www.iheartradio.com/mediaplayer/?station=IHM-IP&action=music&item=17881512
Or, read more at:
http://consequenceofsound.net/2010/01/11/new-hendrix-album-features-unreleased-studio-material/
WIT & WISDOM
We judge ourselves by what we feel capable of doing, while others judge us by what we have already done. - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
An ounce of action is worth a ton of theory. - Friedrich Engels
I'm at the age where food has taken the place of sex in my life. In fact, I've just had a mirror put over my kitchen table. - Rodney Dangerfield
DANTE DISCOUNT!
I’ve noticed on Larry Chapman’s site and on Facebook that Xavier University is having “Greenfield Night” for the Saturday, March 6 game vs. St. Bonaventure at the Cintas Center. From what I’ve seen, Upper Level tickets regularly selling for $26 can be had for $15 on Ticketmaster. In the search bar, type in “Xavier Basketball” and select the X vs. St. Bonaventure game, enter number of tickets, and be sure to enter “dante” in the passcode box. For those who have been living in a cave the past three years, the passcode refers to Dante Jackson, one of Greenfield’s favorite sons who plays guard for the Musketeers.
For more info visit Chapman’s site at:
http://www.greenfield-ohio.com/
THANKS, JERRY!
I got a nice note today from Jerry McWilliams in Wyoming and we exchanged some comments about the blog, mutual relatives, surnames down through the years in Greenfield, Jayne Mansfield hot water bottles and other topics. Here’s a sampling of how it went down:
Hello Ron,
In a recent exchange of information with Linda Ellis I mentioned that I occasionally read COFFEYWEB to see what is going on in one of the family's old stomping grounds. Now, I will explain that my direct ancestors left the area in 1856 to move on west to that newly opened promised land of Iowa where they stayed for another fifty years. There were three McWilliams brothers who moved from Pennsylvania to Highland County in 1815. Those three had a total of 32 children and most were in the area until the 1850s, some until the early 1900s. During that time they seemed to inter-marry with a good deal of the general population... Two married Coffey girls. My ancestor married a Collier. Others:
Fernow, Murray, Irwin, Johnson, ODell, Thurman, Strain, Bennett, Brown are some names of the first marriages, then comes Beals and Ghormely and Santee, Whitesel, Hughey, Cowman, Fairley and so on. You may recognize a few of those surnames, I notice some listed on the local road maps mostly west of Greenfield.
I don't have any information prior to the parents of the two Coffey girls but some on their families.
Mary Ann Coffey - dau of Thomas & Eleanor Coffey (married Thomas McWilliams in 1860.)
Thomas & Eleanor had five known children- Nancy, Ruth, John, Mary Ann & William J.
Margaret Coffey - dau. of Patterson & Sarah (Irwin) Coffey (married David Rutherford McWilliams in 1853.) Seven Coffey children in that family.
Well, just wanted you to know I enjoy your Coffeyweb and will keep checking to see how things are going in one of the old home towns. Hope to get back there one day and look at some of the places they lived.
Keep up the good work and the good humor!
Jerry McWilliams
in Wyoming (where we've been for close to a hundred years, longest stop since leaving Scotland except for a few stragglers who stuck around Pennsylvania...)
Hi Jerry,
Thanks for the information and the nice comments about the website. I'm not much of a genealogist but I am trying to collect information from the emails of Linda Ellis, Peg Austin and others who are much better at collecting information about the Coffeys.
My wife and I were in Cody, Wyoming in 1987 and enjoyed seeing the sights. We got to meet a great-great (maybe more) grandson of Buffalo Bill Cody who looked just like his famous ancestor. We were impressed by how laid-back everyone was and had a great visit. Alas, we have never made it back that direction.
If you don't mind, I'll post your note on the website to share with readers. I'm sure they will remember the surnames you have mentioned, some of which are still going strong in the Greenfield area.
Best wishes,
Ron
Hi again Ron,
If you include my note in one of your columns, feel free to include my email address. After going through all the biographies, census information and First Presbyterian Church records, I feel like I know a lot of the names mentioned.
Jerry
P.S. I'm still looking for one of those Greenfield water bottles.... (don't know if Jayne made it this far west!)
Jerry went on to express thanks “to all who have done many and varied parts in preserving the history of the areas and families who made it their home for a while. And I guess that's all any of us get. . .”
SUNDAY DINNER
Little Johnny and his family were having Sunday dinner at his grandmother's house. Everyone was seated around the table as the food was being served.
When little Johnny received his plate he started eating right away.
"Johnny, wait until we say our prayer."
"I don't have to," the boy replied.
"Of course you do," his mother insisted. "We say a prayer before eating at our house."
"That's at our house," Johnny explained, "but this is Grandma's house, and she knows how to cook."
MURDER THEY NOTE
If you need tickets to the Band Boosters’ production of “Murder They Note,” scheduled at 6:30 p.m. Friday at the McClain Cafetorium, try Sitterle Insurance. That’s where I got mine.
BATTER BLASTER BLASTED
At least one blog reader has tried – and disliked Batter Blaster. Here are a couple of comments:
“Forget the batter blaster, Yuck :( Picked it up a couple of years ago at Sam’s Club. Looked like spray foam, tastes like, well you get the picture."
Maybe we could use it for insulation instead!
LEBRON AND NO. 6
Perhaps you’ve heard that LeBron James wants to change his number from 23 to 6, to honor Michael Jordan by leaving “his” No. 23 alone. Cynics think it’s all about business. My first thought was, wait a minute, the greatest NBA winner of all time wore No. 6. You can look it up – Bill Russell won 11 championships with the Boston Celtics in a 13-year career. Jordan couldn’t touch those numbers, even if he had not “retired” a few times before resuming his pro hoops career. Neither can LeBron. Besides, there are only so many numbers, and great ones have worn them all. And it might be bad luck to change. Remember Michael Jordan’s short-lived experiment with No. 45?
For an excellent column by Adrian Wojnarowski about LeBron’s latest endeavor, click on the link below:
DISAPPEARING CAR DOOR
Jim Fenner sent me a video indicating that car doors of the future may be drastically different. See for yourself at the link below:
http://www.thefoologs.com/car-door-of-the-future/
MOVE YOUR MONEY
Should Americans move their money from big banks to community banks? I saw an interesting report on the subject on CBS Sunday Morning:
WIT & WISDOM
It is dangerous for a national candidate to say things that people might remember. - Eugene McCarthy
Archaeology is the search for fact... not truth. If it's truth you're looking for, Dr. Tyree's philosophy class is right down the hall. – Indiana Jones
BUZZARDS ALREADY?
I know it’s early for the arrival of buzzards in this part of the state, but I’ve been told that they have been sighted out on Pommert Road and circling over Weller’s. Could it be that Steve Hunter had another birthday?
RIVERDANCE WANNABEES
Thanks to Jim Fenner for sending along this priceless footage of Starous Flatley:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LsQ5gcf_fo
BATTER BLASTER
Fresh pancakes from a spray can? Hmm, I may have to try some Batter Blaster!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1n4tYytn_T4
TOOTHPICK ART
When Pastor Mac mentioned that a man had constructed a life-size image of Jesus from toothpicks, I made a mental note to Google the subject and eventually found an image, along with a bunch of other photos of toothpick art. They can be seen at the link below (the image of Jesus on the cross is found on the third page of images):
And while it’s not exactly art, how about a man with a “beard” of 2,000 toothpicks?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tuAAOsG9les&feature=youtube_gdata
WIT & WISDOM
Making money is art and working is art and good business is the best art of all. - Andy Warhol
Rock journalism is people who can't write interviewing people who can't talk for people who can't read. - Frank Zappa
Ask not what you can do for your country. Ask what's for lunch. - Orson Welles
JOINT EMS/FIRE DISTRICT LEADERS VISIT ROTARY
Chief Bradley George and Assistant Chief Chad Hamilton of the Paint Creek Joint EMS/Fire District, spoke at the Greenfield Rotary Club Feb. 25 to talk about fire protection and safety services provided by the newly formed department than came into being in 2010 after passage of a levy involving the city of Greenfield and Madison Twp. in Highland County and Buckskin and Paint Twps. In Ross County. Citizens in need of emergency service should call 911; non-emergency calls can be made to 981-3394.
Pictured L-R are Assistant Chief Chad Hamilton, Rotary President Eric Borsini and Chief Bradley George.
EARTHQUAKE IN CHILE
What an age we live in! Within hours of the huge earthquake that struck in Chile Saturday I had received an email with photos of the damage. Jim Fenner sent along this note about the magnitude 8.8 quake that was one of the strongest ever recorded:
This is from my brother. We have a close friend in Chile....she lives in a town called Valdivia, which is about 200 miles south of quake center.........
To all: I haven't been able to contact Natacha, but her sister Carmen was able to talk to her briefly this morning before the phone went out. Natacha is fine, but really shaken up. She is OK and her house is OK, but she had lamps fall over and plates fall to the floor. Apparently, the power is out in Valdivia.
This was a massive quake.....800 times more powerful than the one in Haiti. This photo is from Santiago...over 200 miles north from the center.
Natacha is about the same distance, but to the south. I haven't seen any report from her area, so we'll just wait and see. I'll let you all know more as I learn anything. - Tex Bro
More info:
