The Jackson Sun from Jackson, Tennessee • 28

port opini OB TT I I 1 I A iiicvuwjuii gun, jgtwon, ienneaee ounaa, wcrgoer iro Lets Replace Roth rock on mmmmmmmmsm mmmmmmmmm iililil llliiip 11111111 1 cM Lyman Bostock talks with elementary school children in Gary, in 1976. Guest Columnist- Tury Oman is a former coach with Jackson High and now is a director with the Jackson Boys Club. If 1 I -a4- I contact. individuals, industries and many former Jacksonians who might want this to become a reality. 1 In May 1931, 1 received a feeler to be a full time athletic coach at Jackson High School a town of 30,000 population, three colleges, five railroads and a bright future in school work.

The feeler continued: contact Mr. C.B. Ijams, Superintendent of Schools, and the following individuals interested in seeming a capable coach: John Rothrock, Ab Taylor, Phillip Cundliffe and Leonard Frankland. I was selected by the commission on May 30, 1931, without an interview, as my superiors at the University of Wisconsin gave me the highest of recommendations. The salary was $1,750 for 10 months, which was in line with what people in education worked for then.

As many readers know, our nation was in a deep depression. On arrival, they allotted me $465 to buy some new equipment. We had some 60 boys who wanted to participate. Our field was behind the present West campus, a dust bowl that did not help the situation. I managed to beg Lambuth and Union for the use of their fields for our home games the next season.

On Sept. 23, 1938, a new stadium was dedicated, built by WPA funds, honoring John Thomas Rothrock a person who had coached JHS prior to 1931. The seating capacity of Rothrock with seven sections and box seats was about 2,700. Lights were later added. After World War II, a section was added to the East Side and seating capacity was increased to 3,200.

In the past, temporary bleachers have been placed on the north side. Jackson, after ,40 years, needs to build a new stadium. We have good coaches and an abundance of mater? ial, but we need a stimulant to get the people to back football in Jackson. This would also be a blessing for the school people involved in. the athletic program and the participants.

This stadium should rank as the best in West Tennessee, save the Liberty Bowl in Memphis. Rothrock is in a valley, typical of many of our playing fields. At night, dampness, low temperature and insects ail make for discomfort for spectators. Facilities at the stadium were adequate for the structure, but modernization Is warranted and not feasible at Rothrock. Parking has never been good.

The control of crowds in the stadium is far from good. People in the box seats and lower rows of the stands are blocked from much of the field as the players and others stand up between the 30-yard lines. The new stadium could be located north of Jackson Central-Merry's West Campus going north to Wilkinson Street, west to Edgewood Avenue and east due north of the Coliseum. It would have ideal entrances and exit routes and parking would be no problemAlso, it would bring the facility to the school where it belongs. The area is elevated and nearly all the land belongs to the Seating capacity would be 10,000 and seats could be added as attendance merits.

The field must be planned so that additional seats have a good view of the field. Also, a quarter-mile track inside the stadium is a must. Track should be a year-round program, and Jackson does not have a quarter-mile track. This would allow Jackson to host major track meets. Inviting rest rooms throughout the stadium, drinking fountains available to fans and good concession areas would be good.

A new stadium would permit up-to-date dressing rooms for two teams. JCM probably has the best football dressing and training room in Tennessee. These facilities are in the Coliseum, and JCM could continue to use them. I can envision Lane playing its home games there, too. In years to come, Jackson and Madison County should certainly become a metro government and North Side and South Side could scheduze key games there.

The University of Tennessee at Martin could be invited to play at least one game in Jackson. The stadium would be an ideal site for TSSAA playoff games. i Rothrock can be utilized by our junior high teams. There's also the possibility of high school soccer, which is spreading by leaps and bounds in Tennessee. Jackson has many fine public buildings, which indicates We have alert politicians.

They are knowledgeable about grants that might be available. Also, a percentage of the gate and concession sales could be given to the city to help pay for the new stadium. Jackson needs a group of citizens that would truly back all sports. We are in dire need of such a group, as all our children will benefit from our work. This steering group could I know that many people in any: city are not interested in such a -dream.

But in my humble opinion, working for many years in the ath- letic programs, I can't think of an-; ything that will consolidate a city or community any better than sports, -as we go shoulder to shoulder into the challenge. I would not like poli- tics to enter into this dream, as it. surely will fail. MMBmai 1 AP Loserphoto Missed COLLECT EXTRA CASH jirri murray sydnicated columnist dm Use The Jackson Sun classified 423-0300 TOLL FREE 1-800-372-3922 On Sept 16, at Kansas City, Al Harabosky, incensed over a home run hit by the previous batter; aimed an ear-high fastball at Lyman Bostock's head. I wish he had hit him.

Bostock, enraged," dropped his bat and charged mound. He went down under a wall of players. I wish he had sprained his wrist, dislocated his collar bone. Gone on the disabled list. Before coming to the California Angels, Lyman Bostock was tempted by a New York Yankees offer which was I wish he had taken it.

I wish he had done anything to keep him from passing through the intersection of 5th Avenue and Jackson Street in Gary, at 10:44 p.m. Sept. 23, when a man, driven by God knows what demons, fired a shotgun through a car window. Lyman Bostock 's appointment in Samarra was kept. I hAl gone to Anaheim Stadium several times to do a story on Lyman Bostock, a $2.7 million'ballplayer.

Things kept getting in the way. The first time, he was in the throes of that terrible season-opening slump. He was hitting about .011. It seemed prudent to wait. Another time Freddy Patek of the Kansas City Royals, who I wanted to interview first because visiting players are not on hand 81 games a year like home players, was late coming to the locker room and, when I had finished with him, it was time for the game.

But I observed Lyman Bostock. He was cheerful, chatty and seemed to enjoy coming to the ballpark once he got his swing straightened out. He didn't act like a man who made a half a million a year, or $3,000 a hit. Available Now He had this beautiful, level swing. His hits seemed to jump off the bat.

I suppose he got his share of cheap hits, but the ones I saw were screamers. Stan Musial-type hits catch-me-if-you-can. Frozen ropes. No telling what the man would hit if he got off to a good start for once. Lyman Bostock was really Lyman Bostock Jr.

Much was made of the fact that when young Lyman arrived in Los Angeles with his mother, separated from his father, they had $7 when they got off the bus. The ability to hit a curving baseball put several zeroes on the end of that figure by the time of his death. It was noted that Lyman Bostock Sr. played baseball in the old Negro leagues for coffee money, and the poets sang of how much better the world is now when a man can make millions doing what they used to do for nickels and dimes. Well, Lyman Bostock Sr.

may have been born 50 years too soon, all right. The world may be a better place, at that. But not at 5th and Jackson in Gary, it isn't. v' Copyright 1978. Los Angeles Times i 't.

Union Al ri us Std Out nds man. 36301 bill cox sun sports editor This is a letter I received in the mail last week from; Morris Campbell, manager of the Hilton Head Blue jays: "This letter is to advise you that ex-Union University baseball standout, Mark Weidemaier, played rightfield for the Hilton Head Bluejays this summer and led the semipro South Carolina Baseball League in hitting with a batting average of .512 for the 33-game season. "Mark, a rifle-armed outfielder, was also a unanimous selection to represent Hilton Head in the annual South Carolina Baseball League All-Star game held over the 4th of July weekend." The letter continued, "One of Mark's teammates on the Bluejays was William "Bill" Driessen, older brother of Cincinnati Reds' firstbaseman Dan Driessen, a Hilton Head native. "After finishing his career at Union, Mark was passed over in the June free agent draft. But, a burning desire remained within the young man and he bacame a member of our team, hoping for any kind of break he might get.

"He definitely showed his worth in our organization with his fine performance and did attract attention from several area scouts from both the New York Mets and Los Angeles Dodgers, who were impressed with his speed 6.8 seconds) in the 60-yard dash, and with his strong throw-ing arm. "I felt you might be interested in this information about Mark. It is indeed a unique story about a unique young man." Weidemaier transferred to Union after two years of junior college competition. A .350 batting average his senior year earned him a second-team berth on The Sun's All-West Tennessee College Baseball team. Radio Crosswaves For the past two weeks, two Jackson radio stations have broadcast the same high school football game on Friday night.

It would seem logical that different broadcasts would better serve the community and avoid duplication. However, that is not the case. I talked with Jim Hoppers of WTJS and Tom Britt of WDXI and this is what they had to say: "We conduct our business the way we want," Hoppers said. "They've got to do what they want to do and we've got to do what we want to do. It doesn't bother me that they cover the same game and I'm sure it doesn't bother them.

"We usually try to choose the best game of the week and try to divide our coverage between the four schools Jackson Central-Merry, North Side, South Side and Old Hickory. "We try to do it week by week, changing according to the team's opponents and their records. We just try to pick the best games. There's nothing scientific about it." Britt said, "We try to get everyone on, equally, and try to select what will be the best games. We made up our schedule at the first of July for sales purposes.

What the other station does has no bearing on what we do. "We do not do out-of-town games now. If a team gets in the playoffs we will. If we go out of town, broadcast rates would be so high that most sponsors wouldn't pay it." Maybe each station should be concerned with what the other station does in order to better serve their listeners. It didn't make sense for both to cover the JCM-Whites Creek game weeks ago when there was obviously more interest in the North Side-Lexington game.

There were approximately 5,000 spectators attending the game at Lexington. But what do we know about broadcasting? College Football Notes 'N Quotes Jerry Robinson, UCLA's two-time All-America linebacker, was impressed with Big Orange Country during the Bruins' visit three weeks ago. "I got off the plane and about all I saw driving in were cows and red clay," he said. "The next thing I know I'm in a fantastic stadium. I felt like I was dreaming.

But I love all this orange and white this is what football is about." Manu Tuiasosopo, the hugh UCLA middle guard, was equally impressed. "We play before maybe 40,000 people in a city that has millions of people living in it," he said. "More than 80,000 people are here to watch this game. It's amazing. It's fanatical.

It's beautiful." Only two major collegians have ever put together three straight 200-yard games. They are Penn State's John Cappelletti in 1973 and Wisconsin's Bill Marek in 1974. Cornell's Ed Marinaro holds the record for career 200-yard games with 10. Pittsburgh's Tony Dorsett is second with eight. Your 1979 Gift Catalog.

We invite you to visit our attractive and spacious showroom. We have the finest quality brand name merchandise every day of the year, at the lowest possible price. PHONE 668-3333 717 OLD HICKORY BLVD. DIAMONDS DISTRIBUTORS At Tnwll'f, $av You Money 3.