One of my great regrets in life is that I wasn't a better ballplayer. It is hard to admit but "Old Lightning" may have been physically challenged. I really didn't get the opportunity to play much when I was in school. I don't think that any of my friends and classmates had a greater love for the game than I did. I can remember getting a lot of splinters in my rear from sitting on the bench. You've heard the words, "It's not who wins or loses, but how you play the game". Somehow this is not exactly the way I remember it.
It was in the words of "Big Jim" Howard before we went to Lexington Lafayette in 1963, "A chance to make a little money." This was important to a small school struggling to pay the bills. I remember what a treat it was after a road game to sometimes stop the bus at a restaurant, where they would feed the team. This didn't happen too often. By the way Lafayette beat us 55 to 0. I might be off a couple of points. I remember their band had more members than our high school had students. It was not pretty. If I remember correctly, we couldn't afford to stay in a hotel, but stayed in peoples homes. I don't think you would ever see that happen today.
One of my highlights of playing basketball happened before the whole school. We were having a school tournament. All of the school was in attendance. I was very proud to get a chance to show my stuff. Boy did I ever show it. While going up for a rebound, I heard a sound that struck fear in my heart. It was the sound of fabric tearing. I prayed that it was not me, but discovered that it was, when my trunks fell to the floor in pieces.
No one today remembers the numbers on the stat sheet. In fact "Old Lightning" had a very good game. People in a position to know, stated that it was the loudest ovation ever received in the storied history of the Wallins gymnasium. My trunks were exhibited on the bulletin board for all to see. I'm glad that I was able to do my part to add to the lore of our gym. Most of my friends and classmates remember this incident. I'm not altogether sure that is what I want to be remembered for. Somehow in my dreams I had envisoned something entirely different.
