Rivalry basketball on deck; A look back; Smoker, Culberson

Red and Gold, the way to end a season

Friday night the Sonoraville Phoenix basketball teams will come to town to meet the Calhoun High teams. That night presents the last regular season scheduled games in preparation for the Region 6-AAA tournament which gets underway next week.

Sonoraville and their teams took the Jackets to the woodshed for an impressive spanking in their first meeting at Sonoraville several days ago. As often stated in this column, the games against your neighbors are the ones capturing the most interest. Look for a full house at Calhoun; Plan on coming early and staying until the last exciting second. I wish both the Phoenix and the Jackets the best in the region tournament.

Looking back in years, Resaca High versus Liberty

You won’t find a schedule listing Liberty meeting Resaca in basketball in modern times. ly” old gym around 1947. Now the Gordon County basketball tournament was being played in the new gym.

Two teams fought their way to the finals before a truly packed house. I do not have the rosters before me but I give some names of outstanding athletes who graced the court for the two teams that night. There was the outstanding Tolbert Defoor for Resaca. The Sullivan brothers, Billy and Jimmy, were prominent for Liberty. Familiar names for that era was Greeson, Irwin Sloan, Tinch and others. Carden and Morrison joined the Sullivans on the Liberty team.

Liberty High captured the championship in a game to be remembered for the competitiveness and excitement. It was a victory to be treasured by those young men. Sadly, many have passed from this life.

Modern fans will find it hard to believe but there is a fact about the game (and other games of that time) hard to comprehend as we watch two and three officials on the floor for modern games: One official worked the game. A familiar face to all North Georgia basketball fans saw “Vic” work the game alone. I cannot remember his last name. Just think, only one official. The malcontent fans of today would have a field day giving a most proficient official who worked a basketball game alone.

Gone are the “several” county teams I mentioned above. I would like to take us all back for one season to a time treasured by the basketball fans of Gordon County.

Josh Smoker and Charlie Culberson

An added attraction to the Friday night Phoenix-Jacket basketball games in Calhoun will be the presence of two former Jacket baseball players. Both Josh Smoker and Charlie Culberson had outstanding high school careers for Coach Chip Henderson as they led their Calhoun teams to Georgia State High School Championships back in the last decade.

The two did not stop with high school play but followed their dream into the major leagues. Smoker now plays for the New York Mets and Culberson experienced a special experience playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers in last fall’s World Series. Happily, Charlie is coming home to play with the Braves during the upcoming season. The two will be recognized at the game on Friday night. I commend two of the finest young men to come our way and cross our path.

Recently reported was the Culberson-Smoker Golf Tournament. This tournament was conducted to benefit the Calhoun High Jacket baseball program. From all reports the tournament was a great success.

I would like to have played in the event but one more time let me say I don’t play golf and list the three reasons why not: 1) I can’t hit that little white ball. 2) I don’t have time. 3) I can’t afford it.

It was in one of the golf movies, possibly “The Legend of Bagger Vance” that someone said, “Golf is a game you can’t win; you can only play.”

I think nearly everyone will agree: With the budding of the trees, the blooming of the flowers and the grass turning green in the spring a golf course is one of the most beautiful sights in the world. So, I say, “Bring on the Masters.”

The Super Bowl

This year’s Super Bowl will join all the others in this Old Man’s experience. It might be partially watched but not completely. I have never watched a complete Super Bowl in my life. Often I have gone to bed and learned the next morning who won.

This is a statement indicating what becomes more important as the number beside your age grows larger.