Baseball season isn’t just the beginning of a wonderful game for me. Baseball held me close to my dad. Daddy was a huge baseball fan and I wanted to be just like him. It’s true that I have wonderful memories of my dad playing in my hometown of Winston-Salem. But one of the memories I reach back for is one of a nine year old girl from North Carolina and her dad traveling the subway to the old Yankee Stadium. The train clacked over the wooden trestle as it burst out of the tunnel. It was an August day and I was with my best ‘fella’, my dad. Read More→

The music rises to staccato pace as arms circle the air, a high leg kick brings the first movement to life.  Eyes stare, a back turns sideways. Arms rise in spherical movement; feet toe the ivory line, a powdered ballet. Read More→

I come from a family of  sports lovers. If the only channels on my TV were the ESPN family of 2, 3, and U, I would be happy.  With that background and my love for writing, I have found myself a frustrated wanna be sportswriter and/or sportscaster. I saw Erin Andrews on TV after a ’49ers-Patriots game and it struck me again. Suzy Kolber remains my all time favorite with Holly Rowe another good one. Read More→

I heard the cow bells Friday night. This time they were ringing against Wake Forest in their 23-17 loss to Mississippi State. The bells took me back to 1999 and the Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl in Atlanta. The Clemson Cooglers, (that would be us), were working a day watch at the Baymont Inn in Hotlanta in anticipation of a Clemson win against Mississippi State. Bill, his son, Tony, and myself decided to cut costs by sharing a room.  We arrived in time for a fast food lunch and a nap. Our motel seemed to have equal amounts of Clemson Tigers and Mississippi State Bulldogs. All was fine until we got up from our nap.  We decided to venture to the dome for the Orange Loud and Proud Pregame show.  That plan went south as our car gave us that awful nothing sound of a dead automobile. The next friends we made were the AAA Auto Club Mechanics who jumped us off and led us to a Pep Boys Auto Parts for a new battery. By that time, the Loud and Proud Pregame show was over. It was a race to the subway to get our seats. If you’ve never been to Atlanta for a bowl game, just know that you will be mauled, stepped on, and pushed as hoards of sports fans clamor for the subway.

Our Tigers suffered a mauling at the hands of the ‘cow belled’ Bulldogs, 17-7. Weary from the day, and depressed about losing the game, I climbed into bed. I got back up to pop in my ear plugs as Bill and Tony were famous for their snoring capabilities. Finally, I nodded off into dreamland—-until 1:30 a.m. It was a chorus of cowbells that brought me to a state of complete panic. I really thought it was a fire and jumped up yelling for us to get out. Bill realized the nature of the disturbance and just said, ‘relax, they’re celebrating, go on back to bed.’ I tried, but, when Bill wasn’t snoring, Tony was, it was like an echo from one deep throat to the other. With their snoring, and the cow bells clanging, I retreated to the lobby in my Clemson nite gown and Tigerhead slippers. I approached the night clerk and asked if he needed any help. Puzzled, he asked, “Ma’m do you have a problem?”

“Yes, but you can’t solve it.” I told him about my snoring roommates, and the cow bell symphony.

“I know that I can’t go back to sleep so, I thought if you need help here at the desk, I could stuff  envelopes, answer the phone, make coffee?” He laughed, got me a blanket, and asked the cow bell brigade to give me some quiet. They finally had mercy on me about 3 am, but Friday nite the cow bells clanged again. I’m so sorry that Wake couldn’t clip their clappers. Here’s to ringing in the New Year, may it be better than the last!

Orange you glad you know me?

Dateline Winston-Salem, NC 1950ish–My dad was an unabashed lover of baseball, football, and basketball, in that order. Since he didn’t have a son, I guess he figured he’d better nab me to watch and participate in sporting events. However, My sister does love basketball and watches a fair amount of the other two. Read More→

Some of you may remember when there were just a few bowl games on New Year’s Day, Rose, Cotton, Orange, Peach, and Sugar, were some of the games that come to mind. They were spaced at regular intervals and you could actually watch a full halftime show with the marching bands of both schools involved in the contest. Read More→

Having lived in Oconee County since 1987 and being a Sandlapper since 1974
I have had the opportunity to witness Orange Fever.  Orange Fever is a condition that renders a Clemson Tiger fan slack jawed, glassy eyed, and otherwise unable to function at at any other form of life except those taking place at Tigertown athletic events. Read More→

The house lights are turned up as the chase begins. Thin stilt-like legs leap to swat air or brown leather. Giant sized feet race, tangle, and fall. Long gangly fingers reach for a white net. The dull thud of iron cries out in failure. Two well-suited men kneel as if in prayer; then curse in frustration. Read More→