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GENE AND I BEGIN OUR STORY IN THE FALL OF 1950 WHEN WE ENTERED MCHS AS FRESHMAN. GENE WAS AN OUTSTANDING ATHLETE IN BASEBALL AND BASKETBALL AND CENTRAL HAD THE BEST COACH IN DICK HARDWICK.
WITH THE PITCHING OF GENE AND THE OTHER TALENTED TEAM MATES WE WERE THE DISTRICT CHAMPS1951 THRU 1954
CLARKSVILLE HIGH WAS ALWAYS THE TEAM TO BEAT. "CITY BOYS VS COUNTRY BOYS" COACH HARDWICK HAD US CONDITIONED TO BELIEVE WE COULD BEAT ANY TEAM , SO WE WON EVERY CLARKSVILLE GAME WE PLAYED.
THE BIG GAME ALL PEOPLE REMBER WAS PLAYED AT "MURTLAND FIELD"
GENE VS TERRY FORD. GENE WAS THE BEST LEFTY AROUND HERE AND TERRY THE BEST RIGHT HANDER. BOTH TEAMS GEARED UP TO WIN THIS GAME.
GENE HAD A PITCH THAT CROSSED THE PLATE FOR A STRIKE AND I HAD TO STOP IT ON THE FIRST BOUNCE. IT WAS WORKING FOR HIM THIS DAY. I DO NOT REMBER THE NUMBER OF STRIKEOUTS BUT GENE COULD RECALL ALL OF THEM AND THE STRIKE OUT PITCH TO EACH CLARKSVILLE BATTER.{BETTER MEMORY THAN ME.}
WELL AT THE END OF 7 INNINGS SCORE WAS 0 TO 0. THIS CONTINUED ON FOR 5 MORE INNINGS. IN THE 12TH INNING CENTRAL SCORED 1 RUN. CLARKSVILLE RESPONDED WITH RUNNERS ON BASE. JIMMY BROWN MADE IT TO THIRD IN THE BOTTOM OF THE 12TH. A BALL HIT TO WENDELL DAVIS AT SS , BROWN BROKE FOR HOME.DAVIS PERFECT THROW TO THE PLATE AND BROWN WAS OUT.GENE STRUCK THE LAST MAN OUT AND CENTRAL HAD DONE IT AGAIN.
BEST BASEBALL THAT WE EVER PLAYED IN OUR INTIRE LIFE AND GENE NEVER DID LET US FORGET IT.
GENE REMAINED A CLOSE FRIEND ALL OF THESE YEARS. HE HAS BEEN FAITHFUL TO HIS CLASSMATES OF 1954. WE HAVE USED HIS CLUBHOUSE FOR MEETINGS AND HAM BREAKFAST NUMEROUS TIMES OVER THE YEARS.
I WILL MISS HIM FROM HIS PRESENCE HERE; BUT I REALIZE HE HAS REACHED THE FINISH LINE AND THE BATTLE IN THIS OL WORLD IS COMPLETE SO WE SHOULD ALL REJOYS THAT HE HAS ANOTHER "WIN "TO ADD TO HIS RECORD. REST IN PEACE.