This month, I am asking all Greene County sports fans for their help. The reception my recent book, Rough and Ungentlemanly Tactics: The History of Greene County Sports, received surpassed my most optimistic expectations. I had hoped my fellow community members would enjoy the stories and traditions found in our local sports lore as much as I did. Many of you who purchased the book have reached out to me to express gratitude for preserving the memories and accomplishments of our parents, grandparents and great-grandparents.
Volume One covered the years 1860-1960; therefore, most of the athletes in the first book are no longer with us. The second volume, to be released this summer, will cover the last six decades. This means every stat, fact and story will be subject to multiple memories and perspectives.
I am making every attempt to be as accurate and inclusive as possible. I have predominately used newspaper and yearbook sources for the book. However, there are several problems with these methods. First, the local newspaper coverage of sports after the Democrat-Messenger closed its doors in the mid-1980s became extremely limited. If we were covered at all by nearby newspapers, the stories focused only on the most successful athletes in high profile sports. Secondly, yearbooks are like sports teams in that they are only as good as the team (staff) and coach (sponsor) for that year. Some of the books provided detailed information, while others were lacking. In addition, spring sports were often omitted from yearbooks because of deadlines.
Finally, women’s sports have come of age in the last half century; however, there was very little coverage in the early years. Some of the local coaches and athletic directors have been very helpful by sharing school records and their personal scrapbooks. In addition, some former athletes have offered me assistance by providing photos and clippings of their playing days. Since this effort is a once in a lifetime endeavor, I do not want to exclude individuals or teams who deserve to be chronicled. This would include more than just the handful of professionals and NCAA champions most of us know. There were little league teams, bowlers, swimmers and motocross riders who should be remembered for their accomplishments.
I am also extending a standing invitation for any co-author to write a story on an individual or team of which they have knowledge or experience. If you are not of a literary bent, please consider allowing your sports photos of the past to be included in this volume. The cliché about the worth of pictures versus words was validated in my first volume. The photos provided by Greene Connections and the Cornerstone Genealogical Society were invaluable in my attempt to capture our sports history.
You can contact me at sports@directresults.us to provide copy, photos or just information.