Sidelines: Mail waste of time for some, but not for me

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May 12, 2006

Sidelines: Mail waste of time for some, but not for me

By Mike Lunsford The Tribune Star Fri May 12, 2006, 01:13 PM EDT

TERRE HAUTE — No matter how many bills or how much junk mail I get, I’m one of those folks who anticipates going to the mailbox like Carter opening Tut’s tomb. I’ve always enjoyed getting mail; there’s a feeling of connectedness one gets when he sees his name on a letter from somewhere in the outside world. It makes little difference that what I most often get isn’t worth the postage it took to send it, even at the bulk rate.

I didn’t write many Sidelines this year; writing another column in this newspaper, having a three-sport son who often had us on the road, and sorting through bushels of papers to grade at school seemed to keep me from churning out much quantity, but despite that I still received a lot of mail in response to Sidelines this season.

As usual, I want to share a little of it before I shut down my basketball mode until fall.

By far the most mail I received this winter came in response to “As usual, I’m doing my Christmas shopping early,” a review of the latest DVD version of “Hoosiers;” it appeared in the Tribune-Star in mid-December.

My enthusiasm for the film may a bit excessive, but Brent Compton’s passion for it dwarfs my devotion. He wrote to me the day the column appeared and said, “I’m a big fan of the movie as well. I am currently working with the “Hoosiers” reunion committee on the 20th anniversary celebration this summer in Knightstown.”

Brent works at Pacesetters Sports, and interestingly he’s the guy in charge of designing and making the retro-Huskers uniforms that will be used in the all-star basketball game that is to be played in the Knightstown gym on Friday, June 9. By the way, if you think Jimmy and Ollie may be getting a little too rusty by now to suit up, reasonable substitutes in the likes of Greg Oden and Chase Haltom have already committed to play in the contest. There’s a girls’ game planned too.

Compton wanted me to know that there’s a parade, a dinner and auction, a golf outing, and all kinds of other things planned for June 3-11 at Knightstown. If you want a rundown on the schedule, go to www.thehoosiergym.com to get the full story or talk to Brent; he is understandably fired up about this thing.

Another faithful reader, Bob McCammon, wrote in response to the “Hoosiers” review too. He says his son coaches fifth and sixth grade basketball at Shelburn and shows his team the film at the beginning of every season. Bob teaches an enrichment class at Sullivan Junior High, and he’s used the movie for several years in his classroom. He was six years old when the real Huskers-Milan’s Indians-won the state championship in 1954 and “grew up loving Indiana basketball.”

A real blast from the past came in the mail from Angie Bartlow Keller’s letter about that story. I taught Angie “way back” in 1987 (those were her words). “Hoosiers” was released during her senior year. Angie said my columns “take her back” to the covered bridges and maple fairs and the woods of Parke County. Maybe she’ll come back for a homecoming basketball game; I’m not getting any younger you know.

One last letter to mention about the column came from Jarrett Hagy, another devotee to the film who says that “Hoosiers” is going to be shown in the old but refurbished Knightstown gym in one of the only 35 millimeter “versions in existence” on Sunday, June 4 at 7 p.m.. I agree Jarrett, it will be “great.”

I always wanted to do a column about Howard Mathas, long-time coach at Bridgeton, Rosedale, Dana, Glenn, and Wiley high schools, but he was just a little too modest to let me do it. In November I wrote, “It’s time to seize the day boys,” a tribute to Mathas not long after he passed at 87. But even before that column appeared, Parker Eaton, who played for Mathas as a Rosedale Hotshot, sent me a letter suggesting I write about the coach he said was the kind of man I’d have wanted my own son to play for.

Mathas was a good guy, something that Ray Andrew wanted to reinforce in his letter, which came within a few days of the story going to print. He said that Mathas was his seventh-grade coach. In those days-if I’m doing my math correctly, it would have been about 1946-many varsity coaches took on all levels of coaching at the school at the same time. He said that Mathas was tough, but fair.

I got a nice letter from Brad Clapp in response to my story about the team outfits that high school basketball players wear before their games. I know that team apparel may be a touchy subject for some folks-I had one objection raised by a particularly disgruntled junior high coach who seemed to think it silly-but I feel the fans in the stands appreciate coaches who have eyes for details and for doing things properly. Coaches are teachers, and teaching kids how to handle themselves in public, and, yes, even tie a tie and to pull their pants up is part of the job. It doesn’t have much to do with whether they play hard or not.

Well, I could go on here, but I wanted to mention two other letters before I end Sidelines for a while. The first came from Ann Delp Schermann, one of my all-time favorite basketball players. Ann now lives in rural Illinois, but 14 years ago she and her sister, Amy, played for me. Ann was, to be polite here, not dainty. Stepping in front of her was like hugging a chainsaw; she was tough, and she was a winner. We exchanged e-mails after her letter, and I found out that her daughter, Sierra, who is now nine, plays basketball in a winter league, but plans to play football next fall. Like mother, like daughter.

Finally, I got a gem of a letter from Andy Amey. As you probably know, I don’t really work at the newspaper, so I only see Andy a few times a year. I wrote another one of my old high school nickname pieces in January called “It doesn’t take much for me to name names.” Andy thought maybe I should take a look at some of the names across the border in Illinois, as did another letter writer, Jim Blome, from Casey. Jim sent me a fantastic list of names; more about him and that list next fall.

Andy wrote, “the team I always had a foreboding about covering was the Arcola Purple Riders. I always pictured a bunch of guys like Attila the Hun riding across the fields in long flowing robes.” Personally, I love Andy’s column, but the guy should be writing screenplays.

Thanks to all of you for your letters; I wish I could have relayed a few more to readers in this space. That’s the end of the story, the end of the column, and the end of the year. I would say I’ll see you in the fall, but look for my column, “The Off Season,” a little more regularly on the front page as we head toward summer.

If you want to contact Mike Lunsford, you can e-mail him at hickory913@aol.com, or write to him c/o The Tribune-Star, PO Box 149, Terre Haute, IN, 47808.

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Sidelines

Old friend missing as Pizza Hut Wabash Valley Classic begins
It occurred to me late last month, as I opened my morning newspaper to read up on the draw for this year’s Pizza Hut Wabash Valley Classic, that when I walk through Terre Haute South’s doors on Wednesday it will be the first time that I won’t find my old buddy Dean Kendall sitting at one end of the gym, a smile on his face a good while before the first whistle is blown or the first shot is taken.

December 25, 2012
SIDELINES: Good for even a traditional Classic buff
Lights down, tree out, another year gone at the Classic.

January 4, 2012
Sidelines: Pizza Hut Classic is basketball on caffeine
I’m no coffee connoisseur. If it’s hot and black and in a Styrofoam cup, I’ll drink it.
Knowing I consume a good bit of brew every day, my family helps fuel the addiction by buying Christmas gift cards for me at a local coffee shop, but, since I make it into town only occasionally, the cards stay stashed in my wallet until the Pizza Hut Wabash Valley Classic rolls around.

January 5, 2011
Sidelines: Feeling cold? Here’s a story that just might warm your feet Despite a glowing space heater that hums near my chilly feet, I still hug my arms and rub my legs as I sit to write this story. The sub-zero temperatures this weekend have brutally reminded us all of our human frailty, of our dependence on stoves and furnaces, electricity and natural gas, on blankets and fleece and wool and warm water.
January 11, 2010
Tipping my can in honor of the Classic’s 10th It never ceases to amaze me how fast time slides past us… Or should I say, blows by. I’ve lived in my house 28 years; I’ve taught school for over 30, and I’ve been married a little longer than that.
December 24, 2009
Hayden's loyalty to Colts pays off Hours before the former University of Illinois cornerback was due to be designated as the Indianapolis Colts’ franchise player, Kelvin Hayden — who had made it known that he wasn’t interested in playing anywhere else — signed a five-year, $43 million deal with the team.
February 20, 2009
Thumbing through a real history book My wife and I invest a bit of our time on the occasional Saturday wandering through antique stores and junk shops.
January 16, 2009
Sidelines: When it comes to the Classic, it’s better late than never… I’m normally pretty punctual. Despite having to slip into the back pew at church on the occasionally tardy Sunday morning, I’m not in the habit of paying late fees on bills, standing at the back of any buffet lines, or being the last guy in the neighborhood to mow grass. As a matter of fact, I’m often the first employee to pull into the parking lot every morning.
January 3, 2009
Colts notebook: Team won't be very active in free-agent market Now that Indianapolis has re-signed unrestricted free agents Bob Sanders (strong safety), Dallas Clark (tight end) and Ryan Lilja (offensive guard), team officials are planning to sit back and see what’s going to happen with the rest of the team’s free agents.
February 22, 2008
SIDELINES: Like fine wine, Classic gets better with age I know virtually nothing about wine, but I do know that the best of it gets better with age. That’s apparently true of the Pizza Hut Wabash Valley Classic.
January 2, 2008 1 Slideshow
Sidelines: A man has to do what a man has to do I have a job to do just after Christmas, and believe me, it’s a tough one; it takes four days, involves putting in long hours, requires both physical and mental sacrifice, and perhaps even holds the chance for long-term injury. But a guy has to do what he has to do to bring home a paycheck.
December 23, 2007
Metro roundup: ISU announces Hall of Fame class
November 10, 2007
Sidelines: Illinois has its share of unique nicknames too Over the years, I’ve written at least four columns about unique school nicknames, but Casey resident Jim Blome reminded me in a letter about a year ago that I’ve never done a story about interesting names from Illinois schools. I think it’s time I remedied that error.
February 27, 2007
Sidelines: Advocates had their chance for higher basket Years ago, if atmospheric conditions were just right, I could occasionally dunk a basketball, particularly at one local gym where pick-up game artists like me knew that one rim was at least three inches lower than regulation height.
February 2, 2007
Warm up for Classic with Clyde Quiz An obligation at work kept me from being at the Pizza Hut Wabash Valley Classic luncheon and tournament drawing at Terre Haute South a few weeks ago, but I don’t intend to let much get in my way when it comes to showing up for the lion’s share of the 28 games in the Classic, which, by the way, gets started today.
December 26, 2006
Mike Lunsford: It’s not how much we’ve gained, but how much we’ve lost I haven’t seen much basketball this fall; the weather outside has been too nice lately to turn my attention to things indoors just yet. So this is the first Sidelines of the year; I was already writing about hoops in October last season. I hope the old adage of it being better late than never still rings true.
November 29, 2006
Sidelines: Mail waste of time for some, but not for me No matter how many bills or how much junk mail I get, I’m one of those folks who anticipates going to the mailbox like Carter opening Tut’s tomb. I’ve always enjoyed getting mail; there’s a feeling of connectedness one gets when he sees his name on a letter from somewhere in the outside world. It makes little difference that what I most often get isn’t worth the postage it took to send it, even at the bulk rate.
May 12, 2006 1 Photo
Sidelines: It doesn’t take much for me to name names It’s no secret that I enjoy talking about old high school nicknames; I’ve done several columns on the subject before. I usually wait a little while before I write about a topic for a second (or third) time, but when Fred Myers of Riley dropped a letter to me a few weeks ago pointing out a potential mistake I made about a nickname, I just couldn’t resist going into it again. After all, it has been a couple of years.
January 25, 2006 1 Photo

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