Opinions & Ideas
PAGE 4 - HOGANSVI HOME NEWS - JAN. 23, 2003
THE HOGANSVILLE HOME NEWS
usPs 620-040
A (6rilttce lhtSlh:atm.
Millard B. Gdmes, President
MInE HALE
PUBLIStlER/ADVERTISING DIR
JOHN K
ASSOCIATE PUBLISHIGR]EDITOR
ROB RICHAgOSON
ASSISTANT EDITOR
JAYNE GOWN
BUSINESS MANAGER
Phone (706) 846-3188. Fax (706) 846-2206
E O. Box 426
Hogansville, Georgia 30230
Officials Should
Be Given Respect
I love sports and most of
my readers know that. I've
played, coached and even
spend time when I can offici-
ating, umpiring and referee-
ing, but lately I've had second
thoughts about continuing the
time I spend as an official.
There was a time when
officials were respected and
coaches, players and fans
would grumble a little about
calls. Today, however, it is
going far beyond that and
frankly, sometimes the con-
frontations get out of hand.
A prime example, this
past year while officiating
youth football, I had a coach
scream onto the field, "If he
holds you again, break his
arm." Now, if a coach can take
that attitude about an oppos-
ing teams nine year old play-
er, imagine the kind of abuse
he can give an official.
Because of the alarming
number of physical assaults
they face, Bob Still, commu-
nications manager for the
National Association of Sports
Officials (NASO), has folders
on incidents from across the
country, and his folders keep
growing. He gathers reports
of despicable parents, co,h-"
es and players attackingoffi--
cials or threatening them with
bats, knives and guns.
"We happen to live in a
society where we tend to
blame other people when
things don't go our way, and
to me, that's a major reason
why so many sports parents
blame the ump if. the kid
strikes out," Still says. "It's
not a question of whether the
kid ever learned how to hit
properly. He struck out look-
ing because the ump didn't
know the strike zone. The ump
has become an easy target for
frustrated parents who want
to blame someone."
This does not mean that
all parents, coaches and play-
ers are guilty of unsports-
manlike behavior. Thankfully,
most spectators and partici-
pants understand that they
must respect the official and
his judgement at all costs. But,
a large number do not, unfor-
tunately.
WHEN AN OFFICIAL
takes to the field or court, he's
usually very confident. He
realizes that the game does
sometimes rest upon the close
calls he makes, but he relies
on his training and experience
to help him do a good job.
He understands that when
he makes a call it's going to
make .50 percent of the entire
attendance happy and the
other 50. percent unhappy.
But, he walks away feeling
confident he made the best
call he could. It does not mean
it's always the right call, but
it's the call he felt was right.
Coaches, players and par-
ents often forget that officials
spend countless hours prepar-
ing, just as teams do. Most
attend seminars, training ses-
sions, etc. in an effort toget
better at what they do. The
other thing that people some-
times forget is that a play on
the field, with you close up,
sometimes is not actually
what someone might think
they see from a different
view.
HERE IS A good example
of that. One day, while calling
the plate in a senior boys
game, a runner came fast and
furious to the plate from third
base on a ball that was hit to
the first baseman. The first
baseman tags the bag and
sling ,the ball home to the'
catcher. The catcher bent
down and the player slid into
the tag.
"He's safe!" I yelled.
The entire stands on one
side of the field erupted. Folks
were screaming at me for
being blind. The coach came
running out of the dugout
screaming and hollering.
Never called a time out, never
asked what happened, he just
wanted to tell me how blind I
was.
I listened for a couple of
minutes and ejected him from
the game.
After the game, he asked
me why I called the opposing
player safe when it was evi-
dent his catcher had made the
tag. I explained the catcher
didn't have the ball,
A week later, the coach
walked up tQ me and told me
his wife was taping the game.
When he got home and saw
the tape, it was clear the catch-
er didn't have the ball. But,
there was no way he could
have seen that from the
dugout.
Officials, contrary to pop-
ular belief, do not do it for the
money. It costs them much
more in equipment and trav-
el than they usually make.
They do it for the love of the
game, and because they want
to stay close to the games they
love.
They do make mistakes,
but all humans do. However,
it is important to remember
that without them, there
wouldn't be any games at all.
"[lie HO(;,NSYIt.I.E HOME NEws is published weekly by the Star-Mercury
Publishing Company, a division of Grimes Publications, at 3051 Roosevelt Highway,
Manchesten; Georgia 31816. USPS 620-040. Subscription rates by mail: $18 in
"fi-oup, Harris or Meriwether Counties; $26 a year elsewhere. Prices include all
sales taxes. Periodical postage paid at Hogansville, Georgia 30230.
FOR SUSSCRWOrCS call (706) 846-3188 or write to Circulation Manager, Star
Mercury Publications, E O. Box 426, Manchester, Gecngia 31816.
Pt rs'l'M,.<rtm: Send address changes to P. O. Box 426, Hogansville, GA 30230.
STAFF
Publisher and Advertising Director. .............................................................. Mike Hale
Associate Publisher and Editor ........................................................... John Kuykendall
Busine Manager ................................................................................. Jayne Goldston
Assistant Fxlitor ...................................................................................... Rob Richardson
StaffWfito .......................................................................... Bryan Getcr, Billy Bryant
Assistant Advelising Manager .................................................................. Laurie Lewis
Advertising Sales ........................................................................................ Karen Grant
Composing .................................................................. Valinda lvery. Dewayne Flowers
Lcgals .................................................... ................................................. Jayne Goldston
CinYculation Manager. .................................................................................... Judy Crews
Pnxtuction Manager. ........................................................................... Bobby Brazil Jr.
Assistant Manager ........................................................................... Wayne Grochowski
Pressrm ........................................... 11 McCauley, Joey Knight, Larry Colleges
C.om,oPr OmcE
Fh'esiden! ............................................................................................. Millard B. Grimes
Vice Iesidenl .................................................................................. Charlotte S. Grimes
Executive Vice President and Secretary ........................................ Laura Grimes Cofer
Treasurer. ...................................................................................... Kathy Grimes Garrett
Legal Counsel and Assistant Secretary ............................................... James S. Grimes
Here I Am, Interviewing
Written in 1978 chemical dump. I am using Isitastrainon
an IBM Selectric II type-
I getlettersfromjournal- writer that make strange Absolutely not. I 1l:: u
ismstudentsandotherassort- sounds like a semi hauling migraine headaches, st{ie '
ed weirdos wanting to know hogs through Holly Springs, ach pains, dizzy spells, ni&:
howI goabout puttingtogeth- Mississippi, on a hot July mares, hallucinatidL_ €
column five days a week. afternoon: ingrown toenails, smok__
era'I have to write a paper "Grrrrrrrrrooooooooink!" cough and my back is sll
for my JRL 101 class," began When your IBM Selectric Other than that, I am in 1
one recent letter, "and I have II typewriter makes that feet health for a 65-year
chosenyouasmytopic.Iwant sound, what do you think of? Youbetcha.Justinthelast malaria victim.
to know, in at least 2,000 The odor of overcrowded two months, I have been to Is it necessary to drir Gel
words, how you go about put- hogs in a steam bath, and pos- Memphis and Birmingham. be a good columnist? .
ting a column together five sible death by electrocution. Memphis was closed after That is a common m#er
days a week. Has anybody ever suf- dark and under martial law, but a young person settk.
"I need your response no fered serious injury or even but the hotel in Birmingham out on a career as a col Ou:
later than two weeks from death in an accident involv- had one of those neat revolv- nist should avoid drinkin_s ol
Friday. Please double-space hag an electric typewriter? ing restaurants like the Hyatt all costs. It is certainly IV. Sl
and try to avoid typographi- Yes. One daya skinny reli- Regency in Atlanta. necessary to drink to Ith.
cat errors as the instructor glen reporter got his tie hung Unfortunately, the one in good columnist. It is a grgr h,
counts off for that." in the paper roller of is elec- Birmingham was in the base- help on the days you are aU Ou:
The student who wrote tric typewriter. In a vain ment. one, however, es
the letter will probably grow attempttoremoveit, herolled Last year, I got to go to In summary then, whahnt
to be a good columnist. Getter his head into his machine and the Indianapolis 500 automo- the most difficult part of th.
other people to do your work was typedto deathby alower bile race. What an interest- ing a daily column (a) s.
is a cornerstone of this pro- case 'j' and an out-of-control ing event that was. It was the research; (b) the actual xriot
fession, ampersand, most mental illness I have ing; (c) the need for a 0chi]
Since it is impossible for Do readers sometimes seen at any one time. stant flow of the creatt be
me to answer all such callandsuggesteolumnideas Approximately what are juices; or (d) crazies thrCS
inquiries, I have decided to you? your working hour,2 ening to break your handi'd t
today to interview myself on Every day. Recently an I am on call24 hours a day. Admitting to myself t[Ha
the subject of writing a col- anonymous caller suggested No story is ever too big or too I can't hold down a reffOo
umn for the benefit of inter- I do a column on the most small for a good columnist, job. ITa
ested students and my boss. handsome, best dressed If the bartender forgot totell [1 be
I know my'boss is inter- sportscaster on Atlanta tele- you the office called, howev- BY SPECIAL ARRANGEM hW
ested because just the other vision, er, it's not your fault. WITHmSWIDOW, DEDRA, THEItUa:
• NEws Is CARRYING sgIC]ny
day he asked me, "Grizzard, Did you follow the sug- Who are the most diffi- COLUMNS BY THE LATE LI"
how canyou do this to me five gestion? cult people to interview? GmZZARO, WHO GREW UP IN r_ u
days a week?" Of course not. I knew it Those whose names BY MORELANO, ANn BECAME pu.
Here, then, is the inter- was Harmon the minute he recently appearedin the obit- MOST WmELV READ GEOho
WRITER OF HIS TIME. GRIZZAI_ l
view, conducted in my office, mispronounced "Robert uary column, anybody in BOOKS AND TAPES ARE STILL Ao n
which is located near the Hall." Harrison's on Friday night ABLEFORSALETHROUGHBADI t°n
men's rest room and which is As a columnist, do you with a wedding ring in his PRODUCTIONS, P.O. BOX 19JtCk
GA 31118-1266 ANVjt o-
00S,CSTO00SNA00
recently got new carpet the have opportunities for excit- pocket and Korean soccer BOOK AND
color of river water near a ing travel and adventure? players. WINE. i g
4S.,
--,I tybq
Being Thankful for a Pretty Lady
g iouAs:eghdlJ;smlssperei°hnt;: hasFretnhep;Sprl2viYeeeers: ! ill busflme=a:earl:ea./
piness to those around you. cover the Manch ste : greeted everybody wmr ",=
1 you:, :Wo'subhota- smiIM.y.eleetela
oo rorwara to every unaay pner wnere uoutse serves as ad "
morning at Manchester First a "greeter" with her usual me how to find him in ca#
Baptist Church is the pretty smile, an emergency. ',
smile of Louise Smith as she Unless the job he wasl
strolls down the aisle greet- MANY TIMES I had to at the time was equally prd
ing friends enroute to her caU the Smith home in the ing, he would find a stoplJ
accustomed place in the pew. middle of the day or night for place and come running. :J l
Louise Smith's friendly a machinery breakdown that
smile when she greets you is required the expertise of a ONCE I had to call
nothing new. skilled electrician before we repair a bubbling fountaff._.
She has been greeting couldresume operation at the our back yard, where a so
friends and acquaintances in Veneer ml. "Louise Smith's event was planned later in
this manner since l first knew Louise Smith would smile when day. I believe this time LotP "'
her, which will be 44 years in always greet me with that she greets you is tracked him down ha
May. friendly voice and usually morning coffee with frie
It was not only through knew where we could find nothg new." but she found him and s
the church I got to know and him. this problem was solved.
appreciate Louise. She responded to my call Louise Smith's frie#
Her late husband, Jesse as if she understood the prob- smile is evidence of a ha
W. Smith, was a friend and lem and the necessity of life she enjoys with her G
served asour electrician dur- tracking down her already many called him was locat- her church, her club,
ing our early years in busi- overworked husband, ed, it was only a matter of friends, and family. ,-
ness at the Veneer Mill in Once Jesse W. Smith or time before my immediate Keep smiling, Prd
Manchester. J.W. Smith, the electrician as problem was solved. JW's Lady!
50 Yea00
Ago '
• It iit
In the
Hogansville Herald ,c
Predecessor to the Hogansville Home New,
• HAPPY ENDING: The lost collie '
mentioned in the previous week's paper, '
was identitied as belonging to Mrs. John
Cranston. The local pooch had beer -
found wandering in Austin, Tex. but hi, F.
rabies tag helped authorities identif I (
him. "Shag is being put throughthe dghl I
channels to get back home." I
I
• COLUMBUS MAN HAS MISHAP: I
"Joe Bailey, Columbus, brother in law I
of Dewey Evans, took a tumble in his I
1952 Ford sedan at Flat Creek on the
Lone Oak Road Saturday night.' ,
I
• TRAFFIC CATASTROPHE I
"Seven automobiles were involved ir
a tangle at the Rock Hole last week
when the heavy early morning fog
caused the lead car to come to a com,Ii
plete stop, and five other cars and on(liB
truck piled up behind the parked auto.m
No one was injured.
E GAS
• WHEN WILL TH BE
TURNED ON? The . F. Wilder.
Construction Company is asked this
question on the average of 20 times
day by local citizenry and always
answer has to be 'we don't know."
