What a fun wonderful guy. Used to double date with he and Susan quite often. Great memories of him. If I am correct he was the first to pass away of all of us. Died in the 70's of Lukemia (sp?)
Jim was a great guy and this gives me an opportunity to tell a early football career funny story. In the 9th grade we both went out for football. As I recall Jim went out for quarterback and I became the smallest guard on the team as well as on the field. Whenever those of us who knew where the huddle was held (none of us knew huddle etiquette) actually got to the huddle after the last offensive play the quarterback would attempt to call the next play. He would say something like "we will run the end-arround play now". This was not quite as footballish as the numerical identification of plays that are used today but somehow it seemed to establish communication we thought. At that point almost everyone in the huddle would talk saying things like "no you don't want to do that" or "if we do that the guy in front of me will clobber me" or "when is the next time out". You get the drift. This made if very difficult for anyone of us to know what we really were going to do next, maybe a good thing because we would also confuse the other team as well.
At some point the school coach took our team aside and clearly (in a loud voice) explained that there would be no talking in the huddle and that the quarterback was the boss and you did what he said. We all took this to heart mainly because the coach was bigger than us and scary. After this we were very careful not to talk in the huddle however, being the creative kids we were, the huddle etiquette took another odd turn. Once the quarterback announced the next play everyone would look around at the other players and, yes every player was quiet, but shaking his head yes or no. Regardless of the vote we ventured to the line to execute that play. However, the enthusiasm seemed to be related to the number of players nodding yes or know, democracy in action.
We did not win very many games.
Hope everyone remembers this funny early life event with a laugh.
Pamela Sue Wesley (Holley)
What a fun wonderful guy. Used to double date with he and Susan quite often. Great memories of him. If I am correct he was the first to pass away of all of us. Died in the 70's of Lukemia (sp?)
Went way way too soon............
Bill G. Tompkins
Jim was a great guy and this gives me an opportunity to tell a early football career funny story. In the 9th grade we both went out for football. As I recall Jim went out for quarterback and I became the smallest guard on the team as well as on the field. Whenever those of us who knew where the huddle was held (none of us knew huddle etiquette) actually got to the huddle after the last offensive play the quarterback would attempt to call the next play. He would say something like "we will run the end-arround play now". This was not quite as footballish as the numerical identification of plays that are used today but somehow it seemed to establish communication we thought. At that point almost everyone in the huddle would talk saying things like "no you don't want to do that" or "if we do that the guy in front of me will clobber me" or "when is the next time out". You get the drift. This made if very difficult for anyone of us to know what we really were going to do next, maybe a good thing because we would also confuse the other team as well.
At some point the school coach took our team aside and clearly (in a loud voice) explained that there would be no talking in the huddle and that the quarterback was the boss and you did what he said. We all took this to heart mainly because the coach was bigger than us and scary. After this we were very careful not to talk in the huddle however, being the creative kids we were, the huddle etiquette took another odd turn. Once the quarterback announced the next play everyone would look around at the other players and, yes every player was quiet, but shaking his head yes or no. Regardless of the vote we ventured to the line to execute that play. However, the enthusiasm seemed to be related to the number of players nodding yes or know, democracy in action.
We did not win very many games.
Hope everyone remembers this funny early life event with a laugh.
Bill G. Tompkins