Saturday, December 22, 2012
In the spirit of the season, the thought of Kelly Pavlik donating his time when he was still climbing the ladder to his middleweight crown comes to mind.
A recent photo of the former champ visiting a retirement community in Boardman to brighten someone’s day reminded me of May 2005, when I put in a request to one of his assistants to have the up-and-coming boxer make an appearance in a classroom at a facility for adolescents with behavioral problems.
He didn’t have to do it because there was no personal gain, but Pavlik took the time to talk to the resident students who were generally appreciative.
Pavlik has had some personal issues come to light since, but occasions such as the effort he made on that May day go a long way toward tempering the ugly moments.
HUNTING TALES
Another example of appreciation came to light recently from Dan Chiaberta Jr. of Hubbard, who could write a good Father’s Day story for outdoorsmen.
“My dad has been hunting deer for 33 years and me 27,” Chiaberta said fondly. “We’ve always hunted together since I was 10 years old. He has taught me everything I know. It’s very special to me to enjoy the time with him.”
WELLSVILLE ANGLE
The NCAA Division III record-breaking performance by Grinnell point guard Jack Taylor on Nov. 20 has an area angle, said former sports writer Mark Miller.
Taylor’s 138 points against Faith Baptist Bible erased the previous record of 113 scored by Rio Grande’s Bevo Francis, who set it against Hillsdale in 1954.
Miller said that Francis played his high school basketball at Wellsville and that former Vindicator sports writer, the late Bob Curry, covered Francis at the time as sports editor of the East Liverpool Review.
“At 6-9, Bevo was a giant for his time when tall players were in the 6-0 to 6-4 range,” Miller wrote recently. “Bevo played two seasons at Rio Grande, a school of 92 students. The Redmen were even ranked in the nation’s top 20 schools such as Arizona State, Creighton, Wake Forest, Providence and Buffalo State in 1953-54.” said Miller. “Bevo signed a $30,000 contract to play for the Boston Travelers against the Harlem Globetrotters. The NBA’s Philadelphia Warriors franchise drafted Bevo, but contract terms were never reached.”
FRONT-ROW SEAT
My son had the enviable job of working the Ohio State-Michigan game at Ohio Stadium on Nov. 24.
As a Columbus firefighter, he’s paid to put out fires, rescue people and respond to accidents and 911 calls for bee stings.
Although he had his heart in the assignment, his heart wasn’t in the game. You see, he’s a Notre Dame fan. When time permitted, he was able to catch parts of the Irish playing USC at the same time.
SMITH SIDELINED
Former Girard athlete Landon Smith’s second year with the Ohio University football team ended with a knee injury near the end of the season.
Smith, a wide receiver, gained notoriety when he scored the first touchdown in the season-opening Penn State game to spark the Bobcats to a 24-14 victory.
“He’s someone we could put in any position and he did a lot of good things for us,” said high school coach Nick Cochran.
Smith helped Girard to a 12-1 record his junior season.
OU will play La.-Monroe in the Independence Bowl on Dec. 28.
COURTROOM DRAMA
One of the more quirky days in high school football occurred when Brookfield players and coaches were unsure of their playoff-opening opponent until about 2 p.m. on game day.
That’s when the school was informed of a judge’s decision involving a Cleveland area player’s ineligibility case that was challenged by the OHSAA.
In recent days, an eligibility case of another kind surfaced as Warren JFK sophomore Isaac Carrino sought a temporary restraining order to permit him to play basketball for the Eagles after transferring from Bristol.
Trumbull County Common Pleas Judge John M. Stuard denied the motion.
TALKING STRATEGY
WKBN color man Mario DeMartino made an interesting observation during the Ursuline-Garaway playoff game on Nov. 3.
His assertion was that the team that passes, even if not blessed athletically with speed or some other attribute (Garaway), is able to equalize and compensate with quick strikes to keep up with the favorite (Ursuline).
DeMartino wasn’t buying into the opinion that the team that controls the clock with sustained drives can’t be brought to its knees or kept on pins and needles by a team that goes to air often.
Ursuline won the shootout, 64-48.
EAST FOOTBALL JOB OPEN
City athletic coordinator Ed Matey is taking applications for the East High head football coach position vacated by Jim Vivo’s departure. Deadline is Jan. 8. Call Matey at 330-744-6955 or 330-716-2336.
CLOSE PIN ACTION
On Tuesday, Brookfield’s boys bowling team was a one-pin loser to Lowellville earlier this week, 1,939 to 1,938, at Bell-Wick Bowl.
HORSING AROUND
Not that I follow horse racing, but when did Hollywood Park become Betfair Hollywood Park?
My feelings are reflected in this comment from someone in the industry: “It’s unfortunate. To someone who has been part of the business for as many years as I have, the name sounds utterly stupid.”
John Bassetti is a sports writer at The Vindicator. Email him at bassetti@vindy.com.